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English Language Learners (ELL) Reading and Writing Foundational Skills for Elementary Ell Students There are five basic elements and instruction to ensure ELL students are gaining the proper skills they will need in order to grasp the concept of reading and phonemic awareness. The five foundational skills needed by ELL students are:

1.	Phonemic Awareness- Phonemes are the smallest units of spoken language, the English language is made of 41 phonemes. Phonemic awareness refers to the ability to blend sounds together in order to form words (Antunez, 2018).

2.	Phonics- Phonics is the basic understanding that there is a relationship between the sounds of spoken language or phonemes; graphemes are letters that represent the sounds in written form they are used by people to decode the English Language (Antunez, 2018).

3.	Vocabulary Development- “Vocabulary development refers to the knowledge of stored information about the meanings and pronunciations of words necessary for communication. Vocabulary development is important for beginning reading in that when a student comes to a word and sounds it out, he or she is also determining if the word makes sense based on his or her understanding of the word. If a student does not know the meaning of the word, there is no way to check if the word fits, or to make meaning from the sentence. Vocabulary development is also a primary determinant of reading comprehension. Readers cannot understand the content of what they are reading unless they understand the meaning of the majority of words in the text” (Antunez, 2018).

4.	Reading Fluency (Oral and Reading Skills)- Fluency is the ability to read quickly and fluently, readers who are considered fluent and understand and recognize varies words at once in order to truly comprehend reading the reader must have reading fluency. As students grow the more practice they have with reading aloud with fluency and accuracy the higher their chances of have good reading comprehension skills (Antunez, 2018).

5.	Reading Comprehension Strategies- “Reading comprehension is the culmination of all of the reading skills and the ultimate goal of learning to read. The purpose of mastery of each of the four previous skills is to enable comprehension. Likewise, reading comprehension facilitates mastery of the other four skills. For example, the NRP found that reading comprehension is clearly related to vocabulary knowledge and development. The NRP also found that comprehension is an active process that requires an intentional and thoughtful interaction between the reader and the text that can be explicitly taught through text comprehension instruction” (Antunez, 2018).

Reading and Writing Instructional Strategies for ELL Students in Elementary School Below are strategies that teachers can us when instructing ELL students 1. “Some phonemes may not be present in ELLs' native language and, therefore, may be difficult for a student to pronounce and distinguish auditorily, as well as to place into a meaningful context. For ELLs, as with all students, it is important that instruction have meaning, so that the words and sounds students are manipulating are familiar. It is therefore necessary for ELLs to have knowledge of the English vocabulary words within which they are to understand phonemes. Teachers can teach phonemic awareness while also explicitly teaching vocabulary words, their meaning, and their pronunciation to ELLs” (Antunez, 2018). 2. “Children's minds are trained to categorize phonemes in their first language, which may conflict with English phonemes. For example, Spanish-speaking children may speak, read, and write ch when sh should be used because in Spanish, these two combinations produce the same phoneme (International Reading Association, 2001). Teachers can improve a students chances of understanding phonemic awareness by understanding the students naïve languages and the grammar associated with the language, understanding what phonemes are in the naïve language and what phonemes may not be, understanding this allows teachers to gage where some student ay have issues and plan a lesson to combat that (Antunez, 2018). 3. Students who are not literate in their own language or whose language does not have a written form may not understand some concepts and need to be taught about the functions of print (Peregoy & Boyle, 2000) (Antunez, 2018). 4. “Students may have learned to read and write in a native language in which the letters correspond to different sounds than they do in English, or they may have learned to read and write in a language with characters that correspond to words or portions of words” (Antunez, 2018). 5. “Vocabulary development is one of the greatest challenges to reading instruction for ELLs, because in order to read fluently and comprehend what is written, students need to use not just phonics, but context. It is possible for students to read completely phonetically and not comprehend what they have read because they do not have the vocabulary. Therefore, vocabulary needs to be taught explicitly and be a part of the daily curriculum in addition to learning to read. This can be done through class time devoted strictly to English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Language Development (ELD)” (Antunez, 2018). 6. “The Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA) states that ELLs should learn to read initially in their first language. If this is not possible, students need to see and hear literally hundreds of books over a school year in order for fluency to be modeled to them. CIERA recommends that ELLs participate in read-aloud of big books, read along with proficient readers, and listen repeatedly to books read aloud in order to gain fluency in English (Hiebert et al., 1998)” (Antunez, 2018). 7. “The NRC, in discussing reading for meaning, or comprehension, explains that the four other Reading First skills are interrelated with the skill of comprehension and also makes the case for native language literacy instruction: "The abilities to hear and reflect on the structure of spoken English words, as required for learning how the alphabetic principle works, depend on oral familiarity with the words being read. Similarly, learning to read for meaning depends on understanding the language and referents of the text to be read. To the extent possible, ELLs should have opportunities to develop literacy skills in their home language as well as in English” (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998, p. 324) (Antunez, 2018). Reading and Writing Technology Tools and Resources Appropriate for Elementary School Students with Different Proficiency Levels Students today depend a lot of technology for entertainment and for educational purposes. Teachers of ELL students need to be conscious of this and incorporate technology into their ELL lessons. Technology gives students independence, and allows them to make learning fun by using various games and videos. Technology allows teachers to tailor their curriculum for each student, and can help them reinforce lessons and concepts. Students tend to loose focus when they are working on something for an extended amount of time, allowing students to use technology offers them the ability to stay focused and work for longer periods of time. Below is a list of technology tools and resources ELL students can use:

