1. Literacy In Science

2. Why Science and Literacy?
The acquisition of academic language can take considerably longer to develop than social language. …The academic language needed in science lessons is more advanced than the social language used by the students. Therefore, scientific literacy should be developed alongside scientific knowledge to deepen understanding.

3. “Pupils said that the use of terms such as ‘dependent’, ‘independent’ and ‘control’, used in the context of a discussion of variables, was very confusing and acted as an obstacle to their learning.”

4. Take feedback after the activity.
Language in Learning across the Curriculum, 2007, State of South Australia, DECS.

5. Key planning questions
What strengths and challenges do the students have? 1
What language will students need to use to successfully complete the activities? 2
What activities will I include to present and use the focus language? 3
What scaffolds do I need to provide to help them complete it? 4

6. What avoidance strategies do your students have?

7. Class 9Sc5 26 pupils 17 EAL students (14 are non-EU)
9 with assessed SEN needs
Low ability, getting 0-15% in GCSE tests

8. 3 Pupil Profiles Unable to follow much explanatory talk
Asia-
Less than 1 year in the UK (Somalia)
Never been to school before starting 3 months ago
Very little English
Morium
2 years ago in UK (Bengali)
SEN -significant literacy needs: Can’t hold verbally delivered information, unable to access reading material.
Ariful
1 year in country (Bengali)
Can grasp some key words and concepts
Can’t form sentences
Can’t verbalise learning
General Abilities:
Unable to follow much explanatory talk
Unable to read for understanding
Unable to verbalise words in English or learning
Sometimes able to grasp some key words
Much of the science learning is prevented, some basic concepts are grasped
Behaviour in Class
Passive/ quiet
Avoided being asked questions
Guessing/copying to complete tasks
Disengaged

9. Agreed focus of literacy development
Develop and broaden vocabulary
Improve learning and literacy confidence through talk
Improve reading skills including reading for information

10. Vocabulary - Key Principles
Students need to be able to use:
subject specific language
everyday and formal target language
that helps them show their understanding
Students need to use:
strategies to build their vocabulary
Eventually, they should be able to do these independently.
They need to practice:
constructing more complex sentences
e.g. comparing, summarising

11. Vocabulary Development Strategies
A pupil needs 6 opportunities to engage with new vocabulary: hearing, speaking, reading ,writing.
How can you design activities around this?
How would that change your teaching?

12. Pictures first
Give pictures to sort where they only have some of the vocabulary
They can do the science
They have a need for the vocabulary, and an idea of what they are trying to express

13. Characteristics: Inherited or Environmental?

14. Vocabulary Development
Upfront presentation of words, with visuals, breakdowns, definitions
Breaking a word down
“fert-i-li-sation”
Identifying familiar parts “genetic” “neutralisation”

15. Pronunciation! Whole class pronunciation Individual pronunciation
Talk tasks:
paired reading
paired work: labelling/categorising
Paired white board quizzes

16. Sex cells Parents New cell Offspring Sex cells are called gametes
Female sex cells in animals are called eggs
Male sex cells in animals are called sperm
Gametes have half the amount of chromosomes from the parents
When gametes join together, it is called fertilisation
The new cell has all the chromosomes needed to make a new organism
The chromosomes are a mixture from the 2 parents
Add labels to the diagram:
Add to your diagram: Sperm, egg, gametes, cell with 46 chromosomes, cell with 23 chromosomes

17. Further access learning activities
Cloze passages
Matching activities
Reading and writing tasks
Restructuring information, ordering, putting in tables etc
Sentence writing with key words given

18. Example: Topic Cells Names Processes Concepts
fertilisation red blood cell cytoplasm membrane adaptation
respiration tissue absorption organ cellulose photosynthesis

19. Vocabulary based plenaries
Key words:
Compound
Molecule
Element
Atom
Formula
Quizzes where words are on board and have to say right one
Mini-white board quizzes
Paired quiz

20. Handing over responsibility
Word
My language
Definition
Glossary
It is the pupils responsibility to translate them and to get a definition
Key words done as class
New words from reading circled and added
Homework is to translate and learn them
Use in Class
Checking/nagging/homework setting/ detentions/ weekly key word quizzes
Now pupils are recording words and using it

21. Word Banks
In planning, recognising all the vocabulary needed to complete the lesson well.
Realising which vocabulary EAL learners will not have, making word banks with visuals

22. Vocabulary Development
How does this affect lessons?
Breaking a word down “fert-i-li-sation”
Identifying familiar parts “genetic” “neutralisation”
Whole class pronunciation
Individual pronunciation
Talk task/ paired work e.g. labelling a diagram
Writing definition in glossary
Cloze/reading/writing/remembering/
restructuring tasks
Key word quiz plenary. White boards/ in pairs
More repetition
More talk
Slower pace
Less content
More learning

23. Stable Covalent Strong
Electrons Bond Ions
Share Full outer shell
Stable Covalent Strong
Gain Charges
Need Attract
Lose Overlap
Eight two
Opposite Ionic

24. Categorise Key Words
Ionic bonding
Covalent bonding.

25. Ionic Bonding Ionic bonding happens between....
Atoms with 1 or 2 electrons in their ________ want to...
Atoms with 6 or 7 electrons in their ________ want to...
Atoms gain 1 or 2 electrons to become...
Atoms lose 1 or 2 electrons to become...
Oppositely charged ions...

26. Covalent Bonding Covalent bonds happen between....
Atoms ______ electrons to ....
To do this the atoms’ outer shells .....
When this happens both atoms have ....
Covalent bonds are very....

27. 3 Pupil Profiles - Updated
Asia-
Less than 1 year in the UK (Somalia)
Never been to school before starting 3 months ago
Very little English
Morium
2 years ago in UK (Bengali)
SEN -significant literacy needs: Can’t hold verbally delivered information, unable to access reading material.
Ariful
1 year in country (Bengali)
Can grasp some key words and concepts
Can’t form sentences
Can’t verbalise learning
General Abilities:
Understand what goes on in the lesson
Have methods to help them access tasks and are able to read simple things for understanding
Able to verbalise words and learn them
Able to engage with material
Behaviour in Class
Able to talk in pairs and groups
Volunteer answers
Attempt all tasks
Engaged in lessons

28. Sharing Practice Subject knowledge knowing the science
Skills Knowledge
what skills will students need to use to learn the science
Teaching & learning knowledge
how pupils learn best, what activities will I use to learn the science

29. Proven to work Sharing resources Joint planning & teaching
Curriculum planning
Raising achievement initiatives
Training opportunities

30. Faculty Task Moving Forward:
What will your literacy focus be in ?
How will you ensure target pupils and others like them continue to make rapid progress?
How will you work together to support each other?