Bilingual language supports in online science inquiry environments

Research over the past fifteen years has investigated and developed online science inquiry environments to support students engaging in authentic scientific inquiry practices. This research has focused on developing activity structures and tools to scaffold students in engaging in different aspects of these practices, but relatively little of this research has explored linguistic supports for language minority students studying science in their non-native language. These students are simultaneously learning science and the surrounding academic language in their second language. This study investigates the potential value of providing 8th grade Spanish-speaking English language learners access to content and supports in both English and Spanish as opposed to an English-only format in an online science inquiry environment. Learning outcomes are compared between the two conditions on an immediate post-test in English, a delayed post-test in English, a delayed post-test in Spanish, and a written essay in English in the form of a letter to the governor. The outcomes suggest significant benefits for providing ELL students with access to content and supports in both English and Spanish as opposed to the English-only format. The findings of this study carry important policy implications in light of the growing English-only political movements in the United States and similar political movements in other countries.

[1]  Philip Bell Promoting Students' Argument Construction and Collaborative Debate in the Science Classroom , 2013 .

[2]  David Reinking,et al.  The Effects of Computer-Mediated Texts on the Vocabulary Learning and Comprehension of Intermediate-Grade Readers , 1990 .

[3]  Robert T. Jiménez,et al.  Cognition and Misrecognition: A Bourdieuian Analysis of Cognitive Strategy Instruction in a Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Classroom , 2009 .

[4]  Simon Buckingham Shum,et al.  Visualizing Argumentation: Software Tools for Collaborative and Educational Sense-Making , 2012 .

[5]  F. Fischer,et al.  Fostering collaborative knowledge construction with visualization tools , 2002 .

[6]  William H. Schmidt,et al.  Facing the Consequences: Using TIMSS for a Closer Look at U.S. Mathematics and Science Education , 1999 .

[7]  Andrew Gitlin,et al.  The Production of Margin and Center: Welcoming–Unwelcoming of Immigrant Students , 2003 .

[8]  Henning Wode,et al.  Learning a Second Language , 1981 .

[9]  F. J. Langdon,et al.  The Child's Conception of Space , 1967 .

[10]  J. Cummins,et al.  Linguistic Interdependence and the Educational Development of Bilingual Children , 1979 .

[11]  Ann S. Rosebery,et al.  Appropriating Scientific Discourse: Findings from Language Minority Classrooms. , 1992 .

[12]  M. Kamil,et al.  First- and Second-Language Literacy. , 2006 .

[13]  William H. Schmidt,et al.  Why Schools Matter: A Cross-National Comparison of Curriculum and Learning , 2001 .

[14]  Krista D. Simons,et al.  Supporting Inquiry in Science Classrooms with the Web , 2004 .

[15]  Jerry Andriessen,et al.  Effects of synchronous and asynchronous CMC on interactive argumentation , 2007, CSCL.

[16]  Katherine Richardson Bruna,et al.  What's language got to do with it?: A case study of academic language instruction in a high school “English Learner Science” class , 2007 .

[17]  Clive Sutton,et al.  Beliefs about science and beliefs about language , 1996 .

[18]  K. Hakuta,et al.  How Long Does It Take English Learners to Attain Proficiency , 2000 .

[19]  Ton de Jong,et al.  Trends and issues of regulative support use during inquiry learning: Patterns from three studies , 2009, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[20]  G. Salomon,et al.  The computer as a zone of proximal development: Internalizing reading-related metacognitions from a Reading Partner. , 1989 .

[21]  Larry D. Yore,et al.  Learning to write like a scientist: Coauthoring as an enculturation task , 2004 .

[22]  M. Chi,et al.  Eliciting Self‐Explanations Improves Understanding , 1994 .

[23]  Min Liu,et al.  A Look at the Research on Computer-Based Technology Use in Second Language Learning , 2002 .

[24]  Franklin R. Manis,et al.  A Cross-Linguistic Investigation of English Language Learners' Reading Comprehension in English and Spanish , 2008 .

[25]  Catherine E. Snow,et al.  Designing for Diversity , 2011 .

