Doing more to advance language and literacy acquisition in adolescent newcomers using evidence-based practices

Abstract

Researchers on adolescent newcomers in the United States generally agree that culturally sustaining
instruction emphasizing the acceleration of the oral and written language needed for school—in both
the home language and English—addresses the instructional needs of these students (García et al.,
2017; Lesaux et al., 2016). We believe that in order to achieve equitable outcomes with their peers, a
culturally responsive approach that draws on students’ strengths and experiences must also include
explicit instruction in the language required for school, graduation, and future success. We draw on
culturally sustaining frameworks and emphasize a linguistic approach to the instructional strategies in
our MORE pedagogical model, based on empirical evidence from language and reading acquisition.
We offer teachers explicit guidelines for instruction of oral and written English that build on students’
already existing linguistic repertoires and world knowledge.