Kasey Jacobs

Literature Review

Teaching English Language Learners: What the Research Does - And Does Not -
Say
http://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu

Pros:
• Teachers use explicit instructional strategies, such as questioning techniques, to sup-
port higher-level thinking that involves predicting, summarizing, problem solving,
organizing, evaluating, and self-monitoring.
• The instructional strategies also involve the students in scaffolding techniques that
provide the right amount of support and help move the students to the next level.
• The students are given the time to practice the strategies with sup- port from their
peers and the teacher, as well as opportunities to implement the strategies
independently

Cons:
• There is not any differentiation for those students that have learning disabilities
• Seems like it is similar to teaching typical students, rather than english language
learners

Sheltered Content Instruction: Teaching English-Language Learners with Diverse

Abilities
http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume4/ej14/ej14r7/

Pros:
• The teacher takes into consideration students English-language skills and modifies the
delivery of instruction through slower speech, giving information verbally as well as
visually
• The use of controlled vocabulary while at the same time striving for academically
rigorous instruction that includes grade-level questioning
• Actively involving learners, grouping for optimal participation, and involving family and
community in schools

Cons:
• Does not talk about students that are ELL and have learning disabilities and the
strategies that need to be used for those students
The Practice of English Language Teaching
http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu

Pros:
• Contains useful cross-referencing to practical tasks that demonstrate what needs to
be taught
• Teacher needs to get to know the student and have a relationship with the student, so
the student will want to actively learn

Cons:
• The strategies are not explicit to all english language learners, could be used in whole
group class instruction

Teacher Skills to Support English Language Learners

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.620.4481&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Pros:
• Content-area teachers can provide rich, meaningful lessons that strengthen
background information and promote the literacy of students learning English.
• teachers encourage ELLs to interact with their peers and discuss ideas and work on
projects that help them understand the content covered in class
• teachers may expect ELLs to complete paper-and-pencil tasks independently, to read
textbooks without such supports as anticipation guides and pretaught vocabulary, and
to listen to lectures without visual aids
• teachers need specific preparation in working with English language learners. They
need to know who the students are and what their prior education experiences were
like

Cons:
• Had great strategies, don’t have any cons

Teaching Young Language Learners

http://sutlib2.sut.ac.th/sut_contents/H104336.pdf

Pros:
• Building from an understanding of the language demands of the curriculum, teachers
can develop language objectives related to key vocabulary, reading or writing skills,
listening or speaking tasks, or language structures.
• Activate and strengthen background knowledge
• Promote oral interaction and extended academic talk

Cons:
• not enough specific strategy skills that teachers could do differently in the classroom
A common theme that I found throughout my research in teaching english language
learners was the preparation needed beforehand. Almost every source that I found said
something about how the teacher needs to be prepared before teaching a lesson when
you know you have an english language learner in the classroom. Some sources talked
about how we need to come up with strategic questions to ask during whole group
instruction to help the student understand the lesson and to see if they are following
along. Preparation will go a long way when teaching students that are english language
learners.