Instructional Congruence to Promote Science Learning and Literacy Development for Linguistically Diverse Students

Abstract

SummaryWith increasing numbers of students from diverse language and cultural backgrounds, the nation is challenged to achieve the goal of high academic standards for all students. In this chapter we have presented a model of instructional congruence to promote linguistically diverse students’ achievement inscience. We have described how fourth-grade elementary teachers who shared the language and culture of their students established instructional congruence to promote students’ science learning and literacy development. Instructional congruence occurred as teachers mediated the nature of academic content and inquiry with students’ language and cultural experiences. A discussion of the implications instructional congruence for teacher enhancement concludes this chapter. With adaptations for specific learner needs, the model can be extended to other groups at the margins of science, including students from low socio-economic levels, students with disabilities, and female students. The practical knowledge of teaching by the individual teachers in the research can be incorporated as an important part of theoretical knowledge required for effective instruction (Ladson-Billings, 1994, 1995). This knowledge base can be shared with teachers from a variety of backgrounds to make science available for all.