Opportunities to learn science: multilingual learners in a first grade mainstream classroom
Description
TitleOpportunities to learn science: multilingual learners in a first grade mainstream classroom
Date Created2021
Other Date2021-05 (degree)
Extent1 online resource (ix, 231 pages)
DescriptionOpportunity for an equal education is one of the cornerstones of the United States educational system, and it means access for all to all that is available. Today, the vast majority of Latino multilingual learners are not on a trajectory to participate in 21st century science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. The Latino share of the workforce has increased significantly—from three percent in 1970 to 15 percent in 2011—yet Latinos represented only seven percent of the STEM workforce in 2011, a very small portion, compared to White participation (71%) in the STEM workforce (U. S. Census Bureau, 2013). For that reason, it is critical that Latinos gain equal access to the requisite knowledge and skills to participate in the fastest growing job sector, STEM.
In a case study, the experiences of Latino multilingual students’ opportunities to learn (OTL) science in first-grade mainstream elementary classrooms in central New Jersey were explored. In a sociocultural perspective of opportunities to learn (OTL), Gee (2008) made the point of the right of each student to have OTL, which includes not only access to content, but also participation, experience, resources, tools, a community of practice, and language. The study examined the students’ access to the resources, materials, experience, and language of the science curriculum.
Over the last few years, the United States has opted to update 20-year-old science standards in preparation for 21st century STEM careers, and to make science learning accessible for all learners. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) require students to engage in inquiry based science the way engineers and scientists do-- asking questions, creating models, investigating, hypothesizing, analyzing outcomes, and communicating findings. Utilizing the NGSS Framework, the study examined the opportunities of students to experience inquiry based science. The curriculum quality, teaching quality, and individual student characteristics either supported or posed barriers to science instruction for these learners. In the end, multilingual learners were disenfranchised when teachers lacked training, appropriate curriculum and materials, and the administration lacked an enduring commitment to teacher professional development for this large segment of the student population.
NoteEd.D.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Genretheses, ETD doctoral
LanguageEnglish
CollectionGraduate School of Education Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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