[26]  P. David Pearson,et al.  Three Children, Two Languages, and Strategic Reading: Case Studies in Bilingual/Monolingual Reading , 1995 .

[27]  Jenelle R. Reeves Secondary Teacher Attitudes Toward Including English-Language Learners in Mainstream Classrooms , 2006 .

[28]  Sandra H. Fradd,et al.  Interactional patterns of linguistically diverse students and teachers: Insights for promoting science learning☆☆☆ , 1996 .

[29]  Beth Warren,et al.  Cheche Konnen: Science and Literacy in Language Minority Classrooms. , 1989 .

[30]  Herbert J. Rieth,et al.  Video-Assisted Vocabulary Instruction for Elementary School Students with Learning Disabilities , 2001 .

[31]  Guadalupe Valdés,et al.  Learning and not learning English : Latino students in American schools , 2001 .

[32]  Adrienne A. Smith 2012 NATIONAL SURVEY OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION , 2013 .

[33]  Deborah L. Hanuscin,et al.  Science Education and Student Diversity: Race/Ethnicity, Language, Culture, and Socioeconomic Status , 2013 .

[34]  Patrick Jermann,et al.  Designing Integrative Scripts , 2007 .

[35]  Tammy Schellens,et al.  Fostering knowledge construction in university students through asynchronous discussion groups , 2006, Comput. Educ..

[36]  A. Paivio Imagery and verbal processes , 1972 .

[37]  A. Paivio,et al.  Dual coding and bilingual memory , 1981 .

[38]  P. David Pearson,et al.  The reading strategies of bilingual Latina/o students who are successful English readers: Opportunities and obstacles , 1996 .

[39]  Trish Stoddart,et al.  Integrating inquiry science and language development for English language learners , 2002 .

[40]  Friedrich W. Hesse,et al.  Discussion: Being Told to Do Something or Just Being Aware of Something? An Alternative Approach to Scripting in CSCL , 2007 .

[41]  Rose M. Pringle,et al.  Language and Literacy in Inquiry-Based Science Classrooms, Grades 3-8 , 2010 .

[42]  Jorge Solis,et al.  A FRAMEWORK FOR THE EFFECTIVE SCIENCE TEACHING OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS , 2010 .

[43]  Gillian Hampden-Thompson,et al.  The Condition of Education 2007 , 2007 .

[44]  Catherine E. Snow,et al.  Improving comprehension online: effects of deep vocabulary instruction with bilingual and monolingual fifth graders , 2011 .

[45]  Gijsbert Erkens,et al.  Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments to Support Students' Argumentation , 2007 .

[46]  Okhee Lee Science Education With English Language Learners: Synthesis and Research Agenda , 2005 .

[47]  Dorothy M. Chun,et al.  SUPPORTING VISUAL AND VERBAL LEARNING PREFERENCES IN A SECOND LANGUAGE MULTIMEDIA LEARNING ENVIRONMENT , 1998 .

[48]  Heinz Mandl,et al.  Scripting Argumentative Knowledge Construction in Computer-Supported Learning Environments , 2007 .

[49]  M. Smith,et al.  English Language Learners in a Comprehensive High School , 2006 .

[50]  Jim Cummins,et al.  Pedagogies for the Poor? Realigning Reading Instruction for Low-Income Students With Scientifically Based Reading Research , 2007 .

[51]  A. King Scripting Collaborative Learning Processes: A Cognitive Perspective , 2007 .

[52]  William J. Hussar,et al.  The Condition of Education , 2010 .

[53]  Douglas B. Clark,et al.  Initial Structuring of Online Discussions to Improve Learning and Argumentation: Incorporating Students’ Own Explanations as Seed Comments Versus an Augmented-Preset Approach to Seeding Discussions , 2009 .

[54]  C. Bazerman Shaping Written Knowledge: The Genre and Activity of the Experimental Article in Science , 1989 .

[55]  Jeroen Janssen,et al.  Automatic coding of communication in collaboration protocols , 2006 .

[56]  Jeannett Martin,et al.  Writing Science: Literacy And Discursive Power , 1993 .