Story Time For Me A free library of stories featuring animation, narration by professional actors, and word-by-word highlighting. These stories are best suited to children in the primary grades” ("The Power Of Quality Technology Inside The Ell Classroom", 2017). Students are able to see a visual line that highlights each word a it is being read this helps students follows the reading ad gives them they cane to hear and see the words.

Starfall “This site has free resources suitable for individualized development of pre-reading skills, teaching reading, and refining reading skills. The “I’m Reading” section has a diverse library of reading materials, accompanied by illustrations and audio, including fiction, nonfiction, comics, plays, Greek myths, Chinese fables, and other folk tales” ("The Power Of Quality Technology Inside The Ell Classroom", 2017). Starfall stories are accompanied by reading comprehension questions, if a student gives the wrong answer the website tells them what the correct one is.

Voxy “Subscribers to this app listen to and read short news stories on various themes. Afterward, they play games to practice skills and complete quizzes to test their comprehension” ("The Power Of Quality Technology Inside The Ell Classroom", 2017).

Online Picture Dictionary “ESOL Help has created a free picture dictionary with simple images. Words are organized thematically” ("The Power Of Quality Technology Inside The Ell Classroom", 2017). This is a great tool because students can math the words they are learning to pictures which helps them retain the information. Each of these resources can be tailored to match the students individual proficiency level, it will help them to master the skills they need in order to move onto the next proficiency level in the English Language Learners program.

Grouping Techniques and Cooperative Learning Strategies Conducive to Elementary School ELL Learners Cooperative learning and English Language Learners go together because the student will sometimes have to rely on their peers in order to be successful in ELL. Requiring that students’ work in groups gives them the opportunity to practice using English and becoming more comfortable speaking English to others. When grouping students together for peer groups there are many aspects teachers need to consider. When grouping students you want to ensure that your groups are equal and well balanced. This does not been that all of your low proficiency students are in one group and your high proficiency students are in another; if students are grouped solely based on low and high proficiency the individuals in the group will have no one to look up to and no one to help lead. “Equal grouping means forming groups that include students of all levels and abilities. The same format is used for each group’s composition. Each student on a team has something to contribute to the overall success of the group. Without one, all do not succeed” ("Cooperative Learning Strategies For English Language Learners", 2018). When creating groups teachers should assign roles for each student this ensures that a different student is doing a different role each time the group meets and allows the student o be comfortable contributing from all aspects of the ELL team. Grouping students in groups of four seems to be the most liked number of individual in groups; the group is not to big but not small and allows student to have to communicate with team member each time. Students who work in groups will have more success when asked to work together and they receive more practice using their spoken English. These kinds of ELL goings give students confidence, freedom, and the tools they need to successfully one day exit the ELL programs.

