A1 Good evening, #ELLCHAT I'm Karen Nemeth co-host of this chat and I'm an author/consultant specializing in teaching young children who are DLLs/ELs - from Lehigh Valley, PA. Time to talk about ELLs and science content!
NELD students realizing that @DyNed helps them in daily conversation with new language. Now that we are back online with the program, they are ready to unlock their next levels. Books mentioned are from @SDLBACK. #BigRedPride#EmpoweredSteadfastLearners#NewComers
A2: I teach three periods of sheltered science to emerging ELs (WIDA levels 1-2) and I co-teach two 8th grade physical science classes with developing/expanding ELs (WIDA 3+) #ellchat
A2 in early education, every teacher is a science teacher - and most teachers have to find their own way to help children who are DLLs/ELs understand what they want to teach - even though #earlyed tchrs are rarely prepared for either of these responsibilities! #ELLCHAT
A2) I push in with my students during Science instruction to teach academic vocabulary and provide sentence stems to provide answers through writing. #ellchat
A2: I don't play any role, tbh. Being the only #ell teacher K-12, I have to mainly focus on reading / writing unless I have a specific arrangement with a teacher. #ellchat#Islandlife
A2: I teach three periods of sheltered science to emerging ELs (WIDA levels 1-2) and I co-teach two 8th grade physical science classes with developing/expanding ELs (WIDA 3+) #ellchat
A2. I support content instruction in a pull out model. I try to meet periodically with science Ts to align my lessons to enhance/remediate the Ss science content, especially vocabulary. #ellchat
A2 - I think that's true in many places - one ESL tchr running all over the building or all over the district. You can see where supports are needed, but can not possibly make the time to help other tchrs. This is why nearly every #ELLCHAT question goes back to administrators!
A2: I don't play any role, tbh. Being the only #ell teacher K-12, I have to mainly focus on reading / writing unless I have a specific arrangement with a teacher. #ellchat#Islandlife
A2 - I think that's true in many places - one ESL tchr running all over the building or all over the district. You can see where supports are needed, but can not possibly make the time to help other tchrs. This is why nearly every #ELLCHAT question goes back to administrators!
A2: I don't play any role, tbh. Being the only #ell teacher K-12, I have to mainly focus on reading / writing unless I have a specific arrangement with a teacher. #ellchat#Islandlife
A3: I think a perceived challenge is that ELLs can't do higher order thinking. The challenge is how Ts can lower linguistic demands while keeping thinking skills high! #ELLChat
A2: #ellchat what is the language of science? I work with teachers to write language targets that highlight vocabulary (particularly tier 2) and the grammar of science: often procedural and cause and effect language.
A3) One of the obvious challenges teachers face is that is that ELLs often lack the language necessary to understand what they are expected to do in class. #ELLChat
A3) Pure transparency! I find it challenging at time when I do not fully understand the scientific process being taught! This is why teacher collaboration is important! #ellchat
A3 I find lack of background knowledge very challenging when getting ELs to do higher level thinking bc science covers so much #stuff and students needs scaffolding to fill in many gaps. #ellchat
A3 For preK/K tchrs, big challenge is they haven't been prepared to teach science - choose topics too advanced, then feel unsuccessful. Wish they knew that exploring how the door hinge works or other basics would be good place to lay foundation for higher level thinking #ELLCHAT
I've shifted more into a coaching role when the transition was made from K-5 to K-12. There's no way I can effectively Co-Teach across 13 grade levels, especially when I'm the only one around. #ellchat
A3: I think a perceived challenge is that ELLs can't do higher order thinking. The challenge is how Ts can lower linguistic demands while keeping thinking skills high! #ELLChat
A3) It depends on whether it's a Long-term EL (LTEL) or a recent EL. Generally, w/recent ELS, the challenge is using enough comprehensible input to get the task across in a way they understand.W/LTELs the challenge is more on reinforcement and explanation of the concept. #ELLChat
K-12 is about 550 students. Not very big, but a massive size for a single person to focus on all content areas. What I try to do is when we discuss reading / writing strategies, I try and link Math / Science whenever possible. #ellchat
A1)Janice Cate, middle school ESL A2)sometimes I help with reading science tests to my students but I prefer to act as an enrichment science teacher by giving students chances to do hands- on science instead of just reading and memorizing science facts.#ellchat
Why I love co-teaching with @Moescience1! I’ll ask her to scaffold the scientific concept for me so I can try scaffolding the language! 😂 EL teachers need to teach out for help when navigating science content! #ELLChat A3
