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Research & Reports

Transfer of Literacy Skills

Are California's Reading Textbooks Adequate for Teaching English Learners?

by University of California's Linguistic Minority Research Institute / Robert Calfee

Calfee, R. (2006). Are California's Reading Textbooks Adequate for Teaching English Learners? University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute: Santa Barbara, CA.

Topics Covered: Access, Equity, and Adequacy;

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Comprehension; Curriculum; Differentiated Instruction; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Rights, Students; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary; Writing;

Target Population: Elementary School

Research Questions the Report Poses: Are California's Reading Textbooks Adequate for Teaching English Learners?

Summary: In 2002, the California State Board of Education adopted programs that required publishers to meet the language arts needs of ELLs. This article is a review of the ELL supplement, the Teacher's Edition for the supplement, and two of the reading series included with the supplement. It also surveys 57 elementary school teachers on their experiences with the materials and the related professional development.

Findings:

  • The materials offered little specific ELL assistance to students of teachers, and what was offered was contrary to best practice.
  • The professional development for ELL instruction was limited in both time and scope.
  • The "supplement strategy" mandated by the Board was practically unworkable.

Policy Recommendations:

  • Design an instructional support system that helps teachers deal with student diversity
  • Directly address the issues of effective instruction for ELL students
  • Advise how to manage student differences and time allocation
  • Develop a program of ongoing professional development

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.

Early Literacy: Policy and Practice in the Preschool Years

by Dorothy Strickland and Shannon Riley-Ayers

Strickland, D., Riley-Ayers, S. (2006). Early Literacy: Policy and Practice in the Preschool Years. National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), Rutgers University.

Topics Covered: Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Early (Pre-K);

Tags: Books and Other Reading Materials; Comprehension; Motivation; Phonics; Phonological Awareness; Reading; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary; Writing;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary

Research Questions the Report Poses: The policy paper analyzes the literature for specific skills and abilities that predict early childhood reading outcomes as they age.

Summary: Early childhood professionals have long recognized the importance of language and literacy in preparing children to succeed in school. Early literacy plays a key role in enabling the kind of early learning experiences that research shows are linked with academic achievement, reduced grade retention, higher graduation rates, and enhanced productivity in adult life. This report synthesizes the body of professional knowledge about early literacy and offers research-based recommendations.

Policy Recommendations:

  • All children should have access to early childhood programs with strong literacy components that include clear adaptations for children with special needs.
  • Early literacy curricula and teaching practices should be evidence-based, integrated with all domains of learning, and understandable to staff members.
  • Early literacy standards should be established that articulate with K-12 programs and reflect consistency and continuity with overall program goals.
  • Early literacy assessment should use multiple methods and use the information to improve both teaching and the total preschool program.
  • Standards for early childhood professionals should require staff to meet early literacy instructional standards.
  • Parent involvement programs should have a strong early literacy component that guides parents and caregivers in providing early literacy experiences at home.
  • Support for English Language Learners should be specified and provided in both the home language and English where feasible.

ELLs: Boosting Academic Achievement

by American Educational Research Association

Resnick, L.B., Ed. (2004). English Language Learners: Boosting Academic Achievement. Research Points, 2(1). American Educational Research 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);

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Comprehension; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Language Proficiency; Phonics; Phonological Awareness; Placement; Spelling; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary

Research Questions the Report Poses: Beyond the debate over bilingual versus English-only education, the fundamental question remains: What are the best ways to teach English literacy to English language learners, and what rate of achievement in English is realistic to expect?

Summary:

With nearly one in twelve public school children receiving special assistance to learn English, researchers are investigating effective ways to teach English literacy and boost academic achievement for ELLs. This American Educational Research Association brief estimates that with explicit phonics instruction and frequent assessment, young ELLs can master the basics of English literacy. To sustain academic achievement, vocabulary and comprehension strategies must continue to develop in a structured, supported, and inclusive learning environment.

Findings:

  • ELLs need the same kind of reading instruction that works for native speakers, more of it, and they need to be watched carefully so they get help adjusted to their language development needs as soon as they encounter problems;
  • ELL students can learn basic English reading skills in two years, but their chances of falling behind later in school are greater than native English speaking children;
  • There is no evidence that the extra teaching that ELLs need can be effectively offered in "pullout" programs that are not closely integrated with the main literacy program;
  • ELLs benefit from lengthening the school day and/or year; and
  • ELLs need teachers who can deliver reading instruction shown to be most effective, and these teachers need intensive professional development

Policy Recommendations:

  • Give English language learners extra time and instruction in literacy, either through longer school days or extended years;
  • Assign the best teachers to English learners and provide professional development in effective teaching strategies;
  • Use proven techniques for teaching basic word recognition skills, including phonics and phonological awareness;
  • Provide lots of practice reading and frequent assessments to pinpoint children's reading strengths and weaknesses;
  • Provide structured academic conversation, built around books and other subject matter activities to build vocabulary and comprehension; and
  • Provide several years of intensive, high-quality instruction to help students master the vocabulary, comprehension, and oral language skills that will make them fully fluent in speaking, reading, and writing English.

