Question

When working with English Language Learners (ELL), which teaching strategy is NOT likely to be utilized?

a. The teacher works with the students using context clues to understand words that they do not recognize.
b. The instructional aide working with a small group adjusts her reading rate of a particular passage.
c. The students are instructed to look up words in the dictionary and record them in a journal.
d. The teacher stops after every few sentences in a passage she is reading allowed to check for comprehension.

Answer 1

The least likely strategy to be used in teaching English Language Learners is having students look up words in the dictionary and record them in a journal. Bilingual education and context-based strategies are preferred for enhancing comprehension and language acquisition.

Step-by-step explanation:

When working with English Language Learners (ELL), the teaching strategy that is NOT likely to be utilized is c. The students are instructed to look up words in the dictionary and record them in a journal. In a bilingual classroom setting, such as the one Lucy attended, the use of both English and Spanish with bilingual materials and instruction often supports better learning outcomes. Research from Johns Hopkins University supports that students make better progress when taught in both their native language and in English, rather than in English alone.

The strategies more commonly utilized in this context would include using context clues to decipher the meaning of unfamiliar words, adjusting reading rates to aid comprehension, and checking for understanding frequently during reading. While using a dictionary is a common strategy to understand and learn new vocabulary, the exercise of solely using a dictionary without context can be less engaging and may not provide a deep understanding of word usage, especially for ELL students who are in the process of acquiring language skills through immersion and meaningful interactions.