Teaching Science with Multilingual Learners [Guest Post]

By guest authors Dr. Emily Adah Miller (Univ of GA), Dr. Emily Reigh (Univ of CA, Santa Cruz), and Dr. Jennifer Bateman (Univ of GA)

How can you adapt science curriculum to better meet the needs of Multilingual Learners (MLLs)?

                                                            Image: SDI Productions, IStock, Edutopia

Districts have adapted materials that were originally designed to be one-size-fits all and aligned with the NGSS. Many students have success with these materials and they can be easy to use. These curriculum materials give teachers time to plan for teaching without having to invent new investigations or think through scope and sequence. They also help teachers consider questions that will best help students connect the experiences in class with the scientific understanding they need to acquire.

But the materials may not be designed with MLLs in mind. MLLs have different strengths, background experiences, and cultural and linguistic resources from students who are not labeled MLL and one another. Materials may not include enough flexibility to address the unique needs of MLLs. The only way to determine how to best support MLLs in science is through thoughtful planning and in-the-moment adjustments that respond to what ML students are doing, saying and knowing. Material cannot predict how your students will respond. 

This resource provides five adaptation strategies for MLLs, which help teachers address what they are seeing in their classroom with what is provided in the curriculum. Each strategy is supported by empirical research that aligns what is known about teaching science with MLLs, with asset perspective, and current understanding about how students acquire language and scientific understanding simultaneously.

In the Moment Adaptations

• Use Multiple Modalities - Using modalities like speaking, writing, gestures, drawings, and visual models, help MLLs engage in science. Teachers can use these modalities as valuable ways for all students to express their thinking.
• Support Translanguaging - Encourage students to use all their language resources, rather than limiting them to English. By allowing a student to engage in practices and discuss a science concept in their home language, students deepen science understanding which transfers to activities in English.
• Promote Student Collaboration and Communication - Create opportunities for students to learn from each other by presenting complex questions and problems that require them to value different perspectives and problem solve.
• Expand Scientific Practices - Help students reflect on the scientific practices they engage in by allowing extra class periods to share work, reflect on how the practice did and didn’t “work” to explain the phenomenon.
• Technology Tools - Integrate technology in ways that promote exploration and discussion, by providing language supports, and offering students more control over their learning pace.

Wauwatosa School District Science Detracking Efforts (Part 3 in a Series)

The Wauwatosa School District’s Science Department has undergone a significant transformation, which began in the Fall of 2022. The district’s curriculum review cycle prompted an external audit,the assembly of a curriculum review team, and a thorough process to create a plan to respond to the audit, engage in professional learning, revise and improve instructional practices, and evaluate and update curricular resources and materials.

The review team saw clear alignment between the Wisconsin vision for science education and the Wauwatosa School District Mission, Vision, and Core Values, and felt compelled to make the changes necessary in order to realize this vision for the students of Wauwatosa. The three main objectives identified to bring this vision to life included foundational courses aligned to standards, clear course pathways to support varying student interests, and ongoing professional learning and support.

The Wauwatosa School District has prioritized improvements to address the issue of tracking students into leveled courses, a concern recognized by District leadership and emphasized in the external audit. The audit revealed that the system of regular and advanced science courses—particularly in subjects like biology, chemistry, and physics—was contributing to disparities in learning outcomes. These inequities were exacerbated by the fact that such leveled courses are not aligned with the guidance from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, which emphasizes the importance of equitable access to rigorous content for all students.

In response, the District took a proactive approach to rethink how students are grouped and how the curriculum is delivered, particularly at the high school level. Embracing the philosophy that the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Wisconsin State Standards for Science (WSS) are intended for all students, the District decided to dismantle barriers that had previously limited access to challenging science coursework for some students. This vision was grounded in the belief that all students should have equal opportunities to engage with a rigorous science curriculum that fosters critical thinking, inquiry, and problem-solving skills, regardless of their academic background or perceived ability.

To support this vision of science education, the team developed clear and equitable course pathways that focus on empowering students and supporting their varying interests. The changes to course pathways included: removing Advanced Biology, Advanced Chemistry, and Advanced Physics, and adding new courses: Introduction to College Chemistry and AP Environmental Science. Full details regarding the course changes and the rationale behind the updated pathways can be found here.

Additionally, the review team prioritized the selection of a high-quality instructional resource to support these changes. After careful evaluation, the team chose OpenSciEd as the primary curricular resource for biology and chemistry courses. The review team believed that OpenSciEd would enhance learning by delivering grade-level appropriate curriculum and instruction designed to support all students. Additionally, the OpenSciEd curriculum communicates that it is most effective when implemented universally for all students. OpenSciEd’s Design Specifications name that classroom activity structures are designed to leverage the diverse assets and perspectives students bring in order to make sense of phenomena. Teacher materials provide instructional guidance to leverage the heterogeneity in student thinking to support the emergence of group concepts, forms of practice, and links to convention.

The Wauwatosa Biology and Chemistry teams are currently in their first official year of implementation, putting the course and curricular changes into practice. As teachers shift their instruction to an NGSS-aligned approach there is inevitably learning and adjusting along the way, however, the team has seen steady growth in scientific reasoning skills among all students. Teachers report that creating inclusive, collaborative learning environments in universal courses is helping all students grow in ways that weren’t possible with the previous model. The team-based learning fostered by the OpenSciEd curriculum provides students with opportunities to collaborate with their peers, learn from different perspectives, and adopt various study methods. This approach helps improve both academic performance and overall engagement. Students of diverse strengths and experiences positively influence one another, contributing to a richer learning environment for everyone.