Teaching Science & Reading to
ELLs in Middle Schools
NEISD, 2011
Presented by
MINDA LOPEZ, PH. D.
MINDA.LOPEZ@GMAIL.COM
In our time together we will discuss…
 State of academic literacy and ELLs
 Research based practices for teaching reading in the
content areas
 Vocabulary instruction and ELLs
“It should be understood that adolescent ELLs are second
language learners who are still developing their proficiency in
academic English. Moreover, they are learning English at the
same time they are studying core content areas through
English. Thus, English language learners must
perform double the work of native English speakers
in the country’s middle and high schools. And, at the same
time, they are being held to the same accountability
standards as their native English-speaking peers.”
Short and Fitzsimmons, 2007
Anticipation Guide
Statement
Evidence
1. ELLs represent 17% of all the students in Texas
public schools.
PEIMS, 2009
2. There are approximately 80 different languages
represented in Texas public schools.
PEIMS, 2009
3. Arabic ranks 2nd in number of speakers in Texas
public schools (Spanish is 1st).
PEIMS, 2009
4. Nationally, 8th grade ELLs score 50 points below
non ELLs on a national language arts test.
NCES, 2003
5. Reading 14 minutes a day means reading over
1,000,000 words a year.
Marzano, Krashen
6. 75 % of adolescent ELLs were born in the United
States, that is, they are second- or thirdgeneration immigrants
Batalova, Fix, & Murray,
2005
7. There are more than 50 languages represented in
NEISD.
NEISD ELL services
8. There are aprroximately 4,000 ELLs in NEISD.
NEISD ELL services
National statistics
 Only 30% of all secondary students read proficiently
 89% of Hispanic & 86% of African-American
secondary students read below grade level (NCES, 2005)
 Almost 50% of students of color do not graduate
from high school with a regular diploma in 4 years of
instruction (Orfield, Losen,Wald, & Swanson, 2004)
 96% of the eighth-grade limited English proficient
(LEP) students scored below the basic level of
reading on the NAEP (Perie, Grigg, & Donahue, 2005)
Most Common Struggling Readers [Secondary]
ELLs usually
fall into this
category
Resistive Readers
Word Callers
 Have learned to fake it
 Wait for other students or
teacher to give the answer
 Don’t understand that
reading involves
thinking


Assume that all they have
to do is pronounce words
The only strategy they
know/use is to sound out
words
Tovani, 2000
Ask students to do something with the text
 interacting with and actively processing text is key
to improving reading comprehension and learning
for both resistive readers & word callers (Serran, 2002)
 This can include:






questioning the text;
creating visual representations of the text;
paraphrasing through structured note taking or readers’
theatre;
summarizing verbally or in writing;
coding or comprehension monitoring when reading;
or developing a response to the text that involves transposing,
reorganizing, or rewriting certain sections.
Comparison of Struggling Readers & ELLs
Indicator
Adolescent Native English
Adolescent English
Speaking Struggling Readers Language Learners
Position on the
path to literacy
•School career of intermittent
failure
•Unsuccessful in learning to
read/reading to learn
•Usually labeled as slow readers
or in lower track
Page 2 of
handouts
•Some make steady progress
toward academic literacy;
language acquisition process
may limit how fast they
progress in learning to read,
write, speak English
•Others manifest same
struggles with
reading/writing as native
English speakers
•Some have had no
opportunity for literacy
development (preliterates)
Research based Literacy Instruction for ELLs
Includes explicit instruction in oral language,
phonological awareness, the alphabetic code,
fluency, vocabulary development, and reading
comprehension.
Builds on students’
prior knowledge,
interests,
motivation, and
home language.
Helps students
make connections.
Relevant
Explicit
Includes frequent
opportunities to
practice reading with
a variety of materials
in meaningful
contexts. Promotes
engagement.
Applied
From Reading First
Research based practices for
developing literacy in adolescent ELLs
Integrate all four areas of language from the beginning
(listening, speaking, reading & writing)
2. Teach the components & processes of reading and
writing
1.








