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Reading
Reading skills are built on the foundation established in the listening and speaking
domains and are fundamental to academic success, particularly as students progress
toward the upper grades and high school
(Alverman et al., 2010; Bharuthram, 2012;
Reading skills are built on the Calderón et al., 2011; Caskey, 2008; Droop
& Vaerhoeven, 2003; McNamara, 2009).
foundation established in the Many educators, however, feel challenged
by teaching ELs to read, especially if the
listening and speaking domains students’ literacy in their home languages

and are fundamental to academic is weak or absent, and many express
the belief that teaching reading to ELs
success... should be left in the hands of TESOL
specialists (see Cunningham, 2019; De
Angelis, 2011; Garrity et al., 2019; Lee &
Oxelson, 2016). Indeed, many newcomers
who first enter U.S. schools in the upper grades lack literacy in their first or home
language (DeCapua & Marshall, 2011). These individuals are known as Students
with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE). As DeCapua and Marshall pointed out,
such students “…face great challenges, especially at the secondary level, where they
have little time to [simultaneously] master academic content, develop literacy skills,
and build academic proficiency” (p. 35). Teachers of these students, too, may find
the challenge to be daunting. However, once educators accept the notion that all
are teachers of ELs, they must also accept that all are teachers of reading—at least
when and as needed and irrespective of grade level or subject taught. In this regard,
tracking according to the applicable state standards (proficiency level definitions)
can again be helpful. With information available on ELs’ progress toward desired
benchmarks, even teachers who have not yet had these individuals in their classrooms
can prepare instructional activities that are targeted to helping them progress to the
next desired benchmark.
Figure 2 shows a Reading Conference Sheet such as teachers might use to track
the progress of their ELs. As indicated on the instrument, based on observations, the
teacher can then recommend
follow up strategies such as
Conferencing (C), in which ...Even teachers who have
teachers meet one-on-one with not yet had these individuals in
students; Guided Reading
(GR), in which students at their classrooms can prepare
the same reading level meet
with the teacher in groups; instructional activities that
and Strategy Lessons (SL), are targeted to helping them
during which a small group
of students (across reading progress to the next desired
levels) meets with the teacher
to focus on improving a benchmark.
specific reading strategy that
has proved to be challenging
for this group of learners.

18 The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin: International Journal for Professional Educators