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Physics as a Mechanism for Including ELLs in Classroom Discourse
written by Enrique Suarez and Valerie K. Otero
English Language Learners (ELLs) are frequently left on the periphery of classroom interactions. Due to misalignment of language skills, teachers and peers communicate with these students less often, decreasing the number of opportunities to engage. Exclusion can be avoided with learning activities that invite all students to participate and contribute ideas. We argue that environments and activities that privilege scientific inductive reasoning increase possibilities for emerging bilingual students to engage. This study investigated first-grade students' discussions about factors that affect how objects float. Students came from a variety of language backgrounds; all were considered beginner/intermediate ELLs. Results show that the goal of inducing principles from actual phenomena encouraged students to communicate their ideas and reasoning, boosting students' confidence in expressing themselves. Following the hybrid space argument of Vygotsky's theory of concept formation, we illustrate that physics can be particularly suitable context for the co-development of concepts and English language skills.
Physics Education Research Conference 2013
Part of the PER Conference series
Portland, OR: July 17-18, 2013
Pages 349-352
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education Foundations
- Sample Population
= Age
= Background: Language
- Student Characteristics
= Affect
= Skills
Education Practices
- Active Learning
= Cooperative Learning
- Learning Environment
Fluid Mechanics
- Statics of Fluids
= Density and Buoyancy
- Elementary School
- Reference Material
= Research study
Intended Users Formats Ratings
- Professional/Practitioners
- Researchers
- application/pdf
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Mirror:
https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2013…
Access Rights:
Free access
License:
This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the published article's author(s), title, proceedings citation, and DOI.
Rights Holder:
American Association of Physics Teachers
DOI:
10.1119/perc.2013.pr.075
PACSs:
01.40.eg
01.40.Fk
01.40.Ha
Keywords:
English Language Learners, PERC 2013, buoyancy, elementary school, scientific induction, student engagement
Record Cloner:
Metadata instance created January 31, 2014 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
January 31, 2014 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
December 16, 2013
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AIP Format
E. Suarez and V. Otero, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2013, Portland, OR, 2013, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13150&DocID=3697).
AJP/PRST-PER
E. Suarez and V. Otero, Physics as a Mechanism for Including ELLs in Classroom Discourse, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2013, Portland, OR, 2013, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13150&DocID=3697>.
APA Format
Suarez, E., & Otero, V. (2013, July 17-18). Physics as a Mechanism for Including ELLs in Classroom Discourse. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2013, Portland, OR. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13150&DocID=3697
Chicago Format
Suarez, Enrique, and Valerie Otero. "Physics as a Mechanism for Including ELLs in Classroom Discourse." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2013, Portland, OR, July 17-18, 2013. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13150&DocID=3697 (accessed 19 April 2024).
MLA Format
Suarez, Enrique, and Valerie Otero. "Physics as a Mechanism for Including ELLs in Classroom Discourse." Physics Education Research Conference 2013. Portland, OR: 2013. 349-352 of PER Conference. 19 Apr. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13150&DocID=3697>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "Enrique Suarez and Valerie Otero", Title = {Physics as a Mechanism for Including ELLs in Classroom Discourse}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2013}, Pages = {349-352}, Address = {Portland, OR}, Series = {PER Conference}, Month = {July 17-18}, Year = {2013} }
Refer Export Format

%A Enrique Suarez %A Valerie Otero %T Physics as a Mechanism for Including ELLs in Classroom Discourse %S PER Conference %D July 17-18 2013 %P 349-352 %C Portland, OR %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13150&DocID=3697 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2013 %O July 17-18 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Suarez, Enrique %A Otero, Valerie %D July 17-18 2013 %T Physics as a Mechanism for Including ELLs in Classroom Discourse %B Physics Education Research Conference 2013 %C Portland, OR %P 349-352 %S PER Conference %8 July 17-18 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13150&DocID=3697


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