Phonemic awareness and phonics
Vocabulary
Text comprehension
Fluency
Previewing
Making predictions
Paraphrasing
Inferring
Components of reading
Processes of reading
Research based practices for
developing literacy in adolescent ELLs (continued)
3. Teach reading comprehension strategies
4. Focus on Vocabulary Development
5. Build and Activate Background Knowledge
6. Teach language through content and themes
7. Use Native Language Strategically
8. Pair technology with existing interventions
9. Motivate ELLs through choice
Today’s focus is on how to:
Build and activate Background Knowledge
(including strategic native language use)
 Use a variety of Reading Comprehension strategies
that focus on reading as thinking


Develop Vocabulary
See handout for some additional pointers on how to
teach the components & processes of reading for
ELLs who are struggling with issues of language
and literacy
Build and Activate Background Knowledge
 Background knowledge is “the information a reader has
in her head…a repository of memories, experiences, and
facts” (Tovani, 2000, p. 64)
 Teachers know that information is best remembered
when it is connected to a readers’ background
knowledge and prior experience (schema theory –
Anderson, 1977)
 Simple ideas:


create a Venn diagram & ask students to talk about the overlap &
differences between subject areas
Jot a topic on the board and have students write down/discuss what
they know about it.
Words Across the Content Areas (Kylene Beers)
15
What would ______ mean to :
Example Word: “Base”
Profession, kind
of person
Definition
Page 4 of
handouts
illustration
An architect
A baseball player
A soldier
A hairdresser
A mathematician
A chemist
Great for Tier 2 words
Build and Activate Background Knowledge
 Challenge: Many students (especially ELLs) think
they do not have any knowledge about a topic…so
talk to them about the difference between personal
knowledge and personal experience to help them
make connections to texts and topics
 Personal knowledge—information readers have from
stories, movies, television, books, anything that helps
them acquire information secondhand
 Personal experience—information readers have
gained from direct experience
Tovani, 2000
Marking the text / annotation
Strategy to get
students to actively
make connections to
text
Marking the text
 Promotes active reading
 Condenses the material
 Increases comprehension
 Key points with supporting info
 Think then mark
 Make connections and create visuals
 Bring meaning to the print (personal)
 Serves as a comprehension monitor
 If you are marking everything, shows that you may not have
understood the material well enough to pick out the important
info
What are
other ways to
build
connections?
How can we use native language strategically?
 What are the benefits to using native language in the
classroom?
 What are some pitfalls?
 How does strategic native language use contribute to
students’ engagement & comprehension with/of
texts?
Preview/View/Review
Preview
5%
View
90%
Review
5%
Page 9 of
handouts
Native
language
(L1)
Teacher gives an overview of the lesson
or activity in the students' first language.
Can include a focus activity, oral
summary, book reading, film, asking a
key question, etc)
Second or
target
language
(English)
(L2)
The teacher teaches the lesson or minilesson or directs the activity in English.
Guided practice or independent practice
is conducted in English. Students work
together or in groups/pairs in English.
Native
Language
(L1)
The teacher or students summarize key
ideas and raise questions about the
lesson in their first language.
21
What strategies do you use for
building/tapping into background
knowledge?
Can you use any of these strategies
with your ELLs?
Which ones? How would you use
them or tweak them?
What is the role of native language use
in your teaching?
Reading Comprehension and ELLs
 Reading comprehension is a complex process of
constructing meaning by coordinating a number
of skills related to decoding, word reading, and
fluency and the integration of background
knowledge.
 Many factors affect the reading comprehension
of ELLs, such as:
language proficiency,
 vocabulary knowledge,
 ability to use comprehension strategies,
 differences in text structure,
 culture influences,
 schema.

