Educators taking this course will develop knowledge of the process of literacy development for second language learners and strategies to assist ELLs in the different stages of second language usage. The purpose of this course is to help future ESL teachers develop an understanding of how ELLs acquire literacy in a second language, understand the five foundational components systemic to successful reading programs (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency, and reading comprehension), implement differentiated writing instruction, and identify effective strategies and techniques to improve literacy instruction for native English speakers and ELLs in K-12.