Teaching English Language Learners (ELLs) requires creativity as well as a solid grounding in research-based methods for teaching all four language domains: listening, speaking, reading and writing. With increased focus on reading mandated from Washington and carried out at the state-level through standardized testing regimes, those of us in this profession have to find ever more ingenious ways to incorporate the other three domains into our work with reading. Every second spent with students matters.
If the methods we are using to teach reading are not maximally effective, we are forced to spend more time on reading, and less time is left for other important aspects of language instruction. Emily Hanford published an article entitled “Hard Words” at APMReports.org on September 10 that addresses the effectiveness of reading instruction and argues that much of what is being done in American schools is ineffective. She has a solid grasp of the relevant research and deserves a hearing. APMReports has produced an hour-long audio program on this topic. You can read Hanford’s article and listen to the podcast correlated with it at APMReports.org, or you can click the audio button below to just hear the audio.