WEEK 11: Bilingualism and Literacy

This article was very interesting and educational in laying out the need for implementing reading programs that are specific to bilingual students.  Research shows that bilingualism is an opportunity that provides many benefits to students because it results in advanced cognitive functions of the brain. As such, ELLs have specific needs that can only be addressed through a specific literacy program.  For example, intensive language development should be the big focus of any reading program for ELLs. Nonetheless, teachers should focus on phonemic awareness and phonics without neglecting to teach other important literacy skills.
    Despite the big emphasis on language development, the concern is that these students are still not performing as well as they should.  In my opinion, I think that bilingual students in any given class tend to be grouped together as having the same needs and this is not always the case.  Some bilingual students can be at different stages in their oral language development than the rest, yet still be placed in the same class.  Hence, it is important that differentiation is still going on in the classroom.  Teachers need to constantly assess and provide small group intervention for the ones that struggle with specific problems in literacy.