University of Kwazulu-Natal

Fostering Literacy Development In English Language Learners

Bonisiwe Shabane
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fostering literacy development in english language learners

Research has shown that alphabet knowledge and phonological awareness are strong predictors of successful literacy development in children (for a review see Adams, 1990; Lonigan, Burgess, & Anthony, 2000; Wagner et al., 1997). In processing both spoken and written language, the human brain employs a phonological code to represent linguistic information. This code is unique for each individual language, as each language has its own distinct set of sounds, with very specific rules that govern how those sounds can be combined into syllables and words... Phonological awareness is the ability to manipulate language at the phonological level, that is, to "reflect on the component sounds of spoken words, rather than on their meanings" (Goswami, 2000, p. 251). Performance on measures of phonological awareness in kindergarten has been shown to predict success in reading, even in the later elementary school years (Anthony & Lonigan, 2004; Juel, 1988; Kirby, Parrila, & Pfeiffer, 2003;...

We know that children with specific reading disability, or dyslexia, have deficits in phonological awareness, possibly related to difficulties both with processing phonological information and with coding phonological representations of words in the mental... Although phonological processing ability appears to remain relatively stable over time (Wagner et al., 1997), research has shown that phonological awareness skills can be taught and that gains in phonological awareness are associated with... It is particularly important to recognize the role that phonological awareness plays as children with limited English proficiency (LEP) learn to read, both in their native language (L1) and in their second language (L2). Characteristically, these children exhibit both unique strengths and unique deficiencies in this area. Recent research has shown that, for English language learners, phonological awareness in the native language (L1) predicts successful literacy acquisition in both L1 and a second language (L2) (August & Hakuta, 1997; Durgunoglu, Nagy,... In other words, phonological awareness skills developed in L1 transfer to L2 and facilitate L2 literacy development.

As classrooms across the United States continue to change, it is critical that educators are able to successfully address the unique language and learning needs of English learners (ELs) and provide efficient and high-quality... This brief describes some best practices that educators can use in their classrooms to help ELs acquire the language and literacy skills needed to succeed academically. Direct and Explicit Instruction Focusing on Key Aspects of Literacy All students should receive comprehensive, evidence-based language and literacy instruction as part of their core curriculum. This is especially critical for ELs. Effective core instruction for ELs should target the key components of literacy, including phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, oral reading fluency, comprehension, and writing.

Core classroom teaching should be explicit, systematic, and differentiated for students’ language and learning needs. It is important to provide extensive and varied vocabulary instruction to ELs. Research suggests that you carefully choose a set of academic vocabulary words to teach intensively across several days using a variety of instructional activities (Baker et al., 2014). An academic vocabulary word is one that is used when talking or writing in academic settings but not usually when talking or writing in social settings. There are four ways that you can carry out this recommendation in your classroom: Choose a brief, engaging piece of informational text that includes academic vocabulary as a platform for intensive academic vocabulary instruction.

Find a short, interesting piece of text with the words that you want to focus on. Select a text that is motivating to students and carries content-rich material that will allow you to provide deep instruction and vocabulary. The aim of this chapter is to provide educators with background knowledge on English language learners and information on how to better assist culturally and linguistically diverse students to develop the literacy skills crucial... Differences in social and academic language will be addressed, at6s well as theories of language acquisition and language learning. Recommendations to educators will be offered to better assist students as they become proficient in the English language while being exposed to new content in the classroom. The chapter also will draw upon the importance of including students’ previous experiences, along with embracing students’ cultural and linguistic diversity.

After reading this chapter, readers will be able to Today’s classrooms in the United States are filled with children who speak a variety of native languages and who bring great diversity, culture, and previous experiences with them. As schools become increasingly diverse, there is an urgent need to prepare all teachers to meet the challenge of teaching both content and English language skills to students. English language learners are the fastest growing population of students in the United States (Calderón, Slavin, & Sanchez, 2011), raising many concerns over how educators can best meet the needs of this diverse group... School-aged children considered to be English language learners (ELLs) rose from 3.54 million in 1998-1999 to 5.3 million in 2008-2009 (National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition, 2011), and it is estimated that one in... As the number of ELLs increases in schools across the country, educators face the challenge of providing instruction in English to students who are learning English while combatting academic achievement gaps.

