Article Joel Mobley, Graduate Student, Department of Early Childhood through Secondary Education, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA; email jmobley6@my.westga.edu. Dr. Natasha Ramsay-Jordan, Assistant Professor, Department of Early Childhood through Secondary Education, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA; email nrjordan@westga.edu. Highlighting Supportive Reading Comprehension Practices for English Language Learners in Virtual Classrooms GATESOL Journal 2022, Vol. 32(1), pp. 60–70 doi:10.52242/gatesol.124 ISSN: 2331-6845 Joel Mobley University of West Georgia Natasha Ramsay-Jordan University of West Georgia Abstract COVID-19 has, at least temporarily, reshaped the teaching and learning environment. Virtual learning classrooms have replaced physical classrooms and require teachers to think of new and creative ways to keep students motivated to learn. Understandably, these thoughts for creative teaching strategies are critical when considering changing demographics in student populations and existing linguistic barriers more commonly found in English language learners (ELLs). To this end, the purpose of this paper is to discuss how within the virtual learning environment, meaningful interactions, student motivation to learn, vocabulary instruction, the partnership model, and graphic organizers remain important factors impacting ELLs’ reading comprehension. The paper culminates with implications for the professional development of teachers and school administration. Keywords support strategies, virtual learning, English language learners Introduction Many educators are finding themselves in unfamiliar circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The unprecedented new social distancing practices and other preventive measures have presented many challenges for K–12 teachers, students, and parents. Particularly for English language learners (ELLs), the separation from native English-speaking students has impacted opportunities to improve reading comprehension. Virtual environments often limit opportunities for more positive support networks that ELLs might otherwise find in traditional school settings (Moser et al., 2021). Given the importance of reading comprehension for overall academic success, there is an increasing need to understand separation from peers as an important factor contributing to ELLs’ reading comprehension (Zhang, 2017). A clear understanding of the nature of this shift can inform future virtual teaching and learning. This paper reviews the importance of and calls attention to how meaningful interactions, student motivation to learn, vocabulary instruction, the partnership model, and graphic organizers all have positive learning outcomes for the reading comprehension of ELLs. Moreover, while many teachers will likely continue to use strategies from mailto:jmobley6@my.westga.edu mailto:nrjordan@westga.edu Mobley & Ramsay-Jordan 61 pre-COVID traditional face-to-face classrooms, more discussions about the benefits of the utility of these strategies in a virtual classroom setting are needed. Reading comprehension can be thought of as the product of decoding words and linguistic comprehension to make connections to what is read and already known (Goldenberg, 2013). For many ELLs, a highly caring or well-organized classroom inclusive of social interactions with their English-speaking counterparts assists with making important connections necessary for academic success (Banse & Palacios, 2018; Cummins et al., 2012). According to Banse and Palacios (2018), highly caring classrooms where students feel safe to interact with nonimmigrant students provide a context that specifically bolsters ELLs’ motivation to learn and their English language arts (ELA) achievement. For example, a highly caring teacher may encourage ELLs to collaborate with English-speaking peers to advance their learning during ELA and reading comprehension assessments, resulting in higher performance. Similarly, a teacher with a well-controlled classroom may provide ELLs with the time and space they need to connect with other students in the classroom to learn ELA content deeply, creating a context in which ELL students can thrive. Indeed, many of the reading comprehension challenges for ELLs have been exacerbated by the virtual classroom and the limited access to English speakers. Before the pandemic, research over the past 10–15 years converged on some basic understandings about reading comprehension struggles for ELLs. These reading comprehension obstacles for ELLs often included problems with academic language skills (e.g., academic vocabulary, morphology, syntax) needed to understand complex texts across content areas in school (Goldenberg, 2013) and literacy skills (Proctor et al., 2020). Unsurprisingly, for some ELLs, combating these reading comprehension obstacles involves meaningful interactions with English-speaking students. However, with school closings and virtual classrooms, many ELLs find themselves isolated from their peers and teachers, which presents limited opportunities for peer-mediated approaches to learning. Even as schools reopen, virtual learning remains a dominant mode of instruction in many schools, with some