Journal Article

Addressing Multilingual Learners’ Language Needs Through Engaging Inquiry-Based Science

Viviana Alexandrowicz and Bobbi Hansen
September 2023 | Canadian Center of Science and Education

This journal article in English Language Teaching explores effective strategies to meet the needs of multilingual learners (MLs) in science education through engaging inquiry-based science activities. The authors present a 3-year series of workshops designed to help primary school teachers in California. The workshops include three different modules: 1) Think and Question Like a Scientist 2) Observe and Record Like a Scientist through Science Notebooking, and 3) Argue Like a Scientist. These modules provide educators with practical ideas and research-backed second language acquisition techniques to make science education more accessible. Science workshops—particularly for multilingual learners in elementary grades—can serve as a tool to teach academic language across all proficiency levels. This resource would be particularly beneficial for teachers and curriculum developers looking to promote science instruction for multilingual learners by incorporating research-based language development strategies and scaffolding techniques.