Teaching Vocabulary to Elementary English Language Learners

The achievement gap between English Language Learners (ELL) and native English speakers in schools is frequently large, Often ELL know fewer vocabulary words than their classmates and consequently exhibit difficulty in comprehension of grade-level texts. In an attempt to close this achievement gap, the research question addressed in this capstone was What vocabulary strategies will promote language acquisition for English Language Learners? In response to this question, a flip chart with strategies for introducing, teaching, and maintaining knowledge of target vocabulary words for ELL was created as a reference for teachers. The strategies were modeled, and repeated exposure to the vocabulary words was encouraged. After the easy-to-use flip chart was disseminated to all the teachers in one elementary school, staff development on the use of the resource was provided