How Structured Oral Practice Accelerates Literacy for MLLs
For Multilingual Learners (MLLs), literacy growth depends on a solid foundation of oral language. Before students can read or write in English, they must understand the phonemic system, syntax, and semantics of the language itself, as well as the specific vocabulary that appears in the texts they read.
Too often, classrooms move students into reading tasks before their spoken English is strong enough to support it. The result is predictable: students struggle to decode words they can’t yet pronounce or recognize in context, and their reading growth stalls.
Language proficiency must come first.
When students can accurately hear, produce, and understand English orally, they can transfer that knowledge to reading and writing. Structured oral practice—daily, guided, and intentional—is what builds that proficiency.
In structured lessons, teachers model precise language, cue group responses, and give immediate feedback so every student participates. This systematic rehearsal builds phonologic representation skills, vocabulary, and syntax — the very pre-skills necessary for strong literacy growth.
As multilingual learners strengthen their receptive and expressive language, their confidence grows, enabling them to participate in content-area activities more readily.
If the goal is literacy acceleration for Multilingual Language Learners, Direct Instruction Spoken English (DISE) addresses the root: language. DISE develops expressive language fluency as well as receptive skills through explicit modeling, active student engagement, and choral responses through a fully scripted, mastery-based progression that provides MLLs the listening and speaking skills they need to become confident readers.
Click here to learn how Direct Instruction Spoken English helps MLLs build the oral language skills that make reading and writing flourish!
Want to see how DISE can strengthen your MLL programming?
If you’d like to see what DISE could look like at your school, click here to schedule a free consultation and learn how DISE accelerates English acquisition.
Let’s make English language instruction more efficient, equitable, and effective for the students who need it most.
You can also view sample lessons, placement tests, and other resources on our website.
