Chapter 3: Modified Guided Reading for English as a Foreign Language Classroom Contexts

Modified guided reading (MGR) is an approach to teaching literacy and language in small group settings to emergent bilinguals within English as a second language (ESL¹) settings (Avalos et al., 2007). In this approach, the objective is to differentiate English literacy² instruction while developing students’ knowledge of language, with a focus on students creating and gaining meaning from texts. While all students benefit from differentiated reading instruction, emergent bilinguals can gain even more through this modified approach that emphasizes meeting languagelearning needs within meaningful stories and contexts. In order to carry out meaningful literacy instruction, teachers should first get to know their students and create an environment conducive to taking risks (Avalos & Secada, 2019), as well as conduct formative literacy assessments to identify the language-learning needs of the students they serve. When information about students’ out-of-school lives and learning needs have been identified and understood by teachers, culturally relevant, targeted second language (L2) instruction can be planned to incorporate instructional conversations and guided reading methods (e.g., Cunningham et al., 2000; Fountas & Pinnell, 2016) as a springboard to promote L2 language and literacy development.