Asset-Based Language and Literacy
The Flip-To Guide to Multilingual Learner Excellence in the Core
2nd Edition
Published on 6. May 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
408 pages
978-1-0719-5531-4 (ISBN)
Description
Ensure multilingual learners thrive in every classroom, every day.
Asset-Based Language and Literacy is the essential guide for K-12 teachers to ensure all students-including multilingual learners (MLs)-thrive with the rigorous content literacy and language demands of school. Building on the proven pedagogy and practical flip-to format of the best-selling first edition, Tonya Ward Singer offers essential updates that help educators center ML assets and deepen collaborative inquiry to ensure MLs belong and thrive in every classroom, every day.
The user-friendly flip-to format and color-coded resources help busy teachers find exactly what they need when they need it. Popular features include:
Practical strategies for scaffolding language, concepts, and academic literacy in your daily lessons
Differentiation guides for personalizing instruction to students' assets and learning priorities
Effective teaching routines to strengthen student conversations, close reading, and rigorous writing.
The Six Essentials framework to help teachers, co-teachers, and teams deepen their impact with MLs and all students.
Asset-Based Language and Literacy equips educators with confidence and tools to create high-challenge, high-support learning environments to ensure all students thrive. With a focus on practical research-based strategies, this is your go-to guide for building collective efficacy for every teacher to be an ML teacher!
Asset-Based Language and Literacy is the essential guide for K-12 teachers to ensure all students-including multilingual learners (MLs)-thrive with the rigorous content literacy and language demands of school. Building on the proven pedagogy and practical flip-to format of the best-selling first edition, Tonya Ward Singer offers essential updates that help educators center ML assets and deepen collaborative inquiry to ensure MLs belong and thrive in every classroom, every day.
The user-friendly flip-to format and color-coded resources help busy teachers find exactly what they need when they need it. Popular features include:
Practical strategies for scaffolding language, concepts, and academic literacy in your daily lessons
Differentiation guides for personalizing instruction to students' assets and learning priorities
Effective teaching routines to strengthen student conversations, close reading, and rigorous writing.
The Six Essentials framework to help teachers, co-teachers, and teams deepen their impact with MLs and all students.
Asset-Based Language and Literacy equips educators with confidence and tools to create high-challenge, high-support learning environments to ensure all students thrive. With a focus on practical research-based strategies, this is your go-to guide for building collective efficacy for every teacher to be an ML teacher!
Reviews / Votes
As an English Language Development (ELD) teacher and professor to rising ELD teachers, I found the updated edition to be extremely helpful and relevant to guiding all staff towards inclusivity when it comes to working with multilingual learners. From starting with the appropriate mindset to ensuring proper scaffolds and strategies are included, this textbook covers a plethora of topics that will be beneficial to anybody who works with Multilingual Learners. -- Sandra Cerniglia * Pennsylvania * There are lots of books with strategies and lessons, but this book really pushes the rigor and challenge, and it also shows how it can work within the framework of whatever curriculum is being used...I couldn't help taking notes on ideas I can use now! -- Karen Landress * Florida * Multilingual Learners (MLs) can be found in nearly every classroom, and