Chapter 4: Teaching Science To Ells

Adera is eleven years old and a fifth grader from rural Ethiopia. She and her family moved to the United States last year. They live in a tight-knit immigrant community where her parents run a small grocery store. The family primarily speaks Amharic, their native language. Adera’s father is proficient in English, but he frequently travels for business. Her mother speaks very limited English. She and three women from the neighborhood recently enrolled in adult ESL classes offered at the local library. Each week, the women take turns hosting dinner so they can practice speaking English. Adera always attends the dinners with her mother, as do the other children in the group. Her ESOL teacher says she is making good progress with speaking and listening, but Adera is very uncomfortable speaking aloud in front of her native English-speaking classmates. She rarely raises her hand in class and she has few friends at school. Adera’s favorite subject is science and she understands most of the concepts she is taught. Her writing proficiency is at the beginner level but improving, and she struggles most with reading. During science investigations, Adera has trouble reading the instructions. She does not say much during group work. This frustrates her peers, so they often exclude her from the activity or only let her help with menial tasks. When she is called on by her teacher, her nervousness makes it hard to think of the right words to say. Adera wishes she could better communicate with others in class.