ELL Differentiation

When it comes to differentiation of science lessons, I think that it's important to focus on the student's needs first.  Many of the methods used to teach English language learners (ELL) would work fantastically with good science teaching. 

With early ELL students it is important to provide sensory support during each lesson.  The more concrete you can make a lesson, the better an ELL student will learn.  According to constructivist learning theory, this is true of all students. 

To paraphrase my instructor, teaching science is just a way to teach thinking.  Some tips for the education and assessment of ELL students are featured in Differentiating Instruction and Assessment for English Language Learners by Fairbairn and Jones-Vo.

• Afford access to the curriculum by using realia, pictures, diagrams, models, demonstrations, graphic organizers, nonverbal communication, videos, computer-assisted instruction, etc.
• Allow sufficient wait time.
• Apply the same academic content standards to the learning of all students.
• Ensure that directions are clear; confirm that students understand them.
• Activate ELLs' interests and prior knowledge as they relate to content.
• Embed the development of higher-order thinking throughout instruction.
• Make the abstract comprehensible by first demonstrating concrete applications or examples.
• Concentrate on student meaning rather than on correctness of expression.
• Create and use assignments.assessments that allow students to demonstrate content knowledge, skills, and abilities without language mastery, (2010, Fairbairn and Jones-Vo).

That said, there are many teaching methods used with teaching English and reading that would be harmful in teaching science and thinking skills. 

• Focus on correct answers rather than errors and ommissions.
• Inform students of the daily objectives for each lesson in terms of both language and content.
• Build confidence by rewarding all attempts to communicate, (2010, Fairbairn and Jones-Vo).

In my classes we have talked quite a bit about responding to student answers.  There is a lot of debate on wether rewarding answers/comments is actually helpful to students.  With science learning it is prefered that student comments are acknowledged, discussed, or used but not confirmed, denied, or celebrated.

Also, with science students do not need to know the objectives before they learn.  Reading teachers must be explicit with vocabulary and expectations.  However, in science as student may need to know some vocabulary, but they don't always need to know the madness behind the method. 

Fairbairn, S., & Jones-Vo, S. (2010). Differentiating instruction and assessment for english language learners: A guide for k - 12 teachers. Caslon Publishing.