1. Nancy Queisi
TSL 5085
Article 1: Connecting Literacy and Science to Increase
Achievement for English Language Learners
Article 2: Urban Elementary School Teachers’ Knowledge and
Practices in Teaching Science to English Language Learners.
Article 3: Text-Based Questioning: A Comprehension Strategy to
Build English Language Learners' Content Knowledge

2.  There has been an overwhelming increase in the number of
English language leaners (ELLs) in mainstream classrooms.
 There has been changes in the science curriculum.
 Standards have been created which explain what students must
know and what to do in science class.
 Elementary, middle, and high school students are assessed on
science knowledge and skills yearly.
 ELLs must acquire both the English language and learn science
simultaneously in order to become successful.

4.  A study was conducted to find the correlation between vocabulary
and reading comprehension in addition to questioning and
reading comprehension in the content of science in a 5th grade
classroom.
 The results concluded both vocabulary knowledge and
questioning had a powerful impact on the reading compression of
all students.
 English only speakers (EOs) text-based questioning was a stronger
predictor of reading comprehension whereas ELLs general
vocabulary was the stronger predictor.
 Questioning is beneficial for ELLs only after they achieved a
certain level of vocabulary.

5.  Another study was conducted to examine the instructional
techniques used to help 4th grade students enhance their text-
based questioning in the content of science.
 The results concluded that regardless of students’ English
language proficiencies and initial questioning skills, all of their
questioning skills improved.
 It also showed that ELLs with the at least intermediate language
proficiency are able to improve their questioning over a period of
time by being taught the skill explicitly.

7.  Vocabulary plays a big role in reading comprehension.
 ELLs must gain vocabulary knowledge before they can
comprehend a skill or a concept that is being taught.
 Vocabulary development is the first step in reading
comprehension.
 When students including ELLs acquire good vocabulary, they are
then able to learn a content such as science.

9.  Teachers should focus their teaching on four components which
are listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
 According to research, individuals retain 90% of content
information when they write and talk about what they learned.
 Teachers should create an inquiry-based classroom giving
students an opportunity to ask open and closed ended questions
because it helps with the development of students’ high-order
thinking and vocabulary.
 Teachers should also incorporate student collaboration and hands-
on activities in their classrooms which will increase student
motivation.

10.  This teacher advises other teachers to implement two research-
based instructional strategies into their instruction.
 The two strategies include word walls and science notebooks.
 The purpose of these strategies is to help incorporate literacy skills
and science content simultaneously.
 As these strategies are implemented, teachers must be aware of
ELLs English levels of proficiency.

12.  The study was conducted to examine the knowledge and practices
of 38 teachers from urban elementary schools.
 The knowledge and practices of teachers in their first year of
professional intervention were compared to the knowledge and
practices of teachers who used reform-oriented practices.
 The goal of the study was to develop a better professional
development intervention to help teachers use methods in order
to inform and explain their content, specifically science, to ESOL
students.
 The intervention focused on helping teachers create plans for ELLs
and for them to better understand the science content to teach it to
all students.

13.  The results of the study concluded that teachers had the proper
knowledge to teach the content of science to their students but
they were having difficulties with scientific inquiry within their
student population.
 Teachers were uncomfortable teaching science to ELLs.
 Teachers using reform-oriented practices were more successful
with the constructs mentioned above.
 Modifications must be applied to future interventions in order to
gain a higher success rate in teaching ELLs.

14.  They must understand that each student has a different learning
style.
 It is important to reinforce accommodations for each ELL in order
for them to acquire literacy skills and learn content areas such as
science.
 Students are more prone to comprehending content when they use
all four components listening, reading, writing, and speaking
when learning.
 Some students are visual learners, therefore, it is beneficial to
include writing and drawing activities in lessons (show
strategies).
 Incorporating literacy skills and content simultaneously will
benefit ELLs tremendously.

15.  All three articles were informative and can be applied to teaching.
 They aim at providing an opportunity for ELLs to develop literacy
skills and content knowledge such as science simultaneously.
 They all include teaching techniques and activities that fall under
show, show and tell, tell strategies which are beneficial for ELLs.
 An example of a show strategy is building word walls.
 An example of a tell strategy is allowing students to ask open and
closed ended questions.
 An example of a show and tell strategy is creating a science
notebook that includes drawings and explanations .

16.  Adamson, K., Lee, O., Lewis,S., Maerten-Rivera, J., &
Secada, W.G., (2007). Urban elementary school teachers’ knowledge
and practices in teaching science to English language learners. Science
Teacher Education, 733-758.
 Huerta, M., & Jackson, J. (2010). Connecting Literacy and Science to
Increase Achievement for English Language Learners. Early Childhood
Education Journal, 38(3), 205-211.
 Nagy, W. E., National Council of Teachers of English, U. L., ERIC
Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, U. L., &
International Reading Association, N. E. (1988). Teaching Vocabulary To
Improve Reading Comprehension.
 Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (1992). Text-Based and Knowledge-
Based Questioning by Children. Cognition And Instruction, (3), 177.
doi:10.2307/3233513
 Taboada, A., Bianco, S., & Bowerman, V. (2012). Text-Based
Questioning: A Comprehension Strategy to Build English Language
Learners' Content Knowledge. Literacy Research And
Instruction, 51(2), 87-109.