| Nation wide studies show that the achievement gap between ELL students and other students reading scores on nationally standardized assessments is wide, typically by 20% to 40% (Menken, 2006). The Delaware State Testing Program (DSTP, 2007) data shows some similarities with this assertion. As the literature suggests, it is of the essence that the specific learning needs of ELL students be addressed together with alternative ways of assessment (Wolf, 2007; Abedi, 2002; Gilbertson & Bluck, 2006; Porter, 2000).;This study compares the scores of kindergarten ELL students in a small Delaware suburban school district to the national reading scores of non ELL students during the 2007--2008 school year. Although studies suggest that ELL students fall bellow the national average by 20% to 40%. Some studies show that early interventions are the key to decreasing this academic gap as measured by DIBELS reading scores in the small suburban Delaware school district.;Studies indicate that there is a direct correlation between teaching practices, particularly early childhood reading interventions (Porter, 2001) that ensures increased student achievement. Early interventions appear to be the key to decreasing the academic gap and attribute success to programs such as Response to Intervention (RTI). This program utilizes systematic, research based practices that scaffold learning for all students. |
