Reading Comprehension and Diverse Learners

One strategy is to match up higher-level students with lower-level ones while incorporating writing, listening and speaking exercises all in one when possible. For example, after reading a passage, to build on listening skills, have them ask each other easy comprehension questions. Then to expand their writing skills, ask them to write brief summaries. Finally, have them present it to the class to help them with speaking.

The article “Teaching Diverse Learners” says the most effective ELL teachers take a close look at reading selections ahead of time for the parts that may require explanation prior to. So, repeated readings of texts containing unfamiliar sentence structures and vocabulary won’t increase fluency. ELLs will only develop it when they’re familiar with and can understand the material. Using an ELL student’s own language experience stories are excellent choices and so is reading aloud a couple of times and discussed, says the article “What Does Research Tell Us about Teaching Reading to English Language Learners?”

In helping ELLs with reading comprehension, schools are smart to bring parents on-board through a high-quality program. As mentioned above, using reading materials that students can relate to is one of the best ways to teach comprehension. For Latino kids, literacy programs offered by the award-winning Latino Family Literacy Project have proven to improve the literacy of Latino ELLs.  

Through an online webinar or a one-day, program training at a workshop in their area, The Project trains teachers in guiding parents on the benefits of a regular, at-home routine. Results show that it helps greatly in not only reading comprehension but vocabulary and overall language development, as well. From its thousands of graduates, nearly all of the parents reap the rewards through improved literacy by implementing a family reading program. For more information, feel free to contact The Project.