Teaching Your ELLs: Cognates and Beginning Phonics

As we discussed last week, it is not necessary to know how to speak a second (or third!) language to teach English Language Learners (ELLs). Using 'best practices' of teaching will help you guide your young learners. For many of these ideas, please see last week's post. 

Another concept for you to consider is that of cognates. This is the term we use for words that are used in two or more languages and have the same root language. For example, English and Spanish are both descended from Latin. This means there are many words that are similar. Because pronunciation is different, these words can and do often sound a bit different, but many have enough similarities that children (and families) may feel comfortable seeing the labels in your classroom.

This is an important consideration as you prepare your classrooms or daycare centers for the next school year.  We use these labels to increase awareness of print and to help children begin to associate letters and sounds. When we add Spanish labels, too, this will help all children see the likenesses in the languages. 

This also adds to the sound/symbol awareness and growth for children who are in the emergent stages of literacy. When children speak Spanish and see the Spanish word as a label, they can begin to associate letters with a sound. This helps teach the principle of sound/symbol association. This is a necessary literacy skill. 

It is also a good model for families. When you invite these important adults into your room and they see these labels, they can then be encouraged to label key places and items in their own homes. Additionally, it models to families that using their home language is important and necessary in literacy instruction. You can show families that saying words, in any language, and pointing to the letters, helps children develop sound/symbol relationships. 

So - look at lists of cognates to see if any are helpful to you. But don't stop there. Use the languages spoken by children in your care. Find the terms that your need to label the areas of your room. These are readily available on many Internet sites.  Use these words to not only help your ELLs but all children. English speakers will develop an understanding and appreciation for other languages! Everyone wins! 

Standards Alignment:
NAEYC - 2.D.01 & 03.
Head Start - VIII.A. & B.