project mssell middle school science for english language learners project mssell middle school...
TRANSCRIPT
Project MSSELLMiddle School Science for English Language Learners
Project MSSELLMiddle School Science for English Language
Learners
Funded by National Science Foundation, DRL-0822343 and DRL-0922153
Advisory Board Meeting6th Grade Implementation
November 12, 2010
Dr. Rafael Lara-Alecio, Principal Investigator
Dr. Beverly J. Irby, Principal Investigator
Dr. Fuhui Tong, Internal Evaluator
Dr. David Francis, External Evaluator
Dr. Linda Rodriguez, Aldine Area-Superintendent
Cindy Guerrero, M.Ed., Coordinator
Tracy Mansfield, M. Ed., Coordinator
• To implement a rigorous, two-year randomized trial longitudinal evaluation of enhanced instructional science models for middle school monolingual English and Spanish speaking students with the hypothesis being a research-based model for improved science achievement and academic English proficiency.
Objective
NSF Comments / Strengths:• Project team has formed and effective, enthusiastic
partnership across two colleges and a school district, all represented at visit
• Team has articulated important, testable hypotheses about the utility of focusing on language (both English and academic) to improve science content learning
• Team has refined and strengthened research design through consultation with evaluator
• Team expressed challenges associated with recruitment of control-condition student participants and should be commended for choosing a rigorous design to test their intervention hypotheses
• Learning gains on district benchmark science tests have demonstrated promising preliminary results from the intervention for both the non-ELL students and ELL students
Reverse Site Visit
• Challenges– district zoning– student electives resulting in scheduling
difficulties– science teachers also teaching social
studies – state mandated re-teaching and re-
testing– 85 minute science blocks on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
6th grade implementation
Level I
Teacher Professional Development
Level II
Student Instructional Intervention
Two Levels, Three Tiers
Tier I
District curriculum taught in all content
areas, except in science
Tier 2
Academic science intervention components
Tier 3
Tutorials for lowest achieving students
Level I:Teacher Professional
Development
• Systematic and structured training, monitoring, mentoring, feedback, and self-assessment through reflection via professional portfolio
• Bi-weekly staff development sessions:– English science vocabulary building and fluency– Oral and written academic science language
development– Integrated science content reading comprehension– Imbedded ESL strategies in science– Enhanced instruction for science teaching
• 5E Instructional Model• Questioning strategies
• Bi-weekly staff development for paraprofessionals
Level I
Teacher Professional Development
Level II
Student Instructional Intervention
Two Levels, Three Tiers
Tier I
District curriculum taught in all content
areas, except in science
Tier 2
Academic science intervention components
Tier 3
Tutorials for lowest achieving students
Level II:Student Instruction
• Tier I: District curriculum taught in all content areas, except science.
Level I
Teacher Professional Development
Level II
Student Instructional Intervention
Two Levels, Three Tiers
Tier I
District curriculum taught in all content
areas, except in science
Tier 2
Academic science intervention components
Tier 3
Tutorials for lowest achieving students
Level II: Student Instructional
Intervention• Tier 2: Academic in-class science intervention (80 minutes
daily) using 5E Model of instruction (Bybee et al., 2006):– Engage: make connections between past and present
learning, focus students’ thinking– Explore: provides students with common base of
experience through manipulating materials or exploring environment
– Explain: students verbalize understandings, teachers introduce formal definitions, explanations for concepts
– Elaborate: students develop deeper and broader understandings by practicing skills or learning more information
– Evaluate: students and teachers evaluate understandings of concepts
Level II: Student Instructional
Intervention• Integrated curriculum components:
CRISELLAContent Area Reading In Science for
English Literacy and Language Acquisition
• Supporting science and reading skills with expository (informative) text:– Science vocabulary development and
extensions– Word reading instruction– Paired Science Reading– Using text from Scott Foresman Science
textbook, Internet, Science Journals/Magazines, and ScienceSaurus that directly align to 6th grade science TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, state guidelines)
WAVESWritten and Academic oral language Vocabulary development in English in
Science
• Individual science notebooks to help students process science content by:
•Predicting•Recording•Organizing•Drawing•Questioning•Reflecting
TIELLASTechnology Integration for English
Language and Literacy Acquisition in Science
• Technology integrated into intervention:– Equipping classrooms with instructional
technology (ELMO document camera, projector, Mimio interactive white-board, Mimio pad, digital camera, science learning tools)
– Integration of science educational software (EduSmart)
– Exploring internet science resources to support learning
– Suggesting related websites in Family Involvement in Science take-home books
– Communicating with science mentors through email
TIELLASTechnology Integration for English Language
and Literacy Acquisition in Science
• Mimio interactive whiteboard and pad– Teachers can control computer wirelessly– Use interactive software to reinforce science
strategies– Put technology into students hands
SRM²Scientists as Role Models and
Mentors
• Mentoring program involving science professors and graduate students– Assist with teaching specific topics– Students generate questions and email
scientists– Science Saturdays at Sam
• students visit SHSU science labs and
mentored on various science topics
FISFamily Involvement in Science
• Take-home science materials developed for students to work with parents/family
• Provides family members with opportunities to conduct science activities and become citizen scientists
• Materials in both English and Spanish– Materials lists– Safety information– Reference reading materials and
websites
6th grade implementation
Additions:
• Based on recommendations by Dr. Koch, science consultant, we included science big ideas
• Engage – added more scenarios (science stories) to help make connection to real world
• Science Vocabulary – added weekly word wall poster or science concept poster
Lesson Plan:
Force, motion, and energy – Unbalanced Forces
Alignment
Day 1
Warm Up: Students describe force
Engage: Scenario – How can I measure force?
Explore: How can you weigh an object with a spring?
Explain: Vocabulary preview
EduSmart “What is force?”
Textbook “What happens when forces act on objects?”
Evaluate: Students explain how force acts on an object (cue ball)
Closure: Define force.
Identify a tool used to measure force.
Explain what happens when a force acts on an object.
Day 2Warm Up: Students explain whether objects have to touch in order for a force
to act
Engage: Observe and describe double pan balance
Explore: Investigate balanced and unbalanced forces using double pan balance
Explain: Vocabulary Review
EduSmart “Balanced and Unbalanced Forces”
Reading “Forces and Motion”
Evaluate: Concept web outlining balanced and unbalanced forces
Closure: Give example of a balanced force.
Give an example of an unbalanced force.
Describe how an unbalanced force affects an object.
Day 3Warm Up: Students describe the effect of the force on dominoes and identify
if the force is balanced or unbalanced
Engage: Students observe soccer ball and describe motion
Explore: Tug-of-War
Explain: Vocabulary Review
EduSmart “Effect of Force on Motion”
Reading “Forces and Motion”
Evaluate: Students illustrate and label example of an unbalanced force
Closure: Explain how unbalanced an unbalanced force changes the position of an object.
Explain how unbalanced forces changed the direction of an object in tug-of-war.
How do you think unbalanced forces effect the speed of an object?
Review homework using science strategies
Con
cep
t P
oste
r
Level I
Teacher Professional Development
Level II
Student Instructional Intervention
Two Levels, Three Tiers
Tier I
District curriculum taught in all content
areas, except in science
Tier 2
Academic science intervention components
Tier 3
Tutorials for lowest achieving students
Level II: Student Instructional
Intervention
• Tier 3: Additional tutorials provided for lowest achieving students:– MSSELL-X (Middle School Science for English
Language Learners – eXtra)• Tutoring focuses on science concepts,
vocabulary, oracy, and writing
Level II: Student Instructional
Intervention
•Questions?•Comments?•Suggestions?
Feedback