National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) - English as a Second Language Literacy Facts

	Adult Participation in ESL Programs
	Characteristics of the Immigrant Population
	ESL Programs for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students in K-12
	Literacy Levels of the Foreign-born Population and Speakers of English as a Second Language in the U.S.
	Student Goals

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References

In the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) assessment, 1994-98:

The average composite literacy score of native-born adults in the U.S. was 284 (Level 3); the U.S. ranked 10th out of 17 high-income countries;
The average composite literacy score of foreign-born adults in the U.S. was 210 (Level 1); the U.S. ranked 16th out of 17 countries.
(Sum, 2002, p21, Table 12)

The 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS) compared the average prose literacy levels of the native U.S. population and the foreign-born population and found that the older a person was when he/she arrived in the U.S., the lower his/her average English language literacy level.

Level 3 was the average literacy level of the population born in the U.S., compared to Level 2 for the immigrant population who arrived in the U.S. between the ages of 1-11 and Level 1 for those who arrived aged 12 or older.

Level 3 was the average literacy level of the Asian/Pacific Islander population born in the U.S. and those who arrived in the U.S. between the ages of 1-11, compared to Level 2 for the immigrant Asian/Pacific Islander population who arrived in the U.S. aged 12-24 and Level 1 for those who arrived aged 25 or older.

Level 2 was the average literacy level of the Black population born in the U.S. and persons who arrived in the U.S. between the ages of 1-24, compared to Level 1 for the immigrant Black population who arrived in the U.S. aged 25 or older.

Level 2 was the average literacy level of the Hispanic population born in the U.S. and the immigrant Hispanic population who arrived in the U.S. between the ages of 1-11, compared to Level 1 for those who arrived aged 12 or older.

Level 3 was the average literacy level of the White population born in the U.S. and persons who arrived in the U.S. between the ages of 1-11, compared to Level 2 for the White population who arrived aged 12 or older.
(Greenberg, p50, Table 2.7)

More statistics from this survey

The International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) compared the prose literacy levels of the native-born and non-native born adult population, aged 16-65, in the United States:

14.0% of the native-born population were at Level 1, compared to 63.7% of the second-language foreign born;
27.3% were at Level 2, compared to 17.0% of the second-language foreign born;
35.0% were at Level 3, compared to 13.5% of the second-language foreign born;
23.7% were at Level 4/5, compared to 5.9% (unreliable) of the second-language foreign born.
(Tuijnman, p45)

More statistics from this survey

In 2000, 28.4 million foreign-born people resided in the United States, representing 10.4% of the total U.S. population. (Lollock, p1)

Among the foreign born in 2000:

51.0% were born in Latin America,
25.5% were born in Asia,
15.3% were born in Europe, and
8.1% were born in other regions of the world.
(Lollock, p1)

10.0% were less than 18 years old, compared to 28.3% of the native population,
79.0% were 18 to 64 years old, compared to 59.7% of native population, and
11.0% were aged 65 and over, compared to 12.0% of the native population.

94.9% lived in a city or a metropolitan area, compared with 79.4% of the native population,
5.1% lived in nonmetropolitan areas, compared to 20.7% of the native population.

39.9% lived in the West, compared to 20.8% of the native population,
26.8% lived in the South, compared to 35.9% of the native population,
22.6% lived in the Northeast, compared to 18.6% of the native population, and
10.7% lived in the Midwest, compared to 24.6% of the native population.
(Lollock, p2)

80.4% of the foreign born who arrived in the U.S. before 1970 had obtained citizenship by 2000, compared to:
- 61.9% of those who had arrived from 1970-79,
- 38.9% of those who arrived in 1980-89, and
- 8.9% of those who arrived from 1990-99.

In 2000, the Current Population Survey reported the following educational attainment levels of the foreign-born population, as compared to the native population:

33.0% of the foreign-born population were not high school graduates, compared to 13.4% of the native population,
25.0% were high school graduates, compared to 34.3% of the native population,
16.2% had some college education (less than a bachelor's degree), compared to 26.7% of the native population, and
25.8% had a bachelor's degree or more, compared to 25.6% of the native population.
(Schmidley, p36, Figure 14-1)

In 2000, the following foreign born were not high school graduates:

62.7% of the Central American foreign born,
50.4% of the Latin American foreign born,
20.3% of the South American foreign born,
18.7% of the European foreign born,
16.2% of the Asian foreign born,
14.5% of the North American foreign born, and
5.1% of the African foreign born,
(Schmidley, p37, Figure 14-2)

In 2000, the Current Population Survey reported the following median earnings of full-time year-round workers:

$37,528 for the native male population, compared to $27,239 for the foreign-born male population.
$26,698 for the native female population, compared to $22,139 for the foreign-born female population.
(Schmidley, p43, Figure 17-1)

In 2000, the poverty rate:

of naturalized citizens was 9.1%, compared to 21.3% for non citizens.
(Schmidley, p47, Figure 19-1)

The Census 2000 Supplementary Survey found the following:

12.5% of the population aged 5-17 spoke Spanish at home, of which:
- 86.4% reported being able to speak English "very well" or "well," and
- 13.6% "not well" or "not at all."
2.9% of the population aged 5-17 spoke an Indo-European language other than Spanish at home, of which:
- 92.8% reported being able to speak English "very well" or "well," and
- 7.2% "not well" or "not at all."
2.3% of the population aged 5-17 spoke an Asian/Pacific Islander language at home, of which:
- 89.6% reported being able to speak English "very well" or "well," and
- 10.4% "not well" or "not at all."
11.0% of the population aged 18-64 spoke Spanish at home, of which:
- 67.8% reported being able to speak English "very well" or "well," and
- 32.2% "not well" or "not at all."
3.7% of the population aged 18-64 spoke an Indo-European language other than Spanish at home, of which:
- 87.4% reported being able to speak English "very well" or "well," and
- 12.6% "not well" or "not at all."
3.0% of the population aged 18-64 spoke an Asian/Pacific Islander language at home, of which:
- 77.6% reported being able to speak English "very well" or "well," and
- 22.4% "not well" or "not at all."
(U.S. Bureau of Census, p1, Table PO35)

The National Household Education Survey, 1994-95, found that for adults aged 16 or over whose primary language at home was not English:

41.9% participated in ESL classes in the previous 12 months as part of a college program,
28.9% participated to improve their communication skills,
14.1% for a personal, family, or social reasons, and
15.1% for other main reasons.
(Kwang, p15, Table 2)

The Impact of Content-Based Instruction study (published in 1997) reported the following as to why adults want to study ESL:

23% of students enrolled in a family ESL program to get a job,
29% for college or self-improvement, and
34% to help their children.

58% of students enrolled in a vocational ESL program to get a job,
31% for college or self-improvement, and
8% to help their children.

38% of students enrolled in a communicative ESL program to get a job,
36% for college or self-improvement, and
13% to help their children.
(McDonald, p2, Figure 1)

The Survey of the States' Limited English Proficient Students and Available Educational Programs and Services found that LEP students represented 7.8% of the total public school student enrollment in 1997-98.
(Macias, p3, Table 2)

Of these:

78% were Spanish speakers,
2.7% Vietnamese,
1.8% Hmong,
1.6% Cantonese,
1.1% French (Haitian) Creole,
1.1% Korean, and
14% other languages.
(Macias, p4, Figure 1)

In 1996, the Survey on Family and School Partnerships in Public Schools found that:

85% of public elementary schools (K-8) reported providing interpreters for meetings and conferences for parents with limited English skills,
66% provided translations of newsletters and school notices for parents, and
28% provided school signs in different languages.
(Carey, p12, Figure 7)

ESL programs are the fastest growing component of the state-administered adult education programs. In 1997-98, 48% of enrollments were in ESL programs, compared to 33% in 1993-94. Of these 48% enrollees, 32% were in beginning ESL classes, 12% in intermediate, and 4% in advanced.
(U.S. Department of Education, OVAE, p2; U.S. Department of Education, OVAE, p5)

The National Household Education Survey, 1994-95, found that for civilian, non-institutionalized adults, aged 16 or over, whose primary language at home was not English:

64.5% did not enroll in ESL classes in the previous 12 months and were not interested in taking any,
10.8% took ESL classes in the previous 12 months,
15.5% did not take classes, but were very interested in taking classes, and
9.2% did not take classes and were somewhat/slightly interested in taking classes.

Of the 64.5% who did not enroll in ESL classes in the previous 12 months and were not interested in taking any:

19.0% of these adults reported that they read English "very well,"
18.4% reported that they read English "well,"
14.2% "not well," and
12.9% "not at all."
(Kwang, p3, Figure 1)

Of the 10.8% of adults who participated in ESL classes in the last 12 months, more than half of the students (51.7%) had been in the U.S. for five years or less.
(Kwang, p14, Table 1)

Nearly 74% of the adults participating in ESL classes had found out about the classes through family, friends, neighbors, employers, or schools; 26.3% had found the class information through a newspaper, radio, TV, poster, or flyer.
(Kwang, p16, Table 3)

The National Household Education Survey, 1994-95, found that 58.8% of adults, aged 16 or over, who were interested in taking ESL classes did not know of any ESL classes, compared to 41.2% who were interested and knew of some ESL classes.
(Kwang, p17, Table 4)

Of this same population, the main barriers to participation in ESL classes were:

40.1% time,
26.0% money/cost,
23.4% child care or transportation, and
10.6% other barriers.

Male adults reported that time was the greatest barrier to participation. The greatest reported barriers for the female population were childcare and transportation.

Adults with less than a high school education reported that time followed by childcare or transportation were the greatest barriers to participation; those with a high school education reported that time followed by money/cost were the greatest barriers.
(Kwang, p18, Table 5)

In 1999, the Digest of Education Statistics reported the following rates of participation in ESL programs during the previous 12 months by adults aged 17 and older:

5.2% of the population with an 8th grade education or less,
1.1% of the population who had completed 9th grade or more (but did not graduate),
0.6% of the population with a high school diploma,
1.6% of the population with some vocational/technical education,
0.3% of the population with some college education, and
0.5% of the population with an associate degree or more.

0.1% of White, non-Hispanic adults,
0.5% of Black, non-Hispanic adults,
6.2% of Hispanic adults,
4.8% of the Asian American/Pacific Islander population, and
less than 0.05% of the American Indian/Alaskan Indian population.

0.5% of the employed population,
1.9% of the unemployed population, and
1.5% of the population not in the labor force.

0.9% of the population aged 17-24,
2.4% of the population aged 25-29,
1.6% of the population aged 30-34,
1.5% of the population aged 35-39,
0.2% of the population aged 40-44,
0.7% of the population aged 45-49, and
0.4% of the population aged 50 and older.
(Snyder, p389, Table 356)