Working with Low Literacy Students

A large number of ESOL students currently entering Florida's public school system can be described as low literacy students.  These students may have a low level of literacy in their native languages as well as in English.  This phenomenon is generally due to a history of interrupted schooling, possible traumatic events leading up to the immigration experience, and economic hardships encountered by the family.  Students coming from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and some Central and South American countries may have faced these dilemmas and therefore do not arrive at their grade levels as prepared as they should be.  ESOL students in this situation may not have adequate preparation in their native languages to transfer academic skills to the English language.  Therefore, teachers of these students are faced with not only teaching them language and content in English, but also teaching them the academic literacy skills they need in order to be successful in school.  The following is a list of some suggestions for working with these students.  See p. 149 in your study guide for more details.

• Use language in the classroom environment through signs, posters, and labels to remind students of rules, learning strategies and other important points.
• Have students create their own books.
• Use additional materials with language that is more simplified than the language of the text.
• Use graphic organizers and body language to clarify vocabulary and concepts.
• Give ESOL students responsibility for a non-reading activity during cooperative group work.
• Give frequent positive feedback and encouragement to students.

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