Through the Lens of an English Learner: Making Content Comprehensible

About This Resource

flower Through the Lens of an English Learner: Making Content Comprehensible is developed for those who are working directly with English Learners in the grade K-6 setting. The modules provide research-based instructional strategies for supporting English learners in the context of classroom instruction with Houghton Mifflin Reading materials. While each module emphasizes the use of a particular HM Reading story, the instructional strategies are effective in a variety of settings with or without specific adopted materials.

These professional development materials are intended to be used by individual educators navigating the resources on their own or in a professional development setting where a group of educators are reviewing the modules and video clips together. More than 50 video clips capture best teaching practices for English learners in grades Kindergarten through 6 th grade.

Modules 1-3 provide an introduction to California's English learners and the considerations necessary to support language development and content knowledge among English learners.

Modules 4-9 highlight best teaching practices and contain: 

  1. an overview of the specific instructional strategy,
  2. background information on the lesson presented and Houghton Mifflin Reading story used in the lesson,
  3. downloadable resources and images of classroom artifacts to help better understand and/or replicate the lesson activity,
  4. descriptive narrative accompanying each video clip,
  5. classroom reflections to prompt discussion and further inquiry into the strategies and lesson examples.

The following modules will support your engagement with English learners in the efforts to increase language development and academic achievement:

Module 1: California’s English learners

Module 2: Addressing Academic Content and ELD Standards

Module 3: Using ELD and SDAIE in the Classroom

Module 4: Oral Language Fluency

  • Grade 2: Thunder Cake ( Theme 5 - link to HM Reading Kids site)

Module 5: Activating Prior Knowledge

  • Grade 3: Becoming a Champion: The Babe Didrikson Story (Biography)
  • Grade 4: Salmon Summer ( Theme 6 - link to HM Reading Kids site)

Module 6: Contextualization

  • Grade K: Mrs. McNosh Hangs Her Wash (Theme 9)

Module 7: Graphic Organizers

  • Grade 5: Grizzly Bear Family Book ( Theme 6 - link to HM Reading Kids site)

Module 8: Developing Academic Language

  • Grade 1: The Forest ( Theme 8 )
  • Grade 6: Beneath Blue Waters ( Theme 6 - link to HM Reading Kids site)

Module 9: Structured Interaction

  • Grade 5: Grizzly Bear Family Book ( Theme 6 - link to HM Reading Kids site)
Next Page: Module 1: California’s English learners