6th Grade Science Class Ecology Lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the main feature of the PALS procedure?

No coaching is involved in the PALS procedure

Low-performing readers coach high-performing readers

High-performing readers coach low-performing readers (correct)

Both readers coach each other simultaneously

What is the focus of peer talk in the middle grades?

Sports and extracurricular activities

Social networking and friendships

Personal problems and conflicts

Course content and academic topics (correct)

What is an important consideration for teachers when planning peer-to-peer interactions for adolescents?

Students' language proficiency

Students' cultural background

Students' social status in peer groups (correct)

Students' prior academic performance

What is the relationship between performance in ELLs' first and second languages?

Significant relationships in word reading, spelling, vocabulary, comprehension, and reading strategies Signup and view all the answers

What is the finding of evaluation studies comparing bilingual programs with mostly English-only programs?

Over time, ELLs instructed bilingually either perform on par with or outperform ELLs instructed only in English Signup and view all the answers

What is the benefit of capitalizing on students' home language and cultural assets?

It provides indirect evidence of positive transfer Signup and view all the answers

What skill did PALS students demonstrate significantly greater growth in?

Phoneme segmentation Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of pairing high-performing readers with low-performing readers in the PALS procedure?

To teach the students to use PALS procedures Signup and view all the answers

What is an area where ELLs can benefit from peer-to-peer interactions?

In all academic subjects Signup and view all the answers

What is a feature of literacy interventions that have positive outcomes for ELLs?

They provide opportunities for collaborative peer learning Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Teaching ELLs in the Classroom

Rolando Diaz teaches sixth-grade science at Del Valle Middle School with a mix of English language learners (ELLs) with varying levels of English proficiency and newcomer students from Mexico and Central America.
He uses a variety of scaffolds to support students, including:
- Visual slides to guide the lesson
- Corresponding workbooks for students
- "Partner talk" activities to process information
- A bilingual glossary with pictures, definitions, and example prompts

Strategies for Teaching ELLs

Introduce content and language objectives at the beginning of the lesson
Use visual aids and multimedia to support student learning
Provide opportunities for peer-to-peer interactions and discussions
Capitalize on students' home language, knowledge, and cultural assets
Use bilingual programs to instruct ELLs, as they can perform on par with or outperform those instructed only in English

Peer-to-Peer Interactions

Pair high-performing readers with low-performing readers to practice PALS procedures
Use peer-to-peer interactions to focus on course content, taking into account students' social status and perception by peers

Research on Educating ELLs

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's report "Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising Futures" identifies seven principles for educating ELLs
Research suggests that ELLs can access academic content, strengthen literacy skills, and engage with peers when instruction is effectively planned and carried out

Description

Rolando Diaz teaches a 6th grade science class, focusing on ecology, to a diverse group of English language learners with varying levels of proficiency. The lesson prepares students for an upcoming assessment.