One-on-One with an English Learner, with Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan (Reading Universe)

Bilingual reading specialist and speech pathologist Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan works with Emilio, a third grader at Kenmont Montessori School in Brownsville, Texas, on producing the /j/ sound and spelling it with the letter ‘g’, pointing out the similarities and differences between Spanish and English.

She uses various strategies including introducing new vocabulary words, having Emilio read and write words and sentences as he practices the new spelling patterns, and introducing cognates — words that share a similar spelling, meaning, and pronunciation in two languages.

The lesson includes the following components, many of which incorporate vocabulary and language development along the way:

1. Introduction: Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan talks a little bit about Emilio's language background and school setting.
2. A Listening Game with Phoneme Manipulation: Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan focuses on phonemes by playing a game where Emilio has to change different sounds into a /j/ sound.
3. Using the Letter 'g' to Spell the Sound /j/: Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan introduces a new spelling pattern by first practicing the new sound and reading words with the new spelling pattern.
4. Dictation: Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan focuses on spelling and writing "ge-" words and asking Emilio to write sentences that use the target words.
5. Developing Vocabulary with Spanish Cognates: Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan focuses on English and Spanish cognates — words that share a similar meaning, spelling, and pronunciation.
6. Reading with Fluency: Emilio practices the elements that make up reading with fluency: accuracy, automaticity, and expression, which reflects his understanding of the text.

Acknowledgements

This video was produced by Reading Universe, a sister site of Colorín Colorado. You can see the full transcript and related videos on the Reading Universe website.