Paulo, an ELL student from Venezuela, has an Intermediate level of English and is literate in Spanish, his native language. He often struggles with reading informative texts, so when his ESL teacher assigns him a research project, he provides him with texts in Spanish. Is this an appropriate thing to do?

• A. No, never appropriate
• B. Yes, but his final presentation should be in English
• C. Yes, texts in Spanish should replace English texts entirely
• D. No, he should only read in English

Answer: (B)

Using a student’s first language to support understanding while practicing the target language is a common approach in ESL education. For Paulo, reading informative texts in Spanish helps him grasp the content and build background knowledge without getting overwhelmed by English vocabulary. At the same time, having his final presentation in English ensures he gets essential practice producing the language and meets the assignment’s goal. This balance supports both comprehension now and language development over time.

Other options are too rigid or incomplete. Reading only in English can hinder understanding for someone at an intermediate level, and replacing English texts entirely would deprive him of necessary exposure to English. The idea of never using another language ignores practical ways to scaffold learning.