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COPYRIGHT 2007 Project Innovation (Alabama)
Content area reading is extremely challenging for English language learners (ELLs). Although their English is not fully developed, they are faced with reading subject matter content in English that is typically written in academic language. Reading academic discourse is very challenging for ELLs because it is characterized with complex syntax, technical vocabulary, and a lack of helpful context. This article illustrates the difficult nature of content area reading through examples from social studies, and suggests that there are ways subject matter teachers can help make these demanding texts more comprehensible for ELLs. The subject matter teacher, it is argued, need not wait until ELLs complete the long and arduous task of fully acquiring academic language. This article offers specific strategies for content area teachers to assist ELLs' reading comprehension and thereby improve their learning of subject matter.
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The number of English language learners (ELLs) is growing exponentially. From 1991 to 2001, the ELL enrollment in public schools in the United States increased by 95 percent, while the general student population increased only 12 percent (Padolsky, 2002). Georgia reports that ELLs in public schools increased by 650 percent during the same time period (Batt, Kim, & Sunderman, 2005). Hamblen County, Tennessee reports that ELL population has increased by 600% in five years (B. Dean, 2006, personal communication). It is clear that public school teachers throughout the nation will continuously face a greater influx of immigrant children. As the ELL student population grows, its academic achievement is a great concern for educators.
Reading is considered one of the most important academic skills and is highly correlated with student achievement (Bishop, 2003; Krashen, 1995). Reading is often exclusively associated with language arts or literature, but reading is not confined to language arts. Reading in content area such as social studies or science does not receive as much attention as the literature genre. Reading comprehension in the content areas is essential to successful learning.
In an ideal world, ELLs will have the benefit of bilingual programs that will help them gradually build the competence needed to read complex texts. But this is rare. ELLs whose English is not proficient enough to be immersed in mainstream classes are nevertheless mainstreamed, except for the pull-out English as a second language (ESL) class. While they are acquiring English, they face the daunting problem of having to read and understand demanding subject matter texts written in a decontextualized discourse style. Reading decontextualized texts has been shown to be difficult even for native speakers of English readers due to the nature of the discourse style. Decontextualized texts are characterized with a lack of contextual cues and an expository manner of writing (Cummins, 1984, 2000). It is extremely challenging for ELLs to comprehend decontextualized subject matter texts, and the demands for reading comprehension increase as...
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