Archive: Book Beat Live! Supporting Emergent Multilingual Learners in Science, February 16, 2022

While experts in teaching science, teachers often feel less prepared supporting Emerging Multilinguals (EMs) in their classrooms. To successfully participate in science, teachers must engage learners in conceptually rich content while simultaneously scaffolding the language of the discipline. Meaning making in the science classroom involves multimodal communication.

In this web seminar Molly Weinburgh, Kathy Horak-Smith, and Cecilia Silva, authors of Supporting Emergent Multilingual Learners in Science, will share their experiences in the development of the 5R Instructional Model:  Replace, Reveal, Repeat, Reposition, and Reload. The model emerged as a response to the need to scaffold authentic multimodal language learning opportunities in the inquiry classroom. While developing the instructional framework, the authors drew from their teaching and research backgrounds in science (Molly), mathematics (Kathy), and language (Cecilia) as they worked with students and engaged in hours of classroom observations.

Specific questions and areas of discussion will include:

  • What are the multimodal dimensions of the language of science? Communication in science involves more than the linguistic features of academic language. The authors discuss and provide examples of how meaning-making in science involves a unique hybrid language that also integrates mathematical expressions, visual representations, and manual technical operations.
  • What are the elements of the 5R Instructional Model? The authors present the 5R Instructional Model to scaffold multimodality in support of conceptual development and communication. The model is nonlinear and interweaves five scaffolding features: reveal, replace, repeat, reposition, and reload. They highlight examples within science inquiry lessons.

All individuals receive a certificate of participation and 100 NSTA activity points for attending the live seminar and completing the end-of-program survey. A certificate of participation is not awarded for watching the recorded version of the program.

We invite you to register for upcoming web seminars at NSTA.

View the Archive Video

To view the presentation slides from the web seminar and related resources, visit the resource collection. Continue discussing this topic in the community forums.

Below are comments from individuals who attended the seminar:

  • "I enjoyed the fact that we learned pedagogical ideas and saw actual classroom examples."
  • "I liked how it was focused on specific EL strategies with science activities"
  • "I really enjoyed learning about the 5R's and how to incorporate it into my classroom for multilingual students"

A certificate of attendance was deposited into participants' account page for completing the evaluation form at the end of the program.

For more information contact: [email protected]

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