Ensuring Academic Success for English Learners

by Laurie Olson, UC Linguistic Minority Research Institute

Olsen, L. (2006). Ensuring Academic Success for English Learners. University of California: Linguistic Minority Research Institute.

Topics Covered: Assessment and Accommodations;

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Comprehension; Curriculum; Differentiated Instruction; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Language of Instruction; Language Proficiency; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary; Writing;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: The paper provides an overview of research and knowledge that educators can use to create schools in which English learners thrive and achieve at high levels.

Summary: This report, or position paper, highlights nine elements of a strong program, based on three decades of research. The report recommends best practices that include accessible preschool programs, support for newcomers of all ages, and a focus on English language development.

Policy Recommendations:

  • Invest in building a qualified educator workforce;
  • Build a meaningful accountability system for English learners;
  • Assure that educators have the materials they need to deliver high quality English Language Development; and
  • Demonstrate new models of successful schools for English learners

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
University of California
Linguistic Minority Research Institute
4722 South Hall
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-3220

Fluent and Nonfluent Forms of Transfer in Reading: Words and Their Message

by Heather J. Faulkner, Betty Ann Levy

Faulkner, H., & Levy, B.A. (1999). Fluent and nonfluent forms of transfer in reading: Words and their message. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 6, 111-116.

Topics Covered: Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;

Tags: Books and Other Reading Materials; Comprehension; Instructional Programs; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary;

Target Population: No target, instead considers reading skills in general. First experiment uses elementary school students, the second uses undergraduate students.

Research Questions the Report Poses: Do readers understand a passage because of the individual words in that passage or because of the order of the passage's words as a whole?

Summary: Abstract:
In two experiments, we examined transfer to the reading of a normal text from a prior reading of that intact text or from a prior reading of a scrambled word version of the passage. In Experiment 1, we studied good and poor readers in Grade 4; in Experiment 2, high- and low-ability undergraduate readers. Good readers at both ages showed rereading benefits only when the prior reading was of the intact text, with no reliable benefit from experience with words only. The poorer readers showed reliable rereading benefits even when only the words, in a scrambled order, were read on the first encounter. The results are discussed in terms of two forms of transfer: nonfluent reading transfer when attention must be focused on word recognition and fluent rereading transfer when word recognition is skilled so that attention can be focused on text processing.

Findings:
If a reader is reading fluently, comprehension largely takes place on the whole-text level (i.e. sentences and paragraphs), but if the reader is at a lower level and not reading fluently then comprehension occurs at the single word level. This held true for readers at both the fourth grade and undergraduate levels.

Policy Recommendations:
None. This is not a policy piece; instead it is a research report. See findings.

How Far Behind in Math and Reading are English Language Learners?

by Pew Hispanic Center / Rick Fry

Fry, R. (2007). How Far Behind in Math and Reading are English Language Learners? Pew Hispanic Center: Washington, D.C.

Topics Covered: Data (Demographics, Facts, and Figures);

Tags: Content Areas: Math; Language of Instruction; Language Proficiency; Latino ELL Students; Rights, Students; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary; Writing;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: How Far Behind in Math and Reading are English Language Learners?

Summary: Through the use of NAEP data, this study seeks to examine the achievement gaps between ELL students and White, Black, and Hispanic non-ELL students. This study looks specifically at math and reading scores at the 4th and 8th grade levels both nationally and on a statewide basis in the states with the top 10 ELL populations.

Findings:

  • The ELL achievement gap widens at higher grades.
  • Nationally, ELL students tend to trail further behind their peers in reading than in math.

Policy Recommendations:
None given

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
n/a

Improving Reading Comprehension of English Learners Through Listening Comprehension Instruction

by University of California's Linguistic Minority Research Institute / Emily Solari

Solari, E. (2007). Improving Reading Comprehension of English Learners through Listening Comprehension Instruction. University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute: Santa Barbara, California

Topics Covered: Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Early (Pre-K); Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Early Elementary (K-3);

Tags: Differentiated Instruction; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Latino ELL Students; Phonics; Phonological Awareness; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary

Research Questions the Report Poses: Can focusing on listening comprehension help ELLs to improve their overall literacy?

Summary: The article is a summary of research conducted on Spanish-speaking kindergarten students. The aim of the research was to see if, by concentrating on listening comprehension with on a group of students, their reading comprehension could be raised. The research was conducted using both at risk and non-at risk students, and results were compared against a control group that did not receive emphasis on listening comprehension.

