Struggling Readers or Dual

Language Learners? An Additive

Approach to Literacy Development

for Linguistically Diverse Students

Michelle Plaisance, PhD

UNC-Charlotte

Cristina Gillanders, PhD

FPG Child Development Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill

Welcome

and

Introductions

Learning to read in English

Research from the University of North

Carolina- Charlotte, College of Education

◦ Public school, large district, scattered language

minorities

◦ First grade classroom, monolingual teachers

◦ Literacy emphasis

Balanced literacy

Workshop model

ESL “push in” support

Dual Language Learners or

Struggling Readers? Leveled, scripted reading program

◦ No time for “third spaces” (K. Gutiérrez)

◦ Linear, sequential perception of literacy

◦ Little room for ESL collaboration

◦ English/Dual language learners recast as

“struggling readers”

Deficit versus Additive Approaches

Additive-

◦ View that the home language as a positive attribute

◦ Can be a tool for supporting the second language

◦ English and the home language hold equal value

Deficit-

◦ English is the language of the classroom

◦ Home language impedes English acquisition

◦ DLL’s are “slower” because they do not speak English

Dual Language Learners in U.S.

Schools Historically, educators have approached

non-native speakers from a deficit

perspective

◦ Deculturalization of Native Americans

◦ English-only movement

◦ Proposition 227

◦ Arizona’s cultural studies program and

subsequent book ban

Toward Additive Approaches

Bilingual programs designed to promote maintenance a child’s home language

Multicultural education

Inclusive program models

Improved terminology

◦ Dual language learners

◦ English language learners

◦ Emerging bilinguals

Obstacles to additive approaches

Standardized testing

Commercialized/scripted literacy

curricula

Teacher accountability programs

After getting in town late last night. I was suffering real jet lag from crossing several time zones and an ocean. I’d been away for long enough that I’d lost track of not only time, but what day it was. Sure that a walk in the warm day would clear my head, I decided to take a stroll and get some coffee.

I walked the three blocks to my favorite coffee place, and on the way I noticed there were more flags out than usual. Arriving at the neighborhood shopping area I saw many red, white, and blue banners and several street vendors selling food from outdoor grills. I looked at my watch and realized it was almost noon, and the wonderful smells coming from the grills made my mouth water.

Several announcements were posted on store windows urging people to attend different fireworks and music shows.

1. Why were the colors on the banners

significant?

◦ A. These colors announce “caution”

◦ B. These colors are bright and cheery

◦ C. These are traditional U.S. colors

After reading the passage please

answer the following questions:

2. What foods were the vendors grilling?

A. Eggplant and garlic

B. Hot dogs and hamburgers

C. Shark and tuna steaks

3. What was the reason for all the

festivities?

A. New Years

B. Arbor day

C. 4th of July

One Saturday afternoon I decided to take a walk downtown to go out to eat and to people watch. Going toward the town, I saw a bus full of coffee beans and people. When I got there, I saw a house on the corner with traditional decorations on the walls and on the porch. It also had native flowers. When I arrived downtown, I realized I had forgotten that it was a very special day for native coffee workers. It was the traditional parade for the beginning of the year. I was excited because I was going to see the dancers with their traditional dresses, the people selling different kinds of foods, and the church on the corner ringing the bells. I stopped in the most popular restaurant and asked for the bean tray. I was delicious! I heard the music and saw the natural smiles from everybody. I had a very good time.

1. What color do you think the dancers’

dresses were?

A. Many different colors

B. Green, white and red

C. Yellow, green and red

After reading the passage please

answer the following questions:

2. What kinds of flowers did the house

have?

◦ A. Lilies, roses

◦ B. Carnations, roses

◦ C. Geraniums, lilies

3. What did the writer eat for lunch?

◦ A. Beans, tortilla, and rice

◦ B. Beans, pork, and eggs

◦ C. Beans, pork, and tortillas

Taken from Uribe, M. & Nathenson-Mejía, S. (2008) Literacy essentials for English language learners.

A Window into the classroom

Questions for Discussion

How does your school/facility/institution

refer to non-native English speaker?

How is language learning viewed within

your school community?

How are perceptions about learning a

second language different when the

learner is a native English speaker?

Macro-level strategies

Tap into DLLs’ funds of knowledge

◦ Get to know your students’ families

Where are they from?

What are their interests?

◦ Create a connection between the home and

school

Makes learning more meaningful

Encourages family involvement and support

◦ Example: Jacob’s story- automotive journal

Macro-level strategies

Plan thematic units

◦ Cohesive, in-depth and contextual

◦ Repetition of vocabulary and key concepts

◦ Varied approaches to the same topic

Music

Reading

Art

Writing

◦ Accommodate varied learning styles

Macro-level strategies

Use storytelling to build rich vocabularies

Front load new or target vocabulary

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/voc

abulary-english-language-learners

Macro-level strategies

When possible, provide bilingual support!

◦ Learn key vocabulary and phrases

◦ Read stories that incorporate non-English

words

◦ Invite storytellers and musicians who can

perform in students’ home languages

◦ Seek support from community organizations

Macro-level strategies

Give dual language learners plenty of time

to talk!

◦ Encourage interaction, especially with native

speakers

◦ Don’t push, there is often a silent period

before students are ready to experiment with

using a new language

◦ Resist correcting novice speakers

Macro-level strategies

Establish a routine and stick to it

Use symbols to assist students in knowing

what is coming next

Avoid rearranging the room and/or

learning centers frequently

Provide picture support

Macro-level strategies

Focus on alphabetic knowledge, print

awareness and phonological awareness

through games and songs

◦ Encourage interaction/response

◦ Repetition

◦ Engaging, fun

Smaller, but essential support

Clear articulation

Increased “wait time”

Visual support/picutres

Send home books in the home language

Realia

Smaller, but essential support

Non-verbal communication (posture)

Gestures

Signs

Pictures

Props