Preparing preservice teachers to teach science to english learners: A review

Abstract

AbstractDespite growing numbers of English Learners (ELs) in United States science classrooms and recent science education reforms calling for language and literacy integrated science instruction, research is just beginning to address how to prepare preservice teachers (PSTs) to teach science to ELs. Using a framework highlighting key structural and task‐related components for preparing PSTs to teach science to ELs, we systematically examined interventions designed to prepare PSTs to teach in linguistically diverse science classrooms for variations in their structures and tasks for learning, and for outcomes. Results indicate that interventions for preparing PSTs to teach science to ELs ranged from parts of science methods courses to integrated programs spanning both science methods courses and field experiences. Most interventions addressed language and literacy integrated instruction, field experiences, skills for language‐integrated science instruction, and identification and use of students' funds of knowledge in the classroom. Integration of language and literacy into science methods instruction, cohesion across program components, instructor modeling of targeted instructional strategies, and opportunities to practice targeted instructional strategies in K‐12 classrooms were found to be common contributing factors to intervention success. However, the studies highlighted difficulties in PSTs' ability to transfer understanding to instruction and integrate students' funds of knowledge into instruction. Further, other parts of the framework, including asking PSTs to examine their beliefs about learners and science learning in linguistically diverse classrooms and development of PSTs' science content knowledge, were under‐studied. Implications for science teacher preparation, science teaching and learning, and future research are discussed.