Teachers who work with English as a Second Language learners will find ESL/ESOL/ELL/EFL reading/writing skill-building children's books, stories, activities, ideas, strategies to help PreK-3, 4-8, and 9-12 students learn to read.
Adolescent (7-12)
A Cognitive Strategies Approach to Reading and Writing Instruction for English Language Learners in Secondary School
Copyright 2007 by the National Council of Teachers of English. Used with permission. Olson, C.B. and Land, R. (2007). A Cognitive Strategies Approach to Reading and Writing Instruction for English Language Learners in Secondary School. Research in the Teaching of English, 41(3), http://www.ncte.org/pubs/journals/rte/articles/126617.htm.
Topics Covered:
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Adolescent (7-12);
Tags:
Curriculum;
Writing;
Summary: Cognitive strategies, such as predicting, summarizing, and reflecting-strategies used by experienced readers and writers, are vital to the development of academic literacy, but these strategies are too rarely taught explicitly, especially to English Language Learners (ELLs). This study reports the results of a California Writing Project study in which 55 teachers implemented a cognitive-strategies approach to reading and writing instruction for their ELL secondary students over an eight-year period and includes a detailed description of a teacher's cognitive strategies "tool kit."
Contexts for Engagement and Motivation in Reading
by Guthrie, John T.
Guthrie, J.T. (2001). Contexts for engagement and motivation in reading. Reading Online, 4(8). International Reading Association: Washington DC.
Topics Covered:
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Early (Pre-K);
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Early Elementary (K-3);
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Upper Elementary (4-6);
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Adolescent (7-12);
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Adult;
Tags:
Books and Other Reading Materials;
Comprehension;
Motivation;
Reading;
Struggling Readers;
Transfer of Literacy Skills;
Vocabulary;
Target Population: Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High School
Research Questions the Report Poses: How do engaged and motivated reading contribute to successful reading skills and achievement?
Summary: Engaged reading is a merger of motivation and thoughtfulness. Engaged readers seek to understand; they enjoy learning and they believe in their reading abilities. They are mastery oriented, intrinsically motivated, and have self-efficacy. Teachers create contexts for engagement when they provide prominent knowledge goals, real-world connections to reading, meaningful choices about what, when, and how to read, and interesting texts that are familiar, vivid, important, and relevant.
Findings:
The following all help to contribute to an environment that will foster motivated and engaged reading:
- Identify a knowledge goal and announce it
- Provide a brief real-world experience related to the goal
- Make trade books and multiple other resources available
- Give students some choice about the subtopics and texts for learning
- Teach cognitive strategies that empower students to succeed in reading these texts
- Assure social collaboration for learning
- Align evaluation of student work with the instructional context (e.g., grade students for progress toward the knowledge goal)
Policy Recommendations:
None, this article makes no policy recommendations but instead describes the characteristics of an engaging and motivated reading environment.
Double the Work: Challenges and Solutions to Acquiring Language and Academic Literacy for Adolescent English Language Learners
Short, D., & Fitzsimmons, S. (2007). Double the Work: Challenges and solutions to acquiring language and academic literacy for adolescent English language learners– A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
Topics Covered:
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Adolescent (7-12);
Tags:
Curriculum;
Struggling Readers;
Summary: Adolescent English Language Learners, who must simultaneously learn English and age-appropriate subject material, face six literacy challenges, ranging from a lack of appropriate assessments to limited use of research-based instruction.
Improving Academic Preparation for College: What We Know and How State and Federal Policy Can Help
by Robin Chait & Andrea Venezia. Center for American Progress.
Chait, Robin and Andrea Venezia. (2009). Improving Academic Preparation for College: What We Know and How State and Federal Policy Can Help. Washington, D.C.: Center for American Progress.
Topics Covered:
Access, Equity, and Adequacy;
Higher Education and Careers;
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Adolescent (7-12);
Multicultural Education / Diversity / Culturally-Responsive Inst;
Tags:
American Indian ELL Students;
Asian ELL Students;
Curriculum;
Instructional Programs;
Latino ELL Students;
Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.);
Target Population: This article targets the general population, especially those Latino and minority groups in high school or first year in college.
Research Questions the Report Poses: This article raises the question of students' academic preparation to transition from high school to postsecondary education.
