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The Role of Oracy in Developing Comprehension in Spanish‐Speaking English Language Learners

Components of first-grade intervention programs that addressed oral language and listening comprehension instruction within an intensive literacy intervention for native Spanish-speaking students struggling with reading difficulties are described. Findings for the intervention are based on 4 large-scale experimental studies (published elsewhere) in which the intervention was provided to struggling first-grade English language learners (ELLs) in the same language as the core reading instruction (Spanish or English). Interventions taught children the alphabetic principle with letter–sound correspondences and how to read words quickly and accurately as well as providing practices that enhanced the language skills needed to understand word and text meaning. Thus, explicit instruction was provided in oral language, phonemic awareness, alphabetic knowledge, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies. The essential features of the intervention that addressed oral language were a shared storybook reading routine in addition to enhanced language acquisition instruction. Findings indicate that students in the intervention made progress in the areas of phonological awareness, letter–sound identification, word attack, and comprehension skills. Our intervention studies empirically informs us on the instructional components of effective reading and oral language interventions for Spanish-speaking ELLs who are at risk for reading difficulties.