Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners
If you teach English language learners (ELLs), there are many ways you can support your students’ literacy development! This in-depth series offers multiple strategies and considerations related to ELLs' literacy instruction, along with related resources and videos.
Image credit: Photo by Allison Shelley for EDUimages / Verbatim Photos
What's In This Guide
- Getting to Know Your Students' Language and Literacy Backgrounds
- Reading 101 for English Language Learners
- Literacy Instruction for ELLs: Implementation and Advocacy
- If ELLs Need Additional Literacy Support
- Choosing Diverse Books for Your ELLs: Tips for Educators
Family engagement
- 10 Ways Schools Can Partner with Multilingual Families Around Literacy
- 12 Strategies for Including ELLs in Literacy Celebrations
Who can use this guide?
Educators in many different roles can use this guide, including ELL specialists, bilingual teachers, reading specialists, classroom teachers, special education professionals, paraprofessionals, family liaisons, support staff, and administrators.
Multilingual Resources for Families
Tip sheets
- Help Your Child Learn to Read: Tip Sheets and Social Graphics in 16 Languages
- Reading Tip Sheets for Families in 13 Languages
Videos
- Being Bilingual Is a SuperPower: Animated Video 8 Languages
- Family Literacy Tips for All Families: Video Series in English and Spanish
- Indigenous Family Outreach: Videos in English, Spanish, and Mam
Guide
- Reading 101 for Families: Literacy Activities for Families (also available in Spanish)
Classroom Videos
For great classroom videos at different grade levels such as the videos below, see our classroom video library!
Interactive reading of a story
In this classroom clip, first-grade teacher Albuquerque teacher Ali Nava leads her students through an interactive reading of the end of Burro's Tortillas, a Southwestern adaptation of "The Little Red Hen."
Assessment for ELLs
Learn how third-grade teacher Samantha Kirch uses informal assessment in her classroom to better evaluate ELLs and their progress.
Focusing on language in literacy instruction
In this classroom clip, fifth-grade teacher Clara Gonzales-Espinoza helps her students expand their understanding of the way language is used in a picture book telling of Cinderella.
Reading non-fiction text with high school ELLs
In this lesson for high school ELLs, students will discuss the language used in Nelson Mandela's 1964 Court Speech "An Ideal for Which I am Prepared to Die."
