The goal of this three-year collaborative research project between Texas A&M and Sam Houston State University is to improve the science achievement and the academic English language proficiency of middle school Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs). To accomplish this goal, Project MSSELL will conduct a two-year randomized trial longitudinal evaluation of an enhanced standards-based science curriculum model previously developed through a five-year longitudinal randomized trial study funded by the Institute of Education Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education. The model consists of five major components: (a) English language acquisition strategies integrated into the science curriculum, (b) technology-assisted instruction, (c) bi-weekly teacher professional development, (d) family involvement, and (e) paraprofessionals in working with individual ELLs. In Year 1, the project will refine and pilot the model based on learnings from its previous developmental phase and implementation with K-3 grade students. In Years 2 and 3, the enhanced model will be implemented and studied with fifth and sixth grade students.
Project Middle School Science for English Language Learners and English speakers (MSSELL) contributes to limited knowledge base of randomized control trials (RCT) of how to enhance and change science education for low-SES English language learners (ELLs) and English speakers who are in need of learning academic science language along with rigorous science content standards that all students must master. With a research and advisory team consisting of university faculty and scientists who are experienced in the education of ELLs and/or science education, MSSELL activities (a) advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training and learning through professional development of science teachers and through development, adoption, adaption and dissemination of effective models, products, and pedagogic approaches to science teaching for ELLs; (b) broaden participation of an underrepresented group as reflected in the establishment of research and education collaborations with graduate students and faculty who are members of ethnic minority and/or women; involvement of Spanish-speaking ELLs and African American students and their families under poverty as participants; and participation in conferences and field activities concerning issues of science education with diverse populations. The literacy-infused science intervention was implemented longitudinally from fifth grade to sixth grade in 4 intermediate schools (with 2 randomly assigned to treatment condition and 2 to control condition) in a large urban school district in Texas. The intervention was composed of two main components. The first component was teacher professional development (professional portfolio assessment, biweekly staff development sessions, and monthly staff meetings for paraprofessionals). This component consisted of ongoing training workshops for both teachers (biweekly) and paraprofessionals (monthly) provided by research coordinators for 3 hours per session. The second component was delivered in English for 85 minutes in grade 5 and 45 minutes in grade 6 daily inclusive of activities that engage students in oral and written English on science topics, improve students’ understanding of science concepts using the 5E model through vocabulary development and extension in science-related expository texts. Students were also required to record and illustrate academic science vocabulary in their individual science notebooks to help them process the content. Teachers were trained to provide both science feedback and feedback on the students’ writing. The fifth grade sample consisted of 248 ELLs (166 in treatment and 80 in control) and 288 English speakers (94 in treatment and 194 in control). Among these students, 160 ELLs (105 in treatment and 55 in control) and 116 non-ELLs (48 in treatment and 68 in control) completed the intervention throughout sixth grade. All students were administered district benchmark tests in science and reading (in both grades), state standardized assessment in science and reading (grade 5 only), researcher-developed science assessment (grade 6 only), and English learners were also administered standardized English proficiency tests (in both grades). Results indicated that for both ELLs and English speakers treatment students significantly outperformed control students on (a) district science benchmark tests in grades 5 and 6, and researcher-developed science assessment in grade 6; and (b) district reading benchmark tests in grades 5 and 6. Further, ELLs in the treatment condition demonstrated a faster development than their control peers on English oral and reading proficiency. Project MSSELL also enhanced infrastructure for research and education by establishing collaborations between two academic institutions (Texas A&M University & Sam Houston State University), and there has been published and presented research results in websites, at interdisciplinary and science education conferences, and workshops to teachers, to ensure broad dissemination to enhance scientific and technological understanding of science infused literacy for economically disadvantaged ELLs and African American students and to serve as a state and national intervention prototype. Dissemination of the project outcomes appear in (a) peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Journal of Educational Research, and International Journal of Science Education, (b) referred conference presentations including National Associate of Research in Science Teaching, National Association of Bilingual Education, and American Educational Research Association, and (c) with leveled questions appearing in the technology of Edusmart, science technology instructional program. A website has also been developed for public access at http://mssell.tamu.edu.