Antunez, B. (2018). English Language Learners and the Five Essential Components of Reading Instruction. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/english-language-learners-and-five-essential-components-reading-instruction

Cooperative Learning Strategies For English Language Learners(2018). Retrieved from https://www.brighthubeducation.com/esl-teaching-tips/99116-using-cooperative-learning-in-your-esl-class/

The Power of Quality Technology Inside the ELL Classroom (2017). Retrieved from https://www.mastersinesl.org/blog/instructional-technology-tools-in-the-esl-classroom/

Listening and Speaking Skills for Elementary ELL Students

“Oral language skills are an essential part of a student's language and literacy development. For some English language learners (ELLs), speaking and listening may be much easier than reading and writing. For others, however, the challenge of speaking in front of classrooms, reading out loud, or making a presentation in front of the class can be overwhelming”("Speaking And Listening Skills For Ell Students", 2017). There are many games and online resources educators can use to help their ELL students with their speaking and oral language. Games that can be used to help ELL students become more comfortable speaking are games such as, peer group work, asking and answering questions about read aloud stories or other written test that has be assigned. Putting students in groups of three or more allows the students to engage with peers why practicing their spoken language and their reading comprehension skills. Requiring students to describe things fro stories in details helps student to read for understanding and being able to recall important information are skills the student will need for their entire academic career. Requiring students to not only define new vocabulary but to define and draw a pictures helps students to retain the new vocabulary and truly learn the meaning instead of just memorizing it for the time being.

'''Grammar Vocabulary Development Strategies for Elementary Level ELL Students ''' When teaching ELL students vocabulary is a vital part of their language arts lessons; ELL students need to learn a vast amount of vocabulary in order to understand basic conversation and to identify different thins in the world around them. Some believe that vocabulary is the link to academic achievement because vocabulary is in everything and every part of what we do, vocabulary is used everyday in conversation and teaching. Below is a list of strategies that can be used to help Ell students with their vocabulary and grammar lessons: Labeling Objects – Labeling objects is important if puts a word to an object that the ELL student make recognize. Inside of my classroom I have everything labeled with the native language of my ELL students and the English word for the object. My students can read the native word and understand what the object is and now the English word has meaning behind it because the student can relate to the word. Word Walls- A word wall is a wall inside of the classroom that is designated for vocabulary or sight words. Each week students are given and new vocabulary word and a new sight word. The words are places on the word wall and students can refer to this wall when they are working independently, and writing. Over time the words will seep into the students and they will grow their vocabulary and sight word. Pop Culture Iconology- “ELL students are eager to bring their own pop culture iconography to school. When they do, ask students to label their images with connected English words and then permit them to hang up their images in the classroom. Additionally, have them present their icons to the class with an associated song, movie clip, or possibly even a YouTube video” (Gal, 2018). Context Clues- “ELL students should learn to identify various types of context clues and how to use them effectively. The more students recognize these context clues and can understand the basic words being used, the more they can build on their knowledge in order to scaffold to more difficult words” (Gal, 2018). Vocabulary Improve- “A favorite strategy for teaching ELL students of many teachers is to make learning fun by playing a simple word and motion game. And example is included here, in the Vocabulary Improv game. Many ELL and traditional students alike find that making kinesthetic motions in connection with saying a vocabulary word deepens their word understanding significantly” (Gal, 2018).

'''Strategies for comprehensible input, feedback, building background, and student engagement ''' Feedback, and building an understanding of who your student is as a person is important; teachers need to be aware of all aspects of a child’s life because they will all play a role in how successful the student will be. Understanding where your student is coming from gives you some compassion for the student and will allow you as the teacher to build those strong bonds need to see success. “Understanding how students come to US classrooms from a vast array of linguistic and cultural backgrounds, including native English speakers, the model provides great emphasis for considering students’ background experiences within the teaching and learning process. Therefore, this component’s features of linking students’ experiences to current learning, both past and present, as well as emphasizing key vocabulary within a lesson are formidable aspects of differentiated instruction” (EchevarrÃ¬a, 2013). When thinking of comprehensible input teachers need to consider the language aspects of the lesson. Teachers need to ensure they are using correct speech when teaching and scaffolding as the lesson takes lave for the varies ELL levels present in the classroom. Teachers should also relate the lesson to something concrete that the students can relate to their own lives this gives students a focal point and allows them to think about their life and retain the information better and faster. Students like everyone else really enjoy instant gratification. Giving your students immediate feedback keeps them engaged because they want to know how they did and if what they think they know is right. Giving students this feedback can instantly get their attention and keep it for longer periods of time. If you notice that half of your kids are not able to answer questions then as a teacher you should change the way you are delivering the lesson because there is a disconnect somewhere. Giving students the immediate feedback allows you to gage where your student are and for your student to see if they need to study more or if they are comprehending the information being given to them.