school districts conducting alternative instructional schedules, such as alternating days of face-to-face and virtual learning (McCray & Tagami, 2021). This change in the traditional classroom setting has made it more challenging for students to stay engaged in academic tasks. Thus, teachers must be creative to engage students in the virtual classroom. As a teacher of ELLs, the first author has engaged in discussions with other teachers of ELLs who talk about the significant challenges the online environment has posed in keeping their students motivated than would be the case with in-person classes. In the first author’s discussions with many teachers, it is clear that the struggle to get consistent engagement has become exhausting, and students are virtually fatigued. In addition to lack of engagement, many ELLs face technological barriers to learning in virtual settings (e.g., lack of access to technology such as laptops, software, or high-speed Internet). To help combat technology barriers, many districts, including the district the first author serves, have provided Chromebooks and partnered with Internet service providers to ensure each student has the basics. Still, students may not be tech-literate in many cases, which has created an added dimension of instruction for which teachers are now responsible. These compounding difficulties and challenges have contributed to a loss of direct instruction on reading comprehension that these students would have gotten in the traditional education setting. When the fatigue from virtual instruction is coupled with learning a new language, learning for ELLs is compromised. The change in modality also adds cognitive and emotional adjustment, inclusive of feelings of anxiety for far too many ELLs (Moser et al., 2021), so separation remains a concern. 62 GATESOL Journal 32(1) Understandably, social interactions with peers remain significant to students’ teaching and learning process (Cho et al., 2018), further amplifying the problematic nature of virtual learning. For ELLs, who benefit from interactions with native-English-speaking students, isolation could mean an impediment to their success (Daniel et al., 2016). Teacher recognition of ELLs’ language needs and exceptionalities is important given such awareness is key to providing supports to ELLs. Understandably, ELLs with learning disabilities or different exceptionality categories will need additional aid in mastering reading comprehension and understanding (O’Connor et al., 2017). What follows is a brief discussion about what teachers in virtual classrooms could do to address the needs of ELLs. Specific strategies to bring about positive teacher-student relationships for student motivation and vocabulary development are discussed. The use of graphic organizers, students’ prior knowledge, and other strategies are also highlighted. The first author, a secondary educator, used these strategies in his classroom as effective ways of teaching and learning with ELL. These strategies should not be exclusive to teachers of ELLs but rather a routine practice among general education teachers. Importance of Student Motivation During Virtual Instruction Student motivation is a significant part of student learning experiences (Bagceci & Cinkara, 2013). The academic journey and potential accomplishments for students motivated to learn are more accessible and rewarding (Hwang & Duke, 2020). In fact, motivation for many students is a cornerstone of learning many of the valuable skills and strategies that will empower them academically. In terms of ELLs, motivation to learn is a critical part of working toward reading comprehension. Like most other learners, ELLs with higher intrinsic and extrinsic motivation levels are more aware of and more willing to try reading comprehension strategies that they are taught. Because many of these reading strategies might include questioning to dig deeper or making inferences, motivational factors play an essential role in a student’s language learning process, both qualitatively and quantitatively (Pavel, 2020). Without motivation, students are less likely to see gains in language and academic achievement, making them less likely to improve their reading comprehension. Teacher practices for improving student motivation for learning can include positive self-talk and creating a positive online environment (Jozwik et al., 2019). For ELLs, such teaching practices can increase academic performance in reading comprehension (Bagceci & Cinkara, 2013). Improving student motivation hinges on teachers’ ability to understand and build relationships with their students (Pavel, 2020). Improving bilingual students’ motivation can include emphasizing positive self-talk. Positive self-talk can be done simply by scripting modeling of positive self-talk in the lesson plan, such as “I can” statements (Jozwik et al., 2019). Script talk inclusive of positive affirmations during virtual learning can change the way students view their progress and their ability to perform (Andrade, 2014). Additionally, teachers should regularly encourage students to speak positively about their skills and ability to learn new material (Pavel, 2020). Students may easily feel overwhelmed