And Science!
Our language learners come to our classroom in a multitude of ways and bring with them an equal number of language capabilities. While it might be easy to assume that students don’t need language support in math and science, that could not be further from the truth. In this post, I’ll give you some quick strategies to support language learners in math and science. If you’re curious, in this post I talk about ways to support multilingual and culturally diverse students in our grade books.
Even though they’re primarily working with numbers or doing hands- on activities, you’d be surprised how much academic language is involved in a math or science lesson! Whether it’s listening to directions, reading about processes in a textbook or article, or completing word problems – language can quickly become a barrier to learning. Not because a student is not capable of doing the task, but because they don’t understand what to do. A lot of times, even students who can hold a casual conversation with you or their friends is still lacking in their academic vocabulary. It’s important to know who these students are so that you can provide appropriate scaffolding for them to access learning.
Tips to Support Language Learners in Math and Science
When planning lessons, I encourage teachers to look at the objective, and what language skills are needed to accomplish the task in addition to the math or science skill. This is called the language objective.
Some language objectives might be:
- Follow multi- step instructions
- In writing, describe the relevant information in a word problem
- Verbally identify examples and non-examples of the concept
Once you know what language tasks you are asking students to perform, you can provide appropriate support. Here are some simple scaffolds you can offer:
Pre- Teach Essential Vocabulary
If your language learners have a resource teacher, you can likely ask them for help pre-teaching vocabulary that is essential to the lesson. If not, take a moment to review important words with all students, or pull your language learners into a small group. When choosing words, consider words that your students:
- likely don’t encounter every day
- are essential to accomplishing the object
- have multiple meanings
If you use interactive notebooks, it may help to provide a little glossary for students to add to their notes on the lesson.
Guided notes
Providing fill- in- the- blank notes or notes that incorporate visual examples lessen the stress of copying down a ton of notes, and visual examples help students make connections between the English words and the concepts you are teaching.
Sentence Starters
Providing sentence starts often helps more than just your language learners. It can help students who are afraid to ask a question, or who are not sure how to begin their answer. Students who don’t need a sentence frame likely won’t use it, but those who were struggling to find the right words will be able to produce their thinking.
Partner Language Learners with a stronger English Speaker
When students are working together, the stronger or native English speaker can support the language needs of the learner, which benefits both parties.
Allow for longer processing time
Instead of asking for an answer right away, have students record their thinking on paper or a whiteboard first. Language learners may want the opportunity to share the correct answer, but need more time to put their thinking together. Along these lines, avoid cold- calling or putting language learners on the spot.
Use Images and Manipulatives
Many students will benefit from additional visual examples to aid their understanding, not just language learners.
Modify the linguistic Complexity of texts or word problems
This doesn’t mean that language learners shouldn’t be reading grade- level text, but when the focus is not on reading skills, its important to consider the depth of language skills needed to access the task. Consider shortening sentences or simplifying them in word problems, or jigsawing longer articles. Also look for idioms or archaic language that could be modified for the benefit of all students.
Record Your Lessons
When giving notes or demonstrating a concept, record your direct instruction and upload it to your LMS for students to access later. Or, provide links to Khan Academy, YOuTube, or other resources for students to check out while they are working on the assignment or studying for the test.
Limit the Number of Problems per Page
Seeing 20 problems on a page could be overwhelming. Limiting this will help students break down larger assignments into smaller parts.
Allow Students to Test in their Home Language
For some tests and some learners, it may be appropriate to translate the questions or instructions.
Offer a Variety of Ways to Demonstrate Understanding
If students are more confident with their speaking skills, allow them to explain how to solve a problem. You might also have them work with you 1:1 on a whiteboard. It’s important to know your specific learners and their needs in order to make this work, but sometimes just a simple switch in medium can make the difference for that student.
In Conclusion
As you consider support for MLLs, remember that the goal is not to decrease the rigor or lower expectations. The goal is to make the content ACCESSIBLE for students who are fluent in a language other than English. Students should learn the language as they learn the content. For more on this, check out this great article from Achieve the Core.
What tips do you have for scaffolding language learning for your students? Leave them in the comments!!
