In this episode of Empowering the Educator Within, we unpack one of the biggest questions in ELL program design: Should we start with student needs—or fix the system first?

Host Christina Shala reflects on key insights that emerged after attending an ELL conference in the UK and explores how bottom-up and top-down approaches each shape the kind of support English language learners receive.

We’ll look at how whole-school planning, curriculum alignment, and individualized staff planners can make or break ELL success—and why rethinking your foundation may be the first step forward.

💡 Read the companion article on the blog at Top-Down vs Bottom-Up Approach in EAL

📝 Explore sample frameworks and planning tools inside Empowering the Educator Within, the book and workbook set designed to help schools plan with purpose.