Planning Science Instruction for Emergent Bilinguals

This practical resource takes educators through a planning process—from selecting standards to designing learning activities—that weaves together language, literacy, and science in ways that are responsive to emergent bilinguals. Drawing on extensive and current research, the authors show how secondary educators can use students' own language and lived experiences, coupled with authentic science practices, to provide rich and relevant language support. Using a science unit as a shared text, readers will learn how to gather rich knowledge about emergent bilinguals, unpack the ideas and language demands of Next Generation Science Standards, strategically embed language and literacy standards in the curriculum, and sequence learning activities around an anchoring phenomenon, a text, and an assessment. In the process, readers will come away with a repertoire of planning tools and examples of how to support emergent bilinguals in using language to collaborate with others and to interpret and produce texts that are central to learning and doing science. Planning Science Instruction for Emergent Bilinguals blends theory and practice so readers understand both how and why this planning process can be used to disrupt social inequity for emergent bilinguals.

Book Features:

• Describes intentional decisions that educators can make when planning a science unit or learning experience.
• Shows how to weave together Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core English Language Arts Standards, and language development.
• Provides a model unit about kelp forest ecosystems to illustrate how theory is translated into practice.
• Demonstrates how to use emergent bilinguals’ assets (linguistic skills, family experiences, personal interests) to create engaging science instruction.
• Provides a set of planning tools, including both blank templates and completed examples, to guide educators through the planning process.

Edward G. Lyon is associate professor and chair of the Department of Curriculum Studies and Secondary Education at Sonoma State University. Kelly M. Mackura is a science teacher at the Cesar Chavez Language Academy, Santa Rosa, California.

“Thanks to Edward Lyon and Kelly Mackura’s conceptually rich and highly practical book, teachers—at any stage of their career—can see what it might look like to plan language support for multilingual learners that keeps disciplinary content, concepts, and practices at the heart of science instruction.”
—From the Foreword by George C. Bunch, University of California, Santa Cruz

“Current research at the intersection of science learning and language learning highlights a wide range of supportive and effective practices that benefit multilingual learners and all students. Lyon and Mackura have provided a clear and practical guide for educators looking to both understand and apply these practices in their classrooms.”
—Cory Buxton, professor and program chair for STEM education, College of Education, Oregon State University

“This remarkable book infuses core science teaching practices with the real-world needs of emergent bilinguals. A wonderful starting point for new teachers, this book will also support collaborative planning among educators devoted to improving science learning for all students.”
—John Settlage, professor, science teacher education, University of Connecticut

Contents (Tentative)

Foreword

Introduction

Part I: Foundations for Teaching Science to Emergent Bilinguals

1. Re-envisioning Science Teaching for Emergent Bilinguals

2. A Research Primer for Integrating Science Learning With Language and Literacy Development for Emergent Bilinguals

3. Ecosystem Interactions and Resources: A Sample Unit to Illustrate the Planning Process

Part II: Unit Level Planning

4. Knowing Your Emergent Bilingual Students and Their Families

5. Unpacking the Next Generation Science Standards and Curricular Resources

6. Weaving Common Core English Language Arts and English Language Development Into Next Generation Science Standards

7. Anchoring the Unit With Phenomena, Texts, and Assessment

Part III: Planning a Conceptual and Linguistic Progression of Learning

8. Connecting a Conceptual Progression to Language and Literacy

9. Planning a Progression for Interpretive Language

10. Planning a Progression for Collaborative Language

11. Planning a Progression for Productive Language

Conclusion: Strengthening Science, Language, and Literacy Rich and Relevant Planning through Collaboration

Appendix A: Sample Ecosystem Interactions and Resources Lesson Plans

Appendix B: Additional Unit Frames

Appendix C: Blank Planning Tools

References

Index

About the Authors