Early Literacy for ELLs

As any preschool program, ELLs should receive specific instruction in language development. All children need explicit instruction in English vocabulary, as well as opportunities to hear and speak the language throughout the day. Examples of strategies are listed below.

Systematic Vocabulary Instruction

Multiple exposure to words will result in a richer understanding of their meaning, because the more exposure the more likely the mastery over words. The more words a child can master, the greater their comprehension. Always introduce new and interesting words for children to learn, and do it repeatedly with ample opportunities to practice through hearing them used, seeing them in print, speaking them to one another, and writing with them.

• Present vocabulary thematically to helps children make associations.
• Use read-alouds that include explanations of targeted vocabulary in big book formats to allow children to see the progression of language, visualize words, and understand concepts about print as they can become dramatic play organized around a carefully chosen theme.

Feedback

English language learners benefit from social interaction and feedback, regardless of whether it comes from adults or peers. Social interaction has much to do with it the growth of language skills through use, but support from adults is an even greater factor in helping them understand on a metacognitive level (or self-awareness) about how they learn best. Understanding how they learn will help them build their capacity to continue learning while capitalizing on their own strengths. The following approaches foster healthy social interaction that leads to academic achievement:

• Pairing English language learners with children who are native English language speakers.
• Ensuring that groups are mixed, and jigsawing them regularly to ensure not all of the L1 children are grouped together..
• Allowing for a choice of activities to match the interests of ELLs. This furthers self-direction, builds their capacity as independent learners, and engages them in the learning tasks.
• Provide them with prompts to aid them in speaking, such as "May I..." "May I have..."and "Thank you for..." Keep these prompts visible for quick and constant access to scaffold them phrases, build their sight vocabulary, and accustom them to asking for what they need in socially appropriate ways.
• Use open-ended questions, or questions with multiple answers. This will expand their own utterances, moving from negation to questioning. For example, "Why do I have to use this one?" versus "Why that?"

Exposure to Rich Input

Shared reading, teacher talk, reading aloud, and modeling verbal expressions are rich ways to expose children to language, and shown to enhance oral language development (National Early Literacy Panel, 2008). Structuring the classroom space so that it accommodates ample scaffolding for ELLs can include arranging supports for instructional activities in consistent and predictable areas (desks in circles, literacy centers, word centers, publishing centers, math stations, etc.).  Keep words, instructions, and rules for behavior everywhere.

Concepts about print is print awareness, and a foundational understanding of how a book is organized - that print reads from left to right, that there are parts to a book (front, side, back-to-bottom), that letters go in a certain order, title, author, illustration - these are all foundational  knowledge aspects to how print works, and whether a child has mastered it in L1 or not,  they must understand that it works the same for the English language.

These early conceptual activities can and should include:

• interactive storybook reading
• "pretend" reading and writing
• letter identification games
• poems, nursery rhymes and songs

The goal should be code-based instruction to move forward the relationship between spoken language and print (National Early Literacy Panel, 2008).

The Role of Parents

Parents can play an important role in the development of L2 in their child, despite their level of English proficiency through the teaching of rhymes and songs, playing word games, reading aloud in their native language or in English, shared reading. Sending home books to be read in the child's home language as well as in English in shared sessions helps reinforce reading provides practice, and involves parents in a supportive role.

The Home-Language Connection

If a child's first language shares the same phonemes or morphemes as L2, begin with those by including them in activities: rhyming, singing, beginning sounds, or syllabication. Similarities in the home language and English can be used as a foundation for instruction.

What follows in this book are a number of strategies appropriate for early literacy instruction, and complimentary to any course of language instruction in moving forward speaking, listening, and oral language fluency with a focus on meaning.

References

Ariza, E. N. (2010). What every classroom teacher needs to know about the linguistically, culturally, and ethnically diverse student (2^nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Ballantyne, K. G., Sanderman, A. R., & Levy, J. (2008).Educating English language learners:Building teacher capacity. Washington, DC: National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition. Retrieved September 21, 2009, from http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/files/uploads/3/EducatingELLsBuildingTeacherCapacityVol1.pdf

Chomsky, N. (1975). Reflections on Language. New York: Pantheon.

Peregoy, S. F., & Boyle, O. F. (2001). Reading, writing, and learning in ESOL: A resource book for K–12 teachers. New York: Longman