Helping English Language Learners Succeed in Reading
The Common Core Standards for English Language Arts (ELA) articulate rigorous grade-level standards for all students in the areas of reading, writing, listening, and speaking to prepare them to be college and career ready, including English Language Learners. Research has shown that many English Language Learners (ELLs) have first language literacy knowledge and skills that can aid them in acquiring literacy in a second language. In addition, they bring a rich reservoir of cultural perspectives and practices that serve as resources for schools and society.
Strategies
Here are some useful strategies and considerations in keeping with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Learners:
1. In teaching the alphabet and letter sounds, differences in languages can be a source of confusion. For example, the Spanish alphabet has 29 letters that represent 24 phonemes, with five vowel sounds represented by the five vowel letters in a one-to-one correspondence that is mostly consistent. This differs from the English alphabet where there are 26 letters representing 44 phonemes, with the five vowel sounds representing several sounds or phonemes. The variation in the vowel sounds and lack of one-to-one correspondence causes inconsistency in the English language.
2. In regard to phonemic awareness, ELLs often need more opportunities to play informally with rhyme and to orally manipulate the sounds in words during small-group activities, and they may also need to listen to wordplay books read aloud more times than their English-speaking classmates. Teachers should also be aware that English Language Learners whose native language uses an alphabetic system such as Spanish, German, Yoruba, Portuguese, or kiSwahili, develop phonemic awareness more easily than students whose native language utilizes a logographic system of sound-symbol correspondences such as Chinese.
3. Ensure that the environmental print reflects the students' first languages. For example, the teacher could have number and color words on bulletin boards and charts written in all the different languages represented in the classroom under the English word.
4. Label objects in the classroom in more than one language.
5. Develop units on countries where different students are from (e.g., The Big Five of South Africa) and post charts, pictures, and maps from that country.
6. Supply the classroom library with books and magazines in languages other than English.
7. Use picture books to encourage storytelling, vocabulary and oral language development.
8. Have bilingual students read and write with paraprofessionals, parents, or other students who speak their first language.
Additional resources (including videos) may be found at Color in Colorado, a bilingual site for teachers and families of English language learners.
Strategies
Here are some useful strategies and considerations in keeping with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Learners:
1. In teaching the alphabet and letter sounds, differences in languages can be a source of confusion. For example, the Spanish alphabet has 29 letters that represent 24 phonemes, with five vowel sounds represented by the five vowel letters in a one-to-one correspondence that is mostly consistent. This differs from the English alphabet where there are 26 letters representing 44 phonemes, with the five vowel sounds representing several sounds or phonemes. The variation in the vowel sounds and lack of one-to-one correspondence causes inconsistency in the English language.
2. In regard to phonemic awareness, ELLs often need more opportunities to play informally with rhyme and to orally manipulate the sounds in words during small-group activities, and they may also need to listen to wordplay books read aloud more times than their English-speaking classmates. Teachers should also be aware that English Language Learners whose native language uses an alphabetic system such as Spanish, German, Yoruba, Portuguese, or kiSwahili, develop phonemic awareness more easily than students whose native language utilizes a logographic system of sound-symbol correspondences such as Chinese.
3. Ensure that the environmental print reflects the students' first languages. For example, the teacher could have number and color words on bulletin boards and charts written in all the different languages represented in the classroom under the English word.
4. Label objects in the classroom in more than one language.
5. Develop units on countries where different students are from (e.g., The Big Five of South Africa) and post charts, pictures, and maps from that country.
6. Supply the classroom library with books and magazines in languages other than English.
7. Use picture books to encourage storytelling, vocabulary and oral language development.
8. Have bilingual students read and write with paraprofessionals, parents, or other students who speak their first language.
Additional resources (including videos) may be found at Color in Colorado, a bilingual site for teachers and families of English language learners.