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Reading comprehension and English language learners

Teaching reading comprehension and helping English language learners are the responsibility of every teacher, but they are also within the abilities of every teacher. These articles provide strategies for building content-area reading comprehension before, during, and after reading that can help English language learners — and all learners.

Format: series (multiple pages)

Strategy lesson: KWL

This lesson activates students' prior knowledge about famous North Carolinians and helps them organize thoughts and questions before they read biographies.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

By Alisa McAlister, Sherry French, and Harnetha Hudgins.

Preparing English language learners for reading comprehension

In Reading comprehension and English language learners, page 1

Use KWL charts, circle maps and brainstorming webs, and concept maps to prepare English language learners, content-area learners, and all students for reading comprehension.

By Ellen Douglas.

Wolves: Comprehending informational texts

This integrated plan uses non-fiction text and wolves to motivate students with language arts and science. Students will read a nonfiction text and use metacognitive skills of guided reading and KWHL chart to monitor comprehension and extend vocabulary.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts)

By Amy Vance.

Subject search in card catalog

This lesson encourages students to engage in independent research through providing them with experience in accessing the variety of library materials available to them. This lesson is good for those schools who do not have online catalogs.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Information Skills)

By Jennisen Lucas.

The case of the disappearing pitcher plants

This lesson addresses the cause and effect relationship between human interaction and a North Carolina endangered plant species. A role-playing scenario allows students to view the situation from a variety of positions and to collectively arrive at a solution to the problem.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 English Language Arts, Information Skills, and Science)

By Eddie Hamblin.

English language learners and special education testing

In Bridging Spanish language barriers in Southern schools, page 3.4

English language learners are often incorrectly labeled with learning disabilities because of inffective diagnostic tests. A more effective model of testing and instruction would be based upon the educational concepts of scaffolding instruction and the Zone of Proximal Development.

Format: article

By Mary Faith Mount-Cors.

Using K-W-L to confirm what you know

Students will learn to use a K-W-L to activate their prior knowledge and help them set a purpose for reading and recording what they learned. They will also extend their K-W-L chart to confirm the accuracy of their prior knowledge and of what they learn.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 English Language Arts and Science)

By Kathleen Neff.

An integrated lesson comparing the butterfly and frog life cycles

Students will build on their prior knowledge about the butterfly life cycle to compare and contrast the life cycles of butterflies and frogs. Students will locate butterflies on the school grounds and create pictographs and models of fractions to explain their findings mathematically. Students will also use a variety of resources to read about and study the food, space and air needed by butterflies and frogs to grow. They will create visual and written products to demonstrate their findings.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 English Language Development, Mathematics, and Science)

By Martha Dobson and Margaret Monds.

Nature's checks and balances

This unit introduces students to several essential understandings. They will learn that plants and animals depend on one another for survival and organisms interact within nature to create a balance. They will also learn that humans can influence and manipulate nature.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts and Science)

By Nicolette Heise.

Reading comprehension strategies for English language learners

In Reading comprehension and English language learners, page 2

Strategies like think-pair-share, think-alouds, and GIST can help English language learners, content-area learners, and all students make sense of text while they read.

By Ellen Douglas.

Resources on the web

Creating question and answer books through guided research

This ReadWriteThink lesson focuses on a “learn by doing” series of reading and writing activities designed to teach research strategies. The activity uses KWL charts and interactive writing as key components of organizing information. One topic... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink