Challenges and

Solutions for ELLs

Teaching strategies for English Language Learners success in science

P
Lori M. Edmonds
reparing students for high-stakes testing pres-
ents a constantly increasing challenge for science
teachers. Not only do students vary greatly in
their science knowledge and backgrounds, but
also English Language Learners (ELLs) are often placed
in mainstream science classes long before they are fluent
in English (Reville 2006). To make matters more difficult,
students are often required to pass a state science exam in
order to receive a high school diploma (Athiapan 2002).
This article describes some of the difficulties ELLs may
have with science content and offers techniques teachers can
use to facilitate student understanding and participation. As
an English for Speakers of Other Languages teacher who has
taught environmental science in an afterschool program to
high school ELLs, I have witnessed the challenges these stu-
dents face to achieve success in science. In this article, I share
knowledge from the literature, my own research, research
from the Secondary Teacher Education and Professional

30 The Science Teacher


Training (STEP-T) for ELLs program (see On the web),
and the experience I obtained while running an afterschool
science program.
Five challenges
ELLs face five primary challenges when learning science
content. Some are related to their cultural perceptions
of science; others stem from their language and writing
skills. These challenges include
u relating to American ways of perceiving the sci-
ences (Schiller 2007, Lee 2005, Lemke 2001),
u understanding what is being taught in the class-
room (Gee 2001, Cummins 1979),
u using academic language to discuss scientific
concepts (Meadows 2007, Lee 2005, Gee 2001),
u participating in class discussion, and
u writing appropriate scientific academic texts
(Burrough-Boenisch 1999, Swain 1997).
C h a l l e n g e s a n d S o l u t i o n s fo r E L L s
This article discusses these challenges and offers sug-
gestions and strategies to address them in the classroom.
Challenge 1: Relating to American ways of
perceiving the sciences
Teachers are often unaware of the role culture plays in our
understanding of science, yet science, at least in the United
States, is very much linked to Western society worldviews.
For example, Charles Darwin played a central role in
shaping our worldview through his theory of evolution.
[Western] cultures depiction of evolution describes it as
linear and progressive, with Homo sapiens as its final, fin-
est product (Van Riper 2003). Karl Marx also asserted a
linear-progressive worldview (Qi 1997), as did Sigmund
Freud when he frequently discussed human development
in linear terms (Phillips 2004). These and other promi-
nent historical figures laid the foundation that has led to
the common Western perception that we live in a linear-
progressive world (Borkman 2002).
When science is viewed through a linear-progressive
lens, the world is seen as a place that is improving over
time. People with this worldview believe science and
technology enable us to improve our lives. Many cul-
tures that are not part of Western society, however, see
the world through a cyclical lens. They believe that the
world is at its best when the wisdom and traditions of
the ancestors are revered. NonWestern societies may see
the condition of the environment as evidence that we are
straying from ancient wisdom. From their worldview,
industrialization and globalization may look more like
destruction than progress. For example, one student in
my afterschool program talked about clear cutting trees
from land for development, saying that people from his
country do not want to cut the trees down because they
might scare the spirits out. Another student commented
that, in her country, if you do not treat the river with re-
spect, the water may rise up and take you under. A third
student from yet a different country said that where he
is from, everyone knows that water comes from the feet
of God, and because of this, it is to be revered. These are
just a few examples of how students from nonWestern
cultures may conceptualize the natural environment in
ways that may be incongruent with our Western scientific
worldview.
Lee (2005) asserts that students who have cultural be-
liefs that are discontinuous with Western science should
be instructed in a manner that enables them to cross
cultural borders between the two domains (p. 503). Us-
ing students native culture to build on Western science
concepts can be done in many ways. One technique is
to draw on students background knowledge from their
native cultures at the beginning of each lesson by activat-
ing prior knowledgedoing so also helps the teacher to
assess what students know and whether or not they are
connecting with the topic.
March 2009 31
 Another way to help cross cultural borders is by accessing
students funds of knowledge (Moll 1992)I like to use a versational English (Cummins 1979), a problem faced
student-centered funds of knowledge approarch where stu-
dents speak with older relatives to get cultural information
about a topic being introduced in class. For example, in my
afterschool program, students were given an assignment to
interview an older relative about how they (in their native
cultures) took care of the waterways where they lived. The
information students brought back to class served as the
beginning of a list of things we could do to improve our wa-
terways. We were also able to use the information through-
out the project to link students cultures and class lessons.
For example, after we completed a water-quality monitor-
ing report, we sent the results to the mayor. This was be-
cause a student who interviewed his father had learned that
Liberia significantly improved one of its beaches after an
elected official made the issue a priorityleading students
to believe that a letter to our mayor may help improve the
water quality of our river as well. The idea is that perhaps
we can draw on other cultures knowledge to improve our
effectiveness and empower our students.
Challenge 2: Understanding what is being
taught in the classroom
Students who are not native speakers of English can easily
get lost during a lecture. To prevent this from happening,
teachers should make sure that the lesson is clearly spelled
out on the board and through discussion at the beginning
of the class. They should also provide students with mark-
ers to help them get back on track if they get lost. Markers
are like street signs on the road map to scientific under-
standing. When students realize they are lost, they can look
for a marker to figure out what is taking place in class.
Markers are provided through a simple numbered
outline, and each number represents an objective. As the
teacher progresses through the lesson, he or she states
(and points out on the overhead or board) the number.
This way, if students are struggling with listening com-
prehension, they can use the written language as a guide.
In addition to markers, teachers can use other means
to make concepts highly visible. Lessons should always
begin with a visual aid that will assist ELLs with under-
standing the concept that is being taught. This visual aid
could be a photograph, graph, cartoon, demonstration,
or any other creative visual aid or artifact. For helpful
cartoon illustrations containing physics concepts, teach-
ers may want to obtain a copy of Quantoons (Eisenkraft
and Kirkpatrick 2006). (Editors note: For more on comic
illustrations in physics classes, see Spevaks article in the
December 2008 issue of The Science Teacher.)
Challenge 3: Using academic language to
discuss scientific concepts
Even when it seems as if ELLs are fluent in English,
they may struggle with the type of English used in class.
32 The Science Teacher
This is because science language is different from con-
by native English speakers as well. Even seemingly
fluent speakers of English need to develop discourse
specific to science in order to accurately conceptualize
the science they are being taught (Gee 2001). Gee (2001)
advocates that teachers, parents, and more advanced stu-
dents of science should model the language and thought
process for ELLs. Schiller (2007) suggests modeling this
language with think alouds and other metacognitive
tools for understanding.
Another technique is to have students explain a
concept first; the teacher then repeats the concept but
models the scientific language and writes the new terms
on the board. The teacher uses these terms frequently
and has students use them as well. This technique en-
sures that students notice this new language, a concept
introduced by Swain (1997) and further discussed in the
section on Challenge 5.
Challenge 4: Participating in class
discussion
In any classELL and otherwiseteachers often en-
counter the problem of having some students who do
not verbally participate and some who may participate
too much. Using a combination of three techniques
helps me achieve a more balanced level of participation
from students.
At the beginning of the school year, I explain what it
means to take the floor and to give the floor in my
class. Taking the floor is talking or participating in class
by answering questions or sharing a thought or idea; giv-
ing the floor is respectfully listening to other classmates
share their answers or ideas and allowing a few brief
moments of silence so that a student can gather his or
her thoughts and courage. Most of us are better at either
taking or giving the floor, but ideally what we want is to
have a classroom where everyone is good at both.
I communicate that part of each students grade is
based on his or her class participation and that those
who demonstrate this ability will receive all of their par-
ticipation points. I model taking and giving the floor so
that they understand how to do both. For example, I say,
Right now I am talking. So, I am taking the floor. If I
am silent or I ask a question and then I am silent, I am
giving the floor. If you respond (I motion toward a stu-
dent), you are taking the floor. But if you think I have
already spoken a lot today, so I am going to stay silent
this time, you are giving the floor. This conversation
helps students notice the degree to which they partici-
pate in class discussions. With a few gentle reminders to
my most talkative students, my quieter students soon get
the courage to participate.
The second technique I use helps students demon-
strate what they understand without having to rely fully