therefore, there is a need for every teacher to be knowledgeable in strategies that support their academic success. This book emphasizes the fact that all, not just the language acquisition expert, must be a proficient teacher of MLs. The book contains practical, realistic, and useful advice designed to be actionable and directly applicable to teaching. Its "flip-to" organization makes it very helpful for those educators who search for strategies they can quickly apply without reading from cover to cover. -- Minnie Mize * South Carolina * Provides a grounding in language development and needs that teachers will benefit from as they work to serve all the academic and linguistic needs in the classroom. -- Jennifer Joyce * California * Overall, this is a very relevant text for all teachers due to the balance it strikes between the importance of recognizing the language assets of Multilingual Learners/English Learners (MLs/ELs), as well as navigating the complex nuances of adjusting language supports and other appropriate scaffolding in the classroom based on the needs of students in the classroom. Tonya Ward Singer comes alongside the reader with an encouraging coaching tone and suggestions for how to grow, no matter how new or experienced you are with serving MLs/ELs and their families. -- Maranda Turner * Oregon * This book is a much-needed resource to remind us of the critical work we still have to do within many educational arenas. Multilingual Learners are treasured people in our classrooms and communities and as such, now more than ever, must have equitable access to excellence within our schools. -- Joan Lachance * North Carolina * Rooted in deep experience and wisdom, Tonya Ward Singer reminds us that all strategies - whether we 'use, lose, or adapt' them - must first be built from a strong foundation of valuing our multilingual students and committing to humble reflection in our practice of serving them. -- Tricia Kelly * Rhode Island * Written in simple to understand language and with supportive charts and tables. -- Elke Schneider * South Carolina *More details
Edition
2nd Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Thousand Oaks
United States
Publishing group
SAGE Publications Inc
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Edition type
Revised edition
Dimensions
Height: 279 mm
Width: 215 mm
Weight
1134 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-0719-5531-4 (9781071955314)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Previous edition
Book
06/2018
1st Edition
Corwin Press Inc
€58.43
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
Tonya Ward Singer is the founder of Courageous Literacy LLC, an organization that helps K-12 educators advance literacy and language learning in culturally and linguistically rich schools. Teachers and administrators describe Tonya's work as groundbreaking, dynamic, practical, relevant, and impactful.
Tonya is the author of bestsellers Asset-Based Language and Literacy (2nd Edition of EL Excellence Every Day), EL Excellence Every Day, and Opening Doors to Equity. She co-authored Breaking Down the Wall and literacy curricula for international publishers. Tonya has taught across multiple grade levels and excels as an international consultant helping schools build collective efficacy of all teachers through job-embedded, impactful professional learning.
Beyond her work in schools, Tonya is a citizen historian and co-facilitator of dialogues on trauma-informed healing and racial justice.
Contact Tonya at: www.tonyasinger.com.
Tonya is the author of bestsellers Asset-Based Language and Literacy (2nd Edition of EL Excellence Every Day), EL Excellence Every Day, and Opening Doors to Equity. She co-authored Breaking Down the Wall and literacy curricula for international publishers. Tonya has taught across multiple grade levels and excels as an international consultant helping schools build collective efficacy of all teachers through job-embedded, impactful professional learning.
