Moving Language Into the Core of Teaching Practices: Preparing Science Teachers to Elicit Multilinguals’ Thinking

• In Event: Equity and “Core” Teaching Practices Across Disciplines: Bridging Constructs and Communities to Support Students’ Flourishing

Abstract

While multilingual learners (MLs) are the fastest growing student population in the US (NCES, 2022), few teachers report feeling prepared to teach them science (Banilower et al., 2013). The low self-efficacy among teachers is understandable as one considers the dynamic and complex nature of teaching science, which requires building disciplinary knowledge and access to practices, and which is exacerbated when it involves working with students who are navigating school in multiple languages (National Academy of Sciences, 2017). Training teachers to simultaneously attend to science and language development affords opportunities for collaboration across disciplines to broaden equitable participation for MLs (e.g., Lee & Stephens, 2020).

This study emerged from interdisciplinary collaboration within a secondary certification program in a Midwestern university in which pre-service teachers (PST) are prepared and certified to teach science and English as a Second Language. In this study, science education faculty worked with a multilingual learning researcher to conceptualize and pilot the integration of science and language teaching practices (SLTP). To further address the dynamic and complex nature of teaching science to MLs, PSTs engaged in mixed-reality simulations, where trained actors manipulated virtual avatar students. The simulations allowed for PSTs to implement SLTP in controlled environments before they entered the more complex reality of science classrooms. Two questions that guided this research: (1) what are essential elements in teacher-student interactions that help elicit and interpret student thinking among MLs? and (2) how does the integration of mixed-reality simulations in teacher education impact PSTs’ self-efficacy in teaching science to MLs?

A cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) lens (Engeström, 1987) was used to frame the elicitation of student thinking in the science learning space as a social practice. CHAT afforded the opportunity to examine simulations as mediational tools in the implementation of SLTP while acknowledging the complexity of teaching science to MLs. Data sources included PSTs’ surveys completed before and after simulations and recordings/transcripts of their simulations. Data was analyzed through iterative coding and identification of themes to understand how mixed-reality simulations supported PSTs’ self-efficacy in applying the SLTP. Key elements were identified to support the elicitation of student thinking among MLs, including the use of translingual practices, that is, the use of MLs’ full linguistic repertoire while formulating their thinking, and an attention to ideas rather than language accuracy. Initial findings found a positive impact of mixed-reality simulations on PST’s increased self-efficacy in eliciting MLs’ thinking.
This project developed and piloted a set of simulation tasks for eliciting student thinking that integrated language teaching practices to enhance equitable participation of MLs during science instruction. Beyond its impact in empowering MLs to express their thoughts, make decisions and solve problems in daily life, the collaboration across science and language in the study advances the call for multidisciplinary collaboration framed by the National Academies of Science. The findings have significance for the university site where the study was conducted, but they also inform the teacher education field and provide innovative models for preparing teachers to work with diverse learners.

Authors

• Mariana Castro, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Mark R. Olson, University of Wisconsin - Madison