on their ability to articulate their knowledge. For exam-
ple, if I were teaching about enzymes, I might provide a
visual module for students along with limited English
to explain the process. As students demonstrated their
knowledge, I would supplement their verbal explana-
tion and allow them to rephrase it themselves after
providing the missing vocabulary they need. If their
verbal explanation still lacked fluency or competence,
I would give them credit for correctly demonstrating
their knowledge, but then repeat the correct verbal form
of the response to model the English for them.
A third technique is to group students together to
work collaboratively. First I have them work in pairs;
then I have two pairs work as one group of four. Starting
with pairs and gradually building to larger groups allows
students who are not used to participating in classroom
discussions to slowly build confidence.
Challenge 5: Writing appropriate
scientific academic texts
It can be surprising when a student who speaks well
seems to write poorly. Scientific writing norms vary
from culture to culture (Burrough-Boenisch 1999), and
while the writing may appear disorganized to us, it may
be well-constructed according to the writing norms of
their native culture. To help ELLs notice the difference
between their native writing norms and those of native
English speakers, students should be provided with a
model writing sample for each formal assignment. It is
helpful if the teacher explains what makes the sample a
good model of formal scientific writing. Once students
have written their first draft, the teacher should meet
with them individually and explain one or two of the
biggest difficulties with their formal writing. This helps
ELLs notice the gaps between their formal writing and
the model (Swain 1997).
Conclusion
Using these techniques will not only help teachers ad-
dress the five challenges discussed in this article, but also
help ELL students be successful in class and fare better
on their state science exam(s). In addition, teachers should
be aware that most states offer special testing accommo-
dations for ELLs. Teachers should learn more about the
accommodations allowed by the school or state and offer
these for ELL students during regular class exams. This
practice helps to ensure that students will know how to
use the accommodations when taking high-stakes tests.
In addition, it is sometimes required that the student use
the accommodation in the classroom to be eligible for use
on the state exam.
In spite of increasing pressures to prepare a growing
number of ELLs for high-stakes testing, science teachers
who understand the challenges these students face can
develop teaching techniques that support their learning.
C h a l l e n g e s a n d S o l u t i o n s fo r E L L s
In doing so, teachers help ELLs become empowered citi-
zens with a solid science education. n
Lori M. Edmonds (le1@umbc.edu) is an instructor and research
assistant at the University of Maryland in Baltimore County.
On the web
STEP-T for ELLs program: www.umbc.edu/stept
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