Description
The Support Kit is intended for teachers who are committed to providing their English learners explicit language instruction throughout each school day and who understand that structured language practice plays an integral role in students’ language development.
The primary purpose of providing explicit language instruction through both dedicated and integrated ELD is to ensure English becomes a tool, rather than a barrier, for English learners. Students require and deserve instruction that supports them in using English to communicate for authentic purposes in both everyday and academic settings.
To learn language well – to be able to use it fluidly and accurately – requires lots and lots of practice. As James Britton eloquently noted, “Reading and writing float on a sea of talk.” We must provide students opportunities to fill their seas with talk to facilitate their developing reading and writing skills. Research continues to show that productive student talk is a key factor in high-achieving classrooms (Fisher and Frey, 2014).
Interactive practice adds interest and meaning to the challenge of learning a new language. Instruction for English learners should seamlessly incorporate multiple opportunities for monitored practice using the gradual release of responsibility (I Do, We Do, and You Do).
Practice prompts students to:
- Accurately repeat or respond to well-constructed examples
- Generate new sentences using taught topic-specific bricks and functional mortar
- Apply language to authentic purposes in new discussions and take it to writing
