Reading Development during Early Elementary School Years in Young English Language Learners

Abstract

This national study investigates the depth of reading development in kindergarten and first grade by analyzing the students’ emerging skills on early reading proficiencies. T-tests conducted will test the differences in reading Item Response Theory (IRT) scores between the English Language Learners (ELL) and the English Only Learners (EOL) groups. Children’s learning outcomes in reading performance and proficiencies have shown differences between the EOLs and ELLs groups. The EOL children did better than ELL children in development of reading IRT scale scores and reading proficiencies in all three rounds of assessments. The reading gap seemed to widen between the groups as the children finished first grade. Early intervention in reading will help ELL students catch up with the learning pace and provide them with the opportunities to maximize student development in reading.