Janelle  M.  Johnson,  PhD  Equity  Assistance  Center,  Region  VII  

Metropolitan  State  University  of  Denver    

NSTA  Conference  Denver,  Colorado  December  12,  2013  

•  STEM  field  recognition  of  need  for  equity  •  Role  of  language  in  STEM  teaching  and  learning  •  NGSS  and  language  acquisition  •  STEM  equity  checklist  (if  time)  •  Reflection  

NCTM  Industries  

NSTA   Universities  

AAC  &  U  

World  Bank  

United  Nations   NSF  

“We’ve  arranged  a  global  civilization  in  which  most  crucial  elements  –  transportation,  communications,  and  all  other  industries;  agriculture,  medicine,  education,  entertainment,  and    protecting  the  environment  –  profoundly  depend  on  science  and  technology…    

We  have  also  arranged  things  so  that  almost  no  one  understands  science  and  technology.    This  is  a  prescription  for  disaster.    We  might  get  away  with  it  for  a  while,  but  sooner  or  later  this  combustible  mixture  of  ignorance  and  power  is  going  to  blow  up  in  our  faces.”    ~Carl  Sagan  

¡  Intersection  with  socioeconomic  status  

¡  Teacher  quality  ¡  Digital  divide  ¡  Disproportionality  ¡  Achievement  gap  ¡  Dropout  rates  ¡  School  to  prison  pipeline  

For  ELLs  and  students  with  limited  access  to  academic  English  

“The  largest  silenced  group  is  millions  of  American  school  children  who  do  not  speak  English,  or  standard  English.”  

 “The  youngest  children  mistakenly  internalize  the  school  practices  as  signs  of  their  own  personal  inadequacy.    Older  students  rightly  take  them  as  insults.    To  this  contempt  for  their  humanity,  the  children  reply  with  resignation,  and  with  resistance.”  

From  the  book  Tongue  Tied  

¡ Motivation  ¡  First  language  development  ¡  Language  distance  and  attitude  ¡  Access  to  the  language  ¡  Age  ¡  Personality  and  learning  style  ¡  Peers  and  role  models  ¡  Quality  of  instruction  ¡  Cultural  background  

BICS:  Basic  interpersonal  communication  skills  §  conversational  fluency  §  pronunciation,  vocabulary,  and  grammar  §  ELLs  typically  acquire  BICS  first    

CALPs:  Cognitive  academic  language  proficiency  

§  abstract  language  abilities  §  complex  conceptual  linguistic  abilities  §  analysis,  synthesis,  and  evaluation  

¡  An  approach  to  teaching  that  provides  both  language  and  content  instruction  to  classes  of  mixed  ELLs  and  native  English  speakers.  

¡  Teachers  scaffold  instruction  to  aid  student  comprehension  of  content  topics  and  objectives  by  adjusting  their  speech,  student  tasks,  and  providing  background  information  and  experiences.      

¡  The  goal  is  for  ELLs  to  access  grade-­‐level  content  standards  and  concepts  while  they  continue  to  improve  their  English  language  proficiency.  

Sheltered  instruction  (cont.)  

¡  Determine  key  vocabulary:  content  AND  academic  language  

¡  Incorporate  a  variety  of  vocabulary  development  activities  into  lessons  (personal  dictionaries,  word  walls,  concept  definition  maps,  cloze  sentences,  word  sorts,  word  generation,  games,  etc.)  

¡  Link  concepts  to  students’  background  and  knowledge  

¡  Connect  with  topics  previously  covered  in  class  

Connecting  with  the  eight  science  and  engineering  practices  

1.  Asking  questions  and  defining  problems  2.  Developing  and  using  models  3.  Planning  and  carrying  out  investigations  4.  Analyzing  and  interpreting  data  5.  Using  mathematics  and  computational  thinking  6.  Constructing  explanations  and  designing  solutions  7.  Engaging  in  argument  from  evidence  8.  Obtaining,  evaluating,  and  communicating  information  

¡  Hands-­‐on  manipulatives  ¡  Realia  ¡  Pictures  ¡  Visuals  ¡ Multimedia  ¡  Demonstrations  ¡  Related  literature  ¡  Adapted  text  

Unit  or  lesson:________________________________________________________________    Challenges  with  academic  language:  _____________________________________________    ____________________________________________________________________________    Practice  A:__________________________  Shelter  with:  __________________________  Notes:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________    Practice  B:__________________________  Shelter  with:  __________________________  Notes:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________    Practice  C:__________________________  Shelter  with:  __________________________  Notes:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________      

¡  Graphic  organizers  ¡  Teacher-­‐prepared  outlines  ¡  Leveled  study  guides  ¡  Highlighted  text  ¡  Taped  text  ¡  Adapted  text  ¡  Jigsaw  text  reading  ¡ Marginal  notes  ¡  Native  language  text  

Unit  or  lesson:________________________________________________________________    Challenges  with  academic  language:  _____________________________________________    ____________________________________________________________________________    Practice  A:__________________________  Shelter  with:  __________________________  Notes:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________    Practice  B:__________________________  Shelter  with:  __________________________  Notes:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________    Practice  C:__________________________  Shelter  with:  __________________________  Notes:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________      

¡  Bloom’s  Taxonomy  and  critical  thinking  ¡  Oral  and  written  questions  ¡ Metacognitive  reflection  ¡  ZPD  and  L  +  1  ¡  Student-­‐created  questions  

¡ Opportunities  for  interaction,  participation,  and  engagement    

¡ Grouping  configurations  ¡ Wait  time  ¡ Clarify  concepts  in  L1  

¡  New  language  and  content  knowledge  presented  in  lesson  

¡  Students  have  hands-­‐on  practice  with  new  knowledge  

¡  Students  integrate  acquired  language  skills  (speaking,  reading,  writing,  and  listening)  

¡  Students  apply  language  and  content  knowledge  in  new  ways  

¡ In  what  ways  has  your  understanding  of  STEM  content/language  acquisition  changed  during  this  session?  

¡ Questions?  

¡ Comments?  

Janelle  Johns0n  Equity  Specialist  Coordinator  jjohn428@msudenver.edu  

¡ Develop  and/or  improve  knowledge  of  language  acquisition  

¡ Know  and  apply  Sheltered  Instruction  strategies  ¡ Broaden  understandings  of  family  engagement  ¡ Draw  upon  students’  funds  of  knowledge  ¡ Broaden  forms  of  assessment  ¡ Counsel  underrepresented  groups  into  rather  than  away  from  STEM  fields  

¡ Build  a  network  of  community  role  models  doing  STEM  work  

¡ Be  prepared  to  offer  remedial  help  as  needed,  to  strengthen  students’  foundational  skills  

¡ Be  open  to  intercultural  exchange  opportunities  for  teachers  that  can  increase  empathy,  understanding,  and  appreciation  

¡ Critically  examine  your  own  teaching  materials  and  paradigms  for  cultural  bias  

¡ Develop  and  facilitate  problem-­‐based  learning  activities  around  issues  relevant  to  the  community