ABSTRACT
Many factors contribute to a classroom’s diversity. When engaged in inquiry science, children must use language to make a prediction or a hypothesis. English language learners face a triple challenge during science instruction. When planning a science lesson, Sharon analyzes the language that students will be reading, writing, listening to, and having to produce. The academic language that students must learn and use during inquiry science is not restricted to vocabulary. Language is an important learning tool and a key assessment tool. When Sharon thinks about the science content she will teach, she considers the language that students will use to show that they have learned the content. Sharon uses several different talk formats to provide students with the chance to discuss their learning. Sharon uses a variety of strategies to help her students communicate their science thinking and practice new words and phrases they are learning.
