Tue, Nov 08, 2022 5:55 PM
Great Article for Aspiring Teachers
I really enjoyed reading the article "Sheltered Instruction Techniques for ELLsLinks to an external site." on NSTA's website. The authors provide detailed steps and changes that can be made to lessons that will benefit and assist English language learners in the science classroom. The four steps that are outlined include: 1) determine skills and concepts, 2) incorporate background knowledge, 3) select teaching/learning experiences, and 4) assess student knowledge. What may seem like the typical steps to create a lesson actually goes deeper to ensure full comprehension and learning for ELLs in the classroom. Having students meaningfully interact with the teacher and peers (groups) will provide for greater exposure to English and the use of it in a scientific context. Also, it is essential to introduce and explain critical vocabulary to students before and during the lesson, and you can provide bins of materials labeled with a picture of the material, the word describing the material in English, and the word describing the material in the child’s native language.