The Department of Education requires that all students, including English Language Learners (ELLs), must be exposed to a wide array of texts. These texts include narrative text and informational text. This requirement is part of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and ensures that students strengthen their ability to perceive more from text so that they can make stronger connections between texts.  

Common Core State Standards

CCSS requires that all students read literature and complex texts that involve background knowledge in areas such as social studies, history, and science.  CCSS urged teachers to challenge their students by referring back to things they’ve already read.  By referring back to prior readings, teachers help ELLs develop critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills.  These skills are necessary in order to succeed in school, the workplace, and life. With help from resources, such as the ones mentioned above, ELL teachers will be better equipped to provide ELL students with the instruction and information needed to succeed. Digital Books for home use are also helpful for students to hear the new language with proper pronunciation.

But, how do ELLs make connections between texts and gain literacy skills, if they don’t understand English?  That is where Lectura Books and the Latino Family Literacy Project come into the picture to help promote academic success.

Lectura Books

Lectura Books offers a variety of dual language books for ELL students in preschool to high school.  Even ELL parents can learn from them.  Lectura Books takes pride in offering dual language books that Latino students can relate to, which truly helps ELLs improve their literacy skills.  Teachers can hold Q&A sessions in their classroom, to make sure that students understand what they have read.  These bilingual books help develop vocabulary skills as well. Some of the award-winning dual language books that Lectura Books offers include: Fun with ABC’s – Loteria Style, The Shark That Taught Me English,  The Oldest House In The USA, and  Graciela’s Dream.

Latino Family Literacy Project

The Latino Family Literacy Project serves as a great resource for teachers and parents of ELLs.  The Project offers online training for a culturally competent program that help parents and teachers better prepare ELL students for learning and academic success.  Some of the topics that the Project explores include punctuation, vocabulary development, and understanding the context of text.  Teachers and parents can find tips on how to get ELL students to describe characters, settings, and the major points of a story.  They can also find tips on how to develop inference skills when reading.