What’s Different About Comprehension?
Some ELLs May:
 Enjoy pleasure reading in English if the topic is one that
they would read about in their native language. (Krashen, 1982).
 Not have the prior knowledge needed to understand
written texts because of socioeconomic status, educational
background, cultural knowledge, or a combination of these
factors. (Kamil, 2003; Peregoy & Boyle, 2001)
 Benefit from using their native language to discuss a topic
before and after reading about it in English. (Snow, Burns, &
Griffin, 1998; Tankersley, 2005)
 Need to learn about a new culture and the ways language is
used in social and academic contexts.
(TESOL, 1997)
Reading Comprehension Strategies
 Typically little attention is paid to teaching ELLs
how to use comprehension strategies because
teachers tend to focus on word recognition,
pronouncing words correctly, and answering
literal comprehension questions.
 Teach reading strategies for into, through and
beyond (Brinton et al, 1994) reading (this is also
referred to as BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER).
 Reading comprehension is also closely tied to
vocabulary– readers need to know approximately
90–95% of the words in a text in order to
comprehend it (Nagy & Scott, 2000).
Into, Through & Beyond
Into
Through
Beyond
Key Vocabulary
Guided oral
reading
Jigsaw
Questioning/critica
l thinking
Summarization
Guided reading:
DRTA/DLTA
Visualization
Reflect &
demonstrate
Backward
summary
Writing to learn
Anticipatory set
Text/Discourse
analysis
Generate
hypothesis
Whole to part
prediction
Reciprocal
teaching and other
chunking strategies
Into: Text Analysis
Why are Textbooks Hard to Read?
 Text Structure – The part to whole or big idea to subtopic is
invisible to students.
 Information Overload - Textbooks are saturated with facts,
names, charts, difficult or unfamiliar vocabulary, etc…
 The authority of the textbook - Everything must be true so
no thinking or questioning really occurs.
 New Vocabulary and concepts – From the textbook are
disconnected from prior knowledge and connections can’t be made.
~ from Reading for Academic Success Strong et al
Why is content area reading
difficult?
Discourse (Gee, 2001)
“A Discourse integrates ways of talking, listening, writing,
reading, acting, interacting, believing, valuing, and feeling
(and using various objects, symbols, images, tools, and
technologies) in the service of enacting meaningful socially
situated identities and activities” (Gee, 2001)
 Content-area discourse includes






vocabulary development
understanding text structures;
how the “big ideas” within a discipline are organized and connect;
the resources, tools, and strategies used to think about that discipline;
the spoken and written conventions of presentation in that discipline;
the understanding of how to carry out inquiry in that content area
(e.g., Langer, 1992; Stevens & Bean, 2003)
So it about more than just what we read..
 Successful teachers also discuss and teach how we
read and why we read in the ways we do
 For example, think about scientific discussions –
what kind of language or Discourse is needed to
engage in such discussions?




ability to ask questions,
propose tentative answers,
make predictions,
and evaluate evidence
The trick to reading a textbook
successfully is knowing…
 How the textbook is set up (text structures)
 provide important clues to the logic of the ideas being
presented

the forms and patterns of particular kinds of writing (e.g., narrative,
persuasive, descriptive, compare/contrast, listing, chronology,
summary, and problem/solution/effect)
 How to use physical aspects of text (text features)
 Provide resources for making sense of text

