Increase multilingual learners’ success in STEM by taking a language-based approach. Assist multilingual learners to deconstruct and unpack dense scientific sentences as “STEM Sentence Detectives.”

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn: 1. to select juicy sentences in scientific texts that will be challenging for multilingual learners; 2. to “unpack” the meaning of each sentence chunk to point out which elements of each chunk in the sentence are helpful in illuminating the meaning; and 3. several reading strategies that support multilinguals’ understanding of scientistic text.

SPEAKERS:
Maria Cieslak (Center for Applied Linguistics: Washington, DC)

Discover accessible three-dimensional–aligned instruction and instructional strategies that are beneficial for diverse student groups, including English learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover the successes and challenges in a three-dimensional science classroom; 2. Instructional strategies to integrate the disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts that are beneficial for all students; and 3. Strategies that can immediately be implemented into a three-dimensional learning experience.

SPEAKERS:
Amanda Salak (Bryan Middle School: Omaha, NE)

The provided language supports will create a dialogic space for all students, including Emergent Multilingual Learners, to engage in argument-driven inquiry and scientific sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Overall, the presentation will promote equitable participation in classroom argumentation of Emergent Multilingual Learners and other underrepresented students; 2. Attendees will be provided a lesson that sparks collaborative inquiry, argumentation, and sensemaking on a socioscientific issue; and 3. Instructional strategies will also be provided to ensure the lesson is implemented in a discourse-rich environment.

SPEAKERS:
Alicia Herrera, Ph.D. (Whitney Elementary School: No City, No State), Julie Avila (John C. Fremont Middle School: Las Vegas, NV)