Beyond her work in schools, Tonya is a citizen historian and co-facilitator of dialogues on trauma-informed healing and racial justice.
Contact Tonya at: www.tonyasinger.com.
Content
SECTION I: ESSENTIALS FOR MULTILINGUAL EXCELLENCE
1. INTRODUCTION
Equal Access to Academic Excellence
Every Teacher an ML Teacher
Six Essentials for Equitable Impact
Teaching and Leading Beyond the Labels
Practical Ways to Use This Book
2. ESSENTIAL MINDSETS
Mindsets Matter
Value Multilingual Learners' Assets
Expect Excellence From Every Learner
Reflect in Inquiry About Your Impact
SECTION II: ENGAGE EVERY LEARNER
3. ENGAGE EVERY LEARNER
Defining Engagement and Active Participation
Structure Peer Conversations in Every Lesson
Practical Planning for Peer Conversations
Integrating Active Participation Strategies
3.1 Whole-Class Conversation Structures
3.2 Partner Conversation Structures
3.3 Small-Group Conversation Structures
3.4 Up and Moving Conversation Structures
3.5 Fishbowl Structure and Socratic Seminar
3.6 Observe and Listen to Conversations as Formative Data
3.7 Inquiry for Impact to Strengthen Student Conversations
3.8 Total Physical Response Strategies
3.9 Shared Reading and Annotation Strategies
3.10 Collaborate to Write (and Represent) Strategies
SECTION III: SUPPORT ACCESS TO EXCELLENCE EVERY DAY
4. SCAFFOLDING TO STUDENT ASSETS
Scaffolding through the Six Essentials
Supporting Content and the Language of Instruction
Adapting Supports to Students
Resources to Help You Plan and Adapt Supports
5. BUILD BACKGROUND AND SUPPORT ACCESS
5.1 Connect to Students' Prior Knowledge and Experiences
5.2 Build Background in Essential Concepts and Vocabulary
5.3 Value Students' Linguistic Assets in Action
5.4 Supporting Access and Active Participation of Emerging MLs
5.5 Teach Vocabulary with Direct Instruction or the Frayer Model
5.6 Use Cognates to Teach Vocabulary and Support Comprehension
5.7 Model Through Teacher Action
5.8 Model Expectations with an Exemplar
5.9 Collaborate to Contrast Exemplars
5.10 Collaborate to Evaluate an Exemplar With a Rubric
5.11 Choose Texts that Value and Mirror Students' Assets
6. SCAFFOLD LANGUAGE DURING A TASK
Anticipating the Linguistic Scaffolds Before a Lesson
Engage-Observe-Support to Adapt Linguistic Scaffolds
Differentiate Linguistic Scaffolds Along a Continuum
Tips to Be Strategic
6.1 Linguistic Frames
6.2 Word Banks
6.3 Word Bank Table
6.4 Sentence Chart
6.5 Graphic Organizers
7. TEACH LANGUAGE BEYOND A TASK
Prioritizing Language Objectives to Teach
7.1 Teach Language From Life Experience
7.2 Teach Language From a Text
7.3 Syntax (or Paragraph) Surgery
7.4 Teach Word Relationships
SECTION IV: APPLY THE ESSENTIALS TO ACADEMIC LITERACY GOALS
8. DEEPEN ACCESS TO ACADEMIC LITERACIES
Why These Priorities?
Introducing the Four-Step Routine
Inquiry for Impact Tools for Teachers, Co-Teachers and Teams
9. ANTICIPATE
What and Why?
9.1 Make Predictions
9.2 Ask Questions Before Reading
10. READ TO UNDERSTAND
What and Why?
10.1 Identify Main Ideas
10.2 Self-Monitor and Use Context Clues
10.3 Use Affixes and Roots to Figure Out Unknown Words
11. READ TO ANALYZE AND INFER 234
What and Why?
11.1 Make Claims About Texts
11.2 Justify Claims With Text Evidence and Reasoning
9.2 Ask Questions Before Reading
10. READ TO UNDERSTAND
What and Why?
10.1 Identify Main Ideas
10.2 Self-Monitor and Use Context Clues
10.3 Use Affixes and Roots to Figure Out Unknown Words
11. READ TO ANALYZE AND INFER 234
What and Why?
11.1 Make Claims About Texts
11.2 Justify Claims With Text Evidence and Reasoning
9.2 Ask Questions Before Reading
10. READ TO UNDERSTAND
What and Why?
10.1 Identify Main Ideas
10.2 Self-Monitor and Use Context Clues
10.3 Use Affixes and Roots to Figure Out Unknown Words
11. READ TO ANALYZE AND INFER 234
What and Why?
