Making it Happen: Chapter 13

The first thing that was rolling through my mind as I read this chapter on "Ways to Promote Literacy Development" was the motivation factor for ELL students. As Richard-Amato describes, there are a myriad of factors involved with the literary progress of each child and the motivation for ELL students can be affected by many. Beginning the process with the students' prior knowledge is imperative, as she describes, because you get them on the right foot. From my limited classroom experience, I can agree with Richard-Amato about the benefits of starting with reading aloud literature to help students make the connection between phonemes, letters, words, writing, and reading. It seems like a fluid and obvious connection to us, but it is not so for an inexperienced child. This chapter offers many strategies for teachers that I will soon revisit.