bold or italicized print, graphics, indices, chapter headings,
glossaries, hyperlinks, graphic organizers, chapter summaries,
change in point of view, and bibliographies
 How to break the language code (Discourse of the
discipline)
~ from Painless Reading Comprehension Jones
Language Complexity (of test items and/or text)
Simple
Complex
Mostly common/familiar words/phrases; no/few
uncommon words/phrases, compound words, gerunds,
figurative language, and/or idioms
Some common/familiar words/phrases; some
uncommon words/phrases, compound words, gerunds,
figurative language, and/or idioms
 Language is organized/structured (usually read
from left to right)
 Mostly simple sentence construction
 No/little passive voice
 Little variation in tense
 Mostly one idea/detail per sentence
 Mostly familiar construction
(e.g., ’s for possessive; s and es for plural)
 Mostly familiar text features
(e.g., bulleted lists, bold face)
 Language may or may not be organized/structured
(or may require left to right and up and down eye
movement)
 Varied sentence construction, including complex
sentence construction
 Some passive voice
 Variation in tense
 Multiple ideas/details per sentence
 Some less familiar/irregular construction
 Some less familiar text features
(e.g., pronunciation keys, text boxes)
Page 15 of handouts
some content from Sato (2008, June)
32
Science “text” example
Rather than looking at the pea plant as a whole, Mendel focused
on seven individual traits that he could readily distinguish. He
found that each trait has two alternate forms. For example,
seed color can be green or yellow. By analyzing the results of
various crosses, Mendel concluded that each alternative form
of a trait is specified by alternative forms of a gene.
To follow the inheritance of genes from parent to child, Mendel
first needed to be sure which genes each parent carried. Since
pea plants are naturally self-fertilizing, "pure-bred" strains
were readily available. Each strain contained only one form of
the gene that determined a trait. Pure-bred plants with yellow
seeds only produced offspring with yellow seeds. Pure-bred
plants with green seeds only produced offspring with green
seeds. From the results of further experiments, Mendel
reasoned that pure-bred plants must have two copies of the
same gene for each trait.
Page 15 of handouts
http://www.dnaftb.org/2/
Into: Textbook Treasure Hunt/ THIEVES
Step One: Title and Author
 What is the title of the textbook and who is/are the author (s) or editor (s) of the textbook?
Step Two: Table of Contents
 Find the table of contents in the front of the book. How many chapters are there? What is
the title of the longest chapter? How many pages is it? What is the title of the shortest
chapter? How many pages is it?
Step Three: Index
 Is there an index? Where in the book is the index located? (An index is an alphabetized list
that points out on what page names, places, or topics can be found in the textbook.) Look
up any topic under the letter C and locate it in the textbook.
Step Four: Glossary
 Is there a glossary? What page is it on? (A glossary is an alphabetized list of words and
their meanings. It’s like a dictionary that includes just words used in that book.) Look up
any word that starts with W. Read the definition.
Step Five: Textbook
 What else is in the back of the textbook? Are there any other special sections like maps or
lab guidelines or literary elements? If yes, list them and choose one word or one map or
one set of guidelines to read.
~ from Painless Reading Comprehension Jones
Page 19 of handouts
Into: Channeling through the Chapter
Choose any chapter in a textbook and channel, travel, or move through it
finding the following information so you can see how the chapters are set up.
Goals and Objectives: Are there any goals or objectives listed at the beginning of the
chapter? They will probably be listed as statements of fact. If so, list them.
Special Markings: Skim the chapter. Do you see any subheadings in bold face or italics?
If so, list them. These subheadings are smaller ideas that are part of the larger ideas. Also,
jot down if you know anything about the topics listed in bold face or italics.
Graphics or Sidebars: Are there any sidebars (boxes with words in them off to the side)
or graphics like pictures, charts, or maps in the chapter? Choose one and tell what it says
or what it is trying to show.
Exercises: Are there exercises at the end of each subtopic discussion or at the end of the
chapter? Look at the first exercise and at the last exercise. What are they asking you or
telling you to do?
Summary: Is there a summary at the end of the chapter or a conclusion? How is it
marked? Does it say “conclusion” or “reflection” or something else? Is it in bold face or
italics?
~ from Painless Reading Comprehension Jones
Textbooks & Teaching
 Use the textbook as it fits into your plan for your learners.
Don’t let it dictate your classroom.
 If a textbook chapter has a summary or conclusion, have
your students read it first. Why not? They will know the
main points and when they read, they can simply add
details to what they already know. Think backwards. Even
ask them to write down the main ideas and find more
information about those ideas as they read.
Beyond Reading: Textbook Response Sheet
1.
Chapter title:
2.
Pages read today: From_____ to ____
3.
Subheadings read today:
4.
List one important idea learned from each subheading.
5.
Write a paragraph (at least five sentences) summarizing what you
read today.
~from Real Reading, Real Writing Topping and McManus
Page 26 of handouts
Reflect:
What makes this a good strategy for
ELLs?
Could you use any of these textbook
reading strategies with your learners?
Which ones? How would you use them?
Why would you use them?
When would you use them?
Through Reading: Sticky Notes Strategy
While you are reading if a sentence, quote, phrase, passage,
or paragraph makes you wonder about something, makes
you curious, or question something, write that something
down on a sticky note and place the sticky note under the
word(s).
 I wonder…
 This reminds me of…
 I agree because…
 I disagree because…
 This makes sense to me because…
 This is confusing to me because…
Page 22 of handouts
Reflect:
What makes this a good strategy
for ELLs?
How could you use the sticky
note strategy with your learners?
How could you modify the
strategy?
Why do we need to connect to text anyway?

Connecting to text keeps us from getting bored! It helps us pay attention and keeps our
minds from wandering!

