ELL students come from diverse cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds to which they are adding the English language and American culture. At present, the Hickman Mills C-1 School District provides ELL instruction to over 150  students who speak 12 different languages. The students also have a wide variety of educational backgrounds.  Some have had extensive formal schooling, some have had little or none.

       The acquisition of a second language is affected by many diverse factors, such as culture, educational background, and prior experiences of the student. The rate of proficiency development is individual, and varies from student to student. English language learners will continue to need support from school, home, and community as their English proficiency develops.