Science: Developing Scientific Language

Here are some ways to help your ESL students more easily understand the language of science:

• Provide appropriate contexts for new vocabulary, syntactic structures, and discourse patterns. Isolated lists or exercises do not appear to facilitate language acquisition.
• Engage students in hands-on activities in which they discuss concepts in a genuine communicative context.
• Promote activities in which students actively debate with one another about the truth of a hypothesis or the meaning of data gathered.

Source: Diaz-Rico, L.T. & Weed, K. Z. (2010) The crosscultural, language, and academic development handbook. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Math: Alternative Means of Demonstrating Math Knowledge

• Produce or find three different drawings for the number x
• Write three story problems that have the number x as an answer
• Find out the favorite ice cream flavor of ten people you know. Invent a way to show this information to the class.

SSource: Diaz-Rico, L.T. & Weed, K. Z. (2010) The crosscultural, language, and academic development handbook. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Math: Developing Mathematical Language

The language of math can be difficult for ESL students. Here are some ways to help develop mathematical language:

• Pairs or small groups of students discuss the mathematics in their everyday language and relate it to everyday uses before moving to mathematics terms and concepts
• Use mathematical language together with appropriate actions and concrete objects
• Relate new terms to what students already know
• Recycle vocabulary to reinforce understanding and familiarity with the language in context
• Verbalize the strategies used to solve problems
• Provide both oral and written forms of new structures and vocabulary

Source: Diaz-Rico, L.T. & Weed, K. Z. (2010) The crosscultural, language, and academic development handbook. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Literature- Helping Students Work with the Text

Here are some ideas to help students work with the text, increasing comprehension and aiding in language development:

• Character review: Specific students become a character and provide background for other students' questions throughout the reading
• Image/theme development: Charts, graphs, pictures, and symbols can trace the development of images, ideas, and themes
• Read-along tapes/CD's/podcasts: These mediums encourage slower readers, allow absent students to catch up, and provide auditory input for students who learn through that modality
• Visual summaries: Groups of students create chapter reviews, character analyses, or problem-solutions

Source: Diaz-Rico, L.T. & Weed, K. Z. (2010) The crosscultural, language, and academic development handbook. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Activating Prior Knowledge in Literature Instruction

Here are some ideas for activating prior knowledge in literature instruction:

• Anticipation/reaction guides: a short list of statements provokes students to agree or disagree
• Pictures, art, movies: Visual means build a feeling for the setting
• Physical objects: Items relating to the reading selection allow students to identify and discuss
• Experiences: Field trips can interest students in the topic

Source: Weed, K. Z. & Diaz-Rico, L. T. (2010) The crosscultural, language, and academic development handbook. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.