English Language Learners’ Transitional Needs from High School to University: An Exploratory Study Hetty Roessingh & Scott Douglas # Springer Science+Business Media B.V . 2011 Abstract In this study, various measures of educational achievement of English language learners (ELLs) are compared to those of native English speakers (NS) who graduated high school in Calgary and were admitted into first year studies at the University of Calgary (U of C); and the literacy demands of university manifested in the readability levels of first year textbooks are analyzed. Findings suggest ELLs are academically competent, as reflected in the achievement outcomes of provincial high school diploma examinations in mathematics. The vast majority, however, are inadequately prepared for the literacy demands of university and are at immediate academic risk. Suggestions are made for policy, transitional programming, and the provision of services that may support academic achievement at university for this growing profile of learners on campus. Keywords English language learners . Cognitive academic language proficiency . Transitions . Academic achievement Introduction Canada is among the top 12 developed nations in the global economy, all struggling with massive domestic demographic shift that necessitates unprece- dented large scale immigration to meet the human resource needs of the decade ahead (Jackson and Howe 2008; Chang 2009). The future quality of life of these nations depends on a vibrant, well-educated workforce increasingly comprised of immigrants and the children of immigrants as the domestic population ages and retires. Int. Migration & Integration DOI 10.1007/s12134-011-0202-8 H. Roessingh (*) EdT 710, Faculty of Education, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada e-mail: hroessin@ucalgary.ca S. Douglas Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia Okanagan, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada e-mail: scott.douglas@ubc.ca