Written Discourse: Interpreting Texts May Pose a Challenge
We know that ELLs are grappling with language (the sounds, the structure, the vocabulary, the mysterious spellings, etc.) in so many ways. Imagine what it's like to balance those challenges with the demands of content-area learning. Having to examine a literary text critically, for example, is cognitively rigorous even for native language speakers. Several ways to support your students in this process is (1) to be sensitive to the fact that their methods of analysis may be different from what is taught in American schools and (2) to use multicultural texts. Who among us could not benefit from a poem by Rumi or a short story by Sandra Cisneros?
Again, language and culture may factor in to the way in which students approach a text. But, now that you are somewhat familiar with spoken discourse (implied vs. intended meanings, conversational maxims, etc.), if your students happen to come upon a dialogue (written or otherwise), you could apply your newly-acquired knowledge and have the students look at the conversation (fiction or nonfiction) linguistically.
We know that ELLs are grappling with language (the sounds, the structure, the vocabulary, the mysterious spellings, etc.) in so many ways. Imagine what it's like to balance those challenges with the demands of content-area learning. Having to examine a literary text critically, for example, is cognitively rigorous even for native language speakers. Several ways to support your students in this process is (1) to be sensitive to the fact that their methods of analysis may be different from what is taught in American schools and (2) to use multicultural texts. Who among us could not benefit from a poem by Rumi or a short story by Sandra Cisneros?
Again, language and culture may factor in to the way in which students approach a text. But, now that you are somewhat familiar with spoken discourse (implied vs. intended meanings, conversational maxims, etc.), if your students happen to come upon a dialogue (written or otherwise), you could apply your newly-acquired knowledge and have the students look at the conversation (fiction or nonfiction) linguistically.