Elevating Language and Literacy Instruction during the Professional Preparation of Science Educators

University Of Houston, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national interest by fostering pre-service elementary teachers’ beliefs, knowledge, and practices to effectively teach science in classes with emergent bilinguals (EBs), who are developing their home language while learning another new language. As an exploratory study, the project integrates current research on science, literacy, and bilingual education to pilot test an innovative teaching and learning model. It is critical to prepare prospective teachers who can design and implement culturally and linguistically relevant science lessons that support students’ science and language learning. This could inspire young students to pursue STEM and ultimately lead to a more diversified STEM workforce. The goal of this project is to develop pre-service elementary science teachers’ (PSTs) asset-based beliefs about teaching diverse students, content and pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical design capacity, and instructional practices for teaching science for all students, including EBs in urban elementary schools. The project will engage PSTs in their teacher preparation program through two consecutive science methods courses. The courses will model contextualized lessons that draw on students’ funds of knowledge and embed disciplinary language literacy strategies in meaningful science investigations. PSTs will also engage in design and instruction of their own science lessons during this period. Additionally, a goal of the project is to cultivate asset-based frames of mind by providing opportunities for PSTs to reflect upon their beliefs about teaching and learning science with linguistically and culturally diverse students. This study will incorporate quantitative and qualitative data sources, such as surveys, PST lesson plans, PST videos of instruction, and PST reflections. Findings will generate new insights into opportunities, challenges, and feasibility of designing and implementing contextualized science lessons among PSTs, as well as inform the iterative development and future replication of the study’s model. This project will go beyond traditional pre-service teacher programs that compartmentalize science methods, second language methodology, and content literacy courses to meaningfully and purposefully integrate language, literacy, and Funds of Knowledge. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.