Reading Strategies to Support Home-to-School Connections used by Teachers of English Language Learners

Socorro Mendoza*
*Bilingual Coordinator, Chicago Public School, Chicago, USA.
Periodicity:October - December'2016
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.6.4.8335

Abstract

This particularistic qualitative case study design examined reading strategies, approaches, and resources teachers of ELL (English Language Learner) students in kindergarten through third grade use to support reading development and promote the home to school connection regarding literacy proficiency. The purpose of this study was to examine strategies, resources, and approaches used to support home-to-school partnerships focused on reading development of K-3 ELLs in the X Public School District. Data analysis resulted in six emergent themes consisting of 22 teacher interviews. The first finding in this study that was revealed through teacher interviews identified guided reading, visual aides, reader's theater, and modeling/oral reading fluency as strategies that contribute to ELLs reading proficiency. In the second finding, teachers identified inviting parents to volunteer in the classroom, sending home a reading log that helps track the students' reading at home, and inviting parent participation in extracurricular activities as approaches to encourage partnerships regarding reading development of ELLs. The results of this study provided recommendations for educational leaders to provide teachers specific professional development to encourage parent participation to focus on increasing students' reading development that is tailored to the students' and caregivers' language needs. For future research, it is recommended that the study be replicated using different school districts to determine if similar findings were consistent across different districts.

Keywords

ELL, Reading Strategies, Elementary Bilingual Education.

How to Cite this Article?

Mendoza, S. (2016). Reading Strategies to Support Home-to-School Connections used by Teachers of English Language Learners. i-manager’s Journal on English Language Teaching, 6(4), 33-38. https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.6.4.8335

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