Foreign language was recently added to Japan's national primary school curriculum. Phoneme-Grapheme Recognition (PGR) skills are a critical step in both L1 and L2 development. Due to its simplistic approach and the lack of new investment in teacher training, research regarding the impact on PGR skills are important. This study tested the relative…

A genre-based approach to second language (L2) writing instruction has received traction due to its impact on helping L2 students improve their writing skills. This approach to teaching writing is particularly useful for young English language learners (ELLs), as it simultaneously focuses on their English language and writing skills development.…

Foundational literacy is a key lever for achieving higher levels of learning and societal wellbeing. However, with an enrolment of over 250 million children in schools, India is currently challenged by learning deprivation. Growing uptake of English-medium education along with less-than-optimal English literacy instruction practices present an…

This study aims to obtain a better understanding of how the teacher can support the acquisition of transversal competencies, such as collaboration, creativity and reflection when children aged between 11 and 12 take part in an activity designed to promote autonomous or self-regulatory learning. There is a need to equip the teachers to enable them…

In this article, the author describes how to use "story retelling wheels" as scaffolding devices to support young learners as they develop the important skill of being able to retell stories that they have heard and comprehended. This tool can be adapted to meet young learners at different English language and literacy levels. It…

Literacy in a first language or in additional languages involves a set of complex cognitive, social, and linguistic skills that develop over time. However, pedagogical materials for low-proficiency English as an additional language (EAL) learners tend to target low-level literacy skills only, such as responding to fact-based questions. Materials…

Since young learners have different characteristics than adults, EFL teachers for young learners should treat them differently and possess sufficient metacognitive to promote critical thinking skills. This paper aims to portray teacher's metacognitive knowledge in EFL young learners' classroom particularly in promoting their critical thinking…

This study investigated the effects of complex problem-solving activities involving children's literature on students' critical thinking dispositions and English production. Thirty-one sixth-grade students were given lessons over a seven-week period. Various types of data were analyzed qualitatively, and the results of a critical thinking…

Development of child language is tremendously complex, remarkable and wondrous. In a second language acquisition context, a child can acquire his second language in either acquiring both languages at the same time or learning the second language after mastering the first one. This present research is concerned to describe the syntactical…

The aim of this action research is to examine the effects of creative drama activities used in a 7th grade English course to improve speaking skills. Accordingly, the study sought to answer the following research question: How can the students' speaking skills be improved? The idea that creative drama activities could improve speaking skills, and…

This study explores the possibilities and tensions that emerged when a literacy specialist brought a culturally sustaining lens to her work in a reading intervention setting with five emergent bilinguals. Utilizing a case study methodology, the study draws on data from class transcripts, interviews, student writing and artwork, and fieldnotes…

This study reports on a small-scale, longitudinal investigation on L2 Spanish oral development by English-home language (EHL) learners in an English/Spanish Two-Way Immersion (TWI) program in rural, eastern United States. It examined EHL learners' oral ability in L2 Spanish based on longitudinal assessment data from Kindergarten, Grade 2, and…

One-way, or foreign language, immersion schools face unique challenges as they seek to support the literacy development of their students. This manuscript draws on sociocultural theories of literacy development and the concept of languaging, the process of using language to make meaning. Working with two classrooms over one semester, we asked:…

The goal of the nine family and caregiver activity sheets is to provide families and caregivers with simple, fun activities they can use with their children to strengthen their language. The activities were designed using recommendations from the 2014 What Works Clearinghouse practice guide, "Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English…

This study examined the literacy profiles of students from diverse home-language backgrounds and tracked those profiles from grade 6 to grade 10. The authors also investigated the predictive relations of students' immigration background, gender, and participation in two instructional programs. The results from latent class and latent transition…