Literacy development

5E) Pre- and post-reading activities in each language

Conduct pre-reading and post-reading activities and discussions in each language to foster critical thinking skills and reading comprehension.

Strategy Overview: Exploring Names

This strategy engages children in learning about and writing about their name(s), in reading literature in which a change in a child's name reflects the dynamics of immigration, and presents an opportunity for opinion writing on the issue of name changes. A list of books with themes about names is also included.
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Website Article: Early Literacy Instruction in Spanish

This article is a research overview for teachers about the early literacy development of Spanish-speaking children. The content covers stages of literacy development, explicitly notes the differences in reading instruction between English and Spanish, and includes some example literacy strategies and tips for parents.
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Website Article: Retelling and English Language Learners

This article reminds teachers of the hard work that is involved when first-grade Multilingual Learners are asked to retell stories. Specific prompts and supports can facilitate students in participating and developing both language and literacy skills during this key instructional activity.
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Strategy Overview: Do Leveled Readers Help or Hurt My ELs?

Leveled text can be problematic for Multilingual Learners because it does not always expose them to the rich, authentic, and challenging language associated with grade-level texts. In these resources, teachers can read about the dos and don'ts of selecting text and scaffolding teaching for Multilingual Learners.
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Strategy Overview: Narrative Input

After a shared reading of a text, students retell, act out, and/or capture key vocabulary and content information with a variety of experiences. This multi-day strategy builds on student's storytelling and oral language skills.
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Tip Sheet: How to Use Bilingual Books

This resource explains how to use a variety of bilingual books to support Multilingual Learners’ language and literacy development. This tip sheet also includes a list of books with side-by-side translations, books that include a second language throughout the book, and books available in multiple languages.
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Article: Goals in Small Groups for English Learners

This article shares numerous strategies that can be used to support Multilingual Learners in small group reading instruction to support both reading and English Language Development (ELD) skills.
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Video: Model Curriculum for English Learners- How Do I Feel? (Kindergarten)

In this video, a designated teacher for Multilingual Learners talks through her objectives for a read-aloud lesson. She builds in practice opportunities for the students to use the language of feelings, the language of sequence, and specific use of pronouns. She also uses instructional tools like graphic organizers and an end-of-unit rubric to support student experiences in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in English. A link to the whole unit plan is available on the video's YouTube page.
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Website: Teacher Interactions and Strategies to Support Reading for Dual Language Learners

This resource provides many strategies that teachers can use to support Multilingual Learners’ reading and literacy skills.
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Lesson Plan: Comprehension Strategies for English Learners

This is a five-day lesson plan focused on building reading comprehension skills with Multilingual Learners. Lessons are structured to incorporate discussion, critical thinking skills, and incorporate numerous language-based supports.
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Video: Dialogic Reading Strategy- 2nd grade

The teacher demonstrates how multiple interactive reads of a key content-based text supports the literacy, oral language, and vocabulary development of the Multilingual Learners in the class. She explains academic and content-specific words and structures opportunities for students to elaborate on their thinking.
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Strategy Overview: Dialogic Read Aloud

This guide supports teachers in reading texts aloud and engaging learners in a discussion about them. Through planned activities before, after, and during the reading, children learn and internalize the practices that readers use, and develop skills of analytic talk.
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