Using a Powerful Research-Based Tool to Strengthen Instruction for Multilingual Learning

To strengthen multilingual students' English language development, California school districts are using a tool called the Observation Protocol for Teachers of English Learners (OPTEL) to better understand how multilingual students use English in everyday classroom learning.

OPTEL is a simple, research-based tool aligned with California’s English Language Development (ELD) standards and statewide assessments. It enables teachers to observe and document how students use language in actual learning situations. When students participate in classroom activities such as peer discussions, presentations, or essay writing, teachers gather evidence of students’ language skills and they use OPTEL to describe their level of English proficiency.

Teachers use OPTEL multiple times throughout the year and across different settings, giving them a more complete picture of student learning over time. This ongoing observation helps educators better understand students’ progress toward English proficiency and informs decisions about instruction, targeted supports, and reclassification.

In San Mateo County, the Menlo Park City School District (MPCSD) is a leader among San Mateo County school districts in implementing OPTEL under the guidance of Katherine Strach, Coordinator of Data, Assessment, and English Learner Services. The district began piloting OPTEL with one teacher in 2023. After seeing its benefits for both students and educators, MPCSD officially adopted OPTEL as part of its reclassification process for students identified as English Learners.

"It was really helpful for teachers to see that their classroom might not look like how they perceived," Strach shared. "There were a lot of 'aha' moments and next steps to help students learn."

Since adopting the tool, teachers have used OPTEL as a common formative assessment tool to better understand student language development, improve instruction, and plan more intentionally around specific student needs.

"OPTEL has really spurred us to examine how we’re teaching and focus more intentionally on how students are learning," said Strach. "We’ve been able to make a lot of instructional changes in our designated ELD program."

The results have been significant. MPCSD has improved its performance on the English Learner Progress Indicator, one of several measures reported by the California Department of Education on the California School Dashboard. Beyond student outcomes, OPTEL has influenced teacher mindset, shifting the focus away from compliance and toward instructional reflection and program improvement.

"Through this work, we successfully disrupted predictable outcomes for our Hispanic students and students with disabilities," Strach noted. "We’re seeing a really positive effect for the work we are doing."

Outside of the district, Strach has helped lead a regional community of practice where educators from other Bay Area school districts support one another in implementing OPTEL. Through the California Department of Education, she is also helping develop professional learning modules to support districts with OPTEL implementation. In partnership with WestEd, she is also supporting the development and facilitation of professional learning modules with general education classrooms to use OPTEL to inform instruction and lesson planning.

Underlying this work is a shared belief that supporting multilingual learners and differentiating instruction to meet student needs is not an add-on; it is central to strong teaching and learning. As districts continue to build awareness and understanding of OPTEL, the tool is helping shift both teacher practice and outcomes, disrupting predictable patterns, and supporting more equitable success for multilingual learners.