and depressed in a virtual learning environment (O’Connor et al., 2017), but teachers encouraging their students to speak positive affirmations can improve their results. Many school districts have implemented mandatory social-emotional learning (SEL) instruction as a mandatory part of students’ daily routine. This mandatory SEL instruction is an excellent time for teachers to model and require students to engage in positive affirmations. The first author conducts SEL instruction during the first 10 minutes of each class. There are synchronous virtual instructions via Zoom Mondays through Thursdays. Part of the SEL curriculum teaches students through scenarios and discussions about overcoming difficult Mobley & Ramsay-Jordan 63 situations while working in an environment with positive affirmations. These discussions happen through students using their microphones and through chat messages. The first author wants his students to operate in the growth mindset that “I can learn,” “I will learn,” and “I can do hard things.” So as their classroom teacher, he models these positive affirmations in Zoom sessions. One of his favorite ways to engage students in these positive discussions is through an activity he calls “What I Now Know and Can Do.” Using the current pandemic and the many changes and adaptations to education, he shares with students what he now knows because of the pandemic. That is, he intentionally focuses on the positives the pandemic has brought to education. He then asks students what they have learned considering the pandemic. This focus on advancements usually generates exciting discussions because students feel empowered by their new knowledge and experiences. One method that has motivated and kept students interested in learning the content in the first author’s virtual classroom is creating a positive online learning environment through rich discussions. To promote an open, supportive, and respectful online environment beyond the required discussion board, the first author creates a discussion area in the online platform where all students can introduce themselves and post their questions throughout the semester. Both students and the first author post replies and answers to the discussion board. This engagement in discussion provides a context reminiscent of the question-and-answer sessions that occur naturally in traditional face-to-face classrooms. Like face-to-face instruction, building positive relationships with students helps keep them excited and motivated to learn. Particularly in the online classroom, the first author has found maintaining a positive learning environment lets students know their teacher cares. For his ELLs, getting to know each of them individually through introductory posts and continuous discussions helps the first author identify ways to assist his ELLs and keep them motivated to learn. Typically, the first author assigns students to smaller breakout groups within the virtual classroom and poses questions. The questions are designed to get to know the students and include questions about their academic and personal interests, including the day and month of their birth, favorite foods, music, and dance, to name a few examples. As the classroom teacher, the first author seeks opportunities to learn about his students’ interests outside of school and acknowledge their perspectives about various educational, social, and political topics. The first author uses students’ contributions to fuel student-to-student, student-to-teacher, and teacher-to-student dialogue and is deliberate in remembering students’ responses so that he can follow up with students later. This strategy of building student motivation through establishing positive teacher- student relationships has helped the first author in his virtual classroom by showing students he cares about them as individuals. For the first author, building relationships with students is the easiest way to create a positive learning environment. He has found it is much easier to get students to work hard when there is a positive teacher-student relationship. Engaging in conversations relevant to students is a strategy that builds a nurturing environment, improves students’ motivation, and invites future participation from ELLs (Pavel, 2020). The importance of motivation cannot be overstated, and for teachers of ELLs, finding ways to spark learning is a critical part of working toward reading comprehension (Pavel, 2020). Finding ways to support, motivate, and engage ELLs through reading comprehension strategies—including linguistic diversity, vocabulary instruction, partner discussion, and graphic organizers—remains vital (Mancilla-Martinez et al., 2020). What follows are brief discussions about how vocabulary instruction, partner discussion, and graphic organizers work to improve the reading comprehension of ELLs. For each section, strategies from the first author’s classroom are shared. 64 GATESOL Journal 32(1) Vocabulary Instruction to Support ELLs When the goal is to improve ELLs’ reading comprehension, vocabulary development is a foundational skill (Taboada & Rutherford, 2011). Vocabulary instruction is essential for all students to improve their reading comprehension ability (Mancilla-Martinez et al., 2020). However, the long-term strategy of developing students’ reading comprehension through conceptual knowledge of academic vocabulary is especially advantageous for ELLs (Taboada & Rutherford, 2011). Thus, teachers who incorporate vocabulary into their academic instruction support ELLs in remarkable ways. Far too many ELLs continue to lag in their language and vocabulary skills and acquisition (Sorenson Duncan et al., 2021). Students beginning the year with low English-word-reading skills are at a disadvantage when asked to read for understanding (Mancilla-Martinez et al., 2020). Therefore, these students will need additional instruction in vocabulary and word reading skills for reading comprehension. Teachers of ELL students need to ensure that students understand the vocabulary used in their assigned texts. All students need explicit vocabulary instruction, but the practice remains a highly beneficial strategy for ELLs (Taboada & Rutherford, 2011). Many researchers have acknowledged all aspects of ELL instruction should include intensive vocabulary instruction (Hall et al., 2019). Fortunately, there are many online resources students and teachers can access to help develop academic vocabulary and ultimately reading comprehension for ELLs. In many school districts, programs such as Lexia® Core5® Reading (henceforth referred to as Lexia) have been purchased to assist teachers in the teaching and learning of ELLs. Lexia is a program used as a supplemental learning tool in the first author’s school district. Using Lexia, teachers assign students pretests, and the Lexia program in turn creates an individualized learning plan with modules for each student to work through individually. Lexia then provides teacher feedback and accompanying lesson options based on students’ performance on topics or units. Using programs like Lexia, teachers can assign homework to help ELLs develop their vocabulary. Expectedly, these programs should not be used as a replacement for explicit instruction by the teacher (Sorenson Duncan et al., 2021). The first author often uses data generated by Lexia to drive his instruction and meet the needs of students. More specifically, the data assist teachers with assigning homework that targets students’ areas for improvement and delivering one to two lessons weekly. Thus, as a supplement, programs such as Lexia, in addition to the detailed instruction teachers provide, remain beneficial for the improved reading comprehension of ELL students who receive language instruction and support. The use of visuals to support instruction is a valuable strategy the first author uses with ELLs. Presentation tools like Google Slides, Nearpod, or Pear Deck can be used to display vocabulary words with a corresponding image. Presentation tools like these help teachers keep students engaged in learning. Google Slides makes it simple for teachers to create interactive presentations with easily shared information with students. Nearpod allows teachers to solicit students’ responses to open-ended questions where students can type or draw their responses. Nearpod also allows students to work independently or collaboratively by bringing all the students together in one classroom yet affording each student their personal space where the teacher can give them personalized feedback. Nearpod also allows for peer review of student responses because students can see each other’s work. As for Pear Deck, it is a fast way to transform presentations into classroom conversations. The first author typically asks students to copy definitions and draw accompanying pictures based on the vocabulary words during classroom instruction. He also uses Pear Deck to leave audio instructions, descriptions, and examples of the vocabulary for students to hear while working on the prompts for assignments. The Pear Deck Flashcard Factory helps students design and draw their vocabulary word images, which assist with Mobley & Ramsay-Jordan 65 reading comprehension. The first author has found the Flashcard Factory to be transformative for how ELLs in his classroom engage with vocabulary. Flashcard Factory allows the first author to pair ELLs with native-English-speaking peers. Together, students work to create dynamic and engaging flashcards. By pairing students to collaborate, students can illustrate and define terms. This think-pair-share approach that the Flashcard Factory offers helps make learning vocabulary for ELLs an active and social experience. The Pear Deck Flashcard Factory strategy has helped the first author’s students retain the vocabulary learned by creating a visual connection with the terminology and building on prior knowledge. The use of the Pear Deck Flashcard Factory adds to the general understanding that although the words might change between two languages, the images do not. The Partner Discussion Model to Support ELLs Unfortunately, one of the most significant disadvantages to virtual instruction is the lack of regular interactions students have with peers. With the COVID-19 pandemic, many ELLs are not receiving essential social interactions they usually get from their peers, leading to continuous loss of opportunities to improve their