Supporting English Language Learners

Supporting English Language Learners

Author: Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi September 30, 2022 Duration: 1:22:39

Mary and Shannon chat with Stephaney Jones-Vo about how to best support the reading needs of English Language Learners.    Stephaney describes the differences in needs of ESOL students at various levels and provides easy ideas for differentiation and scaffolding for students at different levels.   Stephaney shares how to understand the language load of class assignments and assessments, and this lens will help teachers view their own learning assignments in a fresh and supportive way for their students.


Episode Resources:

  1. How Does the Science of Reading Apply to Teaching Multilingual Learners?
  2. Podcast episode about SOR and ELL
  3. Stephaney's book about Differentiation for ELLs *Amazon affiliate link*
  4. Stephaney's book: Powerful Practices for Supporting English Learners *Amazon affiliate link*
  5. Stephaney's book: Engaging English Learners Through Access to Standards *Amazon affiliate link*
  6. WIDA Can Do Descriptors for various grade levels
  7. WIDA Language Development Standards Framework (2020)
  8. About the WIDA Access assessments
  9. Reading Rockets:  What Does Research Tell Us About Teaching Reading to English Language Learners?
  10. EdSource:  Why Phonics Instruction is not Enough for English Learners
  11. What are BICS and CALP?
  12. Academic Language and ELLs: What Teachers Need to Know
  13. Academic Vocabulary Word Lists by Grade Level (Flocabulary)
  14. our Patreon site and details




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In the Reading Teachers Lounge, hosts Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi pull up a chair for a conversation that feels both deeply professional and warmly familiar. These two elementary reading teachers and Atlanta neighbors discovered a shared, fervent passion for literacy over a local dinner, realizing they were kindred spirits in their mission. That initial chat never really ended, and now it forms the heart of this podcast. Each episode invites you into their ongoing dialogue, where practical classroom strategies, reflections on what works, and thoughtful discussions about reaching every single learner are all on the table. It’s a space designed for fellow educators, dedicated parents, and anyone invested in how children learn to read, offering tangible ideas rather than abstract theory. The tone is collaborative and grounded in real classroom experiences, reflecting a joint belief that literacy is foundational. By tuning in, you gain access to their collective experience and earnest curiosity, all focused on the complex, rewarding world of teaching reading. This isn't about performance; it's about sharing a genuine professional conversation from their lounge to yours, making the Reading Teachers Lounge a unique podcast for those who live and breathe language education.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 129

Reading Teachers Lounge
Podcast Episodes
All About R-Controlled Vowels [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:34
Shannon and Mary discuss how they discovered the importance of teaching phonics instruction and syllable division to help their student begin to crack the code of reading. Throughout the episode they will talk about stra…
All About Long Vowels [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:05
Mary and Shannon describe how they teach long vowels to their struggling readers. They share their favorite resources and routines for conducting phonics lessons. Are you challenged by your struggling readers? Do you nee…
All About Short Vowels [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:22
Shannon and Mary discuss background and strategies for teaching short vowels. You will learn facts and tidbits about literacy and why short vowels make their short, unique sounds. Hint! It has to do with the consonant ne…
Learning Disabilities 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:26
The process for identifying a specific learning disability such as dyslexia is complicated in the public school setting. In this episode Mary explains the RTI (Response to Intervention) process. She also breaks down how…
Decoding the MAP test [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:10
You've completed the benchmark assessments. You have done what has been asked of you by the administration. But really...what does that MAP score mean? Can you explain it to your students? Is it valid? Can you help your…
Getting to Know Your Readers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:56
How do you get to know your readers? Shannon and Mary share some of their experience using basic assessment tools to check foundational skills of their students: oral reading fluencysight wordsphonemic awarenessdecoding…
Becoming a Reading Teacher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:00
When was it that you first felt like you were a reading teacher who made the reading "magic" happen? When did you start to see growth from your students? What was the difference in your instruction or approach? In this e…
Introduction, Why we became teachers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:43
In this first episode, Shannon and Mary (two elementary reading teachers) introduce themselves and tell the stories about why they chose education and describe their varied teaching experiences.Support the showGet Litera…