Language-Intensive Science Learning
English language learners (ELL) may require specific strategies to help them master the NGSS scientific practice of argumentation while they learn about various scientific ideas. The articl... See More
English language learners (ELL) may require specific strategies to help them master the NGSS scientific practice of argumentation while they learn about various scientific ideas. The article shows how to do this with second and third graders learning about big ideas from Earth and life sciences. The students were collecting evidence to determine whether changes made to a below-ground system would affect the organisms located above the ground. The article details how a teacher gave her students time to practice scientific argumentation. Since all of our students need to learn how to engage in meaningful discourse about science, this article provides strategies that can be used for every child in a classroom. For example, the Can-Do rubric is shared and shows what ELLs may be expected to reach at each level of achievement. This rubric will help teachers scaffold learning for all of their students. The lesson is a template for creating authentic applications for language learning and to embed NGSS components using language.
Language for All
This resource is jam packed with NGSS! The article gave a lot of information around supporting our EL students with language and content knowledge. One area of the NGSS is students being abl... See More
This resource is jam packed with NGSS! The article gave a lot of information around supporting our EL students with language and content knowledge. One area of the NGSS is students being able to support their claim using evidence. We know this will take time because students have to learn the language associated with those concepts, science is its own language. The ideas presented not only support EL students but all students. The ultimate goal is that students are able to use their language authentically and the support we put in place hopefully supports that. I would recommend this resource, regardless of the population we teach. All students can benefit from a teacher who takes time to think through the language needed for students to be successful scientists.