reading comprehension and language skills. In many ways, peer interaction helps to improve ELLs’ reading comprehension and other supports in the classroom (Zano, 2020). For example, when readings of texts become complicated for ELLs to understand, the oral language or readings from their English-speaking peers could prove helpful (Sorenson Duncan et al., 2021). In a traditional classroom, these peer-to-peer interactions could be seamless, affording ELLs with opportunities to gain understanding from their peers in face-to-face interactions that might otherwise be challenging in a somewhat isolated environment such as the virtual classroom (Mancilla-Martinez et al., 2020). Fortunately, there are ways for teachers to help improve this missing aspect from the online environment. Like previously mentioned approaches to motivating ELLs through discussion, the first author has found that using an instructional tool like Flipgrid has worked well to garner partner discussions. Flipgrid can be used to have students post a video response to a prompt like a discussion board. Instead of the traditional discussion boards where students use text to respond to classroom discussions, students use Flipgrid to create short video responses. The short video responses from students can be a response to an original question or a response to classmates. Within their responses, students can ask clarifying questions and share their understanding of the reading. For ELLs, the Flipgrid interaction could serve two purposes. The first is ELLs learn from other students as they discuss the course content. Second, ELLs get additional practice speaking and listening to English in the academic environment. This strategy fosters participation and enhances the quality and depth of overall discussion (Zano, 2020). Another effective strategy teachers could utilize in virtual classrooms is breakout groups. Like traditional classroom settings, where students work together in groups, which often help ELLs understand assigned reading materials (Mancilla-Martinez et al., 2020), online software such as Zoom and other video conferencing applications typically allow teachers to create breakout groups. Thus, teachers in virtual classrooms can assign students to small workgroups, much like they would in a classroom environment and allow students to collaborate with their peers. Breakout rooms can be created for any part of a lesson. The first author typically has preassigned groups for initial group discussions to help students scaffold the text and flesh out the expectations of assignments and randomized groups for a post-reading activity. The breakout groups for initial discussions are based on students’ reading comprehension abilities. Students are often grouped in mixed ability pairings of three to four students, which has worked well in the first author’s 66 GATESOL Journal 32(1) classroom. After the initial discussions, students return to whole-class discussions to share out. Afterward, a randomized breakout group is formed for a post-activity discussion. Students are given discussion questions as a guide during the randomized breakout room sessions for the post- reading activity. The randomized breakout room usually affords students opportunities to reflect on the lesson and make connections. Although not the traditional way of interacting with their peers, virtual small groups can help ELLs connect to assigned readings and their peers in personable ways while building on reading comprehension. Notably, small group settings could work for any subject. So, for example, after reading a classroom assignment or course text, teachers could use the partner discussion model, in which students in the class discuss and check for reading comprehension with a partner. ELLs are sometimes hesitant to speak in a whole-class setting but are more willing to talk with a partner (Carrison & Ernst-Slavit, 2005). Working with a partner in analyzing the text allows ELLs to gain confidence in speaking about texts and can motivate them to make connections and share compelling information (Zano, 2020). ELLs’ connection to assigned readings could assist with their reading comprehension and sharing during discussions. This approach is relatively easy to implement in the virtual classroom (Carrison & Ernst-Slavit, 2005). Small groups afford ELLs opportunities to build relationships with their peers and acquire language skills they might not feel comfortable doing in a whole class setting (Cho et al., 2018). Teachers should recognize ELLs can build their reading comprehension skills and learn as much, if not more, from their peers as they can from their instructors (Sorenson Duncan et al., 2021). When teachers provide all students with open-ended questions and conversation starters, ELLs in small groups with English speakers can better read, comprehend, and discuss assignments. One advantage of the small group setting with discussion questions is other students help to facilitate language acquisition and vocabulary development, which can improve ELLs’ reading comprehension (Mancilla-Martinez et al., 2020). This partner discussion model, which is vital to reading comprehension in the traditional classroom experience, is crucial