A3) Pure transparency! I find it challenging at time when I do not fully understand the scientific process being taught! This is why teacher collaboration is important! #ellchat
A2 #ELLCHAT Once cotaught 6th grade science. We both learned so much. Coteacher learned to be more comprehensible; I learned to explain genetics ( not really tho I did a good job dissecting an eyeball)
A3: Curriculum needs are the biggest challenges for T's. Many T's I work with feel tied to the curriculum, so it's taught as is without the incorporation of HOTs, differentiation, and scaffolds. #ellchat
A1 Hi, Janice! Don't you wish every teacher started with hands-on activities for students to attach their science vocab in meaningful ways? Is much more of that vocab would stick and form basis for higher order thinking skills! #ELLCHAT
A1)Janice Cate, middle school ESL A2)sometimes I help with reading science tests to my students but I prefer to act as an enrichment science teacher by giving students chances to do hands- on science instead of just reading and memorizing science facts.#ellchat
A2 #ELLCHAT Once cotaught 6th grade science. We both learned so much. Coteacher learned to be more comprehensible; I learned to explain genetics ( not really tho I did a good job dissecting an eyeball)
This is why Co-Planning is so crucial. #ell specialists can help homeroom T's find ways to incorporate background knowledge and scaffold academic language while the homeroom T focuses on ways to teach content. #ellchat
A3 Justin! That is a great point. I see that so often - tchrs tell me they are "not allowed" to deviate from curriculum, but when I check, I find that's not true - but no one supported the tchrs to understand this. Another job for admins! #ELLCHAT
A3: Curriculum needs are the biggest challenges for T's. Many T's I work with feel tied to the curriculum, so it's taught as is without the incorporation of HOTs, differentiation, and scaffolds. #ellchat
Being at an intl school in Thailand, most of the S's (roughly 60%) or Thai / Chinese / Korean, so English is note their native language. However, we have very few students who are at an emerging language level. #ellchat
A3) You've got a tough job. I just used science enrichment to give ELLs an extra exposure to science concepts in their regular class time. However, when you have ELs all over the school, this is difficult. #ELLCHAT
I've shifted more into a coaching role when the transition was made from K-5 to K-12. There's no way I can effectively Co-Teach across 13 grade levels, especially when I'm the only one around. #ellchat
I've had this exact conversation with T's, and admin are 100% OK with T's to supplement materials to meet the needs of kiddos. Communication is so important to make expectations clear! #ellchat
A3. Many science activities/lessons inherently are inquiry-based and hands-on. If Ts can structure activities/lessons in this way, the lessons will involve HOTS naturally. Ts just need to provide scaffolding to support Ss language communication #ELLCHAT
A3. Many science activities/lessons inherently are inquiry-based and hands-on. If Ts can structure activities/lessons in this way, the lessons will involve HOTS naturally. Ts just need to provide scaffolding to support Ss language communication #ELLCHAT
A3: I think a perceived challenge is that ELLs can't do higher order thinking. The challenge is how Ts can lower linguistic demands while keeping thinking skills high! #ELLChat
Very true. FOSS is great at incorporating HOTS and inquiry based activities, but like you said T's still need to scaffold and support within it! #ellchat
Which is why S's should be able to express HOTs in their home language if possible as a temporary scaffold. If S's can express these complex ideas in their own language, T's can scaffold English to build that bridge. #ellchat
A4: I always ask T's for all content areas; "According to the standard, what do you want students to articulate, and how do you want them to do it? What language functions do they need to communicate this?" to start eliciting specific language and vocabulary use. #ellchat
No - there's no required lesson format or specific procedure for teaching language learners. I use SIOP when I can with individual T's, though. #ellchat
@JenniferRoe77 does an incredibly great job of setting up a lab first and helping ELs engage with ideas in chemistry they already know but might not yet have the language for #ELLchat
A1 Hi, Janice! Don't you wish every teacher started with hands-on activities for students to attach their science vocab in meaningful ways? Is much more of that vocab would stick and form basis for higher order thinking skills! #ELLCHAT
A1)Janice Cate, middle school ESL A2)sometimes I help with reading science tests to my students but I prefer to act as an enrichment science teacher by giving students chances to do hands- on science instead of just reading and memorizing science facts.#ellchat
