For Other Professionals
Comprehension: Helping English Language Learners Grasp the Full Picture
Featuring Dr. Cynthia Lundgren and Kristina Robertson discussing effective reading comprehension strategies for teaching English language learner students.
This webcast is made possible by AFT Teachers, a division of the American Federation of Teachers, as part of a Colorín Colorado partnership between AFT and Reading Rockets.
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Program description
This 45-minute webcast offers practical information on how to teach English language learners effective comprehension skills.
Presenters
Dr. Cynthia Lundgren is an assistant professor at The Center for Second Language Teaching and Learning at Hamline University's Graduate School of Education in St. Paul, MN. In this interview, Dr. Lundgren offers a blueprint for administrators who are serving a new or changing population of ELLs. Topics covered include creating a welcoming culture, assessment, language instruction, staffing, and professional development. In addition, Dr. Lundgren has contributed to the following resources from Colorín Colorado:
- Meet the Expert interview
- From the Heart interview
- Culturally Responsive Instruction for Holiday and Religious Celebrations
Kristina Robertson is an ELL specialist with extensive experience as a classroom teacher and professional development leader. Kristina is the current Titles Coordinator for the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District in Minnesota. Kristina is a contributor to our Bright Ideas section and is featured in a Colorín Colorado Meet the Expert interview.
Moderator
Delia Pompa is the moderator of this webcast. She is the Vice President of the Center for Community Educational Excellence, at the National Council of La Raza.
Recommended resources
Articles about comprehension instruction for ELLs
- The SIOP Model of Sheltered Instruction (Center for Applied Linguistics)
- Vocabulary Knowledge and Reading Comprehension in English Language Learners: Final Performance Report, by Barry McLaughlin, Diane August, and Catherine Snow
- Thematic Literature and Curriculum for English Language Learners in Early Childhood Education, by Betty Ansin Smallwood (ERIC)
- Supporting the Development of English Literacy in English Language Learners: Issues and Promising Practices, by Diane August (ERIC)
- Improving Adequate Yearly Progress for English Language Learners (168K PDF)*, by Charlene Cobb (North Central Educational Laboratory)
- Strategies and Resources for Mainstream Teachers of English Language Learners, by Bracken Reed and Jennifer Railsback (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory)
Download resources
- List of common cognates (156KB PDF)*
- Signal words (61KB PDF)*
- Table of academic language functions (24KB PDF)*
- Sample assessment form for reading skills (102KB PDF)*
- Sample assessment form for reading strategies (102KB PDF)*
Related links
- Reading comprehension strategies for content learning
- Introducing a text before reading
- Using cognates to develop comprehension in English
- The difference between social and academic English
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Please visit our English language learners/Bilingual section of LearningStore to discover the best research-based practices for teaching ELLs.
Discussion questions
- How is vocabulary related to comprehension?
- Describe some activities you've used with ELL students to tap into their prior knowledge of a topic.
- Compare and contrast the teaching of comprehension strategies to ELL students and students for whom English is their first language.
- Consider a classroom reading book you recently used. What vocabulary or concepts were presented in the book that could cause confusion for ELL learners? What could you do to scaffold the read aloud experience that would benefit ELL learners?
- Create a semantic map that could be used in your class. How could you use this map to plan further learning experiences?
The Reading Rockets Professional Development Webcast Series is a production of WETA. The Reading Rockets project is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
This program was produced by WETA/Reading Rockets, which is solely responsible for its content. The views expressed in the program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of WETA/Reading Rockets, our funders, or our partners.
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