Five Crossover Elements for English Learner Success

Language barriers should not prevent educators or other school staff from communicating and including families of English Learners (ELs). But unfortunately, it often is. At Really Great Reading we want to eliminate language as a roadblock. Our EL Resource Hub has authentically translated resources to send home to parents so they can continue to support their child’s education outside of school.

1. Orthographic Mapping

Orthographic mapping is the process that all skilled readers use to turn unfamiliar words into instantly recognizable words, what researchers call "sight words". This vital process enables readers to build a large library of words that they instantly recognize, which is essential for fluent reading, and fluent reading is crucial to strong literacy outcomes. Our programs ensure that ELs can decode words accurately and automatically, which is vital for reading fluency and comprehension.

As research shows, “Early phoneme awareness and phonics training efficiently accelerate the word recognition and spelling skills of first and second language learners alike” (Stuart, 2004).

2. Vocabulary

Vocabulary instruction is embedded in our programs through the use of images and contextual sentences. Almost all words used in activities are paired with images, and many example words are presented within contextual sentences. This approach helps ELs understand and remember new vocabulary more effectively.

Nelson, Vadasy, and Sanders (2011) found that combining decoding and vocabulary instruction is “effective for increasing word knowledge of vocabulary words and decoding words.”

3. Oral Language

Oral language development is supported through activities that involve segmenting, blending, and manipulating sounds. Engaging students in these practices builds their phonological skills, which are foundational for reading. Our multisensory instruction, which includes aural, visual, and kinesthetic stimuli, reinforces these skills. Robertson (n.d.) notes that the use of manipulatives and pictures is particularly helpful for ELs.

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4. Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness is a critical component of our programs. Students learn to identify, segment, blend, and manipulate phonemes, which accelerates their ability to recognize and spell words.

This focus on phonemic awareness aligns with research, such as Brice and Brice (2009), who concluded that early reading intervention for bilingual kindergartners must focus on “phoneme and grapheme identification” to reduce or eradicate the learning achievement gap between this group and their monolingual peers.

5. Syllabication

Syllabication instruction helps students understand the structure of words, which is crucial for decoding longer and more complex words. By using hand movements and other kinesthetic activities, students learn to recognize and remember different syllable types and vowel phonemes. This multisensory approach ensures that ELs can decode words more effectively and develop better reading fluency.

In addition to these key components, Really Great Reading lessons include options for differentiation for ELs. One suggestion is to spend additional time on English-specific phonemes that may not exist in other languages.

Our approach, refined over the last ten years, is recognized for being succinct, efficient, and digestible, benefiting all students, including ELs. By explicitly teaching students to play with the sounds in spoken words and then to analyze and decode those words in developmentally appropriate ways, our programs set students on the path to becoming successful and fluent readers.

Family Involvement Strengthens EL Student Success

Inviting the families of English Learners (ELs) into the learning process is essential for fostering a supportive and enriched educational environment. At Really Great Reading, we understand that when families are actively engaged, they become empowered to support their children’s language development and academic progress, even if they are learning English themselves. This involvement builds trust between families and educators, creates continuity between home and school, and affirms students’ cultural identities, making them feel seen and valued. Additionally, family engagement offers teachers insights into students’ backgrounds and unique needs, enabling more tailored instruction. Ultimately, involving families in the educational journey not only supports the language and literacy development of EL students but also strengthens the community as a whole. Connect with us to learn more about how the EL Resource Hub will benefit your English Learners and their families!