Understanding characters and how they are feeling allows us to figure why they say and do
what they do. It also helps to understand more about ourselves.

Visualizing gives us a clearer picture in our head when we read and helps us stay involved
and engaged in reading.

Connecting to text forces us to read actively. We are reading and understanding – not just
“word calling.”

Connecting to text allows us to listen to others and have something to contribute when
working in a group.

Connecting to text allows us to question and questions lead to inferences and inferences
lead to meaning.

Connecting to text allows us to remember what we have read because the reading is
personalized.
~from
I Read it, But Don’t Get it Tovani
Getting Kids to Make the Reading/
Writing Connection with Sticky Notes
“Tell me more about that...” Taking what learners have written on their
sticky notes which are a visual representation of their thinking and
asking them to elaborate to create an authentic writing piece with voice.
 Have learners write a letter.
 Have learners write a summary of the main points.
 Have learners write a persuasive response.
 Have learners write a narrative.
Through: Two Column Notes
43
44
Reciprocal Reading

The key elements of Reciprocal Reading are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

reading aloud with a partner or small group
clarifying words and ideas
asking questions about the text
summarizing what was read
and predicting what comes next
Readers have multiple opportunities to make
meaning: re-reading, talking about the text, sharing
insights and experiences, making connections,
grappling with what the author had in mind, etc.
Page 23 of handouts
Through: Self-monitoring “I’m Stuck” Strategies
I’m Stuck
I'm stuck on: (put the passage in quotes and record page
number(s)):
I think I am stuck because:
I will try to get unstuck by:
I think I understand:
~from I Read it, But Don’t Get it Tovani
Related activity: Click and Clunk
Page 24 of handouts
Integrated: Four Thought Strategy
Topic_______________
Page 26 of handouts
What do you know? (Prereading associations)
Describe it
React to it
Analyze it
Solve it
Alternatives to Four Thought
 Instead of describing it, define it or sequence it
 Instead of analyzing it, compare or prove it
 Instead of solving it, visualize or metaphorize it
or improve it
 Instead of reacting to it, be it or touch it
~from Reading for Academic Success Strong et al
Beyond: Writing to Learn and to Process
 One effective strategy for producing language:
sentence starters or stems

Some examples:
 When looking at the evidence I noticed that…
 Our research has shown that…
 The data I collected includes…
 Based on the information found …, I concluded
that…
 I could use these strategies to solve the problem of...
Page 27 of
handouts
And a very important
and related issue:
vocabulary!
Vocabulary and ELLs
 Some ELLs are able to read phonetically (word
calling) yet do not understand what they read.
 ELLS begin school knowing fewer English words
and sayings than their peers.
 ELLs and English speakers may have different
concepts for the same label.
 Words with multiple meanings, anaphora, and
idioms can all cause confusion.
 ELLs literate in an L1 that has many cognates with
English have an important resource.
 Pre-teach vocabulary using explicit instruction.
 Use visuals, diagrams, and concept maps.
 Paraphrase and demonstrate.
 Teach how to use:
cognates,
 prefixes, suffixes, and root words to figure out word
meanings,
 context clues,
 resources such as dictionaries and glossaries.

 Teach basic words as well as key words
 Help students access and connect with their prior
knowledge; build schema.
 Provide multiple exposures and frequent opportunities
to practice words through multiple ways (listening,
speaking, writing, reading).
Vocabulary Development
According to Marzano (2004), there are 8
characteristics of effective direct vocabulary
instruction
1. Instruction does not rely on definitions
2. Students must represent their knowledge of words
in linguistic and nonlinguistic ways
3. Instruction involves the gradual shaping of word
meanings through multiple exposures
4. Teaching word parts enhances students’
understanding of terms.
Vocabulary Development
5. Different types of words require different types of
instruction.
6. Students should discuss the terms they are learning.
7. Students should play with words.
8. Instruction should focus on terms that have high
probability of enhancing academic success
Effective Direct Vocab. Inst.
8.
Instruction should focus on terms that have high
probability of enhancing academic success
Beck & McKeown’s (1985) three tier system does this!
Marzano suggests tweaking their system a bit in order
to enhance academic knowledge.
Three tiers of vocabulary
 Tier One Words- Consist of basic words and (for non
ELLs) rarely require instructional attention in school;
are highly frequent in life (BICS): clock, baby, ball,
happy, walk, run, etc.
 Tier Two Words - High frequency use for mature
language users and found across a variety of
knowledge domains (these are targeted for
instruction): coincidence, tamper, glimpse,
accomplices, absurd, industrious, fortunate, etc.
 Tier Three Words - Low frequency use and limited to
specific academic domains (Marzano states these are
crucial to academic success): isotope, lathe, peninsula,
refinery, etc.
Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (2002).
Tier 1 Vocabulary & ELLs
57
 These are typically BICS or social words and are
high frequency
 ELLs may know the concept in their primary
language but don’t know the label in English

