STEM + English Learners =Keys to ELLevate SUCCESS!

Tere Masiarchin

tmasiarchin@cesa6.org

CESA 6

Objectives• Understand national focus on STEM

and impact on English Learners

• Discuss how to give English Learners opportunities to participate STEM activities & acquire English at the same time

• Build Background• Vocabulary Building• Activity• Assessment

• Consider additional STEM resources

National Focus on STEM

• National Educate to Innovate Campaign for STEM Education

• English learners are an untapped resource for developing a multi lingual STEM workforce that has the potential to keep the U.S. competitive in an increasingly competitive global economy.

•   By the 2030s, language minority students are predicted to comprise 40% of the school-age population.

ELLs in Wisconsin

• 49,000 ELLs in Wisconsin• 5.6% of our PK-12 population (compared to 13.9% of SwD)

• Over 137 identified spoken languages• Spanish and Hmong top 2 languages

Grade 4 Math

% Minimum % Basic % Proficient % Advanced0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Grade 4 Limited English Proficient Mathemat-ics

Grade 4 English Proficient Mathematics

Grade 8 Math

% Minimum % Basic % Proficient % Advanced0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Grade 8 Limited English Proficient Math-ematics

Grade 8 English Proficient Mathematics

Grade 10 Math

% Minimum % Basic % Proficient % Advanced0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Grade 10 Limited English Proficient Math-ematics

Grade 10 English Proficient Mathematics

Grade 4 Science

% Minimum % Basic % Proficient % Advanced0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Grade 4 Limited English Proficient Science

Grade 4 English Proficient Science

Grade 8 Science

% Minimum % Basic % Proficient % Advanced0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Grade 8 Limited English Proficient Science

Grade 8 English Proficient Science

Grade 10 Science

% Minimum % Basic % Proficient % Advanced0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Grade 10 Limited English Proficient Science

Grade 10 English Proficient Science

Drop-out Rate Comparison

3.03 1.54ELL Non-ELL

2009-10 2009-10

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

09-10 % Drop-out Rate

% Drop-out Rate

2.59 1.41ELL Non-ELL

2010-11 2010-11

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

10-11 % Drop-out Rate

% Drop-out Rate

ELL Non-ELL2008-09 2008-09

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

08-09% Drop-out Rate

% Drop-out Rate

STEM & ELL

• English Learners have lower rates of enrollment in Algebra I

• English Learners tend to enroll in advanced placement math and science courses at lower rates than their non ELL peers.

• http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/files/uploads/17/Accellerate_3_4.pdf

• http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/meetings/stemforum/#resources

Guiding Questions

• How can all students be assured the opportunity to learn significant STEM content?

• How can we enhance the ability of teachers to provide high‐quality STEM education for all students?

Academic Language

• Reading/Writing

• Formal

• Technical• CELL example

• What is it like to be an English Learner?

Teaching English Learners

• English Proficiency Level

• Cultural Considerations

• Vocabulary

• EL Supports during STEM activity

• Performance-based Assessment

STEM Lesson• Structures activity: Canine House of Cards

• National Science Education StandardE.E.1 Abilities of technological design• a. Identify a simple problem• b. Propose a solution• c. Implementing proposed solutions• d. Evaluate a product or design• e. Communicate a problem, design, & solution

Building Background

• Cultural considerations while accessing knowledge of students

• Housing around the world

• Which house best represents your home?• Why?

Vocabulary• Teach essential vocabulary

• Utilize multiple learning activities

• Direct instruction of essential vocabulary

STEM Activity with EL Supports

• Complete the House of Cards STEM Activity

• WIDA Graphic Support Handout

• WIDA Can Do Descriptors

• Group/Partner Work

Performance-based Assessment

• Assessment• match English proficiency level

• Level 1: Match vocab. with pictures

• Level 3: Sentence frames with word bank

• Level 5: Graphic organizer

STEM and English Learners

• Review activity and EL supports

• Write down on an index card one support. Pass to each person at the table, they add another support.

• Get your index card back and keep as a reminder of supports you can use.

Conclusion• How best to support home-grown multilingual STEM workforce?

• Focus on robust science inquiry, academic language development, and coordination of multiple resources