Developing Literacy in English-language Learners: Key Issues and Promising Practices

Diane AugustDavid Francis

Claude GoldenbergTimothy Shanahan

Focus of TalkImportance of Addressing English-language learner issuesFive Essential Components of Literacy

Three frames of referenceIssues for ELLSEffective practiceAssessment

Three-tiers of instructionOral language development

PrefaceFrom 1990 to 2000, the number of immigrant children in the US increased dramatically.In 2000-2001, an estimated 4.6 million English-language learners were enrolled in public schools, representing approximately 9.6% of the total school enrollment, pre-kindergarten through Grade 12.English-language learners lag significantly behind their English-proficient peers in reading.There are serious consequences for adults who are limited-English proficient

Five Components of LiteracyThe same five components as those identified by the National Reading Panel and required by Reading First are important determinants of literacy achievement for ELLsHowever, there are adjustments to instruction that are necessary to help ELLs achieve to high standardsIn addition, ELLs need oral language development appropriate for second language learners

Nature of the Research Evidence for ELLs

Whereas research on the development of literacy in English-only speakers is quite extensive, research for ELLs

is much more limited in quantity (1/25)is mostly descriptive in nature and less focused on testing the effectiveness of instructional approaches and interventions

Additional research is needed both to replicate established findings and to sort out if there are other special routines or emphases that are needed for teaching specific types of ELL students

Three Frames of Reference in the Development of Literacy for ELLs

Language of instructionNeed for multiple models

Socio-cultural factorsPedagogical and curricular considerations

Child academic achievement and language proficiency levels call for differentiated instruction

Phonemic Awareness and Phonics: Issues for ELLs

Specific sounds and sound placement in words differ for different languagesPhonological tasks with unknown words are more difficultFor ELLs, unfamiliar phonemes and graphemes make decoding and spelling difficultFor literate ELLs, English graphemes have different sounds in L1Limited English proficiency prevents children from using word meaning to figure out how to read a word

Phonemic Awareness and Phonics: Research and Instruction

Findings are consistent with the very solid L1 research findings: both phonemic awareness and phonics instruction confer clear benefits on children’s reading development.There is no evidence that phonemic awareness and phonics instruction in English needs to be delayed until a certain threshold of English oral language proficiency is attained.

Important to keep in mind issues raised in previous slideHelping students hear English sounds that don’t exist or are not salient in their home language is beneficial.

Phonemic Awareness and Phonics: Assessment

Same tasks (for example, blending) can be used to assess phonological awareness for both groups

However, items need to be carefully considered

Important that students understand the instructionsPronunciation differences should not be counted as incorrectIt is important to assess speed of word recognition as well as accuracy

Fluency: Issues for ELLs

Fluency embraces both word recognition and comprehensionELLs often have less opportunity to read aloud in English with feedback

Fluency: Research and InstructionToo few studies of teaching oral reading fluency with ELLs to draw firm conclusionsFluency is an important factor in comprehension and comprehension training influences fluencyFluency training similarly benefits ELLs and English-speaking students

Existing studies have used good English models and paired ELLs with proficient English readers

Fluency: Assessment

We don’t know to what extent the benchmarks used for English-speaking students are appropriate benchmarks for ELLsHowever, studies indicate, with appropriate intervention, ELLs can meet benchmarks for English speakers.

Vocabulary: IssuesELLS arrive at school with a much more limited English vocabulary than English-speaking students

There are many basic words that English-speaking students know that ELLs do not

ELLs may lack labels in English for concepts they know and have labels for in their first languageELLs and English speakers may have different concepts for the same label.

Vocabulary: Issues (cont.)There is some English vocabulary that may be especially important in comprehending connected text—cohesion markers for example—that necessitates explicit instructionELLs literate in a first language that has many cognates with English have an important resourceWords with multiple meanings can be a source of confusion

Vocabulary: Research and Instruction

Must attend to vocabulary from the earliest gradesSome incidental learning improves vocabulary

Structured incidental learning

Intentional learning improves vocabularyVery few empirical studies in either area

Vocabulary: Assessment

Currently there is no identified corpus of words whose particular meanings children need to know at different agesTherefore we suggest the assessment of vocabulary should be curriculum basedIt is important to assess depth of word meaning

Comprehension: Issues for ELLs

Limited word recognition skills and fluency impede comprehensionLimited vocabulary impedes comprehensionStructural differences between languages can mislead ELLsText structures vary across cultures and this may influence comprehension Culture influences, but does not completely determine, background knowledge

Comprehension: Research and Instruction

Effective practices for English-language learners build on effective practices for English-only students Modifications that take into consideration the strengths and needs of ELLs are importantVery few empirical studies focus on comprehension and ELLs

Comprehension: Assessment

Most comprehension assessments don’t isolate the reasons for comprehension failures (decoding, vocabulary, background knowledge, inferential ability)As such they do not provide guidance for instruction

Three Tiers of Instruction

The three tier model of delivering instruction is beneficial for ELLs as it is for English-speaking students.As for English-speaking students, it is important to constantly monitor the progress of ELLs and to provide additional support in targeted areas.

Language Proficiency

It is important to build language proficiency in ELLs

This can’t be separated from the 90 minute reading blockAdditional time is probably necessary and embedding this instruction in content enhances both content knowledge and language