Abstract:

This session will provide numerous innovative literacy activities for pre-service teachers to present in a K-12 classroom. It will show connections between effective reading strategies and English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and how collaboration with pre-service teachers, K-12 students and their teachers provides for an effective model for all involved. Teaching students to comprehend is no easy task--ask any educator. In a typical K-12 classroom there may be several students who, when asked, orally read a passage perfectly; yet, when it comes time to retell or accurately answer questions about the passage, they are unable to respond correctly. The question arises, ‘What needs to happen in classrooms to ensure literacy for students who enter school with little or no command of English?’ This demonstration will provide hands-on literacy strategies and techniques to promote instruction to the diverse student population in K-12 classroom. English language learners (ELLs) most often struggle with literacy in general, especially vocabulary and comprehension. Through the modeling of new literacy methods all participants will have the opportunity to actively engage in strategies and discussions. It is the goal of this demonstration to foster a deeper understanding of the relevance of vocabulary and comprehension strategies in the K-12 classroom. Modifications for ELLs will be suggested to ensure all students become fluent and be comprehending readers. Ways to connect literacy instruction for ELLs in meaningful ways will be presented in order to build on literacy development, reading comprehension, and vocabulary strategies. The question ‘What needs to be done to ensure that ELLs become literate?’ will also be presented and answered. The response will include connections to home and community literacy values. Some techniques will be modeled and others will be available in the packet of hand-outs with specific directions to implement in the classroom. The session will include: strategies for word study, vocabulary, listening, pre-reading, during reading, and post reading. Through the application of these strategies participants will have a better understanding of the demands on and struggles of ELLs in learning to comprehend English passages. Participants will actively engage in numerous literacy activities and discussion will follow for use with English language learners. Materials will be provided for participants to bring into their own classrooms.

Keywords:

English Language Learners (ELLs), Reading, Literacy, Teacher Training, Pre-Service Teacher Education.