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Practice Guide iconPractice Guide
Released: April 2014
PDF (6.6 MB)
Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School
This practice guide provides four recommendations that address what works for English learners during reading and content area instruction. Each recommendation includes extensive examples of activities that can be used to support students as they build the language and literacy skills needed to be successful in school, including examples of how the recommendations align with Common Core and other contemporary state standards. The recommendations also summarize and rate supporting evidence. This guide is geared toward teachers, administrators, and other educators who want to improve instruction in academic content and literacy for English learners in elementary and middle school.
1
Strong Evidence

Teach a set of academic vocabulary words intensively across several days using a variety of instructional activities.

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2
Strong Evidence

Integrate oral and written English language instruction into content-area teaching.

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3
Minimal Evidence

Provide regular, structured opportunities to develop written language skills.

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4
Moderate Evidence

Provide small-group instructional intervention to students struggling in areas of literacy and English language development.

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Topics:
Education Levels:
  • Elementary
  • Middle Grades
Audience:
  • Administrators
  • Policymakers
  • Researchers
  • School Specialist
  • Teacher

This practice guide was prepared for the WWC by Instructional Research Group under contract ED-IES-12-C-0016.

The following research staff contributed to the guide: Joseph Dimino, Kelly Haymond, Russell Gersten, Madhavi Jayanthi, and Rebecca Newman-Gonchar.

  • Scott Baker (Chair)
    Center on Research and Evaluation, Southern Methodist University
  • Esther Geva
    University of Toronto
  • Michael J. Kieffer
    New York University
  • Nonie Lesaux
    Harvard University
  • Sylvia Linan-Thompson
    University of Texas at Austin
  • Joan Morris
    Pasadena Unified School District
  • C. Patrick Proctor
    Boston College
  • Randi Russell
    Miami-Dade Public Schools

The practice guide is also available in e-book format. Materials from the webinar with the practice guide panelists are also available. Click below to access any of the available resources.

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