Elementary Preservice Teachers' Utilization of English Language Development Instructional Strategies in the Teaching of Science to English Learners
Posted on: Friday, 16 May 2008, 03:00 CDT
By Gibbons, Beatrice
Introduction The majority of educators agree that there is a pressing need for dramatic changes in the way we deliver instruction to schoolchildren, particularly English learners. English learners face the daunting task of learning the academic curriculum and a new language concurrently. With their numbers rising across the nation, and increased accountability requirements focusing on their performance, schools are under pressure to better serve these students.
The concern lies in how to educate all children well, particularly children of color, children who are poor, and children who come from diverse linguistic backgrounds (Cochran-Smith, 2001). Sleeter (2001) has asserted that education in many communities comprised of culturally and linguistically diverse, poor students, is in a state of crisis. Students are learning too little, becoming disengaged, and dropping out of school at an alarming rate. Many of these disengaged, drop-outs are English learners.
Who are English learners? An English learner is defined as anyone learning to speak English whose native language is not English. The number of students in the United States from non-Englishspeaking backgrounds is large and growing. In 2001, this number was approximately 3.4 million. English learners and their families are increasingly relocating to areas such as the Midwest and the South where educators have little experience with non-English proficient children (Diaz-Rico, 2004).
The time required for students to acquire proficient language skills greatly effects academic achievement. Students who arrive in the United States with strong educational foundations easily transfer that knowledge to English and are more apt to perform better academically. Those who come to the United States with limited or interrupted educations will have a more difficult time performing at the level of their English-speaking peers (Whelan- Ariza, 2006)
One challenge facing teachers of English learners is to motivate students to achieve the highest possible level of achievement while simultaneously striving to attain language proficiency. This can be accomplished by building on English learners' prior knowledge and the use of proven, research-based instructional strategies. The purpose of this study is the identification of research-based instructional strategies for the teaching of elementary science to English learners.
Purpose of the Study
The researcher has identified twelve English Language Development (ELD) strategies appropriate for the teaching of elementary science to English learners. This study allowed for the application of the author's research in 67 elementary classrooms, resulting in the identification and clarification of specific research-based ELD instructional strategies relevant for the teaching of elementary science to English learners.
Twelve research-based ELD strategies appropriate for the teaching of elementary science to English learners were presented and modeled by the researcher to pre-service elementary education teachers in an elementary science methods course. The researcher presented the following ELD strategies:
1. Advance Organizers. The teacher uses science concept maps, KWL charts, concept webs that help English Learners' make the connection between existing knowledge and new concepts to be learned.
2. Leveled Questions. The teacher adapts the level of questions asked to the English Learners' language acquisition stage.
3. Modeled Talk. The teacher uses concurrent verbal explanation and physical demonstration of directions or concepts by using gestures, visuals, and demonstrations while giving directions.
4. Multiple Intelligence Strategies. The teacher employs instructional techniques that address the multiple intelligences present in each student, as identified by Howard Gardner.
5. Realia Strategies. The teacher uses concrete objects, illustrations, or photographs to build background knowledge and vocabulary.
6. Visual Scaffolding. The teacher simultaneously displays drawings or photographs while giving directions.
7. Academic Language Scaffolding. Students identify science vocabulary by participating in an introductory activity.
8. Collaborative Learning. Students work together in a group setting to complete a task.
9. Generating Interaction between Schemata and Text (GIST). Students silently read a section of the text within a group setting, working collaboratively to generate one sentence that summarizes that section of the text, which they then record on paper.
10. Manipulative Strategies. Students use manipulatives, materials, concrete models.
11. Partner Work. Students are provided the opportunity to work with a partner.
12. Performance Sampling. Students are observed in the process of accomplishing academic tasks; a form of authentic assessment.
For each of research-based ELD strategies used, each pre-service teacher described how the strategy was presented; how the students were engaged in the strategy; and how it enhanced the teaching of science.
