University of Kwazulu-Natal

5 Things To Know About Teaching Reading To English Learners

Bonisiwe Shabane
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5 things to know about teaching reading to english learners

When teaching foundational reading skills to English Learners, there are a few key points that educators need to remember. Research shows that ELs, like their peers, do best with explicit instruction in key components of literacy instruction, including phonological awareness and phonics. However, this instruction may need adjustments, including: Before beginning instruction, determine if students have any early literacy skills in their primary language, including knowing the alphabet, letter names, or letter sounds. If so, this knowledge is a resource teachers can tap into. For example, if a student has learned to read in their primary language, they can apply the skill of matching a symbol with a sound in a new language.

Students who have not learned to read in their primary language may have difficulty putting together new letters, new sounds, and new vocabulary words all at once. Dr. Claude Goldenberg goes into detail in the article Helping English Learners with Letter Sounds. In this article, Kristina Robertson highlights ELL instructional strategies based on key reading components and skills. In addition, educators will learn more about the role of students' home language and oral language. This article is part of our guide on Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners.

Image credit: Photo by Allison Shelley for EDUimages Learning to read is a complicated process. If you teach English language learners (ELLs), however, there are a number of ways you can support their literacy and language development through targeted instruction. This article highlights ELL instructional strategies based on the five components of reading as outlined in Teaching Children to Read by the National Reading Panel (2000). This report is a study of research-based best practices in reading instruction and it focuses on the following five instructional areas: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency, Comprehension. In addition, the article includes information related to two additional important areas of instruction for ELLs, oral language and the role of the home language.

Each of these topics is explored below, and each section includes: The acronym is EARLY and in this video Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, a bilingual speech-language pathologist and an associate research professor at the University of Houston, breaks down five tips for teaching English-language learners to read,... Find out how teachers can play to the strengths and shore up the weaknesses of English Language Learners in each of the Reading First content areas. This article provides recommendations and considerations for instruction of ELLs within each of the Reading First components. It should be kept in mind, however, that the Reading First components did not originate from studies including ELLs, and that despite research indicating a need for native language instruction, any discussion within the... Phonemes are the smallest units making up spoken language.

English consists of about 41 phonemes. Phonemes combine to form syllables and words. For example, the word stop has four phonemes (s-t-o-p), while shop has three phonemes (sh-o-p). Phonemic awareness refers to the ability to identify and manipulate these phonemes in spoken words. It is also the understanding that the sounds of spoken language work together to make words. The following two songs, the first in English, and the second in Spanish, represent poems that, because of their easy rhyme and repetition, can be used to teach phonemic awareness.

Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack,All dressed in black, black, black,With silver buttons, buttons, buttons,All down her back, back, backShe asked her mother, mother, mother,For fifty cents, cents, cents,To see the elephant, elephant, elephant,Jump over... Learning to read is a complicated task. Learning to read in a new language is even more daunting. According to a report from The National Center for Education Statistics: As linguistic diversity increases in our classrooms, the need for effective ESL reading programs becomes more crucial. The recent emphasis on the Science of Reading has prompted many educators to wonder if these same strategies work for English learners.

In this blog, we’ll explore evidence-based tips for newcomer ESL reading instruction as well as strategies for developing each of the five pillars of literacy. In 2002, the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children was tasked with reviewing the research on best practices for teaching ELL students to read. Imagine trying to learn a classroom lesson when you don’t understand the language in which it is being presented. Teaching English language learners requires specialized strategies; and at the most basic level, one of those strategies is to “put yourself in their shoes.” More than 5 million children in U.S. schools are classified as English language learners (ELLs), according to the Department of Education.

These students face the dual challenge of learning the material while also learning the language, as their teachers face the added challenge of using the right educational strategies to help them succeed. Some of the most effective English language learner strategies start with common sense and respect for cultural differences. Simply getting to know the students is considered to be an essential part of the process. For educators who teach English language learners, developing a deeper understanding of their unique needs and the best practices for teaching them has many benefits. These include: Here, we will review a range of time-tested English language teaching strategies that benefit students and educators alike.

Teaching reading effectively requires a strong foundation in research-based instructional methods. The National Reading Panel (NRP) Report and the Science of Reading have identified five key components essential for literacy development. These are often referred to as the Five Pillars of Reading Instruction: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension. When taught explicitly and systematically, these components help children build strong reading skills that support both academic success and lifelong literacy. Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. It is one of the most critical early skills in reading development because it helps children understand how speech sounds map onto letters and words.

Key aspects of phonemic awareness instruction: Why it matters: Phonemic awareness is a strong predictor of reading success. Students who struggle with phonemic awareness often face difficulties in phonics and spelling, leading to overall reading challenges. Phonics instruction teaches the relationship between letters (graphemes) and sounds (phonemes), enabling children to decode words while reading. Effective phonics instruction is systematic (taught in a structured order) and explicit (clearly explained and modeled by the teacher). Hey there, friends!

If you’re working with English learners and want to boost their reading skills, you’re in the right place. Reading comprehension can seem tricky at first, but with the right strategies and tools, you can help your students unlock the meaning behind every sentence. Today, I’ll share a comprehensive, friendly guide on how to teach reading comprehension effectively—covering everything from foundational concepts to practical exercises. Let’s get started and turn those reading hurdles into stepping stones! Before diving into the how-to, it’s essential to understand why reading comprehension matters so much for English learners (ELs). Reading comprehension is the ability to understand, interpret, and critically evaluate written texts.

For ELs, strong comprehension skills: Without comprehension, even fluent reading without understanding doesn’t lead to real language mastery. That’s why targeted teaching here is vital. What makes reading comprehension complex? Here’s a breakdown: Stay connected with industry news, resources for English teachers and job seekers, ELT events, and more.

In this guest article, Bridge partner esl.laboratory shares practical and effective strategies for teaching reading to English language learners. Teaching reading to ESL students can sometimes feel like assembling IKEA furniture without the instructions – a little overwhelming and slightly chaotic, but still rewarding (and hopefully with fewer leftover parts). But with a few handy tips up your sleeve, you can make the process smoother and, dare we say it, enjoyable. Curious? Then read until the end! Before your students immerse headfirst into reading, they need to understand how sounds work in English.

Phonemic awareness is the backbone of reading, and you should start here. Simple exercises like matching sounds to letters and blending them can be surprisingly effective. Turn it into a game, and your students will be sounding out words like language superheroes in no time.

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