Findings:

  • Intervention for ELL kindergarteners, both at-risk and non at-risk, can concentrate on an important pre-cursor to reading comprehension (i.e. listening comprehension) without loss of positive effects on word level skills.

Policy Recommendations:
No recommendations given other than to examine more closely the use of listening comprehension and other reading pre-cursors in interventions.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
n/a

Integrated Vocabulary Instruction: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners in Grades K-5

by Camille L. Z. Blachowicz, Peter J. Fisher, Susan Watts-Taffe / Learning Point Associates

Blachowicz, C.L.Z, Watts-Taffe, S. & Fisher, P. (2005). Learning Point Associates.

Topics Covered: Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Early Elementary (K-3); Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Upper Elementary (4-6);

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Books and Other Reading Materials; Comprehension; Differentiated Instruction; Instructional Programs; Motivation; Reading; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary;

Target Population: Elementary School

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are the different ways that vocabulary can be integrated into the classroom to teach a variety of learners?

Summary: The goal of this document is to provide the information that teachers and other educators need to implement an integrated and comprehensive approach to vocabulary instruction. Integrated means that vocabulary is a core consideration in all grades across the school and in all content areas across the school day. Comprehensive means that vocabulary instruction encompasses much more than a list of words to teach at the beginning of the week. Rather, it involves a common philosophy and shared practices, based on a solid understanding the knowledge base and supported by curricular considerations as well as classroom and school organizational procedures.

Findings:
This article does not contain research findings so much as it contains a collection of strategies and techniques for integrating vocabulary into the classroom. Some of the vocabulary areas covered are:

  • Synonyms
  • Antonyms
  • Compound words
  • Root words
  • Using technology to teach vocabulary

Policy Recommendations:
None; this is not so much a policy document as it is a collection of strategies for teachers to use to teach vocabulary more effectively. If anything, the policy recommendation is for teachers to begin incorporating some of these techniques.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Learning Point Associates
1100 17th Street N.W., Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
(P): 800-252-0283

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):

  1. teacher modeling, strategy instruction, and using multiple forms of assessment;
  2. emphasis on reading and writing;
  3. emphasis on speaking and listening/viewing;
  4. emphasis on thinking;
  5. creating a learner-centered classroom;
  6. recognizing and analyzing content-area discourse features;
  7. understanding text structures within the content areas; and
  8. 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

National Literacy Panel's Executive Summary

August, D. and Shanahan, T. (2006). Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth. Center for Applied Linguistics, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Mahwah, NJ.

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Multicultural Education / Diversity / Culturally-Responsive Inst; Parent Outreach;

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Comprehension; Latino ELL Students; Transfer of Literacy Skills;

Summary:

In 2002, the U.S. Department of Education charged a panel of experts, chaired by Timothy Shanahan, with reviewing and compiling research on literacy attainment for language-minority students.

The panel's report, Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners, identifies factors that support literacy development of language minority students in the classroom. It also discusses various findings on parent involvement and home literacy experiences and offers suggestions for reducing the over-representation of English language learners in special education.

Last year, the Department of Education said the report didn't stand up to peer review and decided not to release the report. The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) has released the report's executive summary, written by principal investigator Diane August.

Recognition and Response: An Early Intervening System for Young Children At-Risk for Learning Disabilities

by Mary Ruth Coleman, Virginia Buysse, and Jennifer Neitzel / FPG Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Coleman, M.R., Buysse, V. & Neitzel, J. (2006). Recognition and Response: An early intervening system for young children at-risk for learning disabilities. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, FPG Child Development Institute: Chapel Hill, NC.

Topics Covered: Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development;

Tags: Comprehension; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Phonics; Phonological Awareness; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary

Research Questions the Report Poses: How can a "Recognition and Response" system be integrated into classrooms to identify struggling students who may have learning disabilities and get them the help they need?

Summary:

Some young children show signs that they may not be learning in an expected manner, even before they begin kindergarten. These children may exhibit problems in areas such as language development, phonological awareness, perceptual-motor abilities, and attention, which are considered precursors of learning disabilities in older children. However, under current state and federal guidelines, these children are unlikely to meet eligibility criteria for having a learning disability. This is because formal identification of a child's learning disability generally does not occur until there is a measurable discrepancy between the child's aptitude and academic achievement, often not until the second or third grade.

This report describes a method of addressing those warning signs immediately.

Findings:

  • There is an "emerging body of empirical evidence" that RTI is effective at identifying "at-risk" students.
  • Despite the general effectiveness of RTI, the manner of implementation, the definition of RTI, and the way students were evaluated varied widely.
  • Many studies of RTI only include grades 1-3. This leaves doubt as to how the program could be implemented with children as young as three or four.
  • Because the studies examined in this report only examined RTI when used with reading and phonics, it remains to be seen how effective RTI could be with other subjects.

