Oral Participation in Shared Reading and Writing By Limited English Proficient Students in a Multiethnic Class Setting

Meeting the educational needs of students with limited English proficiency is a challenge that is changing and will continue to change the direction of educational programs. There has been a huge influx of limited English proficient (LEP) students across all geographic regions of the United States (United States Department of Education, 1992). Of the 25 largest school districts in the country, 23 have a majority of minority students (Multicultural Education Review Task Force, 1991). The impact of this increase in LEP students has resulted in individual states and school districts examining their resources, priorities, and curricula to meet their needs