Which instructional practice would best promote the language and reading development of English language learners?

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Multiple Choice

Which instructional practice would best promote the language and reading development of English language learners?

The most effective approach combines explicit vocabulary instruction with sheltered instruction embedded in content learning. This means teaching key academic terms directly, including word meanings, usage, morphological clues, and strategies for figuring out unfamiliar words. It also uses scaffolds— visuals, modeling, sentence frames, simplified language, and structured interactions—so students can access the content while building language skills. When vocabulary work is tied to the actual content students are studying, they get meaningful practice using new terms in context, which strengthens both language development and reading comprehension. Silent reading alone doesn’t provide these targeted supports. Without explicit instruction and guided practice, English language learners may struggle to acquire essential vocabulary, syntax, and comprehension strategies needed to understand texts and engage with content. Options that focus primarily on memorizing words or relying only on reading to learn don’t supply the necessary structure and active language practice that boosts long-term proficiency.

The most effective approach combines explicit vocabulary instruction with sheltered instruction embedded in content learning. This means teaching key academic terms directly, including word meanings, usage, morphological clues, and strategies for figuring out unfamiliar words. It also uses scaffolds— visuals, modeling, sentence frames, simplified language, and structured interactions—so students can access the content while building language skills. When vocabulary work is tied to the actual content students are studying, they get meaningful practice using new terms in context, which strengthens both language development and reading comprehension.

Silent reading alone doesn’t provide these targeted supports. Without explicit instruction and guided practice, English language learners may struggle to acquire essential vocabulary, syntax, and comprehension strategies needed to understand texts and engage with content. Options that focus primarily on memorizing words or relying only on reading to learn don’t supply the necessary structure and active language practice that boosts long-term proficiency.

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