Science Materials & Multilingual Learners: Language & Content Essentials (June 28, 2023)

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) have led to an increased commitment to equity and literacy in science. Yet, teachers across the country repeatedly express dissatisfaction with the quality of their materials in helping multilingual learners (MLL) thrive academically. In response, ELSF, along with science educators and experts in the field, developed science-specific guidelines that outline high-quality instructional materials that are truly inclusive of the diversity of students in today’s classrooms.

This webinar introduces science content developers and curriculum adoption decision makers to these new Science Guidelines and to the five research-based curriculum design features that are essential for multilingual learners' success in science.

The webinar will provide:

• A rationale for the need for linguistic support in science materials that supports multilingual learners, and benefits all students 
• Clear definitions of the 5 essential supportive design features for science materials to be responsive to MLLs, and
• Examples of lessons and activities that demonstrate how these design features can be operationalized in materials alongside the NGSS standards. 
  

Audience

• Content Developers in Science
• Curriculum adoption decision-makers interested in Science materials
• Anyone interested in how to make science materials relevant to multilingual learners

Objectives

• Understand the research base, the design features, and the content of ELSF’s Guidelines for high-quality science instructional materials
• Introduce examples of what these features might look like in instructional materials

Facilitators

• Manuel Buenrostro, Policy Associate, Californians Together (Welcome)
• Renae Skarin, Senior Advisor, Content
• Jack Dieckmann, Senior Advisor, Mathematics
• Leyla Bravo, Senior Director, Partnerships and Communications (Closing)

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