While the research cited and strategies discussed in this chapter are presented in the context of teaching English language learners in schools in the United States, educators in other countries can also apply what... The definition of an English language learner is not a simple one as some students may have relatively no knowledge of the English language when entering the classroom while others have mastered many English... Terms used to describe English language learners do tend to cause some confusion as terms may overlap and change over time. In order to alleviate any confusion, some common terms and acronyms will be briefly explained for a better understanding throughout the rest of the chapter. English language learner (ELL) is a term used for a person learning English in addition to their native language. It is important to keep in mind that English language learners are students learning English while learning in English.

Throughout the chapter the term English language learner will be used as a way of emphasizing that the students are learning and progressing in a new language. This term is often preferred over others, as it highlights the learning aspect of acquiring a new language instead of suggesting that students with other native languages are in some way deficient. *Prof. Gail Gillon, gail.gillon@canterbury.ac.nz Received 2023 Apr 24; Accepted 2023 May 24; Issue date 2023 Aug. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC).

Usage and distribution for commercial purposes requires written permission. The Better Start Literacy Approach is an example of a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) to facilitate children's early literacy success. It is set within a strengths-based and culturally responsive framework for literacy teaching and is being implemented in over 800 English medium schools across New Zealand. This report focuses on how children identified at school entry as English Language Learners (ELL) responded to the Better Start Literacy Approach during their first year at school. Using a matched control design, the growth in phoneme awareness, phoneme-grapheme knowledge, and oral narrative skills for 1,853 ELL was compared to a cohort of 1,853 non-ELL. The cohorts were matched for ethnicity (mostly Asian, 46% and Pacific, 26%), age (M = 65 months), gender (53% male), and socioeconomic deprivation index (82% in areas of mid to high deprivation).

Language Magazine is a monthly print and online publication that provides cutting-edge information for language learners, educators, and professionals around the world. Jana Echevarría summarizes the different types of instruction that English learners deserve Literacy is essential for success in school and in life beyond school. The ability to read and write well provides individuals with untold opportunities as they move through school, pursue advanced education and careers, and achieve their goals. Strong literacy competencies contribute to social and economic equity for individuals in underrepresented communities. Multilingual learners in the US, those students who are not yet proficient in English, must learn this new language to advance through school.

While these students possess the gift of their home languages, these are not typically the language of instruction at school. Thus, multilingual students are learning new skills and knowledge in a new language. Practically speaking, proficiency in English will be valuable for many beyond school because English is the lingua franca used worldwide in international business, education, science, and technology. Given this, how can teachers most effectively foster language and literacy development in English for multilingual students? This article discusses three aspects of instruction that address this question: effective literacy instruction, English language development, and content learning. Multilingual learners learn to read in many of the same ways that English speakers do.

They need the same foundational skills that all readers need to become skilled and confident readers. Foundational skills provide the base on which literacy is built and include phonological awareness, oral language, academic vocabulary, phonics, and fluency. Much attention has focused recently on one aspect of foundational skill development: phonics. Some would argue that a seeming overemphasis on recommending explicit phonics teaching is due to it being underemphasized in classrooms. Teachers across the US report that they typically don’t explicitly teach phonics. Seventy-five percent of teachers surveyed said they use a technique called three-cuing, where children guess words they don’t know by using context and picture clues rather than decoding individual words.

More than half of the teachers said they thought students could understand written passages that contained unfamiliar words, even without a good grasp of phonics (Education Week, 2020). The Core Collaborative March 12, 2025 5 min read The shift toward Structured Literacy, grounded in the Science of Reading, has transformed how educators approach reading instruction. While this evidence-based model effectively supports foundational skills like phonemic awareness and phonics, it requires intentional adaptations to ensure English Language Learners (ELLs) are not just decoding words but also developing language and comprehension. Without intentional adaptations, Structured Literacy risks being reduced to a rigid focus on phonics and decoding at the expense of comprehension, language development, and cultural responsiveness, leaving ELLs at a disadvantage (Kapoyannis, 2021; Wolfe,... How can educators balance explicit literacy instruction with strategies that foster language acquisition and equitable access?

This article explores key shifts that make Structured Literacy truly work for multilingual learners. Structured Literacy is an explicit, systematic approach to teaching reading that encompasses phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. It is especially beneficial for students who struggle with reading, including those with dyslexia (Wolfe, 2010; Greenfader & Brouillette, 2017). However, for ELLs, decoding alone is insufficient; without meaning-making, reading becomes a mechanical process rather than a tool for thinking and learning (Naqvi et al., 2012; Stahl, 2015). This highlights the need for an instructional model that integrates both language and literacy development simultaneously, as research indicates that ELLs require explicit instruction in academic language, syntax, and morphology to bridge their understanding...

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