Moving from Spoken to Written Language with Ells

Mastering spoken language is the key to writing success for English language learners

English language learners struggle to meet the increased classroom writing demands of the Common Core State Standards, and many schools seem at a loss for solutions.

In these pages, ELL expert Ivannia Soto builds on the groundbreaking research she presented in her previous book ELL Shadowing as a Catalyst for Change to show how oral language development scaffolds writing skills. To implement this knowledge, Soto offers educators a powerful set of tools:

- Exciting spoken techniques such as Socratic Seminar, Frayer model and Think-Pair-Share that build vocabulary and extend into academic writing
- Approaches to teaching three essential styles of writing: argumentative, procedural, and narrative
- Sample lesson plans and graphic organizer templates

ELLs must develop oral language skills before meeting the Common Core's writing requirements. This book provides the tools to make this happen.

"This timely book collects oral language strategies designed to scaffold academic writing for English language learners at intermediate and advanced levels of English proficiency. Concrete examples support the goal of teaching college and career ready standards across content areas."
--Charlene Rivera, Research Professor
The George Washington University Center for Equity and Excellence in Education

Author: Ivannia Soto
Publisher: Corwin Publishers
Published: 07/01/2014
Pages: 128
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.45lbs
Size: 10.10h x 7.10w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781452280363

About the Author
Ivannia Soto, Ph.D., whose family emigrated to the U.S. from Costa Rica, began school in kindergarten as an English Language Learner (ELL). Dr. Soto first-hand experience as an ELL has shaped her entire career working with immigrants and ELLs in the Los Angeles Unified School District; to teaching and research at Whittier College, Biola University, Claremont Graduate University, and Stanford University; to curriculum development and professional development with WestEd and the California Department of Education; to working with grants and foundations (e.g., Haynes Foundation, Gates Grant) for ELLs. Dr. Soto is currently Associate Professor of Education at Whittier College, where she specializes in language acquisition, systemic reform for English language learners (ELLs), secondary literacy and urban education. She has presented on literacy and language topics at various conferences, including the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), the Urban Education Center, and the New York State Association for Bilingual Education (NYSABE). Soto has also served as a consultant to WestEd, and a variety of districts in California, providing technical assistance for systemic reform for ELLs and Title III. She also served as an educational consultant at Stanford University working with the School Redesign Network (SRN) on systemic school and district redesign. Soto is the author of ELL Shadowing as a Catalyst for Change, and co-author of The Literacy Gaps: Building Bridges for ELLs and SELs, both previously published by Corwin Press. She is also contributing author on Houghton Mifflin′s reading intervention program Portals for ELLs.