Early Literacy Instruction for Multilingual Learners

Nearly 12 million children across the United States speak a language other than English at home – and in Massachusetts, over 100 thousand children – or ~12 percent – are classified as English Language Learners. With significant numbers of children living in multilingual households across Massachusetts, the growth and success of these students is vital to the future success of the communities in which they will one day live and work. Multilingual learners bring a wealth of linguistic and cultural knowledge to the classroom, and effective literacy instruction builds upon these funds of knowledge and is tailored to the specific needs of the student. In 2000, the National Reading Panel identified five components of reading: phonetic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension. Six years later, the panel released a second report confirming that these five components of reading had clear benefits for multilingual learners, and highlighted the need for adaptive, tailored, and explicit instruction in oral English language proficiency, vocabulary knowledge, and syntax. Since the release of that report, extensive research has elevated specific practices that teachers can adopt to best meet the needs of multilingual learners in the classroom. Join us for this important conversation about the strategies and best practices for ensuring that this substantial student population has access to the necessary resources to thrive in the classroom and beyond.