Christopher Martinelli Theory into Practice

 The academic challenges for ELL students are very real and are magnified by the need for students to learn content of any course.  Assumptions are made that ELL students must develop English Language proficiency before they are able to engage in any meaningful content-area learning.  Another assumption for ELL students to succeed on high stakes standardized tests is to force similar test items upon them by improperly “teaching to the test”.

 Dr. Corey Buxton suggests within his article that academic content with ELL students can be developed in social settings by the sharpening of language and literacy.  Civic Engagement through Community Service can serve as the avenue for the development of content learning, as well as literacy and language.  It is especially well-suited within the field of science education with the needs of ELLs as it: 1. Reduces the engagement gap with the increase of more student participants 2. Develops grade appropriate science content knowledge and inquiry skills 3. Develops language and literacy with continuous interactions with other students and members of the supporting community 4. Integrates students within their new cultural home

 Further identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each individual ELL.  Pushes us to identify local social issues within our community that need attention and work.  Our students having a better understanding of their role within their community.  Our students making connections to real world instances that allow them to gain the knowledge and the proper academic language necessary to clearly understand and discuss these challenges.  GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND RAISE AWARENESS!

“SOCIAL PROBLEM SOLVING THROUGH SCIENCE” “STEPS TO COLLEGE THROUGH SCIENCE”  Middle school life science classroom  Study included local environmental issues including water quality and global warming  Students studied environmental health risks and their implications  Students created awareness by creating their own public service announcement posters to share with their community members  Predominately Hispanic 7 th and 8 th grade physical and life science students  Students, parents, and science educators attended workshops on how continued authentic scientific engagement within their community will increase college opportunities  Workshops were held at both local high schools and universities covering topics such as plant nutrition and local recreational activities

 These projects can be directed both towards investigating issues within the community, as well as raising awareness of different scientific topics.  These projects can also reach out towards a diversity of learners such as tactile, visual, auditory, ect…  These students can lead to our students continuing to develop their multiple intelligences.  Students of similar or different cultural diversity can cooperatively make differences within their surrounding community, as well as have a significant impact amongst each other with social interaction through literacy and content knowledge.

 Buxton, Cory A.. "Science Inquiry, Academic Language, and Civic Engagement." Democracy & Education 18.3 (2009): Education Full Text. Web. 2 Dec