Review of the Literature
Given the increasing percentage of English learners in our nation's schools, there is a need to promote teacher change, especially in the use of instructional strategies that are appropriate for English learners. Traditional instructional techniques have favored the learning styles of middleclass, English- speaking, White-European children. These practices have disenfranchised students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, because these strategies were not congruent with culture, language, interactional patterns, and teacher expectations. In order to meet the needs of the growing numbers of English learners in our elementary schools, it is imperative to identify English Language Development instructional strategies that will increase science achievement for English learners.
The ELD instructional strategies presented in this article are constructivist in nature. Constructivism, the predominant, underlying theory of science teaching and learning, is a cognitive approach to learning that stresses the role of student as an active participant in the construction of knowledge and meaning from their experiences. The constructivist approach to teaching incorporates the theories of Jean Piaget, Jerome Bruner, Lev Vygotsky, and John Dewey.
Active learning is a key principle of constructivism. As a concept, active learning stresses that children develop construct knowledge through active physical and mental activity. As a process, active learning means that children are actively engage in a variety of meaningful problemsetting and problem-solving activities with real-world applications (Martin, Sexton, Franklin & Gerlovich, 2005).
Elementary school students, particularly English learners, should be actively engaged in science concepts, rather than simply reading about them from a science textbook. It is recommended that students spend forty percent of the total time in learning science participating in activitybased lessons. These lessons are not only 'hands-on'; they must also be 'minds-on.' Students must reflect on their experience for that experience to be relevant. It is imperative that science educators progress from a 'hands-on" approach to a "mind-on" approach in science teaching and learning (Martin et al., 2005).
If educators want to see a greater number of English learners achieve higher levels of academic and social success, they must begin to realize that it is not the experiences, or lack thereof, these students bring to the classroom that pose our greatest challenges; it is how we perceive and value these experiences as potential connectors for new learning. Teachers have the responsibility of ensuring that English learners have access to a rich curriculum (Thomas, 1998). This access can be provided through a variety of instructional techniques, such as the ones presented in this study.
Methodology
Participants
Twelve research-based ELD strategies appropriate for the teaching of elementary science to English learners were presented and modeled by the researcher to 67 preservice elementary education teachers in an elementary science methods course. Application of the ELD instructional strategies were addressed in a course assignment where 68 pre-service teachers were required to use a minimum of six of these instructional strategies in the teaching of a science lesson to English learners in their elementary field experience classroom.
Instrumentation
As a reflective exercise, the 68 pre-service teachers completed survey instrument (Appendix A) where they identified the ELD strategies used in the science lesson and responded to the following questions regarding each strategy:
1. How the strategy was presented?
2. How were the students engaged in the strategy?
3. How did the strategy enhance the teaching of science?
Procedures
The survey responses were transcribed into a database and analyzed according to the General Inductive Approach to qualitative coding (Thomas, 2003). The text was read in detail to facilitate an understanding of the content, details, and themes in the text. The quantitative analysis of the frequency of ELD instructional strategies were calculated and reported in Table 1. A qualitative analysis of the survey questions was conducted by identifying the content of the constructs and arranging them in common themes or categories that aligned with the research questions. The themes were labeled according to the meaning of the constructs relating to each research question. Overlapping coding and uncoded text were examined to determine if the information warranted mentions in the text. The researcher selected a key quote to highlight each theme and the qualitative results were reported. Results
Quantitative
Sixty-seven pre-service teachers identified six ELD instructional strategies used in the teaching of an elementary science lesson to English learners. Table 1 contains the frequency and ranking of the instructional strategies used by the pre-service teachers in this study.
Qualitative
The frequency of the use of the specified ELD instructional strategies are listed in Table 1.0. Pre-service teachers selected these strategies for the teaching of elementary science to English learners for the following reasons:
1. Modeled Talk. The participants selected this ELED strategy because they felt it enhanced cognitive and verbal knowledge of science concepts. As one student stated,
We discussed the three parts of the water cycle: precipitation, evaporation, and condensation. Then, together, we verbally modeled the different types of precipitation, such as snow, hail and rain. My English Learner students understood what we were discussing, and they were able to actively give me feedback.
