The Love and Science of Reading: A Promising Instructional Approach for Adolescent Multilingual Learners

Purpose: Adolescent multilingual learners are at high risk for reading difficulties as evidenced by persistent achievement gaps. This article calls for a paradigm shift and aims to elucidate what constitutes promising second-language literacy instruction for multilingual adolescents, comprising effective literacy practices grounded in research, combined with an emphasis on individual learners and their sociocultural development. Cast in ecological systems and functionalist perspectives, this article provides a model for language and literacy instruction that is grounded in basic tenets of reading science within a sociocultural context. We outline strategies that focus on language as a basis for reading development followed by examples of authentic learning experiences designed to motivate students and nurture their love of reading. Conclusions: A solution to existing achievement gaps may be a promising approach that emphasizes both the science and love of reading, which entails targeted instruction rooted in the research evidence integrated into engaging and meaningful learning experiences, central to which is the acknowledgement of multilingual learners as individuals. The authors call for an intentional focus on accelerating the development of language through frequent use of and a genuine love for both the science of reading and the science of teaching reading.

Does Portfolio-Based Language Assessment Align with Learning-Oriented Assessment? Evidence from Literacy Learners and their Instructors

A high-stakes Portfolio-Based Language Assessment (PBLA) protocol that was fully implemented in all Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) programs in 2019 requires instructors and students to set language-learning goals and complete, compile, and reflect on numerous authentic language tasks. Due to the language barriers incurred when communicating with beginner English-as-a-second-language literacy learners (BELLs), no PBLA research has been conducted with BELLs. To address this gap, we interviewed 26 BELLs (n = 2 from 13 L1s) and their instructors (n = 4) about their understanding and use of PBLA. Student interviews were conducted with the assistance of bilingual interpreters in the students’ L1s. All the interviews were then transcribed and thematically analyzed in relation to PBLA’s alignment with the six dimensions in Turner and Purpura’s (2016) learning-oriented assessment framework: contextual, elicitation, proficiency, learning, instructional, interactional, and affective. Results have implications for optimizing learning, and task-based instruction and assessment practices in LINC.

A Transformative Second-Language-Literacy Program for Migrant Students

Migration, as old as the history of mankind, brings together many challenges for both the migrants and the receiving country. Certainly, among the most affected ones are the children of migrants, who have to continue their educational lives in their new land. Language learning is the first challenge for these children as it is the key to integration; however, not all the countries that receive migration are experienced in handling the adaptation process of immigrants. What's more, migrant children are expected to write in a linguistically and culturally different writing system to be considered literate in their new educational settings. Since monolingual curricula fall short in today's global world, multilingual flexible curricula should be adopted and implemented to meet various needs of diverse migrant groups. This chapter will provide critical insights and suggestions for Syrian migrant children in the Turkish context by taking into account a successful educational second language literacy program called KOALA.