Grammar and vocabulary technology tools and resources appropriate for elementary EL students at different proficiency levels

•	There is power in technology today; students of all ages enjoy playing computer games, reading on the Internet, and playing many of the online educational games designed to help students with math, social studies, language arts, and science. Students can perform experiments online and various other exciting technological things. “Technology can be used to individualize and customize curriculum, they can promote cooperative group work, they can impart English skills while also providing technology skills essential for 21stcentury learners, they can increase the percentage of time students stay on task during independent practice” (Wiseman, 2013). The following technology sources are great to use with students of all learning abilities but they were especially well with students who are English Language Learners: Online Picture Dictionary- A free Dictionary used for students, kids can find the picture of the word they want and then read the word and start to grow their vocabulary. Starfall- “A free resources suitable for individualized development of pre-reading skills, teaching reading, and refining reading skills” ("Instructional Technology Tools For An ESL Classroom", 2018). Game Zone- “Dozens of simple, straightforward games about grammar, spelling, and vocabulary reach out to English language learners at all levels” ("25 Terrific Online Games For English Language Learners", 2012). Power Words- “BS’ Word Girl and her simian sidekick Captain Huggy Face do battle against Fair City’s most sinister citizens, but it’s up to players to determine the course of the action. Picking the wrong words means letting the villains follow through with their sneaky plots” ("25 Terrific Online Games For English Language Learners", 2012). Learn English Kids- “The British Council presents a suite of super cool games covering different elements of the English language. Best of all, they encourage collaborative play between friends and siblings, particularly hoping older kids will guide younger ones in their studies” ("25 Terrific Online Games For English Language Learners", 2012). English Club ESL Game- “English Club’s massive suite of ESL games work on honing pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary through familiar activities, like hangman and word jumbles. Older students and adults in particular will find these incredible useful supplements to their classroom lessons” ("25 Terrific Online Games For English Language Learners", 2012). Grammar Practice Park- “Harcourt offers a great selection of grammar grades for third through fifth graders, appropriate for students learning English as a first, second, or tertiary language. Lessons mainly focus on parts of speech and sentence structures, with a few other relevant subjects thrown into the mix” ("25 Terrific Online Games For English Language Learners", 2012). Jumpstart- A computer program that can be used by various age groups and has sites for all school subjects including, social studies, social and emotional work, math, science, and language arts.

CAST Professional Learning. (n.d.). Top 10 UDL Tips for Designing an Engaging Learning Environment. Retrieved from castprofessionallearning.org/project/top-10-udl-tips-for-engagement/

EchevarrÃ¬a, J. (2013). Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model. Retrieved from http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume17/ej67/ej67r4/

Gal, Vocab. (2018). 8 Strategies for Teaching ELL Students Vocabulary Words. Retrieved from https://www.sadlier.com/school/ela-blog/8-strategies-for-teaching-ell-students-vocabulary-words-instructional-strategies-for-ell-students

Gal, Vocab. (2018). Vocabulary improv. Retrieved from https://www.sadlier.com/Vocabulary-Blog/bid/52753/Vocabulary-Practice-Improv-Vocabulary-Kinesthetic-Vocab-Vim

Instructional Technology Tools for an ESL Classroom(2018). Retrieved from https://www.mastersinesl.org/blog/instructional-technology-tools-in-the-esl-classroom/

JumpStart(2018). Retrieved from http://www.jumpstart.com/parents/resources/social-studies-resources

Speaking and Listening Skills for ELL Students (2017). Retrieved from http://www.colorincolorado.org/speaking-listening-skills-ells

Wiseman, J. (2013). Instructional Technology Tools in an ESL Classroom. Retrieved from https://www.mastersinesl.org/blog/instructional-technology-tools-in-the-esl-classroom/

25 Terrific Online Games for English Language Learners(2012). Retrieved from https://www.onlinecollegecourses.com/2012/08/27/25-terrific-online-games-for-english-language-learners/