Summary: This article discusses students' academic performance during high school to prepare them for college. This article supports current survey results that show that students are interested in pursuing a college degree; however, the transition can be difficult due to their poor academic preparation. In the article, the authors discuss what it has been done now to improve academic preparation and the role of the federal and state policymakers to make a different in students' lives as prospect college students.
Findings:
- Poor academic performance during high school due to poor academic preparation for college can predetermine the failure of students during college.
- Current research shows that to make a different in academic preparation, school administrations and teachers have to create a rigorous academic program that needs to be continuous and based on rich coursework.
- Organizations like Achieve, ACT, and the Education Policy Improvement Center are providing feedbacks for students to better their transition from high school to college.
Policy Recommendations:
- Policymakers should begin to address the importance of academic preparation for students, especially in high school, entering college.
- The federal government should be responsible of distributing and communicating the general public the steps to take to gain greater academic preparation and skills in schools.
- Policymakers should propose and manage the strategies implemented to guarantee the success of the programs.
To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Center for American Progress
1333 H Street, NW, 10th Floor,
Washington, DC 20005
Improving Literacy Outcomes for English Language Learners in High School: Considerations for States and Districts in Developing a Coherent Policy Framework
by National High School Center, Nanette Koelsch
Koelsch, N. (2006). Improving literacy outcomes for English language learners in high school: Considerations for states and districts in developing a coherent policy Framework. National High School Center .
Topics Covered:
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Adolescent (7-12);
Tags:
Bilingual Instruction;
Bilingualism / Biliteracy;
Comprehension;
Curriculum;
Fluency;
Language of Instruction;
Language Proficiency;
Placement;
Reading;
Vocabulary;
Writing;
Target Population: Middle, High School, Post-Secondary
Research Questions the Report Poses: What issues should states consider to improve schooling for English language learners?
Summary: The report suggests that low expectations are the impetus for ELL difficulties in school and that lack of data about course taking patterns for ELLs compounds student difficulties. The report describes recent studies that point to the need for more rigorous course taking to improve the odds of graduation and college entry for ELL students.
Findings:
- ELLs need high quality instruction focused on advanced literacy skills not just language acquisition; and
- Immersion-only programs lead to increased special education placements
- Latino ELLs are overrepresented in special education and lower tracked classrooms;
Policy Recommendations:
- States and districts need to redesign literacy work for ELLs in high schools to change from remediation to academic enrichment; and
- States and districts need to ensure that ELLs participate in rigorous, college preparation courses and receive support so that they can succeed in these courses
To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
n/a
Measures of Change: The Demography and Literacy of Adolescent English Learners
by Jeanne Batalova, Michael Fix, and Julie Murray / Migration Policy Institute
Batalova, J., Fix, M., and Murray, J. (2007). Measures of Change: The Demography and Literacy of Adolescent English Learners. Migration Policy Institute, Carnegie Corporation of New York: New York, NY.
Topics Covered:
Data (Demographics, Facts, and Figures);
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Adolescent (7-12);
Tags:
Language of Instruction;
Language Proficiency;
Latino ELL Students;
Transfer of Literacy Skills;
Vocabulary;
Writing;
Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School
Research Questions the Report Poses: "Who are immigrant students and students who do not speak English well? Where are they from? What is their family background (social, economic, linguistic, etc.)? How well do they do in school? Do their literacy levels prepare them to take part in higher education and a skilled workforce?"
Summary: This report from the Migration Policy Institute examines the increasing population of ELLs. It does this by examining the ELL population and developing a profile of ELL students, examining literacy achievement on both national and state math and reading assessments, and examining state identification, testing, and accommodation policies in the following states: California, Illinois, Colorado, and North Carolina.
