Supporting English Language Learners to

become competent readers and writers

Supporting English Language Learners to

become competent readers and writers

Jane van der ZeydenJane van der Zeyden

Expected outcomes for this session

Expected outcomes for this session

Consider what features of texts make them easy or difficult for ELLs

Explore the specific needs of ELLs in writing

Identify some ways to scaffold reading and writing tasks for English Language Learners.

Consider what features of texts make them easy or difficult for ELLs

Explore the specific needs of ELLs in writing

Identify some ways to scaffold reading and writing tasks for English Language Learners.

ScaffoldingScaffolding

What do you understand by the term?

What do you understand by the term?

“In the classroom, scaffolding portrays the temporary, but essential, nature of the mentor’s assistance in supporting learners to carry out tasks successfully”

Maybin, Mercer and Stierer, (1992, p.186).

“In the classroom, scaffolding portrays the temporary, but essential, nature of the mentor’s assistance in supporting learners to carry out tasks successfully”

Maybin, Mercer and Stierer, (1992, p.186).

“Scaffolding is not simply another word for help. It is a special kind of help that assists learners to move towards new skills, concepts or levels of understanding. Scaffolding is thus the temporary assistance by which the teacher helps a learner know how to do something, so that the learner will later be able to complete a similar task alone”

(Gibbons, 2002: 10).

“Scaffolding is not simply another word for help. It is a special kind of help that assists learners to move towards new skills, concepts or levels of understanding. Scaffolding is thus the temporary assistance by which the teacher helps a learner know how to do something, so that the learner will later be able to complete a similar task alone”

(Gibbons, 2002: 10).

Or simply put…Or simply put…I do, you watch

I do, you help

You do, I help

You do, I watch

I do, you watch

I do, you help

You do, I help

You do, I watch

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Where might the reading process break

down for English Language Learners?

Where might the reading process break

down for English Language Learners?

What do we know about fluent readers and their ability to understand

cohesion?Able to carry meaning across chunks of text

Native speakers have an intuitive understanding of how cohesion works

ELLs may not have developed this understanding fully.

Halliday and Hansan(1976) have identified five ways in which English creates cohesive ties.

They are:

What do we know about fluent readers and their ability to understand

cohesion?Able to carry meaning across chunks of text

Native speakers have an intuitive understanding of how cohesion works

ELLs may not have developed this understanding fully.

Halliday and Hansan(1976) have identified five ways in which English creates cohesive ties.

They are:

Making links in text - an area of difficulty

for ELLs

Making links in text - an area of difficulty

for ELLs ELLs may not not recognise the relationship between the reference word and the referent as they are reading.

e.g A tall black figure was outside Sophie’s house. The figure turned and faced her window, and then he walked on. He came to Mr. Goochey’s house and there he stopped.

ELLs may not not recognise the relationship between the reference word and the referent as they are reading.

e.g A tall black figure was outside Sophie’s house. The figure turned and faced her window, and then he walked on. He came to Mr. Goochey’s house and there he stopped.

Many ELLs do not control a sufficient range of conjunctions and connectives and this means they are less likely to recognise the main points of a text.

e.g. He walked all day although he was exhausted. Finally he stopped outside a small hotel in a village. If he went in, some one might recognise him, but unless he stopped to rest he would get no further.

Many ELLs do not control a sufficient range of conjunctions and connectives and this means they are less likely to recognise the main points of a text.

e.g. He walked all day although he was exhausted. Finally he stopped outside a small hotel in a village. If he went in, some one might recognise him, but unless he stopped to rest he would get no further.

ELLs may not have enough semantic variety within their vocabulary to understand the relationship of words.

e.g. The giant had definitely slowed down and was now running more normally although normal was a silly word to describe a galloping giant. He leapt over a dozen rivers. He went rattling through a great forest then down into a valley and up over a range of hills and soon he was galloping over a desolate wasteland that was not quite of this earth.

ELLs may not have enough semantic variety within their vocabulary to understand the relationship of words.

e.g. The giant had definitely slowed down and was now running more normally although normal was a silly word to describe a galloping giant. He leapt over a dozen rivers. He went rattling through a great forest then down into a valley and up over a range of hills and soon he was galloping over a desolate wasteland that was not quite of this earth.

ELLs may not recognise that two different words can refer to the same thing Substitution)

e.g He was given a new bike for his birthday. His old one was too small for him.

ELLs may not recognise that anything has been omitted and may not be able to supply what is not there (Ellipsis)

e.g. He sat down, ¬ stood up and then ¬sat down again.

ELLs may not recognise that two different words can refer to the same thing Substitution)

e.g He was given a new bike for his birthday. His old one was too small for him.

ELLs may not recognise that anything has been omitted and may not be able to supply what is not there (Ellipsis)

e.g. He sat down, ¬ stood up and then ¬sat down again.

Things to consider when choosing texts

for ELLs

Things to consider when choosing texts

for ELLs Topic Vocabulary Sentence length and construction Cohesion Layout Length Support from illustrations Use of colloquial language/idioms FontRefer ELLP p.27 Introductory booklet, p.7 Meeting the

Needs of ELLs module

Topic Vocabulary Sentence length and construction Cohesion Layout Length Support from illustrations Use of colloquial language/idioms FontRefer ELLP p.27 Introductory booklet, p.7 Meeting the

Needs of ELLs module

“While increased language competence enhances reading ability, reading certainly increases language competence.”

Pauline Gibbons: Learning to Learn in a Second Language. (1991)

“While increased language competence enhances reading ability, reading certainly increases language competence.”

Pauline Gibbons: Learning to Learn in a Second Language. (1991)

WritingWriting

What are the key messages from the English Language Learning

Progressions telling us about teaching ELLs how

to write?

What are the key messages from the English Language Learning

Progressions telling us about teaching ELLs how

to write?

What do ELLs need to learn about writing?What do ELLs need to learn about writing?

The symbols of the English writing system and the relationships between sound and symbols.

How writing differs from speech. The different text types of English

The symbols of the English writing system and the relationships between sound and symbols.

How writing differs from speech. The different text types of English

When planning think about…

Particular sentence structures relevant to the text type

Vocabulary that will have to be taught specifically

The grammar associated with the text type

When planning think about…

Particular sentence structures relevant to the text type

Vocabulary that will have to be taught specifically

The grammar associated with the text type

Developing effective writers

Developing effective writers

Demonstrate writing using ‘think alouds’ and joint construction

Read aloud from a variety of texts Provide access to a range of good quality models of writing

Conferences - be prepared to spend more time editing with ELLs

Provide easy access to some of the tools for writing

Set writing tasks for pairs and groups as well as individuals.

Use focused tasks e.g cloze tasks Encourage students to plan and/or write in their first language if appropriate

Scaffold their writing with writing frames.

Demonstrate writing using ‘think alouds’ and joint construction

Read aloud from a variety of texts Provide access to a range of good quality models of writing

Conferences - be prepared to spend more time editing with ELLs

Provide easy access to some of the tools for writing

Set writing tasks for pairs and groups as well as individuals.

Use focused tasks e.g cloze tasks Encourage students to plan and/or write in their first language if appropriate

Scaffold their writing with writing frames.