Correct Response: B. Option B is correct because the approach builds on the student's knowledge of reading in the home language, which can accelerate the student's progress in learning to read in English. The approach also includes explicit instruction in letter-sound relationships for English vowels, which are the phonemes most likely to differ between two languages that share the same alphabet. Introducing English vowel patterns and pronunciations by teaching common English syllable types is a systematic, explicit approach that aligns with evidence-based instructional practices for both English learners and students whose home language is English. Option A is incorrect because the student already has grade-level reading skills in an alphabetic language, which suggests that the student has developed insight into the alphabetic principle. Option C is incorrect because, at the third-grade reading level, the student will already be able to decode words in the home language, a skill that can transfer between alphabetic languages. Option D is incorrect, not only because this approach to word-identification is ineffective for promoting accurate decoding, but also because an entering-level English learner would not yet have the language skills to use context as a word-identification strategy in an English-language text.