during the recent virtual learning experience. Graphic Organizers to Support ELLs Fortunately, like the partner discussion model, graphic organizers work well to improve the reading comprehension of ELLs both in traditional and online classrooms (Acosta, 2019). Graphic organizers can work in multiple ways to improve the reading comprehension of ELLs. For example, graphic organizers can help students to identify relationships and make connections for reading comprehension. For ELLs in particular, graphic organizers can promote their strategic reading, improve their ability to classify the content of a passage, help them locate supporting information, and enhance their ability to gain meaning or comprehend text (Praveen & Rajan, 2013). Educators of ELLs can also utilize graphic organizers as an informal assessment tool to see what information their ELLs are pulling from the text (Zano, 2020). Many teachers already use graphic organizers as part of their instructional practices. Graphic organizers offer visuals for students to help build relationships and understanding of content. One such graphic organizer the first author often uses is a What I Know, What I Want to Know, and What I Learned (KWL) chart. KWL charts work well both in traditional and online classrooms. In the online classroom, KWL charts are particularly effective for ELLs to help them access prior knowledge and summarize their learning. Teachers could ask ELLs to use Google documents to create KWL templates both individually and collaboratively for virtual teaching and learning. Students could also be supported in creating a KWL template suitable for reading and Mobley & Ramsay-Jordan 67 vocabulary content. Using the KWL chart ELLs create, teachers can engage them in learning, reviewing lessons, or help guide and support ELL students’ reading comprehension. Teachers can also create a Google Jamboard in the virtual environment where all the students collaborate to fill out the graphic organizer or chart. When using Jamboard to create graphic organizers, it is helpful to upload a picture of the graphic organizer as a background, ensuring that students cannot change or edit the graphic organizer. Teachers should encourage students to write or type information onto the graphic organizer. The first author has found that by keeping the original picture of the graphic organizer intact, students can compare and share their interpretation and comprehension of the lesson. This process of using the Jamboard is like how one uses a whiteboard or chart paper in a traditional face-to-face classroom. It allows students to work together to generate ideas. Canva is another tool the first author uses. Teachers can use Canva to create graphic organizers in the virtual classroom. Teaching and learning with Canva are done in real-time with students. Teachers can use Canva to create interactive presentations that invite students to add to the lessons individually or as a group. Students can ask questions, leave feedback, and get support from other students. Teachers and students can also add visual content to questions and answers during lessons. Canva also allows teachers to access and use an array of content-specific templates. Teachers can scaffold the work into chunks based on the content and provide students with specific tools with the content-specific templates. The first author specifically uses Canva for scaffolding activities with students. For ELLs’ reading comprehension, teachers could use Canva templates to scaffold lesson activities that include a scaffolding session during the initial discussions and breakout rooms. As teachers meet with each breakout group, they can preview the text and highlight key vocabulary terms or encourage students to chunk the text then read and discuss. Scaffolding is a support teachers provide students as they work toward an understanding of a concept. In the first author’s classroom, scaffolding works particularly well for ELLs paired with native-English-speaking peers and when the pairs are based on mixed ability. The first author has found mixed-ability pairings work best when pairing a high-performing student with a medium-high-performing student or a low-performing student with a low-medium-performing student. Understandably, when pairing students with significantly different skill sets, students may become frustrated. However, this frustration can be productive perseverance when conducted in highly caring classrooms (Banse & Palacios, 2018). Graphic organizers, pictures, and charts can all serve as scaffolding tools. The first author has found scaffolding lessons for use with graphic organizers remain a valuable strategy for helping to improve ELLs’ reading comprehension because it supports students working collaboratively with their native-English-speaking peers to generate ideas and concepts. Graphic organizers are an excellent way for students to visualize the text and read the pictures in the organizer so teachers can see where there is a lack of comprehension (Acosta, 2019). Even more, graphic organizers can be a great informal assessment tool to inform what vocabulary or background knowledge teachers may need to address and allow for the educator to understand where