The University of California recently completed a study that examined the achievement of students in the U.S. educational system who have English as a second language. These English-learning (EL) children number more than one in three students in the primary grades. The majority of these students in California are in English-only classrooms where instruction is given by teachers who do not speak the first language of their students. When trying to develop science lesson plans, teachers need to be able to effectively communicate with all students.

The Role of Science

Surprisingly, students who received intentional vocabulary instruction in science actually learned more of the target vocabulary than those who were in a controlled class. Not only were these children better able to grasp the target vocabulary, they also outperformed those in the control class in terms of being able to discuss science concepts. At the same time, those who understood more of the vocabulary were able to express their comprehension of the concepts of science more effectively than other students.

In developing science lesson plans, it is important to note that multiple exposure to words in meaningful and relevant contexts plays a significant role of the deep word knowledge development. If students are provided with meaningful and relevant opportunities to use the words they were learning, they are better able to grasp meaning for recall later.

Beyond the rich narrative and expository texts provided by the teacher, children also had access to rich explanations of the words and opportunities to use them in supportive and structured formats. Interaction was possible through structured-talk activities and teacher support. Students were also able to interact with real insects to explore their features and behavior while sharing their observations.

This study conducted in the use of science lesson plans suggest that an intentional and scaffold approach to oral language development can improve young EL and non-EL children’s reception and expressive vocabulary knowledge. At the same time, these children should also be able to improve their scientific conceptual understanding. This explicit focus on the linguistic features of science, as well as opportunities for discussion and expression improves both science and language learning.

While this study offers significant arguments for the effectiveness of innovative science lesson plans, it does present certain limitations. Only 19 students were involved in the intervention glass, making it difficult to generalize findings among the population. The study was also limited in its length of time and lack of previous data on all students in the study for comparison.

Even with these limitations, these findings still suggest a strong case for the use of effective lessons in the classroom. The fact that science lesson plans delivered such benefit suggests a stronger push for science overall. Another channel for application could also be in science videos. Educational videos in any subject can lend considerable value when developing English skills and understanding concepts. They can be especially useful in environments where the teacher is limited in resources.

If you’re ready to start experiencing the benefits of using video in the classroom, your next step is to download a free copy of “The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom” by clicking on the link below right now.

http://www.schoolvideos.com/expert/7_mistakes

The small company I work for is committed to creating quality educational videos for classroom instruction. From the earliest script stages, all subject area content, images, and music are intensely reviewed and selected for meeting appropriate grade level, curriculum objectives and standards for our proprietary productions. The videos we distribute are also screened to meet our high standards.

Teachers in the 21st century classroom will be better educators if they understand how to use multi media in their lessons, if they understand the processes that research has shown to be the most effective for improved student performance, and if they know how to find quality video resources that will enhance their lessons.

http://www.schoolvideos.com

Author: Kimberly Stohlman
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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