How should we teach reading and writing to children who have a home language other than English?
Assuming that competent instruction is available and that children’s age and prior experience are considered, there are four options for teaching: (1) Begin with the home language, and transfer to English. This approach is a sound way of teaching literacy to young students because it builds on the language that the students use with their parents. It is consistent with the reading and writing model discussed above and it provides these students with equivalent opportunities given native English speakers — to make use of the meanings and structures of the language, as well as the relationships between oral language and its corresponding visual cues or graphic symbols. (2) Begin instruction in English with some support in the home language. In this approach, students are faced with many challenges. They will take longer to achieve literacy, because they are learning a second language and learning through the second language at the same time. (3) Begin instruction in both languages simul
