Structured Literacy and English Learners

Over 5 million English learners attend public school today. Close to 80% of those speak Spanish. A Structured Literacy approach emphasizes the structure of language across the speech sound system (phonology), the writing system (orthography), the structure of sentences (syntax), the meaningful parts of words (morphology), the relationships among words (semantics), and the organization of spoken and written discourse. (IDA/CERI, 2018c, March)

A Structured Literacy framework directly addresses literacy and language.

Ep. 119: How Reading Science Works for English Learners with Elsa Cardenas-Hagan - Melissa and Lori Love Literacy ™ | Podcast on Spotify
Dr. Elsa Cardenas-Hagan joins this podcast to share that reading science works for English Learners.

Listen and follow along for these key points:

[6:05-11:35] Be comprehensive in our approach. Structured Literacy encompasses the idea that language is necessary for reading.
[14:25-16:20; 21:25-22:20] Why literacy foundational skills are crucial for EL students.
[16:53- 20:40; 25:35-26:30] Approach EL literacy instruction with an asset-based mindset.

Connect with literacy expert, Dr. Elsa Cardenas-Hagan, on Linkedin or Twitter.

Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades (ed.gov)

Read the article from What Works Clearinghouse for keys points on the effectiveness of Structured Literacy for ELs.

(Page 37) “Before English learners are reading, the development of age-appropriate academic English— morphology, syntax, vocabulary—can be accelerated orally through planned and deliberate daily instruction.”