The first critical issue is focused on instruction of the ESL students within the classroom and how it is related to Standards-based content and ESL instruction. Some teachers may feel that ESL instruction many be a separate entity from standard-based instruction. On the contrary, we need to acknowledge the fact that they are intertwined with each other. TESOL Standard 3a states that teachers should “know, understand, and use evidence‐based practices and strategies related to planning, implementing, and managing standards‐based ESL and content instruction”.<ref name="TESOL2009">{{cite web | url=http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/binseccss.asp?CID=219&DID=13040&DOC=FILE.PDF1689 | title=TESOL/NCATE Standards for the Recognition of Initial TESOL Programs in P-12 ESL Teacher Education | publisher=Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages | date=2009 | accessdate=July 04, 2011}}</ref> In a five week study by Huang, researched showed that “classroom instruction appeared to play an important role in integrating language skills development and academic content learning.” This study showed that the “students acquire linguistic/literacy skills and scientific knowledge hand in hand as they assume various communicative and social roles within carefully planned language activities”.<ref name="Huang2000p403">{{cite book | title=The 49th yearbook of the National Reading Conference | publisher=National Reading Conference | year=2000 | ___location=Chicago | isbn=9781893591028 | editor1-last=Shanahan | editor1-first=Timothy | editor2-last=Rodríguez-Brown | editor2-first=Flora V. | last=Huang | first=J. | chapter=Integration of academic content learning and academic literacy skills development of L2 students: A case study of an ESL science class | page=403}}</ref> By tying in written texts with the science content the students were able to improve their language development between drafts and build on their science content knowledge.
