Abstract
Literacy is fundamentally an act of meaning-making that requires bridging micro-level linguistic choices with macro-level text structures across genres. Current literacy policies dominated by Science of Reading (SoR) mandates often overemphasize isolated, word-level foundational skills. This narrow focus creates a one-size-fits-all model that reduces reading to the level of individual words, not appropriate for multilingual learners (MLs) who require access to dense, specialized disciplinary discourse. This article proposes an intentional, language-based literacy framework designed to build high-challenge, high-support classrooms for MLs without lowering academic expectations. Integrating genre-based pedagogy through the Teaching and Learning Cycle (TLC) with the mode continuum, the framework employs mode shunting to intentionally bridge MLs’ existing linguistic repertoires with disciplinary academic registers. The approach makes implicit lexicogrammatical choices explicit across content area genres. Finally, the article operationalizes this pedagogy by introducing practical genre-mapping tables aligned with the four WIDA Key Language Uses (Narrate, Inform, Explain, Argue), providing educators with a concrete pathway to scaffold disciplinary literacy effectively.
Recommended Citation
de Oliveira, L. C. (2026). Making the Implicit Explicit for Multilingual Learners: A Language-Based Framework for Literacy Development. Journal of English Learner Education. (19)3.
Retrieved from https://stars.library.ucf.edu/jele/vol19/iss3/1
Included in
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Language and Literacy Education Commons, Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons
Accessibility Statement
This item was created or digitized prior to April 24, 2027, or is a reproduction of legacy media created before that date. It is preserved in its original, unmodified state specifically for research, reference, or historical recordkeeping. In accordance with the ADA Title II Final Rule, the University Libraries provides accessible versions of archival materials upon request. To request an accommodation for this item, please submit an accessibility request form.