2. Advance Organizer. The pre-service teachers used an advance organizer as an instructional tool to facilitate the visual organization of information on the part of the English learners. Examples of advance organizers include the concept map which helps English learners make visual connections between science concepts and a KWL chart, an advance organizer that assists the teacher in assessing prior knowledge of students. Once pre-service teacher summarized the benefits of using an advance organizer as follows:
The advance organizer set up a framework for the lesson to be taught. It described the new content, and what would be learned. This helped the English Learner draw connections with what she already knew and knowledge that was to be learned.
3. Leveled Questions. This strategy was easily utilized by the participants who were accustomed to adapting their level of speech when working with children.
In the 'during' phase of the lesson, we read the trade book together while I paused and asked students comprehension questions at a level they could understand.
4. Manipulatives.: Pre-service teachers used this strategy with hands-on, minds-on science lessons when materials were readily available. The majority of the students felt that the use of tangible objects helped the English learners understand the science concepts more readily.
Discovering the properties of the objects on their own allowed students to better comprehend what they were learning and, in the long run, retain their learning.
5. Visual Scaffolding. The participants found this strategy to be particularly effective in teaching science to English learners. The drawings and photographs served as a non-linguistic representation of science concepts; there was less reliance on text for science comprehension.
I incorporated many types of visual aids into the lesson, and I encouraged the children to draw and color trees and leaves in the pictures. The processes of observing, investigating, interpreting, and communicating are skills used during science inquiry in which children develop scientific ideas.
6. Realia. Concrete objects were frequently used in the teaching of science to English learners. This strategy was effective with English learners who had little to no prior knowledge of the science concept being presented. A student teacher expressed this perspective in the following quote:
The students and I discussed and demonstrated how each object worked and what its uses were before beginning the lesson. The students liked seeing the objects and playing with them before they had to use them in the lesson. This enabled them to pull some background knowledge and become familiar with the objects that they would be using throughout the lesson. By showing and demonstrating the objects, the students became excited about the lesson and more interested and curious about how they were going to using the objects.
7. Partner Work. Peer interaction and assistance was seen as the benefits to utilizing this strategy with English Learners. As one pre-service teacher stated,
Because the book was too difficult for the English Learner to read by herself, I asked students to read with their partner. The English Learner and high-level reader each took a turn reading a paragraph in the book aloud to each other. This technique worked well because the English Learners were able to reader to their partners in a non-threatening way and also hear their partner read.
8. Multiple Intelligences. Using a myriad of multiple instructional strategies to target the varied intelligences of English Learners was perceived as a very effective strategy for the teaching of science.
This method allows the student to actively use his own personal strengths in order to gain confidence in his abilities. It is very encouraging for him to be able to project his ideas in another type of activity other an a traditional one.
9. Collaborative Learning. Since English Learners are field- dependent learners, they enjoy classroom experiences that involve working with other students. The pre-service teachers provided collaborative learning opportunities to English Learners knowing that their concept understanding would be enhanced in the process.
The children liked working together to figure out the answers. By working together, they were able to see each other's perspective on the activity and work together to figure out the answers.
10. Performance Sampling. The pre-service teachers in the Elementary Education Program are quite familiar with authentic, performance-based assessment; they made a concerted effort to use this strategy with English learners.
Students engaged in a discussion of the science experiment with their group members and recorded their summaries on paper. This strategy enhanced the teaching of science, because it enabled the students to communicate with others and shape their understanding of the science experiment.
11. Academic Language Scaffolding. Participants found this strategy to be useful with the introduction of science vocabulary.
