In a recent article published by Edutopia, the authors proposed that many ELL resources designed with language learners in mind, proved highly effective in increasing confidence with science vocabulary for native English speakers as well.
Easy to modify each of the resources they noted could fit different science units or even different content areas and support learners as they transition away from figuring out what to do and instead focus on content, skills, and vocabulary.
Here are some examples:
- Interactive student-to-student talk: Each class starts with an opportunity for students to warm up their science vocabulary, activate schema relevant to the day’s lesson, or retrieve previously learned content, all while practicing their academic interpersonal English skills.
- Vocabulary puzzles: Vocabulary puzzles tap visual, kinesthetic, and interpersonal modalities and can be differentiated with little difficulty. Teachers can scaffold the puzzles for different linguistic levels by cutting them into fewer larger pieces before tackling all the pieces separately. Students can also lay pieces on top of the completed puzzle, using it as a key. Once students are confident with the vocabulary, they can use the cards in a dominoes-style game where students make connections between different terms to build an interconnecting board.
- Student roles in jigsaw discussions: Dividing up content using a jigsaw strategy gives students the chance to dig in more deeply with a smaller amount of information and offers all learners the opportunity to feel more like an expert about specific content material. This also allows for the leveling of source material to give every student an entry point into the topic. Clear student roles in the discussion ensure that every student is contributing and is engaged during the interactive portion of the jigsaw.
- Fishbowl discussions: Once students feel comfortable with the content vocabulary, it’s important that they get an opportunity to apply it. Fishbowl discussions consist of a small group of students conversing about a unit-related topic while another group of students observes the discussion. Topics are designed to prompt debate, deep thinking, and connections to student experiences, as well as promote the application of unit content and vocabulary.
What are some of your favorite strategies to help students have a better grasp of the vocabulary of science?
Comments
Hi Lizelena and all, I love all of these instructional strategies because they involve English learners in working collaboratively and using the language they are learning in meaningful ways. These practical techniques can be effective not only for learning science but also for other academic content!
Years ago, I knew a high school ESL teacher who team taught with a science teacher. She did an action research project in which she formed study groups of 3-4 students--one or two fluent English speakers, one low-level English learner and one higher-level bilingual who shared the primary language with the lower-level student.
The low-level learners in her study greatly outperformed her previous students who had only studied independently. To me, this action research project illustrated two important outcomes: 1) how valuable having bilingual support can be especially for low-level learners who have academic goals, and 2) how effective it can be for learners to collaborate in teams to learn essential content such as science.
I'd love to hear how high school equivalency (HSE) teachers are supporting the English learners in their classrooms to learn science and the other academic content needed for HSE tests.
Cheers, Susan Finn Miller
Moderator, English Language Acquisition CoP