11.1 Make Claims About Texts
11.2 Justify Claims With Text Evidence and Reasoning
11.3 Make Inferences About Characters
11.4 Make and Justify Claims About Theme and Author's Message
11.5 Compare and Contrast
1. INTRODUCTION
Equal Access to Academic Excellence
Every Teacher an ML Teacher
Six Essentials for Equitable Impact
Teaching and Leading Beyond the Labels
Practical Ways to Use This Book
2. ESSENTIAL MINDSETS
Mindsets Matter
Value Multilingual Learners' Assets
Expect Excellence From Every Learner
Reflect in Inquiry About Your Impact
SECTION II: ENGAGE EVERY LEARNER
3. ENGAGE EVERY LEARNER
Defining Engagement and Active Participation
Structure Peer Conversations in Every Lesson
Practical Planning for Peer Conversations
Integrating Active Participation Strategies
3.1 Whole-Class Conversation Structures
3.2 Partner Conversation Structures
3.3 Small-Group Conversation Structures
3.4 Up and Moving Conversation Structures
3.5 Fishbowl Structure and Socratic Seminar
3.6 Observe and Listen to Conversations as Formative Data
3.7 Inquiry for Impact to Strengthen Student Conversations
3.8 Total Physical Response Strategies
3.9 Shared Reading and Annotation Strategies
3.10 Collaborate to Write (and Represent) Strategies
SECTION III: SUPPORT ACCESS TO EXCELLENCE EVERY DAY
4. SCAFFOLDING TO STUDENT ASSETS
Scaffolding through the Six Essentials
Supporting Content and the Language of Instruction
Adapting Supports to Students
Resources to Help You Plan and Adapt Supports
5. BUILD BACKGROUND AND SUPPORT ACCESS
5.1 Connect to Students' Prior Knowledge and Experiences
5.2 Build Background in Essential Concepts and Vocabulary
5.3 Value Students' Linguistic Assets in Action
5.4 Supporting Access and Active Participation of Emerging MLs
5.5 Teach Vocabulary with Direct Instruction or the Frayer Model
5.6 Use Cognates to Teach Vocabulary and Support Comprehension
5.7 Model Through Teacher Action
5.8 Model Expectations with an Exemplar
5.9 Collaborate to Contrast Exemplars
5.10 Collaborate to Evaluate an Exemplar With a Rubric
5.11 Choose Texts that Value and Mirror Students' Assets
6. SCAFFOLD LANGUAGE DURING A TASK
Anticipating the Linguistic Scaffolds Before a Lesson
Engage-Observe-Support to Adapt Linguistic Scaffolds
Differentiate Linguistic Scaffolds Along a Continuum
Tips to Be Strategic
6.1 Linguistic Frames
6.2 Word Banks
6.3 Word Bank Table
6.4 Sentence Chart
6.5 Graphic Organizers
7. TEACH LANGUAGE BEYOND A TASK
Prioritizing Language Objectives to Teach
7.1 Teach Language From Life Experience
7.2 Teach Language From a Text
7.3 Syntax (or Paragraph) Surgery
7.4 Teach Word Relationships
SECTION IV: APPLY THE ESSENTIALS TO ACADEMIC LITERACY GOALS
8. DEEPEN ACCESS TO ACADEMIC LITERACIES
Why These Priorities?
Introducing the Four-Step Routine
Inquiry for Impact Tools for Teachers, Co-Teachers and Teams
9. ANTICIPATE
What and Why?
9.1 Make Predictions
9.2 Ask Questions Before Reading
10. READ TO UNDERSTAND
What and Why?
10.1 Identify Main Ideas
10.2 Self-Monitor and Use Context Clues
10.3 Use Affixes and Roots to Figure Out Unknown Words
11. READ TO ANALYZE AND INFER 234
What and Why?
11.1 Make Claims About Texts
11.2 Justify Claims With Text Evidence and Reasoning
9.2 Ask Questions Before Reading
10. READ TO UNDERSTAND
What and Why?
10.1 Identify Main Ideas
10.2 Self-Monitor and Use Context Clues
10.3 Use Affixes and Roots to Figure Out Unknown Words
11. READ TO ANALYZE AND INFER 234
What and Why?
11.1 Make Claims About Texts
11.2 Justify Claims With Text Evidence and Reasoning
9.2 Ask Questions Before Reading
10. READ TO UNDERSTAND
What and Why?
10.1 Identify Main Ideas
10.2 Self-Monitor and Use Context Clues
10.3 Use Affixes and Roots to Figure Out Unknown Words
11. READ TO ANALYZE AND INFER 234
What and Why?
11.1 Make Claims About Texts
11.2 Justify Claims With Text Evidence and Reasoning
11.3 Make Inferences About Characters
11.4 Make and Justify Claims About Theme and Author's Message
11.5 Compare and Contrast