Findings:
- ELL populations are growing faster than general student populations
- The growth of ELL populations in different states varies widely
- Students in California are more likely to be "linguistically isolated" than students across the country or in the other three states studied
- 57% of ELLs across the country were born in the United States
- 70% of ELLs in grades 6-12 speak Spanish
- NAEP data examined for 8th grade ELLs shows that only 4% and 6% of ELLs scored proficient in reading and math, respectively
- ELLs performed radically different on state math and reading assessments from state to state
- There is a wide achievement gap between ELL and non-ELL students on the 8th grade NAEP as well as state standardized tests
- Former ELL students and non-ELL students scored roughly the same on NAEP and state assessments
Policy Recommendations:
- "Reexamine whether Census data accurately capture the [ELL] population"
- "Examine how varying state exclusion rates for ELL students affect NAEP results"
- "Explore the literacy trajectories of former [ELL] students"
- "Document how states vary in their testing and monitoring practices for ELL students who parents opt out of language instruction services"
- "Leverage the research opportunities that multi-state English proficiency tests offer for analyzing ELL outcomes"
To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/index.php
Meeting the Literacy Development Needs of Adolescent English Language Learners Through Content Area Learning: Part One: Focus on Motivation and Engagement
by Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory (LAB), The Education Alliance at Brown University, Julie Meltzer and Edmund Hamann
Meltzer, J. & Hamann, E. (2004). Meeting the literacy development needs of adolescent English language learners. Part one: Focus on motivation and engagement. Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory.
Topics Covered:
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Adolescent (7-12);
Tags:
Content Areas: Math;
Content Areas: Science;
Content Areas: Social Studies;
Motivation;
Placement;
Reading;
Struggling Readers;
Transfer of Literacy Skills;
Vocabulary;
Writing;
Target Population: Middle, High School
Research Questions the Report Poses: Review of the literature concerning student motivation and engagement on literacy development of adolescents and research on the schooling of adolescent ELLs.
Summary: This article reviews the major research findings as they relate to engagement and motivation of ELL adolescents. The highlighted research is meant to explore the confluence of two areas of study—literacy development and schooling practices for ELLs and native English speakers—and serve as a guide for professional development for secondary teachers. The literature review explores school and classroom contexts; instructional principles like relevance, choice, and student-centered classrooms; and instructional practices like scaffolding and activating prior knowledge as they relate to adolescent ELLs.
Findings:
- literacy development and effective instruction for ELL and non-ELL adolescents alike share many commonalities;
- isolated ELL students are further negatively impacted as a result of these findings; and
- content-area teachers may benefit from research and practices designed for ELL teachers
Policy Recommendations:
n/a
To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
The Education Alliance at Brown
222 Richmond Street, Suite 300
Providence, RI 02903-4226
Phone: 800.521.9550
Fax: 401.421.7650
E-mail: info@alliance.brown.edu
Meeting the Literacy Development Needs of Adolescent English Language Learners Through Content Area Learning: Part Two: Focus on Classroom Teaching and Learning Strategies
by Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory (LAB), The Education Alliance at Brown University, Julie Meltzer and Edmund Hamann
Meltzer, J. & Hamann, E. (2004). Meeting the literacy development needs of adolescent English language learners. Part two: Focus on classroom teaching and learning strategies. Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory .
Topics Covered:
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;
Adolescent (7-12);
Tags:
Content Areas: Math;
Content Areas: Science;
Content Areas: Social Studies;
Motivation;
Placement;
Reading;
Struggling Readers;
Transfer of Literacy Skills;
Vocabulary;
Writing;
Target Population: Middle, High School
Research Questions the Report Poses: What instructional practices dovetail in both the ELL adolescent literacy literature and non-ELL adolescent literacy literature?
Summary: As with part one of this publication, part two amounts to a literature review. Part two looks for congruous instructional practices that are good for secondary ELL and native English speakers alike. The article shifts through a series of discussions about a variety of domains related to teaching and arrives at a conclusion in support of strategies beneficial to ELL students and native English language students.
Findings:
Eight instructional approaches are supported in both literatures (what's good for ELL adolescents and adolescent native English speakers):
- teacher modeling, strategy instruction, and using multiple forms of assessment;
- emphasis on reading and writing;
- emphasis on speaking and listening/viewing;
- emphasis on thinking;
- creating a learner-centered classroom;
- recognizing and analyzing content-area discourse features;
- understanding text structures within the content areas; and
- vocabulary development.
Policy Recommendations:
n/a
To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
The Education Alliance at Brown
222 Richmond Street, Suite 300
Providence, RI 02903-4226
Phone: 800.521.9550
Fax: 401.421.7650
E-mail: info@alliance.brown.edu
I look forward to coming back again and again. After all, I must learn myself. We can't teach what we don't know.
~ Maria C.
