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Essay / Essay on English Language Learners - 698
English Language Learners are found in every state and the number of English Language Learners is increasing every year. These English language learners come from diverse backgrounds. There are over 470 different languages included in the categorized group of English language learners, but 75% of students encountered in schools will have Spanish as their first language, as indicated by Linan-Thompson and Vaughn (2007). There are objectives for effective practice of English language learners and are based on students' understanding, learning and interest. In lower grade levels, students learn skills to start with, such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and vocabulary. After learning these skills, it is possible to develop English language learner literacy skills that will be used across content areas. According to August and Hakuna (1997), certain attributes contribute to positive student outcomes. These tributes include explicit skill teaching, student-led activities, teaching strategies to improve understanding, opportunity to practice, student assessment, and a balanced curriculum. Students also learn content when instruction focuses on routine, redundancy, and structure. Linen-Thompson and Vaughn (2007) assert that teachers who explicitly teach by modeling and explaining skills in context can provide students with the metacognitive thinking required by proficient readers. In language arts, an important strategy to use is explicit instruction. Explicit teaching refers to specific tasks directed and demonstrated by the teacher, and is used to teach basic and higher order thinking based on students' level. Explicit teaching is specifically ...... middle of paper ...... ideas and keeps all information easily organized for students. Monitor cognitive progress by creating specific durations for activities, ensuring students are on track, and keeping an eye open for the need to go back, revise meaning, analyze information, and delve deeper into the material to help students understand more precisely. Evaluate by reviewing materials, asking students questions, and analyzing assessments to ensure student success. According to Moore-Harris (2005), English language learners who are still learning English at an academic level benefit greatly from integrating vocabulary and grammatical ideas while simultaneously building on mathematical concepts using lessons integrated with concrete objects, manipulatives, graphics and activities that can be hands-on to help visually reinforce learning.