Teaching Literacy in English to K-5 English Learners

It is critical to respond in a timely fashion to potential reading difficulties indicated in formative assessment results. Reading interventions that occur daily in a small group format and provide explicit, direct instruction in critical reading components in addition to the core reading program should be the primary means of instructional delivery. English learners and native speakers can be included in instructional groups as long as the groups share the same skill level.

English learners at risk for reading problems benefit from the following additional instruction:

• • Daily small group instruction of 30-50 minutes
• • Direct, explicit instruction that is fast-paced and engaging and offers frequent opportunities for students to respond and participate in short practice activities
• • Frequent review of skills
• • Clear, corrective feedback to student errors
• • Adequate wait time for student response
• • Attention to the five core reading elements (phonological awareness, decoding, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency)