Our goal with this guide is to analyze the problems ELLs face and demonstrate that educators are more likely to succeed in teaching students how to read if they have "a deeper understanding of the cognitive, emotional, and cultural challenges their students are facing while trying to learn English and course content simultaneously." By providing an understanding of ELLs’ unique needs as they acquire a new language, teachers can utilize the suggested brain-aligned strategies to foster the development of successful English-language-learning readers taking them beyond World-class Instructional Design and Assessment’s (WIDA) Language Proficiency Standardsiv Level 3 (developing) and to the pathway of being a lifelong reader at level 6 (reaching) which is equivalent to a Native English speaker on grade level.