Synopses & Reviews
Review
"Bravo! In this comprehensive book, Helman offers teachers practical research-based help with assessing ELLs' literacy development and tailoring meaning-based instruction to make sure these youngsters receive the instruction they need. Helman and her contributing authors know the burning questions and answer them; they know the complexities and embrace them. Most of all, they know and respect the teachers and children who inspire their writing. This book is a treasure for all who care about scaffolding language development in ELLs. It is especially crucial for teachers in urban schools."--Lucy Calkins, PhD, Robinson Professor of Childrens Literature and Founding Director, The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, Columbia University "A great resource for ELL teachers and students in teacher preparation courses. The book sheds light on psychological, linguistic, sociocultural, and pedagogical aspects of reading for ELLs. It includes suggestions for study groups and/or classroom implementation. It also holds up a mirror to help teachers explore how policy issues and their own beliefs about diverse learners influence their teaching."--Margarita Calderón, PhD, School of Education, Johns Hopkins University "This research-based book addresses the fundamentals of a high-quality ELL program and provides the reader with best practices to follow. Each chapter can serve as a stand-alone reference; read together, they offer clear guidance for mainstream or ELL teachers. The practical applications and examples are just what teachers are looking for. This book will be an excellent text for preservice teachers preparing to instruct the diverse student population that is now the norm in most districts nationwide."--Lori Henry, English language learner curriculum specialist, Austin (Minnesota) Public Schools
Review
"Bravo! In this comprehensive book, Helman offers teachers practical research-based help with assessing ELLs' literacy development and tailoring meaning-based instruction to make sure these youngsters receive the instruction they need. Helman and her contributing authors know the burning questions and answer them; they know the complexities and embrace them. Most of all, they know and respect the teachers and children who inspire their writing. This book is a treasure for all who care about scaffolding language development in ELLs. It is especially crucial for teachers in urban schools."--Lucy Calkins, PhD, Robinson Professor of Childrens Literature and Founding Director, The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, Columbia University "A great resource for ELL teachers and students in teacher preparation courses. The book sheds light on psychological, linguistic, sociocultural, and pedagogical aspects of reading for ELLs. It includes suggestions for study groups and/or classroom implementation. It also holds up a mirror to help teachers explore how policy issues and their own beliefs about diverse learners influence their teaching."--Margarita Calderón, PhD, School of Education, Johns Hopkins University "This research-based book addresses the fundamentals of a high-quality ELL program and provides the reader with best practices to follow. Each chapter can serve as a stand-alone reference; read together, they offer clear guidance for mainstream or ELL teachers. The practical applications and examples are just what teachers are looking for. This book will be an excellent text for preservice teachers preparing to instruct the diverse student population that is now the norm in most districts nationwide."--Lori Henry, English language learner curriculum specialist, Austin (Minnesota) Public Schools
Review
"Offers sound advice that both novice and veteran teachers will find helpful. Recommended. Graduate, research, and professional collections."
--Choice Reviews Choice Reviews
Synopsis
An indispensable course text and practitioner resource, this teacher-friendly book puts the needs of English language learners (ELLs) front and center. Leading authorities connect current research to effective instructional practices for elementary students with varying degrees of English proficiency. Key components of literacy instruction are addressed, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Chapters also explore how linguistic, sociocultural, psychological, and educational factors shape ELL literacy development, highlighting practical implications for the classroom. Reflection questions and a wealth of illustrative examples enhance the utility of this engaging, tightly edited work.
About the Author
Lori Helman, PhD, is a faculty member in literacy education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Her research investigates literacy development and effective teaching practices for English learners at the elementary school level. She teaches classes in literacy learning in diverse contexts, literacy instruction with English learners, reading assessment and reading difficulty, and literacy leadership for reading specialists as they develop expertise across their professional careers. Dr. Helman works collaboratively with a number of practicing teachers to investigate the literacy teaching methods that are most successful with English learners. Her three decades in education have included teaching bilingual elementary school for 16 years, leading new teacher support programs, and serving as a district literacy coordinator. She brings this solid teaching background into her university research agenda and professional writing. In addition to numerous published research articles, Dr. Helman has written chapters, articles, and curriculum support materials that guide teachers to apply second-language literacy research in their classrooms. She is the lead author (along with Donald R. Bear) of Words Their Way with English Learners: Word Study for Spelling, Phonics, and Vocabulary Instruction.
Table of Contents
1. Factors Influencing Second-Language Literacy Development: A Road Map for Teachers, Lori Helman
2. Culturally Responsive Instruction: Application to Multiethnic, Multilingual Classrooms, Kathryn H. Au
3. Explicit Language Instruction: A Key to Constructing Meaning, Susana Dutro and Lori Helman
4. Making Informed Decisions about the Language and Literacy Assessment of English-Language Learners, Georgia Earnest García and Christina P. DeNicolo
5. The Literacy Development of English Learners: What Do We Know about Each Students Literacy Development?, Donald R. Bear and Regina E. Smith
6. Emergent Literacy: Planting the Seeds for Accomplished Reading and Writing, Lori Helman
7. Opening Doors to Texts: Planning Effective Phonics Instruction with English Learners, Lori Helman
8. English-Language Learners and Fluency Development: More Than Speed and Accuracy, M. Kristiina Montero and Melanie R. Kuhn
9. The Case of Ying: The Members of a Teacher Study Group Learn about Fostering the Reading Comprehension of English Learners, Cynthia Brock, Suzette Youngs, Eleni Oikonomidoy, and Diane Lapp
10. SpellingMeaning Relationships among Languages: Exploring Cognates and Their Possibilities, Shane Templeton
11. Examining Teacher Dispositions toward Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students, Julie L. Pennington and Rachel G. Salas
12. Effective Instructional Practices for English Learners, Lori Helman
13. Literacy Development with English Learners: Concluding Thoughts, Lori Helman