This strategy really helped students understand the science lesson, because it reinforced the vocabulary that was used in the informational book. It also directly involved the students in identifying the vocabulary words.
12. Generating Interaction Between Schemata and Text: This was the most infrequently used strategy in this study. Students didn't feel that it was one of the more effective instructional strategies for English learners. However, one student experienced favorable results when using this strategy.
I introduced bulbs for the first time in my seed unit. I wrote a brief summary on bulbs' divided it up into a few short paragraphs' and distributed it to groups of students. They read, discussed, summarized and reported their one sentence summary. I thought this strategy really helped the English Learner more fully comprehend the information on bulbs.
Conclusions
The focus of instruction should be on stimulating EL students to develop abstract conceptual knowledge that can be transformed and applied to multiple instances of problem-solving situations in real- life settings and across academic content areas (National Research Council, 1999). Instructional strategies endorsed by the bilingual developmental curriculum include: (1) stimulation of higher level cognitive strategies; (2) connection to prior sociocultural knowledge; (3) connection to real-world experiences; (4) thematic curriculums; and (5) interaction of cognitive, linguistic, and sociocultural processes and academic achievement (Gonzalez, Yawkey, & Minaya-Rowe, 2006).
This study identified and clarified specific English Language Development strategies effective for the teaching of elementary science to English learners that are consistent with these aforementioned research findings. The most commonly used instructional strategies in the teaching of elementary science to English learners were modeled talk, advance organizers, and leveled questions.
These findings are significant to teacher education university faculty, preservice teachers, elementary teachers and administrators who are committed to teaching English learners.
References
Cochran-Smith, M. (2001). Multicultural education: Solution or problem for American schools? Journal of Teacher Education, 52(2), 91-93.
Diaz-Rico, L.T. (2004). Teaching English learners: Strategies and methods. Boston: Pearson Education.
Gonzalez, V., Yawkey, T., Minaya-Rowe, L. (2006). English-as-a- Second-Language (ESL) teaching and learning: Pre-K-12 classroom applications for students' academic achievement and development. Boston: Pearson Education.
Martin, R., Sexton, C., Franklin, & Gerlovich, J. (2005). Teaching science for all children: Inquiry methods for constructing understanding. Boston: Pearson Education.
National Research Council. (1999). Improving student learning. Washington, DC:National Academy Press.
Sleeter, C.E. (2001). Preparing teachers for culturally diverse schools: Research and the overwhelming presence of Whiteness. Journal of Teacher Education, 52(2), 94-106.
Thomas, C. (1998) Culture defined: A twentyfirst century perspective. Educational Horizons, 76(3), 122-126.
Thomas, D.R. (2003). HRMAS-General inductive approach qualitative data analysis: Using a general inductive approach. Retrieved on January 29, 2003 from http://www.health. auckland.ac.nz/hrmas/ resources/qualdatanalysis. html#Purposes Whelan-Ariza, E.N. (2006). Not for ESOL teachers: What every classroom teacher needs to know about the linguistically, culturally, and ethnically diverse student. Boston: Pearson Education.
Beatrice Gibbons is a professor in the Elementary Education Department of the School of Education and Social Sciences at Robert Morris University, Moon Township, Pennsylvania.
Appendix A
Survey
Use of Instructional Strategies with English Learners
Plan to use at least six of the following instructional strategies in the teaching of a science lesson to one or more students who are English learners. For each strategy used, respond to the following questions:
How the strategy was presented?
How were the students engaged in the strategy?
How did the strategy enhance the teaching of science?
1. Advance Organizer
2. Leveled Questions
3. Modeled Talk
4. Multiple Intelligence Strategies
5. Realia Strategies'
6. Visual Scaffolding
7. Academic Language Scaffolding
8. Collaborative Learning
9. GIST
10. Manipulative Strategies
11. Partner Work
12. Performance Sampling
Copyright Caddo Gap Press Spring 2008
(c) 2008 Multicultural Education. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: Multicultural Education
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