Policy Recommendations:

  • Further develop the Recognition and Response system by (a) specifying in more detail each of the four components (i.e., an intervention hierarchy; screening, assessment, and progress monitoring; research-based curriculum, instruction, and focused interventions; a collaborative problem-solving process for decision-making) and (b) creating the tools and resources related to implementing each component.
  • Evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of the Recognition and Response system through future research.
  • Use professional development as the primary vehicle for disseminating information about the Recognition and Response system to front line early childhood professionals—teachers, specialists, and administrators.
  • Develop and evaluate dissemination strategies (consisting of print, electronic, and oral presentation methods) to communicate information about the Recognition and Response system with a wide audience that includes parents of young children, researchers, policy makers, and the general public.
  • Develop (or adapt) existing public policies related to program standards and professional competencies to support the widespread adoption and implementation of the Recognition and Response system throughout various sectors of the early childhood field (e.g., child care centers and homes, public and private pre-k programs, Head Start).

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
n/a

Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science: What Expert Teachers of Reading Should Know and Be Able to Do

by The American Federation of Teachers

Moats, L. C. (1999). Teaching reading is rocket science: What expert teachers of reading should know and be able to do. Washington, DC: American Federation of Teachers.

Topics Covered: Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;

Tags: Books and Other Reading Materials; Comprehension; Curriculum; Differentiated Instruction; Instructional Programs; Motivation; Reading; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary;

Target Population: Elementary School

Research Questions the Report Poses: What practices in the classroom and elements in curriculums facilitate teaching reading to students?

Summary: This report discusses the current state of teacher preparation in reading. It reviews the reading research and describes the knowledge base that is essential for teacher candidates and practicing teachers to master if they are to be successful in teaching all children to read well. Developed by the American Federation of Teachers(AFT).

Findings:
The following are all part of effective reading instruction:

  • Direct teaching of decoding, comprehension, and literature appreciation
  • Phoneme awareness instruction
  • Systematic and explicit instruction in the code system of written English
  • Daily exposure to a variety of texts, as well as incentives for children to read independently and with others
  • Vocabulary instruction that includes a variety of complementary methods designed to explore the relationships among words and the relationships among word structure, origin, and meaning
  • Comprehension strategies that include prediction of outcomes, summarizing, clarification, questioning, and visualization
  • Frequent writing of prose to enable a deeper understanding of what is read

Policy Recommendations:
The following recommendations pertain to professional development that should be employed to best train reading teachers:

  • Research should guide the profession.
  • Core requirements and standards for new teachers should be established.
  • Teacher education programs should be aligned with standards for students and licensing requirements for teachers.
  • Professional development institutes should be created for professors of education and master teachers.
  • Developers of textbooks and instructional materials should be encouraged to improve their products.
  • High-quality professional development must be available for teachers.
  • An investment in teaching should be made to attract and retain high-caliber teacher candidates.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
http://www.aft.org/teachers/pubs-reports/reading.htm

Urgent but Overlooked: The Literacy Crisis Among Adolescent English Language Learners

by Alliance for Excellent Education

(February 2007). Urgent but overlooked: The literacy crisis among adolescent English Language Learners. Retrieved April 11, 2008, from Alliance For Excellent Education Web site: http://www.all4ed.org/files/UrgentOver.pdf

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Assessment and Accommodations; Bilingual Education; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;

Tags: American Indian ELL Students; Asian ELL Students; Bilingual Instruction; Comprehension; Differentiated Instruction; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Language of Instruction; Language Proficiency; Latino ELL Students; Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.); Reading; Transfer of Literacy Skills;

Target Population: Pre-K, Elementary School, Middle School, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: What factors prevent ELL students from receiving effective literacy instruction?

Summary: ELL students represent the fastest growing segment of the student population and yet with respect to reading and literacy rates they are among the country's lowest performing students. This article looks at the crisis of low literacy rates among ELL students, what research is currently being done, the findings of that research, addresses key policy questions needing to be addressed by policymakers as well as a brief look into the types of support needed in order to provide ELL students with effective literacy instruction.

Findings:

  • ELLs comprise 10.5 percent of the nation's pre-K-12 school enrollment, up from 5 percent in 1990
  • ELLs continually score lower on the reading portion of the National Assessment of Educational Progress
  • As the population of ELL students increases so does the demand from teachers for better methods of instruction
  • The literacy needs of ELLs are both identical and distinct to their English-proficient peers
  • Local, state, and federal policymakers need to address effect of the growing ELL student population's effect on demographic trends, educational challenges, school performance, etc.
  • Improvements must be made on the types of support available to teachers working with ELL students, with special recognition that there are no one size fits all approaches to effective literacy instruction
  • It should be the goal of the nation to educate all students

Policy Recommendations:
N/A

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
N/A