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Supporting English Language Learners Through Inquiry-Based Science: Three Strategies for Your Classroom

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Teaching the Content Areas to English Language Learners in Secondary Schools

Part of the book series: English Language Education ((ELED,volume 17))

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Abstract

This chapter uses inquiry-based learning as an approach to discuss three strategies for teaching English Language Learners science content: (a) short silent movies, (b) interactive word walls, and (c) interactive science notebooks. This approach has theoretical grounding in cognitive and social learning theories (i.e., Piaget, Vygotsky, and Cambourne). We discuss the best methods to implement these strategies, suggestions to modify them, as well as the limitations of each. We provide vignettes that focus on natural selection to give context for each strategy. The chapter concludes with a summary of each strategy, a brief discussion on how to combine these strategies for maximum benefit, as well as, questions to reflect on how to promote best practices with these strategies.

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Correspondence to Joshua W. Reid .

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Reid, J.W., Smith-Walters, C., Mangione, K.A., Dorris, A., Tharp, T. (2019). Supporting English Language Learners Through Inquiry-Based Science: Three Strategies for Your Classroom. In: de Oliveira, L.C., Obenchain, K.M., Kenney, R.H., Oliveira, A.W. (eds) Teaching the Content Areas to English Language Learners in Secondary Schools. English Language Education, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02245-7_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02245-7_13

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-02244-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-02245-7

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