Next semester I am likely to be teaching Science for High School students focusing on science vocabulary, The majority of the students in this class will be English language learners, but there are many differences between their skills. it is more than likely there will be students at a variety of stages in the language acquisition process.
As we already know that Traditional science lessons have often begun with teachers presenting students with science vocabulary words and asking them to write the words, find the definitions in a dictionary or the glossary of the textbook, match the words to definitions, or use the words in a sentence.
Many of us were “taught” this way, so we remember how little these practices contributed to conceptual development. These traditional strategies stem from the assumption that students absorb the meanings of many science terms simply by writing the words and their definitions. To many English-speaking students science words seem like a new language, and to English language learners, these words are a new language.
The four English language learners in my class; each one at a different stage of language acquisition. The First student is on advanced stage; Students at this level are close to native language fluency and can interact well with science words in multiple ways, they are able to approach words and their meanings more fully. Graphic organizers can help to present words with a range of contextual information.
Other strategy that I could use is to Engage students in instructional conversations. In instructional conversations, students have discussions with other students and the teacher on topics that are relevant and have meaning to them. The goal of this student-centered technique is not to get correct answers to test questions, but instead to explore ideas.
Other strategy that I could use is to Encourage “Science Talk” Brainstorming which provide students with opportunities to brainstorm ideas about science and encourage them to wonder and talk about the natural world.
The Second student is on the pre-production stage; Students at this stage are takes in the new language but does not speak it. This period often lasts six weeks or longer, depending on the individual. These new learners of English will listen attentively and they may even be able to copy words from the board. They will be able to respond to pictures and other visuals. They can understand and duplicate gestures and movements to show comprehension, so the strategy I could use with this stage first is to speak slowly and use shorter words, but use correct English phrasing. and all instructions should be given using a variety of visual or aural support materials such as, drawings, pictures and word cards. Teachers can create science text cards by writing statements about science concepts on index cards. Allow students to work individually or in small groups to open discussions.
The Third student is on the beginning fluency stage in this stage students' speech is fairly fluent in social situations with minimal errors. New contexts and academic language are challenging and the individual will struggle to express themselves due to gaps in vocabulary and appropriate phrases.
The strategy that I would use is let students work in pairs or groups and providing pictures, drawings of science vocabulary or stages of lab procedure, use of technology can help to reinforce word meanings and provide students with multi-sensory connections, Use active voice when introducing or discussing concepts. ELL students understand active voice better than passive voice. “Animals use oxygen,” for example, rather than “Oxygen is used by animals.”
Other strategy to use in science is Stack of cards; ask them to match a term with its associated function, symbol, scientific name, etc. For example, a stack might include cards with the names of body parts and other cards that name the body parts’ functions. Students match each part to its appropriate function.
The Fourth student is in the speech emergent, in this stage student's speech becomes more frequent, words and sentences are longer, but the individual still relies heavily on context clues and familiar topics. As students combine science experiences with discussions of words’ uses and meanings, their vocabulary and content knowledge grow.
The strategy I could use is to provide students with opportunities to use their language and translate back and forth with scientific and technical terms. and repeating words as much as possible to help in clarifying pronunciation and provides opportunities to transfer words from working memory to long-term memory.
Other strategy I could use is the Traditional word games can be adapted to help students experience the language of science.
I can tell that when teachers and students share science vocabulary, we learn to communicate while doing science and all students can develop context-based content knowledge along with language development by working collaboratively and interact with others about science content.
By using scientific terms and phrases during science activities, ELL as science educators can model scientific thinking and questioning. The more opportunities we provide for students to experience scientific trials, the more natural their scientific talk will develop. We as teachers can maximize these opportunities by beginning with very young students.
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