Technological Tools for Assisting Students who are English Language Learners (ELLs) and for each Too, Noting Strategies for Teaching ELLs

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/31169


Introducing and Reading Poetry with English Language Learners by Kristina Robertson is an article about English Language Learners reading poetry aloud to improve their learning which is practice for pronunciation and fluency. Dr. Hughes did research on the subject and said, "paying attention to vocabulary and rhythm develops oral language skills," (Hughes, 2007, p. 1) and the development of oral language skills has a strong correlation to proficiency in reading.
Poems can be used to introduce or practice new vocabulary, language structures, and shorter poems give ELLs a chance to learn an idea while working with a more manageable amount of text. Students will begin to understand and notice differences, as well as understand how the language creates an image or mood. Poetry offers an opportunity for reading, writing, speaking, and listening practice for ELLs.There are other opportunities to include poetry in other contexts such as social studies, history, science, and even math lessons. Poetry also gives students a chance to expand vocabulary knowledge, to play with language, and to work with different rhythms and rhyme patterns. Familiarize students with different kinds of poems, simple and familiar language, images, and themes that are accessible to ELLs, bilingual poetry in English and their native language are a good example.I think poetry encourages students to share their interpretations because poems have different meanings to an individual and not having a right or wrong answer allows conversation.