An Emotionally Smart Literacy Environment for ELLs

In this article in Multicultural Education, Rocio Dresser (San Jose State University) says that round-robin reading, a “one size fits all” classroom practice with no research support, is especially unhelpful for English language learners. “Many ELLs become frightened when they have to read unfamiliar text aloud,” says Dresser. “Because they are nervous they do poorly. Because they do poorly they become stressed. Students know that if they mispronounce a word or read slowly, their classmates will make fun of them. In many cases, these students will dislike reading and as a result will fail at school.” 

Instead, says Dresser, teachers should weave social-emotional learning into the literacy program to create a safe and respectful environment, increase interest and reflection, and hook ELLs on learning. Here are some key practices:

• Teachers modeling enthusiasm – “Research shows that emotional states are contagious,” says Dresser. “Thus, if we enjoy reading and like to engage in discourse with children, there is a greater chance that the children will also like it.”

• A supportive environment – This includes giving students ample time to rehearse and study what they are reading. “Research shows that students who read the same selection several times and know the vocabulary tend to have a higher fluency rate,” says Dresser, building competence and self-confidence. It’s also helpful for students to read multiple selections from the same author, theme, or genre (Narrow Reading), discussing the common vocabulary, cognates, syntax, and ideas. Choral reading can also help students improve their pronunciation, intonation, and enunciation. 

• Rich reading experiences – Teachers should be sure to include selections that deal with core human emotions such as love, anger, and fear (such as Julie and the Wolves by Jean Craighead George). It’s also good for students to have some choice in what they read.

• Reflection and feedback – Students might keep a journal in which they write about their literacy experiences, responding to prompts such as, “I felt proud today when I read…” or “I worked with my group doing…” In class, students should have opportunities to practice giving compliments, sharing ideas, and working cooperatively, all aimed at becoming more understanding of the feelings and thought processes of others. 

• Strategic correction – To accelerate ELLs’ growth, it’s wise for teachers to provide frequent, timely, nonjudgmental feedback that focuses on meaning – that is, correcting errors that change the meaning of a word or sentence versus errors having to do with accent. 

“Integrate Social-Emotional Learning Into Oral Reading Practices for Best Results” by Rocio Dresser in Multicultural Education, Winter 2013 (Vol. 20, p. 45-50), spotted in Education Digest, December 2013 (Vol. 79, #4), https://www.caddogap.com/periodicals.shtml; the author can be reached at rocio.dresser@sjsu.edu. 

From the Marshall Memo #516