Supporting English Language Learners and Struggling Readers with the "Partner Reading and Content, Too" Routine

This article by Ogle and Kovtum expressed some of the findings from a study conducted on reading fluency and comprehension among English Language Learners and struggling readers in general. A growing percentage, roughly 10% of all students K-12th grade, are in fact English Language Learners and these students tend to have difficulties acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the content material, particularly in social studies and science units. Although most students will have developed a conversational understanding and mastery of English within two to the three years, the truth of the matter is that a real comprehensive proficiency of English takes an average of six years for ELL students to acquire. That time lapse between proper understanding and the teaching that they are still exposed to during the developmental period can no doubt be the source of most of their problems in succeeding within the classroom. 

This study researched methods and approaches for teachers to utilize within the classroom to help bridge the gap between readers. The biggest change that teachers are recommended to make inside their classrooms is to provide students with real opportunities to read the material and then to interact with it to develop a sense of ownership over the content. In other words, the students need to be able to ask their own questions and exchange thoughts in open conversation with other peers to discover the deeper meaning of the readings as well as to internalize these skills and knowledge for themselves. In addition, these habits and reading strategies need to be demonstrated by the teacher to the students and then explored by the students so that they know how to actively read content material and locate the items that they need. Next, active teachers monitor the progress of the class as a whole, as well as individually, to ensure that everyone is developing properly and to redirect students as needed to help them reach their expected goals for the year.  Lastly, the reading material will only be effective in helping ELL and struggling readers to improve if it is at an academically appropriate level for the readers. 

In brief, this article was a helpful piece to read as it highlighted some of the most commonly unaddressed issues within a struggling reading classroom. In addition, the research results introduce key techniques to help students past these obstacles and to succeed in the classroom. As a teacher, I will make sure to use these practices from the beginning, regardless of my classroom population, so that all my students can benefit and become proficient readers across curricular content areas.