Providing guided reading instruction in the students’ first language establishes the necessary scaffolding for students to become proficient learners of English. This is accomplished by delivering reading instruction based on the students’ strongest asset—their familiarity with their native language. Additionally, such instruction helps students maintain their first language as well as concurrently advance their literacy skills in both languages. | Guided Reading and Spanish-Speaking Children by Enrique Puig en español en español INTRODUCTION s the demographics of our country continue to change, more and more students are coming into our classrooms from homes that speak a language other than AEnglish, primarily Spanish. According to Slavin & Cheung (2004), English- language learners comprise one of the fastest-growing student populations in . schools. Knowing these students’ strengths as well as anticipating their needs should inform the design and delivery of literacy instruction for second-language learners (August et al., 2002). Following are the challenges faced in bilingual classrooms and in reading instruction for second language learners: • Delivering differentiated instruction to a growing population of English-language learners; • Locating and using relevant and suitable materials to support instruction; • Using suitable assessments to screen, monitor progress, and diagnose students in order to inform instruction. Equipped with a systematic and explicit instructional approach, teachers can meet these challenges, helping students learn to read and write while respecting their first language. A clear and proven approach will assist teachers in making informed decisions about how to differentiate instruction and offer suitable challenges within students’ instructional range. The guided reading instructional system provides the appropriate level of text and instructional support so that students can process each book with fluency and comprehension. Providing guided reading instruction in the students’ first language establishes the necessary scaffolding for students to become proficient learners of English. This is accomplished by delivering reading instruction based on the students’ strongest asset— their familiarity with their native language. Additionally, such instruction helps students maintain their first language as well as concurrently advance their literacy skills in both languages. 1 en español .
