Cracking the Code: English Reading Demystified
The content on this site stemmed from a study circle of four adult English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers whose learners range from pre-literacy to advanced levels of ESL instruction. The educational backgrounds of these learners vary widely, but a significant number have had limited formal education and many never acquired literacy in their native language.
In the classroom, we observed our English Language Learners (ELL) struggling with various elements of alphabetic print literacy including phonemic awareness, phonics, print awareness, fluency, comprehension, and writing. We noticed that the difficulties ELLs experience are extremely similar to the difficulties experienced by learners in another field of literacy: dyslexia.
To enhance our own practice and to contribute to an area with limited research, we completed a study circle that intentionally connected adult ESL literacy and K-12 dyslexia/reading disabilities education.
While the two contexts are different in many ways and our language learners are likely not dyslexic (there is currently no way to diagnose ELLs), we found much that overlaps. By purposefully learning more about instruction for learners with dyslexia, we enhanced our own teaching of adult language learners across all levels.
In the classroom, we observed our English Language Learners (ELL) struggling with various elements of alphabetic print literacy including phonemic awareness, phonics, print awareness, fluency, comprehension, and writing. We noticed that the difficulties ELLs experience are extremely similar to the difficulties experienced by learners in another field of literacy: dyslexia.
To enhance our own practice and to contribute to an area with limited research, we completed a study circle that intentionally connected adult ESL literacy and K-12 dyslexia/reading disabilities education.
While the two contexts are different in many ways and our language learners are likely not dyslexic (there is currently no way to diagnose ELLs), we found much that overlaps. By purposefully learning more about instruction for learners with dyslexia, we enhanced our own teaching of adult language learners across all levels.
Remember those grade-school rules like I before E except after C, and adding an E to the end of a word makes for a long vowel? Ever wonder how much of English reading can be explained so simply? You may be surprised to learn that although the English sound system appears chaotic and unpredictable, there are consistent patterns that are completely teach-able.
Crack the code with us! Our website focuses on making this complex system more transparent. The information here is appropriate for anyone wanting a firm grasp of the ins and outs of basic English reading, with particular emphasis on ESL.
Content includes demonstrations of code-cracking activities, video clips from Adult Basic Education (ABE) classrooms, and an introduction to a scope and sequence that can enhance your current teaching of ESL reading.
Crack the code with us! Our website focuses on making this complex system more transparent. The information here is appropriate for anyone wanting a firm grasp of the ins and outs of basic English reading, with particular emphasis on ESL.
Content includes demonstrations of code-cracking activities, video clips from Adult Basic Education (ABE) classrooms, and an introduction to a scope and sequence that can enhance your current teaching of ESL reading.
This site is part of a presentation at the Adult ESL Institute in Burnsville, MN on May 15-16 2014.
Initial funding for this project was provided by a COABE Incentive grant. Presentation materials from COABE can be found under Crossing Contexts: Teachers of Low-Literate Adults Learn from Dyslexia Educators.
Initial funding for this project was provided by a COABE Incentive grant. Presentation materials from COABE can be found under Crossing Contexts: Teachers of Low-Literate Adults Learn from Dyslexia Educators.
