Empowering ESL Students: A New Model for Information Literacy Instruction

Acacia Wilson

CO

Conteh-Morgan, M. E. (2001). Empowering ESL students: A new model for information literacy instruction. Research Strategies, 18(1), 29-38. doi: 10.1016/S0734-3310(02)00064-2

Summary: This article discusses how the teacher librarian can collaborate with the ELD teacher and ELD program at the school to help infuse information literacy instruction into the ELD curriculum. Contech-Morgan suggests that the teacher librarian learn methods and strategies for teaching English learners, along with the ELD standards and learning theories, before attempting to build a program for these students. It is important to respect the ELD teacher, who is trained in teaching English learners and working with them is key. It is suggested that the ELD teacher do all of the instruction, with the teacher librarian collaborating with the ELD teacher to help the him/her understand the information literacy skills that students need, since the ELD teacher is an expert at teaching this student population.

Review: For teacher librarians that work with a high population of English learners, this article is helpful. Contech-Morgan has a clear understanding of the learning needs of English learners and does a good job making them clear for teacher librarians in this article. A teacher librarian who has never taught English learners will find this helpful for understanding the unique learning and teaching needs of English learners. One of the suggestions that I did find interesting and a little frustrating, being a former ELD teacher, was that the ELD teacher should do all of the teaching. In California, all teachers are trained to teach English learners, which is the same training an ELD teacher receives (there isn’t a specific ELD teaching credential). The way most teachers learn to teach English learners is by teaching them and learning about teaching them on their own or through district professional development. I would suggest that this be something that teacher librarians are aware of and sensitive to and that they teach alongside the ELD teacher to learn to teach them. Teaching with the ELD teacher would allow the teacher librarian to build important rapport with these students.