Literacy Development among English Language Learners
Literacy Development among English Language Learners
Introduction
In 2007/2008, approximately 72% of all elementary schools had at least one student with limited English proficiency (Helmann, 2012). “Limited English proficient” is a term coined by the U.S. department of Education to describe students to describe students, who are still learning English. 14% of the total population of elementary school students was English proficient. Of five students in prekindergarten, one was a child of an immigrant parent, and the number has since increased from 2008. There is a link between literacy and, academic success, postsecondary education and employment. Because of globalization, technological advancement, and other developments, the literacy demands of the 21stcentury will far exceed language demands of the past.To define literacy, it is the ability to use reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking to learn and to communicate or demonstrate that which has been learnt to others who need to know (Helmann, 2009). These functions of learning, i.e. reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking, are fundamental to academic, workplace, and lifelong successes.
Cross linguistic and sociocultural considerations
Children who are learning English as the second language and come from families that are non-English speakers are referred to as English language learners (ELLs) (Helmann, 2009). Owing to globalization and other factors that facilitate movement of human populations, the modern learning context has become multicultural. Therefore, in order for children to engage in learning, they need to acquire skills in the use of a second language. Strategies that facilitate this transition in a setting that is socially and culturally diverse include:
- Accepting a child’s attempt to communicate in his or her first language
- Encouraging the diversity of languages represented in the classroom
- Utilizing collaborative learning structures
- Using teacher-led small-group instruction
- Matching learning activities to cultural backgrounds of the students
- Setting high expectations for learning
- Assessing what students know in a home language, in order to make connections to literacy learning in a second language i.e. English
Emergent literacy: Implications for English Language Learners
The National Early Literacy Panel identified factors that are predictors of the later writing and reading successes in elementary school children (Restrepo, 2008). These include alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, name writing, oral language skills, and knowledge of concepts about print.
Print Knowledge
Print Knowledge is defined by the preschool child’s development of knowledge about the alphabet and concepts about print. Print knowledge refers to the development of a child’s understanding of the form and purpose of print. The concepts about print include elements such having recognition of words and letters, in relation to the difference in meaning, and understanding print conventions. Knowledge of these elements can transfer to the second language and support emerging literacy. Exposure of a child to print in different languages helps the child connect to her native culture and language. It also raises awareness of the symbolic nature of written language.
Phonological Awareness
This refers to awareness of the sound in spoken language. It is the knowledge that oral language can be broken up into words, words into syllables, and syllables into individual sounds or phonemes. Skills are vital in the development of the phonological awareness include awareness of syllables, phonemes, and rhymes. With respect to an individual child, there is a variation in the ability among children, but, overall, children develop phonological awareness in the preschool period, gradually. Activities that are vital in this respect include word play, book activities, and nursery rhymes. Other children require explicit instruction. With literate environments and exposure to adequate instruction, in pre-school, ELLs can readily acquire knowledge of phonological awareness, which is influential for reading ability in later years.
Writing
Emergent writing is a child’s first encounter with writing, which begins in the preschool years. Development of writing skills progresses from drawings, scribbles, invented spelling and finally to conventional writing. The progression continues during and beyond the school-age period. The early experiences of the child with different forms of writing support later writing and reading success.
Oral Language
Oral language is the building block for literacy. Oral vocabulary influences the transition from spoken to written language forms. Oral language facilitates the development of the most fundamental skills for reading. The reading vocabulary is pivotal for the comprehension processes of a reader.
Multi-literacies -developing literacy in long-term ells
Multi-literacy skills refer to the basic, essential, core, or generic skills (Restrepo, 2008). It involves activities that attract and engage lifelong learners (adults) develop other literacy skills, as well as address their functional needs. This comprises the following:
a) Functional literacy, which include writing, reading, spelling, grammar, and basic mathematical operations.
b) Cultural learning, which involves understanding how language is used in different cultural contexts i.e. how, when, and where, regarding usage of words and language.
c) Computer literacy includes knowledge of how to use computers, automatic teller machines, and other technologies in everyday life.
d) Financial literacy i.e. knowledge of how money works including banking, finance, and other financial information that is vital to life.
e) Health literacy i.e. attaining information on healthy living, communication with health professionals, and other forms of basic health literacy.
f) Community literacy i.e. local literacy practices including local words, terminologies, expressions
Multi-literacies comprise many other forms of learning, including environmental literacy, media literacy, employment literacy, and other areas of functional need.
Parent-involvement
For second language learners, particularly children, parental involvement plays a crucial role in fostering language development and literacy.Informal activities such as shared book reading enhance the development of a child’s vocabulary, listening, and comprehension skills. These are language skills that predict successes in later learning. In this regard, home experiences provide a basic foundation for the transfer of skills from the first language to the second language. Of importance is the parent’s willingness to be involved in the child’s language development. Shared book reading between a child and a parent is an ideal home literacy activity. It provides a natural platform for parents to help children form concepts about print, reading, and books. It provides exposure to vocabulary, which the children do not encounter on a daily basis. Other strategies for use by the parent in the home environment include the use of sophisticated language and labeling of pictures.
These activities assist children learn novel words and language, and complex structure of language. These experiences enhance vocabulary, oral language complexity, phonological awareness, print awareness, and reading skills.
Instructional applications in the development of second language literacy
Appropriate instruction promotes learning of the second language by ensuring that content learning develops as the student learns the second language. Appropriate instruction addresses the needs of the learners and the different learning styles. Some of the effective instructional strategies include:
- First language support: Students may need support in their native language while developing skills in the mainstream language. In this case, learners may be asked to take notes, process information, and reflect on learning, in their first language. Textbooks, internet, and materials written in first language are useful.
- Vocabulary instruction: Teach abstract or complex words, encourage the use of appropriate words in discussing content, provides several examples of related words.
- Cooperative Learning: involving second language learners in group projects composed of proficient English speakers.
- Alternative assessments. This includes the use of a variety of methods to assess learning including models, dramatic activities, drawings, and other activities.
Others include explicit modeling, assessment of prior knowledge, and questioning techniques.
Conclusion
As learners English language learners enter kindergarten, they lag behind in skills necessary for reading (Helmann, 2012). The gap often widens throughout the years. The National Center for Education Statistics highlighted this disparity indicating that, in 2007, 70% of both eight-grade and seventh-grade ELLs scored below basic reading ability (Restrepo, 2008). This statistic is discouraging, but information from research indicates that ELLs can attain the grade-level literacy through effective instruction. Learning programs put in place during the pre-school period have a great impact on the development of academic skills among children. Formal and informal environments have a role to play in enhancing the development of the emergent language skills that are vital for the second language learner.
References
Helmann, L. (2009). “Literacy development with English Learners: Research-based instruction in grades k-6”. New York: The Guilford Press.
Helmann, L. (2012). “Literacy Instruction in Multilingual Classrooms: Engaging English Language”. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Restrepo, M. & Towle-Harmon, M. (2008). “Addressing Emergent Literacy Skills in English Language Learners”. The Asha Leader, Sep 23, 2008. http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2008/080923/f080923a/
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