DO YOU SPEAK SCIENCE? ARE YOU AN SLL?

DO YOU SPEAK SCIENCE? ARE YOU AN SLL?

Science has it's own language.  It is not always easy learning the language and yet, the success or failure of a student in a science class is in big part due to the acquisition or lack of acquisition of the language. Interestingly enough, each science subject in school has a set of terms that relates to the specific subject much to the dismay of many students, mine included.  This learning of a new language, the language of science, makes all of my students as I like to refer to them, SLL, Science Language Learners.   

Okay, so let's make things a little more interesting and let's compound that challenge by adding the fact that in my classroom, as in many classrooms throughout the United States, there are students who have been identified as ELL, English Language Learners.  Not only is this student trying to learn the English Language, they are  also having to learn the Science Language. Now, that's truly a challenge.  

I have often been asked to describe my job as a science teacher.  I usually respond by saying that although I have one title, Teacher, the reality is that I should have a minimum of four.  I am a Science Laboratory Teacher.  I am a Science Subject (mostly Biology) Teacher.  I am a Foreign Language  (2 languages, Science and English for my ELLs) Teacher.  Last but not least, I am also an Educational Technologies Teacher.  After my response, I usually get more questions.  Usually, why do it?  Why do something that has so many challenges to it and what seems to receive so little in the form of appreciation?  

To that I answer, BECAUSE I SPEAK SCIENCE and more importantly, SCIENCE SPEAKS TO ME and I want my students, actually everyone's students, to learn the language of science or at least to become fluent enough that they can be successful in earning their credit, learn about the beauty of the unseen and seen worlds of science, gain an appreciation for science, and hopefully, have SCIENCE SPEAK TO THEM and when it does, they can have a conversation and they will understand what we all know happens when you learn a new language.  It opens worlds, minds, opportunities, and possibilities.   

DO YOU SPEAK SCIENCE? IF NOT, YOU SHOULD BECOME AN SLL.