butterfly
 Some are cognates, especially with Spanish
(family/familia, preparation/preparacion)
 Includes common idioms and phrases
Tier 2 Vocabulary & ELLs
 They are crucial for comprehension-- in grade level
texts
 Sometimes get left out for ELLs because ESL
teachers focus on Tier 1 and content area teachers
focus on Tier 3
 Lack of explicit instruction in Tier 2 words may
contribute to a lack of reading comprehension in
content areas (Calderon, 2007)
 Include connector words (so, at, into, within, by, if,
then), some cognates (digestion/digestion,
fortunate/afortunado), less common idioms and
metaphors
The Language of the Content Areas
Page 31 of
handouts
BICS (Basic The Language
Interpersonal
of Science
Communicatio
n Skills)
The Language
of Math
The Language
of Social
Studies
The Language of
English/ELA
small
estimate
plethora
identical
rules
method
(your
own)
59
Tier 3 Vocabulary and ELLs
 Low frequency words
 Highly technical and limited to specific
domains/content areas

Lathe, peninsula, osmosis, polysemy, hyperbole
 Many are cognates (as in all the words above), but
unless students have a high level of formal education
in their first language, cognates may not help them
understand concept
Three tiers of vocabulary
61
 Marzano has created content area word lists
according to grade level to facilitate and target
teaching of academic content words he says are
necessary for success.
 These are the words that will enhance academic
background knowledge in the content areas.
 There are other resources for vocabulary tiers
such as
 http://elltx.org/instructional.html
Can You Find a Tier II Word?
Can You Find a Tier III Word?
How do we select words to teach?
64
Beck, McKeown & Kulcan say,
Tier 1 don’t need to be taught… (do you agree for ELLs?)
Tier 2 are selected according to the following criteria:





Importance to understanding the text
Characteristic of mature language users
Used across a variety of domains
Potential for building rich representations of the words (multiple
meaning words)
Words that allow students to provide precision and specificity in
describing the concept
Tier 3 are taught as they arise in texts and content area
courses.
How do we select words to teach?
 Marzano has created content area word lists
according to grade level to facilitate and target
teaching of academic content words he says are
necessary for success.
 These are the words that will enhance academic
background knowledge in the content areas.
How do I decide what words to teach?
 For in-depth instruction, select words that are important
for understanding the “big ideas” in the lesson (e.g.,
overarching concepts in mathematics).

Focus on words that are both important and useful. By selecting
words that students will frequently use and read, you help to build a
strong vocabulary foundation.
 Select words that are domain specific and critical to
understanding the topic, even if those words are not
particularly useful (e.g., polygon).
 For ELLs, also select words that may not be critical to
comprehending a particular text but that are commonly
encountered across the content areas (e.g., categorize,
process)
Concept Attainment
the “search for and listing of words that can be used to
distinguish exemplars from non-exemplars of
various concepts.”
 Excellent strategy for helping students problemsolve and learn vocabulary and content area
concepts based on their critical attributes
Example
Nonexample
(Bruner, Goodnow, and Austin, 1967)
Concept Attainment
68
“Talk a Mile a Minute” Activity
69
 Teams of 3-4
 You may designate a “talker” for each round or make
it a surprise --more like “cold call”.
 Try to get team to say each word by quickly
describing them.
 May not use words in category title or rhyming
words.
Discourse
Reflect:
What makes a good vocabulary strategy
for ELLs?
Which ones do find most helpful?