Supporting ELLs in Science

The English Language Learners that I have taught have always loved science! It was their favorite subject, and it is easy to see why they love science. Science is filled with visuals, diagrams, and hands on processes. Out of all the subjects I found science the easiest to support ELLs for this very reason. Over the years I have picked up some strategies of supporting ELLs in Science that I would love to share with you today!

Take advantage of the diagrams and processes that are available in science.

• If you can use a diagram or visual of a process with your ELLs do it!
• This is a great scaffold that will benefit them while in science.
• You can even have them study the diagram/process then have them explain it to you using academic language on FlipGrid.
• Students can even take the diagram or process and write about it using academic language and complex sentences.
• These strategies are going to benefit all ELLs not just newcomers.

Use a visual dictionary and/or bilingual dictionary in science.

• Over the years I have learned students know and understand a lot of the science processes in the their native language. There are going to be some exceptions.
• However having a visual and/or a bilingual dictionary has proven to be very helpful when students are doing classwork.
• My favorite (which I will link) is the Oxford picture dictionary for the content areas.
• Here is a tip: use this opportunity to having visual/bilingual dictionary in class to create a vocabulary notebook. You can do a frayer model in the notebook so students can have a visual to refer to throughout the school year.

Provide supports for ELLs in the science discussions

• English Language Learners are going to benefit greatly from participating in the science discussions.
• This gives them opportunity to practice and master the academic language of science.
• To ensure they are successful put supports in place, so they can be able to actively participate.
• Some examples of supports you will be able to provide are complex sentence frames, a word bank that consists of the academic language, and higher order questioning stems.
• When you see that your English Language Learners are mastering the concepts, remove the supports. You do not want them to become dependent on the supports that you are providing them.

I would love to hear how you are supporting your ELLs in science. Next week I will be sharing some strategies on how you can support your ELLs in Social Studies.