Effective Literacy Instruction for English Learners: Guidelines and Research

1. Title III COE Regional Leads Meeting Chapter 4Effective Literacy Instruction for English Learners Diane August and Timothy Shanahan September 9, 2010 Jan Mayer, Olivia Sosa

2. Chapter 4 Overview Effective Literacy Instruction for English LearnersDiane August and Timothy Shanahan • Presents 8 guidelines for effective EL literacy instruction. • Primary Source: The National Literacy Panel for Language Minority Children and Youth (August & Shanahan 2006) • The chapter is based on the most up-to-date, comprehensive review of the best studies on teaching literacy to ELs. pages 209-249

3. Chapter 4 Overview • Research includes: • English learners ages 3 – 18 • 83 studies included in the review • published in peer-reviewed journal • Instructional Methodology • had to report research (e.g., systematic data analysis) • design was experimental or quasi-experimental • Background research and research on professional development • Broader range of methodologies (e.g., single-subject designs, case studies, ethnographies, correlations, and variations of these approaches. • Time span: 1980 – 2002 (NRP), 2003 – 2006 (chapter 4) pages 210

4. Background of Literacy Development • Although some ELs may progress at slower rates than native speakers, their growth in literacy generally follows similar developmental paths. • Word-reading (phonological awareness, decoding) • Spelling (orthographic knowledge) • Reading comprehension development of ELs compared to native-speaking peers indicated that the performance of ELs falls well below that of their native-speaking peers. page 211

5. Background of Literacy Development • Role of First – Language Literacy • Role of English Language Literacy • Sociocultural Context • Social Vs. Academic Language

6. Background of Literacy Development • Role of First-Language Literacy • Many factors influence cross-language relationships • L1 Literacy experience • Similarities of L1 and L2 (language and writing systems) • Language proficiency • Cross-language relationships: • Word reading • Spelling (+ and -) • Vocabulary (+ and -) • Reading comprehension • Reading strategies • Writing skills pages 212-213

7. Background of Literacy Development Language minority students receiving instruction in both their native language and English did better on English reading measures than language-minority students instructed only in English. …reading programs that used only English to teach ELs to read in English are showing promising results, suggesting that if children receive good instruction with appropriate scaffolding, they can successfully master word-level reading skills in English. page 214

8. Background of Literacy Development • Role of English Language Proficiency: • Phonological processing skills in English were much better predictors of word-reading than was oral language proficiency in either the native language or English. • Phonological awareness • Rapid letter naming • Phonological memory …oral English proficiency and the skills that allow accurate and effortless recognition of printed words are essential factors in comprehension development. page 214

9. Background of Literacy Development • Sociocultural Context • Programs incorporating culturally appropriate curriculum resulted in higher levels of engagement. • Meta-analysis found bilingual programs were significantly better than English-only programs in developing English literacy skills. (Note: Moderate average effect size) • Social Versus academic Language • It is most accurate to characterize the difference between academic language and social language as differences in the relative frequency of complex grammatical structures, specialized vocabulary, and uncommon language functions. • Social and academic language may both contain complex linguistic responses. • No direct research was found on the notion that • “Some ELs have problems developing academic language.” Pages 215-216

10. GUIDELINE 1 Effective instruction for ELs emphasizes essential components of literacy. • Teaching the sounds of the language and to use these in conjunction with letters was valuable. • Teaching oral reading fluency was beneficial and also improved comprehension for ELs. • Explicit vocabulary instruction improved comprehension. • Explicit attention to reading comprehension had positive results. • Same types of instructional routines to teach writing benefitted ELs as well. pages 217-220

11. GUIDELINE 1 In order to be literate, a student must be able to: • decode words • understand word meanings • read text quickly and easily enough that cognitive resources can be devoted to interpretation • read text in a manner that reflects the syntactic and prosodic aspects of the language • understand text • use strategies that help them to think effectively about the text • engage in writing practice The research suggests that a sound literacy curriculum for ELs will focus on the same components of literacy as a curriculum geared for English-proficient students. pages 217-220

12. GUIDELINE 2 Effective instruction for ELs is similar to effective instruction for native speakers. • Instruction that … • explicitly explains the diverse set of skills to students, • models their use, and • provides sufficient scaffolding practice at appropriate levels • supports the learning of ELs. page 220-222

13. GUIDELINE 3 Effective literacy curriculum and instruction for ELs must be adjusted to meet their needs. The role of background experiences and prior knowledge in comprehension and learning has been well documented. • strategic use of L1 to make L2 instruction comprehensible • enhanced instructional delivery routines (small groups, more time, …) • adjustments for differences in knowledge • more scaffolding • additional time • other adaptations Pages 222-226

14. GUIDELINE 4 Effective literacy instruction for ELs is comprehensible and multidimensional. • Literacy instruction should provide adequate instructional attention to all of the skills and knowledge that must be learned. • - Such instruction can include complex approaches that may address more than one skill simultaneously. • Studies emphasize the importance of developing more substantial and comprehensive responses to ELs’ needs, including attention to: • completeness of curriculum, • amount of instruction, • quality of instructional interactions, • adequate assessment, • emphasis on student motivation, and • parent involvement Pages 227-229

15. GUIDELINE 5 Effective literacy instruction for ELs develops oral proficiency. • Sound instruction in reading strategies must be combined with efforts to increase the scope and sophistication of the student’s oral proficiency. • Educators must give students access to domain knowledge through L1 or course content in English that has been scaffolded. ELs often acquire basic skills as well as native speakers of English do (e.g., spelling, phonemic awareness, decoding), but they rarely match native speakers in reading comprehension. pages 229-231

16. GUIDELINE 5 Examples to build oral language proficiency in the context of literacy instruction: • provide oral language activities to clarify specific concepts in the basal readers. • group L2 learners with fluent English speakers in peer response and conferencing groups and provide rich opportunities for ELs to interact with native speakers. • provide additional time after school to read books in English with adult support, as needed. • use instructional conversations • use shared interactive reading Providing high-quality instruction in literacy skills alone may be insufficient to support equal academic success for language-minority students. Sound instruction in reading strategies must be combined with efforts to increase the scope and sophistication of these students’ oral language proficiency. pages 229-231

17. GUIDELINE 6 Most ELs are likely to make appropriate progress if provided with access to sound instruction and sufficient time to acquire English proficiency and domain knowledge. Effective literacy instruction for ELs is differentiated. • ELs are a heterogeneous group with diverse learning needs. Instruction has to be differentiated to address their diverse learning needs. • ELs benefit from teaching that attends to their individual learning needs and ensure that they are instructed to the same high standards as their peers. • Supplemental small-group instruction • Instruction at appropriate instructional level • Activities and resources matched to students’ levels of L2 proficiency and domain knowledge • Individual attention • Leveled materials • Test and place appropriately Pages 231-234

18. GUIDE LINE 7 Effective literacy instruction for ELs requires well-prepared teachers. • Most effective professional development includes: • opportunities for hands-on practice • teaching techniques readily applicable to the classroom • in-class demonstrations with students • personalized coaching • Implementation tools (e.g., checklists) • use of benchmark assessments tied to instruction Note: teachers align instructional approaches with their expectations for students who exhibit differing levels of English proficiency, but their expectations are not always aligned with student capabilities. The value of increased teacher knowledge and skills; support for teacher learning and development; and teacher-support systems that are intensive, elaborate, and enduring has been documented. Pages 234-235

19. GUIDELINE 8 Effective literacy instruction for ELs is respectful of the home language. • Approaches that use L1 and L2 do better at helping students become literate in the second language. • relationship between L1 and L2 skills and knowledge • Note: study effects were moderate in size • The quality of instruction and the context in which it was provided were important issues regardless of the language used for instruction. (August/Hakuta 1997) Examples of ways to show L1 respect • provide books written in L1 during reading time • Preview/review reading in L1 • Allow students to write and converse in L1 or L2 • Conduct instructional conversations that permit/encourage interpretations and use of L1. • Translate passages from which vocabulary is selected into L1 to ensure comprehension. • Use bilingual glossaries for targeted vocabulary. Pages 235-237

20. Conclusion • Research in this area is heterogeneous • subjects’ ages ranged from 3 – 18 • differences in language, family, and literacy backgrounds, and schooling experiences • variations in research methods and outcomes • some studies focused on narrow topics, others were broader • Authors believe the research provides generalizations that can constitute a broad basis for evidence-based practice. Page 237

21. Discussion: Implications for Practice • Review the information about the guidelines assigned to your group. • Discuss the possible applications of the principles related to your role as a Title III COE Regional Lead. • Be ready to share 1 idea with the entire group.

22. Discussion: Implications for Practice

23. Discussion: Implications for Practice