Pedagogical strategies for teaching literacy to ESL immigrant students: A meta-analysis

Background. Many countries rely on immigrants for population growth and to maintain a skilled workforce. However, many such immigrants face literacy-related barriers to success in education and in the labour force. Aims. This meta-analysis reviews experimental and quasi-experimental studies to examine strategies for teaching English literacy to immigrant students. Method. Following an exhaustive and systematic search for studies meeting predetermined inclusion criteria, two researchers independently extracted data from 26 English as a Second Language (ESL) studies involving 3,150 participants. These participants consisted of ESL immigrant students in kindergarten through grade 6 who were exposed to English literacy instructional interventions. Measured outcomes were reading and writing. Results and Conclusions. Mean effect sizes vary from small to large, depending on instructional interventions and outcome constructs. Across several different grade levels, settings, and methodological features, pedagogical strategies used in teaching ESL to immigrant students are associated with increased competence in reading and writing. Collaborative reading interventions, in which peers engage in oral interaction and cooperatively negotiate meaning and a shared understanding of texts, produced larger effects than systematic phonics instruction and multimedia-assisted reading interventions. The results show that the pedagogical strategies examined in this meta-analysis produced statistically significant benefits for students in all grade levels. The findings also show that students from low socio-economic status (SES) background benefit from ESL literacy interventions. However, significant heterogeneity was found in each subset. Educators and policy makers are encouraged to consider specific school contexts when making decisions about optimal pedagogical strategies. It is possible that contextual factors as well as ESL learner characteristics may influence the effectiveness of these strategies. To ensure literacy acquisition for immigrant students whose primary language is not English, it is important to continue to research successful literacy practices in ways that better inform educators and policy makers.