Putting the ‘literate’ into scientific literacy: Developing the

Putting the ‘literate’ into scientific literacy: Developing the communication skills of EAL learners in science NALDIC Conference 16th November 2013 Manny Vazquez HOUNSLOW LANGUAGE SERVICE Hounslow Language Service

Session Content 1. Lily Wong Fillmore’s 6 conditions for effective classroom environments for EAL learners 2. The notion of the teacher as the model for academic language 3. Using active listening tasks 4. Scaffolding language or inhibiting scientific thought? 5. Let’s do a practical! 6. Questions / Plenary

1. Lily Wong Fillmore’s 6 conditions

Effective classroom environments (Lily Wong Fillmore) 1. Teacher-directed instruction 2. Heterogeneous groupings 3. Appropriate content 4. Attention to language 5. Corrective feedback 6. Supported practice

2. The teacher as the model for academic language Teaching note-taking skills

3. Using active listening tasks

Use Active Listening Tasks Bingo (receptive) Active vocabulary tasks (productive) Active tasks (observational) Active tasks (sequential)

BINGO!

Make a bingo card

Choose 6 from this list to make your bingo card predator producer prey consumer food web primary consumer food chain secondary consumer

Active listening Productive tasks

Year 8 Pupil Writing approximating to NC Level 2 EAL teacher’s current objectives on her needs analysis form: 1. Develop use of the simple past tense 2. Consolidate pupil knowledge of the 80 most frequent irregular verbs

Example of an outstanding lesson

Pupil Writing “Sound is quicker travel the light” “Because sound can’t travel the vacuum”

4. Scaffolding language or inhibiting scientific thought?

What am I? 1. What do you think it is? 2. How big do you think it is? 3. Where do you think it might be found? 4. What do you think it might be associated with? 5. Why might it be important?

Model an ‘expert’ discussion Creature 1 Creature 2

Model an ‘expert’ discussion S: Around the top we seem to have some protrusions G: Yes, I think its microscopic S: What makes you think that? G: Because its see-through S: Okay S: And because its blurry G: Yes, because its blurry in certain spots and not in others S: I think its in water something like a pond creature

Analyse the language used Science words plankton . starch . bacteria flagella Describing words blurry stacked squashed Ideas used Is there any green? Does it use this to attach itself? Where might it filter or absorb food?

What the teachers directly modelled for the pupils as the lesson starter 1. What do you think it is? 2. How big do you think it is? 3. Where do you think it might be found? 4. What do you think it might be associated with? 5. Why might it be important?

What the pupils discussed 1. What do you think it is? 2. How big do you think it is? 3. Where do you think it might be found? 4. What do you think it might be associated with? 5. Why might it be important?

Scaffold activities based around this language What the pupils did during the starter

Mysterious Creatures! What am I? Tick if you hear any of these science words used protusions feeding end protozoans hairs microscopic storage capsule plankton filter feeder bacteria single-celled / one-cell flagella starch Tick if you hear any of these describing words and phrases used see-through blurry squashed air bubbles stacked Tick if you hear any of these ideas used Does it use this to attach itself to something? Does it photosynthesise? Is there any green? So if it’s not a plant, where and how does it get its food? What type of water might it live in, moving water or stagnant? Where might it filter or absorb food ? How many areas of chlorophyll would it need to get enough energy to sustain itself?

Ranking Activity TASK Rank the statements in order of which ones would most help you work out what the creature is Prepare a report back, justifying your order

5. Let’s do a practical!

Objectives To know how sound is transmitted through solids and through a gas. To be able to describe this process both orally and in writing

Key words & phrases Additional input for EAL: A coat hanger is used to hang up coats, jackets, shirts, dresses and shirts. A metal coat hanger A plastic coat hanger A wooden coat hanger

Additional language practice A coat hanger can be made of . A coat hanger can be made of . A coat hanger can be made of . metal plastic wood wooden

6. Questions / Plenary

Contact details For further information contact Hounslow Language Service Tel. 02085381802 Mob. 07891618408 www.ealhls.org.uk e-mail : [email protected] or [email protected]