ELLs’ reading comprehension might require support. Teachers engaging with teaching and learning within the virtual classroom can use graphic organizers in multiple ways (Zano, 2020). They can require students to complete graphic organizers as homework on specific text materials to gauge ELLs’ reading comprehension. Additionally, teachers could assign the completion of graphic organizers to students as small group work. Working in small groups could help ELLs interact and learn from their peers (Praveen & Rajan, 2013). Gaining confidence from contributing 68 GATESOL Journal 32(1) to their groups and receiving positive feedback from teachers could create a positive learning environment for ELLs and increase their motivation (Cho et al., 2018). Conclusion As educators around the country grapple with the new realities of educating students during a global pandemic, the complexities and stakes are most pronounced with our most at-risk student populations, such as ELLs. These new realities present clear imperatives for the professional development of teachers and school administrators. First, professional development to assist teachers in supporting ELLs’ diverse learning styles and levels in an online learning environment is needed. Understandably, ELLs have varying amounts of prior knowledge of academic, technology, and reading skills. The range of prior knowledge could be underdeveloped or nonexistent depending on students’ personal history (Cho et al., 2018). The variation in ELLs’ knowledge, coupled with the unforeseen challenges of a pandemic and the move to virtual learning environments, has undoubtedly caused some of these students not to progress as much as they would have during traditional in-person instruction (Daniel et al., 2016). Second, with the understanding ELLs come from various backgrounds that have influenced their reading, vocabulary, and language development, all of which affect their reading comprehension abilities (Mancilla-Martinez et al., 2020), school administrators will need to invest in the purchase of software that could assist with the complexities of virtual learning experiences for ELLs. There remains a challenge of verbal comprehension in the virtual environment in which many ELLs find themselves. This challenge in verbal comprehension is even more problematic for school districts that rely on live or recorded video instruction formats that place a high degree of importance on oral comprehension. This heavy reliance on oral comprehension in the virtual environment creates disadvantages for ELLs who may have less-developed verbal comprehension skills, which is also linked to reading comprehension (Sorenson Duncan et al., 2021). This conundrum about verbal language versus text highlights the need to learn more about how the COVID-19 pandemic and virtual learning have impacted ELLs’ education. Third, when teachers use multiple methods to teach ELLs, many students’ reading comprehension skills increase (Acosta, 2019). Multiple methods inclusive of cognitive and practical skills (Barber et al., 2015) afford teachers of ELLs with opportunities to enhance reading comprehension. Teachers’ use of multiple evidence-based strategies to improve ELLs’ reading comprehension should involve strategies that address skill acquisition and language development (Acosta, 2019). For example, teachers could couple the partnership model inclusive of peer grouping and graphic organizers along with vocabulary instruction techniques to improve ELLs’ reading comprehension. The more tools ELLs must use, the better their chances are for improving reading comprehension. More so, the utility of multiple teaching strategies could help teachers manage the needs of ELLs (Galloway & Uccelli, 2019). This awareness is crucial to improving students’ development of other skills—enabling ELLs to improve reading comprehension and language acquisition. References Acosta, K. (2019). The reading comprehension strategies of second language learners: A Spanish- English study. 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Supporting English language learners in social studies: Language-focused strategies. Social Studies, 108(5), 204–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/00377996.2017. 1354808 ____________________________________________________________________________ Received: February 21, 2021 | Accepted: August 3, 2021 | Published: April 18, 2022 https://bit.ly/3w7CPbN https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102431 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102431 https://doi.org/10.1177/0731948717698537 https://doi.org/10.1177/0731948717698537 https://doi.org/10.26424/philobib.2019.25.1.08 https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n2p155 https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.258 https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000545 https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711003604468 https://doi.org/10.1080/00377996.2017.1354808 https://doi.org/10.1080/00377996.2017.1354808 GATESOL Journal2022, Vol. 32(1), pp. 60–70 Highlighting Supportive Reading Comprehension Practices for English Language Learners in Virtual Classrooms doi:10.52242/gatesol.124 ISSN: 2331-6845