Which instructional activity best helps ELLs build background knowledge before reading about westward expansion?

Presenting a slide show of critical events is an effective instructional activity for helping English Language Learners (ELLs) build background knowledge before reading about westward expansion. This approach allows for the integration of visual aids and contextual information, which is particularly important for ELLs who may struggle with language comprehension. The use of images, maps, and videos can enhance understanding by providing visual context to the historical events being discussed, making the information more relatable and easier to grasp.

Additionally, a slide show can be structured to highlight key concepts and connect them to the students' prior knowledge, facilitating connections between new information and what they already know. This multimodal approach has been shown to enhance comprehension and retention while accommodating diverse learning styles often present in ELL classrooms.

In contrast, providing several text passages might overwhelm ELLs who are still developing their reading proficiency, as they may struggle to keep up with the reading or understand complex texts. Conducting a quiz on prior knowledge assumes students have adequate background knowledge to assess, which might not be the case for ELLs who are still learning about the topic. Forming small reading groups can be beneficial for peer support, but without building background knowledge first, the discussions may lack depth and understanding. Therefore, the