We develop language not just to develop it, but for productive, useful purposes. Any adult with experience learning a foreign language knows that nothing kills interest and stunts the process like memorizing lists of seemingly-random vocabulary words.
Language without content is desiccated, dry, boring, and ultimately unimportant. For these reasons, researchers and advocates have pushed in recent years for a new pedagogy of integrated language learning, one in which language is learned and used authentically in the service of learning content. Science presents a particularly ripe area for all DLLs to engage in meaningful, authentic contexts that integrate language and content learning in this way.
Science can already be uniquely engaging for DLLs, given the concrete, hands-on nature of experiments and tinkering, learning that might not require as high an English proficiency bar from DLLs. Nonetheless, science does offer many linguistic opportunities related to asking questions, collaborating, constructing explanations, and arguing from evidence. And a recent study shows that gaps in science knowledge start even earlier for many low-income, Hispanic children, a demographic that overlaps with many DLLs.
In the context of a growing, national push for equity in STEM education, we need to identify promising, scalable instructional strategies that equip teachers to make science learning accessible for all learners — including those who have not yet mastered English. Researchers randomly selected sixty-six schools across three Florida school district. Researchers found a significant, positive effect on the researcher-developed test for all students, and an even greater one for DLLs versus non-DLLs.
They also identified a positive effect on former DLLs and non-DLLs on the state science exam, but for current DLLs the effect was not statistically significant more on that later. It embeds English language development strategies throughout, including: making connections to prior knowledge from home and community context, visual representations of information, and ample chances for speaking and listening in small and whole group settings.
The curriculum also uses home language scaffolds strategically to support DLLs. For example, each textbook chapter starts with key science terms in English and translated into Spanish and Haitian Creole, the two most common DLL home languages in the Florida districts. I challenge you to make a plan to implement this new support strategy for Monday!
Teachers should introduce the word in both English and in the home language before the first whole group read aloud. But like always when we are sharing new words with our children, remember to pair the new vocabulary with child-friendly definitions!
Make clear connections between the word in English and the home language. I promise, we would never ask you to learn 5 new languages, but focus words are a realistic way to be intentional in making connections to the home language. Create visuals for each book-related target vocabulary word and introduce these before you read! Print out an image that represents each target word or focus vocabulary word. While introducing the new vocabulary to your dual language learners, point to the appropriate image.
When you make connections to the book throughout the week, you can use these book-related target vocabulary words and visuals in meaningful conversations with children and support them in using the words too. A Bubble Map is a great tool to help you plan activities and connections that tie back back to your anchor storybook.
Watch Ms. Use the props as you read the story to reinforce meaning. When it comes to Spanish expressive communication, the researchers found that students from all classroom types made expected growth. In either case, this finding points to the need for more teacher training in working with DLLs.
Students from all classroom groups made greater than expected progress in English development when compared to national norms, with no one group standing out above the rest.
There is, however, plenty of existing evidence that strong literacy and vocabulary in their home language can facilitate the development of those skills in English. Further, the study illustrates the value of providing high-quality ECE experiences regardless of the language used in the classroom.
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