Fluency Building Strategies: Use Easier Texts with Known Vocabulary to Motivate Struggling ELLs to Read

When I was a preservice teacher, I taught more than 35 EFL (English as a foreign language) students! It was hard enough to teach let alone manage the classroom. But I found that one way I was able to close the achievement gap in reading, is to teach fluency building strategies.

By using easier texts with known vocabulary, I was also able to teach and manage the classroom more effectively.

In my classroom, I had many struggling ELLs. Depending on where you teach, your school may “categorize” ELs soely in terms of achievement. Typically, these students are considered “borderline” according to school standards and have reading strategies that are below par. Some are too intimidated to read beyond the first few sentences of a given text.

But the right text type can facilitate vocabulary learning and comprehension, which improves fluency. If you would like to learn more about how to help struggling readers, the Wilson Reading Program provides an extensive and quality education on the subject.

Use Easier Texts With Known Vocabulary

According to Diane M. Barone and Shelley Hong Xu, authors of Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners Pre-K-2 [Guildford Publishing, 2007] the role of vocabulary knowledge is crucial for helping ELLs develop fluency. And although this book focuses on the K-2 level, this principle applies all throughout the language learning spectrum.

Choosing texts for practicing fluency should take place once ELLs have already managed to read the targeted words with greater understanding; the focus on developing fluency involves practice with easy texts in which all the words are familiar.

If texts or passages initially appear too difficult for ELLs, the teacher can facilitate fluency by reworking the structure or vocabulary of the text in order to increase active reading practice.

Fluency Building Strategies for Struggling ELLs

When introducing a new text, teachers should aim to expose students to all types of texts, including shorter varieties such as dialogues, songs, poems, advertisements, and greeting cards. Teachers should also preview text structure to aid ELLs in overcoming challenges related to comprehension (Barone & Xu). Here are some fluency building strategies that help struggling ELLs with the process of closing the reading gap:

* Use texts on motivating topics that relate to students’ background knowledge.
* Simplify language structure, syntax, and semantics.
* Provide sufficient vocabulary preparation prior to having students work on the text.
* Rewrite difficult sentences to make them less ambiguous.
* Link reading tasks with at least one oral activity such as echo or repeated reading.
* There should be a 50-50 balance between texts and activities.
* Develop pre-middle and post reading tasks
* Accompany texts with glossed words in an easy-to-understand context.
* Identify different reading strategies for different texts

Struggling ELLs need a variety of exposure to and practice with texts that are motivating if they are to become fluent readers. Meaningful vocabulary and reading activities motivate and engage ELLs. The choice of materials has important implications for giving ELLs the tools necessary for becoming fluent readers.

Dorit Sasson is a thought leader to teachers who want to empower their students – one step at a time! She helps teachers uplevel their teaching and their success. Her speciality is presenting workshops for teachers of English Language Learners and issues of new teacher support. If you are ready to take your teaching to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://www.DoritSasson.com

Integrating English Language Learners: The Key to Academic Success!

If you're frustrated because you have the training and background to support your English language learners, but you just aren't helping them academically as well as you want to, here's the main thing you need to consider:

Are you doing all that you can to integrate your English Language Learners? (ELLs)

ELLs who are not integrated in the classroom, will feel an academic disconnect from what's happening.

This is why it is crucial to know what these ELLs are struggling with.

Do you know what their cultural, emotional and social struggles are?

Do you know if these struggles often get in the way of their academic success?

Do you know if they are having academic problems with other subjects?

When you know the answers to these questions, then you can help these students succeed by structuring activities a bit differently for them.

Here are some ways to help build academic success:

1. Use small group instruction

The benefits of small group instruction allow for more student-teacher interaction as well as opportunities for students to become much more involved in the general education classroom. In a small group setting, teachers can provide guided practice which can motivate and support struggling English language learners.

2. Use a "buddy system"

Pair an ELL is paired with a native English speaking student. This eases isolation and helps an English language learner adjust to his/her new classroom. Use also pair and trio work where one child speaks the English language learner’s mother tongue and is more proficient in English.

3. Use Small Group Teaching Skills

Teachers may find they need to diversify their instruction by providing more guided practice in areas of reading support. For example, when teaching ESL reading skills, teachers may find they need to include more in-depth reading strategies than they would ordinarily do during whole class instruction.

4. Incorporate Theme Units Based on Multicultural Content

This helps ease their cultural and social isolation by planning motivating lessons that incorporate the theme units around an ELL's country, national food or culture. This also helps to create a classroom community.

Need more help?

You can also download one or more of my special reports on teaching English language learners either as a single report or part of an ebook, Tips and Tricks to Survive and Thrive in the Classroom: Practical Activities Made Easy.

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