| Text-based instruction is used as means for teaching | | | | font should be clear and attractive. |
| and assessing to what degree students are able to | | | | Use Easy to Read Texts for Struggling K-2 ELLs |
| access information. Yet, many struggling English | | | | For building fluency of the struggling English language |
| language learners, especially those in the upper | | | | learner just learning to read, texts should contain easy |
| elementary and middle school grades, have trouble | | | | to read vocabulary. According to Elisheva Barkon, "in |
| making word and text-based connections successfully | | | | the early stages of teaching foreign language and |
| - something their native English speaking peers are | | | | second language reading, learners are learning to read |
| able to do more with ease. When used to support | | | | not reading to learn. In other words, they are learning |
| fluency, a motivating text will not only enhance | | | | how to identify words automatically, accurately and |
| comprehension but expand students' vocabulary as | | | | rapidly. To that end, they need practice with easy |
| well. | | | | texts where all the words are familiar so that they can |
| Use Motivating Texts Based on Interest and Topic | | | | develop sight vocabulary" (Barkon, 2007). The more |
| Interest and topic are key when choosing a reading | | | | challenging the text therefore, the less motivated an |
| text. Motivating struggling English language learners to | | | | English language learner will be to try and understand it. |
| read involves expanding their knowledge on topics | | | | Teachers should make it their number one goal to |
| they enjoy reading about. As Richard Day points out, | | | | create a meaningful language learning experience for |
| relating to student interests has serious implications for | | | | their struggling English language learners. By using |
| facilitating second-language acquisition. (Day, 1994) In | | | | motivating texts that are primarily based on interest |
| addition, there are some reading texts that are socially | | | | and are visually appealing and easy to read, it is easier |
| and culturally removed from their world. Therefore, the | | | | to evaluate and monitor their fluency in terms of |
| choice of a reading text is important to building fluency | | | | comprehending the deeper meaning of a reading text. |
| with struggling English language learners. | | | | Works Cited |
| Teach Visually Appealing Texts | | | | Barkon, Elisheva. "Insights from Research on Reading," |
| Day also points out that the appearance of a reading | | | | English Teacher Association in Israel (ETAI) |
| passage such as layout, print, type and size all affect | | | | Presentation, 2007. |
| readability and motivation. A shorter text, for example, | | | | Day, Richard R. "Selecting a Passage for the EFL |
| increases the students' focus and the text's readability. | | | | Reading Class," The English Teaching Forum, 32:1, 1994. |
| Paragraphs in each text should be clearly defined. The | | | | |