Teaching ELLs Reading Comprehension

1. Vocabulary Development

1.1. how to pronounce words and their meanings

1.2. Key to communication; oral and written

1.3. Important to teach in context not isolation

1.4. Learned through listening and conversing

1.5. Start by teaching key vocabulary of a story or concept in isolation and then in the context of the larning

2. Reading Fluency

2.1. The ability to read words acurately and quickly

2.2. Vocabulary development is important

2.3. Use thematic spelling units

2.4. Provide opportunities to read in native language in addition to English

2.5. Guided, repeated reading with feedback

2.6. See and hear frequent readings, through read alouds, and listening to reading

3. Requires Mastery of all 4 components

4. Phonemic Awareness

4.1. Understanding how words are made

4.2. Important for the teacher to understand the differences in home language vs. English

4.3. Use small group instruction using a program like OG

4.4. Use language games, word walls, rhymes and songs to teach repetition

5. Phonics

5.1. the decoding of words

5.2. requires an understanding of the differences in native language vs. English

5.3. Use OG and small group instruction

6. Needs exposure to authentic texts and a challenge to use higher order thinking skills

6.1. should not be remedial rote work out of context.

6.2. scan the texts when possible to front load vocabulary and look for figurative language the might need explanation