A4 Those tier-3 science words (chloroplast, electromagnet) are easy to find, but we must ID & teach those tier-2 academic/multiple meaning vocab words in order to get ELs to do HOTS in science. #ellchat
A5: I've worked with some Science T's in ways to support Tier 3 vocabulary use and also ways of scaffolding academic language. Not a tremendous amount, to be honest! #ellchat
A4) We 1st look at the content standard and the activity that will be used to expose them to the content.Then, we ensure we include experiences and supports for all 4 lang. domains during the lesson. We also choose voc words for explicit instruction. #ellchat
For example, I just had to teach mutualism, commensalism, vs parasitism, but I also have to model and have my emerging ELs practice words like “benefit, unaffected, & harmed.” You can make running lists of words they’ll need in order to do HOTS in a lesson. a4 #ELLchat
A4. I always begin w/ the lesson obj. in mind. I think about what language and content I want the Ss to be able to communicate. Then I provide as much/ little support to them to help them to do it. This guides me to the kind of
vocab. & support I need to teach Ss. #ELLChat
For example, I just had to teach mutualism, commensalism, vs parasitism, but I also have to model and have my emerging ELs practice words like “benefit, unaffected, & harmed.” You can make running lists of words they’ll need in order to do HOTS in a lesson. a4 #ELLchat
For example, I just had to teach mutualism, commensalism, vs parasitism, but I also have to model and have my emerging ELs practice words like “benefit, unaffected, & harmed.” You can make running lists of words they’ll need in order to do HOTS in a lesson. a4 #ELLchat
A5 I’m in our 8th grade science CT team and share resources/strategies with them bc they’ll also have developing/expanding or monitored ELs. I also work with another colleague to teach science to our emerging ELs. #ellchat
A4 Fast 5 Gamechangers: Preschool Science Learning for DLLs https://t.co/HQzxZQUt4i#ellchat DLLs = dual language learners is the term we use for ELs in prek - when all children are learning majority language as well as home language
A6) To create an equitable learning environment for ELLs during inquiry, tchrs must be aware of their ELLs' language proficiency levels. There needs to be more communication between ESL & science. #ellchat
@HSeslteacher, I couldn't agree more. Our students will achieve the bar where we place it. Emergent language ability is not cognitive deficit. ELs can and should be expected to stretch their thinking with meaningful scaffolds and support in place. #ellchat
A3: I think a perceived challenge is that ELLs can't do higher order thinking. The challenge is how Ts can lower linguistic demands while keeping thinking skills high! #ELLChat
A3: #ellchat the biggest challenge I face with the higher order science exploration is helping my coteachers think through what a good answer looks like. Once we get there, I can plan for the language needed.
A6: Labeled diagrams, photographs, and realia combined with academic language scaffolding to make content applicable and useful for language learners. #ellchat
A5. Planning with Science Ts is essential. Helping to front-load key tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary words & providing sentence stems to Ss for support w/ spoken and written communication of science academic language. #ellchat
A3: I think a perceived challenge is that ELLs can't do higher order thinking. The challenge is how Ts can lower linguistic demands while keeping thinking skills high! #ELLChat
A6) It's so important to have comprehensible input and processing time! Visuals, models and sentence starters for emergent learners! #ellchat#nomorescantrons
A5 Small group interactive centers work well with ELs in science (all grade levels) as cooperative talk and discovery are encouraged. Guiding teachers in planning/prepping this process is helpful. #ellchat
A6 Defeatist mindsets. If I can learn how ionic bonds are formed & the organelles of a cell, then any student can! ELs shouldn’t be excluded from labs or get watered-down/diluted science. They can do HOTS in the target language w/ scaffolding & asset-based mindsets. #ellchat
A6 I wish for one big change: I wish that more administrators would visit science classes with ELLs and observe what is needed to support tchrs, ESL, and materials. #ellchat
A6 I think a lot of improvement would occur naturally if teachers were given adequate time to plan and learn together, and if students were given more time to explore, discover, and discuss science across all languages. #ellchat
A6. I would like to see less emphasis on science content knowledge and more focus of explaining science processes & answering Qs that arise from investigating and observing. This would help ELs & all Ss learn science vocab & begin to communicate using science discourse #ellchat
A6 we could do a better job of explicitly teaching ELs how to "do" science. Scientific inquiry requires a different brand of language, engagement and study habits than those expected/anticipated in other content areas. #ellchat#Science
