Helping English Language Learners Orientation for Teachers
Reading in Kindergarten
By: Colorín Colorado (2007)
Reading is a process of getting meaning from print. Early reading includes the direct teaching of words and sounds. Children must
be able to distinguish between different sounds of oral language for the purposes of achieving understanding. They also need basic
knowledge about the written alphabet, sound-symbol relationships, and concepts of print because these are the basis for decoding
and reading comprehension skills.
How reading relates to ELLs
For English language learners (ELLs), learning to read in their primary language is easier because it builds on the words and sound
structures of the language they know best. However, children at the kindergarten level are little sponges who learn what they are
taught. If they are taught to read in two languages simultaneously, they will learn. If they are taught to read in English only, they
will learn. The key to learning to read (and preventing reading difficulties in one or two languages) is excellent instruction.
It is also important to remember that the basic skills that serve as the base for reading, such as phonetic recognition, transfer from
one language to another. If a student who is learning English has already acquired these skills in their first language, it is not
necessary to learn them again in English. It is always a good idea to find out if the child knows these skills in their first language
before beginning to teach them in English.
Excellent instruction for pre-reading skills
consists of:
vocabulary
development
phonemic awareness
knowledge of the alphabet
letter-sound correlation
concepts of print
listening comprehension
decoding
comprehension skills
Classroom strategies: Pre-reading and reading
Oral language activities
Before doing an activity or reading a story in class, teach pre-selected vocabulary words. This is always helpful, especially for ELLs.
This will give them the chance to identify the word, place it in context, and remember it. You can pre-teach vocabulary by playing
with words and using English as a second language (ESL) methods such as:
Role playing or pantomiming
Using gestures
Showing real objects
Pointing to pictures
Doing quick drawings on the board
Using the Spanish equivalent and then asking students to say the word in English
Phonemic awareness
Phonemic awareness is the ability to understand that spoken words are composed of smaller units of sound. Phonemic awareness
helps children begin to understand how the English and/or Spanish alphabets work. You can teach phonemic awareness through
activities such as:
Finding objects in the classroom whose names begin or end with the same sound, such as desk,
door, and dog.
Doing clapping activities to identify the syllables in
words
Learning poetry and songs that have the same beginning sounds or end
in rhyme
Analyzing each other's names to make discoveries about letters and sounds such as Whose name starts with B? Whose name
has an "a"? Whose name has an "r"? Show me where you found it.
Making charts about letter/sound discoveries (For example: "Here are three new letters. Let's write some words under
each letter.")
Alphabet knowledge
Once students have learned the sounds, they can begin to learn the names of the letters. For ELLs, it is easier to hear the sounds
first and then label each letter. You can teach the alphabet through songs accompanied with movements that outline each letter
(For example: "A is for alligator. Make your arms open and shut like the mouth of an alligator. B is for bat…") There are books and
tapes in most bookstores with alphabet songs and motions.
Concepts of print
"Big books" are ideal for showing children how books work. After reading a big book, you can point out concepts of
print such as:
The book's front and back covers, title, and author
The left-to-right direction of print
What a word looks like – and what the space between words looks like
The fact that you are reading the words
How inflection and intonation are used to connect content and structure of the text
The differences between question marks, exclamation marks, and periods
Listening comprehension
Reading out loud to your students is a way to teach vocabulary while modeling reading. As you read aloud:
Introduce the characteristics/elements of the story (characters, setting, problem, solution, plot)
Explain words, topics, or concepts that ELLs may not be familiar with
Model how a reader self-corrects when making a mistake
Think aloud about what you are reading
Provide opportunities for children to retell the story they heard through dramatic retellings; or use picture cards to put the
story's events in sequence
Decoding and comprehension
During the second half of the year, ELLs in kindergarten benefit when they are introduced to reading through sequenced decodable
books. Simple decodable books allow ELLs to read engaging and interesting stories even though they may only know a few letter
sounds. These books may include some sight words they can memorize such as the words "was" or "happy" as the stories build on
previously learned letters, sounds, and words.
First, conduct guided reading so that students follow along in their books while you model fluency. You can help student
comprehension by clarifying concepts, teaching unknown words, asking questions about the story, and letting children connect
these stories to their own experiences.
After the guided reading, have students reread their decodable books with a partner. They can take turns reading by alternating
sentences. This helps them focus on what they are reading. Reading with a partner also creates a safety zone where they can feel
comfortable reading aloud.
Other ideas
Here are some other things you can do:
Use chants, short poems, or songs as transition markers from one activity to another, or when children line up for
recess or lunch.
Use thematic units, such as "plants." This helps children learn vocabulary faster because they hear the same words (all
about plants) in the stories the teacher reads, in what they read, and in their learning centers and other activities.
References
Adapted from: Slavin R. & Calderón, M. (2001). Effective programs for Latino students. Mahwah, NJ: Earlbaum.
And from: Slavin R. & Madden, N. (2001). One million children. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Teachers
Teachers