As a practitioner dedicated to creating great outcomes for children, it's crucial to stay informed about the latest research and best practices. A recent study titled "Supporting Children Who Are English Language Learners Succeed in Their Early Literacy Development" provides valuable insights into effective strategies for supporting English Language Learners (ELL) in their early literacy journey.
Key Findings from the Research
The study utilized a matched control design to compare the growth in phoneme awareness, phoneme-grapheme knowledge, and oral narrative skills between 1,853 ELL and 1,853 non-ELL children. The results were promising:
- Both ELL and non-ELL children showed similar positive growth rates in phoneme awareness and phoneme-grapheme knowledge following 10 weeks of Tier 1 (universal/class level) teaching.
- Despite starting with lower phoneme awareness skills, ELL children performed similarly to their non-ELL peers in non-word reading and spelling tasks after 10 weeks.
- 11% of ELL and 13% of non-ELL received supplementary Tier 2 (targeted small group) teaching. Following this, ELL showed accelerated growth in listening comprehension, phoneme-grapheme matching, and phoneme blending skills.
Practical Implications for Practitioners
Based on these findings, here are some practical strategies that practitioners can implement to support ELL in their early literacy development:
- Implement Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): Ensure that your literacy instruction includes high-quality Tier 1 teaching for all children, with additional targeted support (Tier 2) for those who need it.
- Focus on Phoneme Awareness and Phonics: Explicit teaching of phoneme awareness and phonics is crucial for ELL. Incorporate activities that enhance phoneme-grapheme matching and phoneme blending skills.
- Use Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices: Tailor your teaching materials and strategies to be culturally relevant and inclusive, which can significantly impact ELL's engagement and success.
- Engage Families: Involve families in the literacy learning process by providing resources and strategies they can use at home to support their children's development.
Encouraging Further Research
While this study provides valuable insights, it's essential to continue researching and refining our approaches to supporting ELL. Practitioners are encouraged to stay updated with the latest research and to contribute to the field by sharing their experiences and findings.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Supporting Children Who Are English Language Learners Succeed in Their Early Literacy Development.
