English as an Accelerated Language: A Call to Action for Reading Teachers

This article challenges reading teachers to use their rich literacy repertoires to make English an accelerated language for English‐language learners in their classrooms. The introduction argues that educators must discard a remedial approach for second‐language learners and afford more integrated, forward‐looking experiences in order to enable English‐language learners to build on their first‐language strengths and be successful in English‐speaking classrooms. Effective reading teachers are able to offer comprehensible and comprehensive language instruction in rich reading and writing contexts. This article uses the example of one first grader to exemplify how inferior literacy instruction can be transformed to facilitate both language and literacy development. The author synthesizes several areas of research to provide a list of recommended practices that, when combined as instructional components, can expedite student progress. Reading teachers are encouraged to offer these best practices, enhanced by insights on second‐language learning needs, to the English‐language learners in regular classrooms.