E-Portfolio Evaluation

Title: Research-Based Strategies for Teaching Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics to ELs at the
Secondary Level
Author: Blanca Quiroz and Georgina Gonzalez
Address: http://txcc.sedl.org/resources/briefs/number_9/
Rating Scale: Highlight the luminous star-type to indicate the usefulness of the resource.
Supergiant
Giant
Dwarf
White Dwarf
Black Hole
(4-Terrific)
(3-Good)
(2-Okay)
(1-Marginal)
(0-Useless)
Review: Write a 1-2 well-formed paragraphs to describe the usefulness of the information provided
in your peers e-portfolio.
In this article, Blanca Quiroz examines strategies for teaching social studies, science, and math to
ELs with her main focus being on the secondary level. According to Quiroz, teaching EL students at
the secondary level has been more difficult for the school systems and teachers because there are not
many effective teaching strategies for this level. Quiroz pointed out that EL students can better
comprehend the content when teachers use images, gestures, and videos. It is vital that the teachers
help their students acquire the English language by providing them with more time to answer
questions, model correct speech, and establish language routines. Another strategy mentioned in the
article was allowing the Spanish speaking students to look for cognates. According to Quiroz, 88% of
the science vocabulary words are Spanish/English cognates. In this article Quiroz also discussed two
studies performed by August and Duguay (2011) on science instruction. These two studies identified
the interventions that teachers used to help ELs increase science vocabulary and content knowledge.

E-Portfolio Evaluation
Title: Effective Strategies for Teaching Science Vocabulary
Author: Sarah J. Carrier
Address: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/7079
Rating Scale: Highlight the luminous star-type to indicate the usefulness of the resource.
Supergiant
Giant
Dwarf
White Dwarf
Black Hole
(4-Terrific)
(3-Good)
(2-Okay)
(1-Marginal)
(0-Useless)
Review: Write a 1-2 well-formed paragraphs to describe the usefulness of the information provided
in your peers e-portfolio.
In this article Carrier highlights helpful strategies to use with ELLs to improve science vocabulary.
She believes that teachers need to allow students to use scientific and technical terms during their
instructional conversation in order to help the ELLs with science vocabulary. In addition teachers
should provide ELLs with visual and auditory support. This support can be given in the form of
diagrams, drawings, and/or pictures. Verbal and written instructions on the smartboard can also help
ELLs better comprehend science vocabulary. She also suggested word banks and games. Games like
charades, scrabble, dingbats, and bingo have been shown to help ELLs understand words and
meanings.