Chapters 6 And 7 Discuss Three Important Concepts
Chapters 6 And 7 Discuss Three Important Concepts Related To Teaching
Chapters 6 and 7 discuss three important concepts related to teaching English Language Learners (ELLs) to read: phonemic awareness in Chapter 6, phonics in Chapter 7, and strategies for helping ELLs understand and practice language and content information, specifically scaffolding in Chapter 6. The assignment requires selecting one of these concepts, providing a detailed summary including definitions, descriptions, comparisons, or additional information to facilitate understanding, supported by scholarly references. Additionally, the task involves creating five organized questions related to the chosen topic to promote further discussion and comprehension among classmates.
Paper For Above instruction
Understanding the foundational concepts of phonemic awareness, phonics, and scaffolding is essential for effectively teaching reading to English Language Learners (ELLs). These concepts serve as vital pillars in literacy education, each playing a specific role in supporting language development and comprehension.
Phonemic Awareness
Phonemic awareness refers to the ability to recognize and manipulate the smallest units of sound in spoken language, known as phonemes (Adams, 1990). It involves skills such as isolating, blending, segmenting, and manipulating sounds within words. For instance, a student might identify that the word "cat" begins with the /k/ sound or break down the word "dog" into its individual sounds /d/ /o/ /g/. This foundational skill is crucial for reading success because it underpins the development of decoding abilities and facilitates the connection between spoken and written language (National Reading Panel, 2000).
Research indicates that phonemic awareness is one of the strongest predictors of early reading success and a key component in preventing reading difficulties (Ehri et al., 2001). It is particularly significant for ELLs, who may not have developed these phonological skills in their native language. Instruction that explicitly targets phonemic awareness can accelerate literacy development among ELL students (Foorman & Torgesen, 2001).
Phonics
Phonics emphasizes the relationship between graphemes—the written letters or letter groups—and phonemes—the sounds they represent (Lubliner, 2008). It involves teaching students to decode words by sounding them out and understanding letter-sound correspondences, enabling them to read unfamiliar words independently. For example, understanding that the letter combination "sh" makes the /ʃ/ sound helps students decode words like "ship" and "wish."
While phonemic awareness is about sounds in spoken language, phonics connects those sounds with written symbols. Effective phonics instruction enables ELLs to develop decoding skills, improve reading fluency, and comprehend texts more efficiently (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000). Phonics is especially critical for ELLs because it bridges the gap between phonological knowledge and literacy in a new language.
Comparison and Relationship
While phonemic awareness is a prerequisite for phonics, they are distinct yet interconnected components of reading instruction. Phonemic awareness lays the groundwork by developing an understanding of sounds, whereas phonics applies this knowledge to reading and spelling through letter-sound relationships. Both skills are necessary for mastering literacy, particularly in the context of ELLs, who often face additional challenges due to differences in their native language phonology and orthography (Bradley & Bryant, 1983).
Strategies for Supporting ELLs
In addition to explicit instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics, scaffolded strategies are essential for helping ELLs understand and practice language and content. Scaffolding involves providing structured support tailored to students' current levels of understanding, gradually removing assistance as they become more proficient (Vygotsky, 1978). Examples include visual aids, sentence frames, modeling, and guided practice that connect new content to students’ prior knowledge.
Research shows that scaffolding enhances comprehension, vocabulary, and language development, especially when teaching complex texts or abstract concepts (Gibbons, 2002). For ELLs, explicitly teaching strategies such as paraphrasing, questioning, and summarizing within a scaffolding framework can significantly improve their engagement and learning outcomes (Lightbown & Spada, 2013).
Summary
In summary, phonemic awareness and phonics are core components of early reading instruction, with phonemic awareness focusing on auditory recognition of sounds and phonics connecting sounds to written symbols. Both are integral in developing decoding skills and reading proficiency, especially for ELLs. Complementing these skills with effective scaffolding strategies enhances understanding by providing appropriate support and gradually fostering independence. The integration of these concepts creates a comprehensive approach to literacy education that addresses the unique needs of ELL students.
---
References
Adams, M. J. (1990). Beginning to read: Thinking and learning about print. MIT Press.
Bradley, L., & Bryant, P. E. (1983). Categorizing sounds and learning to read—A causal connection. Nature, 301(5899), 419–421.
Ehri, L. C., Nunes, S. R., Willows, D. M., Schuster, B. V., Yaghoub-Zadeh, Z., & Shanahan, T. (2001). Phonemic awareness instruction: Effects on early reading development. Reading Research Quarterly, 36(3), 250-287.
Foorman, B. R., & Torgesen, J. K. (2001). Critical elements of classroom and systemic instruction in early reading. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 16(4), 216–226.
Gibbons, P. (2002). Scaffolding language, scaffolding learning: Teaching English language learners in the mainstream classroom. Heinemann.
Lubliner, S. (2008). Phonics instruction and phonological awareness in early childhood. Early Childhood Education Journal, 35(3), 229–235.
Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (2013). How languages are learned. Oxford University Press.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching children to read. NIH Publication No. 00-4769.
National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. NIH.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.