Support English learners with sentence frames, graphic organizers, and word walls—but supplement frames with level-appropriate strategies because frames can limit the range of student responses¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

Teachers created sentence frames matched to each phase's language function to reinforce grammatical structures (e.g., "I think _____ because _____" for predictions), integrated graphic organizers to help English learners interact with new vocabulary and connect ideas, and posted academic vocabulary on word walls for convenient access in discussions and writing. In the conclusion, the report notes that while sentence frames helped students communicate findings, they also often limited student responses, so teachers needed additional level-appropriate strategies such as realia, pictures, concrete observations, physical manipulation of materials, or drawing diagrams.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Frames, organizers, and vocabulary entries are added to the teacher column of the template with appropriate student responses designated in the student column

Constraints¶

• Sentence frames often limited student responses, so they should be supplemented with strategies such as realia, pictures, concrete observations, manipulation of materials, or diagrams

Target Learners¶

• elementary English learners

Target Learning Goals¶

• communicating scientific ideas in written and oral English
• expressing conceptual understanding

Related Strategies¶

• Assign a language function to each 5E phase (describe, compare and contrast, classify, classify with justification) and align language objectives with science objectives
• Scaffold Structure and Function
• Word Walls
• Sentence Frames And Starters
• Pre-Writing with Graphic Organizers

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• DiRanna, K., & Gomez-Zwiep, S. (2013). High-Quality Science Instruction: Building Conceptual Understanding and Language Skills for English Learners. San Francisco: WestEd. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED580368