English learners often understand a novel far better than their writing suggests. A student in an ELL-supported classroom may grasp that David Mugisha's loss of his athletic future leads to isolation and a critical view of the world, yet struggle to express that idea in polished English. If the teacher grades only on surface accuracy, the student's real comprehension remains invisible. Feedback and scoring must be designed to see past language barriers without lowering expectations for thinking.

The most effective starting point is to separate content from language in the rubric. One set of rows evaluates the quality of the ideas, evidence, and analysis, while another evaluates grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure. Scores can then show that a student is strong in interpretation and still developing in language control. This clarity helps both the student and the family understand progress.

Feedback on language should be selective. Marking every error overwhelms students and obscures the most important patterns. Instead, teachers can choose two or three recurring issues, such as verb tense consistency or article use, and focus on those. A student can realistically work on a small number of targets at a time.

Prioritizing meaning before form

A useful principle is to respond first to what the student is trying to say. If a paragraph claims that David's foster sister helps him face his past but the sentences are tangled, the teacher can restate the idea in clearer English and ask whether that matches the student's intent. This respects the student's thinking and models more fluent expression. It also builds trust, which makes students more willing to take risks in writing.

• Comment first on the strength of the idea before addressing language
• Limit grammar corrections to two or three recurring patterns
• Offer model sentences that show how to express the same idea more clearly
• Allow vocabulary supports such as glossaries or sentence frames
• Permit drafting a first version in the home language to clarify thinking

Scaffolds that raise the quality of writing

Sentence frames and paragraph templates give English learners structure without dictating content. A frame such as "One example that shows ___ is when ___, which suggests ___" supports the evidence and explanation pattern central to literary analysis. Students fill in specifics from Till Tomorrow, so the ideas remain their own. Over time, they can use the frames less as their confidence grows.

Pre-writing discussion in pairs or small groups also helps. Talking through how David changes before writing gives students the vocabulary and organization they need. Teachers can listen in and note which ideas students express orally that later fail to appear on paper. That observation can guide targeted support during drafting.

Using technology to support multilingual writers

AI-based feedback can be particularly helpful for English learners when it gives quick, specific, and nonjudgmental comments on drafts. A student can receive input on a paragraph immediately and revise before the teacher ever sees it, which builds independence and reduces anxiety. Teachers can configure feedback to prioritize ideas and organization over minor errors. They still review the output to ensure it is appropriate for the student's level.

Care is needed to keep students from relying on tools in ways that undermine learning. Clear expectations about how feedback may be used, and conversations about why the student's own revision matters, preserve the benefits. Teachers should also watch for feedback that corrects too much and erases the student's voice. The goal is growth, not polished text that does not reflect what the student can do.

Measuring growth over time

Progress for English learners is often best seen across several pieces of writing rather than in a single score. Keeping a portfolio of drafts and final essays lets students and teachers compare how sentence complexity, vocabulary, and organization develop. A student who moves from isolated simple sentences to connected analytical paragraphs about David's journey has made major progress, even if errors remain. Celebrating that growth keeps motivation high.

Collaboration with ESL specialists strengthens the approach. Sharing the rubric and sample feedback with those colleagues ensures consistency and allows them to reinforce the same targets. Together, teachers can set realistic goals for each student and adjust as needed. The result is writing instruction that treats multilingual students as capable thinkers who are still developing their English.