CSEL SCIENCE
Promote Partner and Small Group Work.
CSEL Science promotes student discussion through partner and small group learning. To the extent possible, ELs at entering and emerging levels of English proficiency are partnered with bilingual students. Students who are good decoders and understand the text are paired with students who need support with decoding and understanding the text. In heterogeneous classrooms, teachers work with newcomers in a small group while other students work with partners or in heterogeneous small groups on the same tasks.
Side-by-Side Bilingual Content Summary
Description of key features highlighted:
1
All content on the left side of the page, including the page title, directions, captions, and footers, is provided in the students’ home language. This supports comprehension and enables students to navigate the document independently without relying on English-only cues.
2
The text is divided into smaller sections, making it easier for students to read and understand. Text features such as headers, subheaders, spacing, and bulleted lists help students identify key ideas, understand how information is organized, and navigate the content.
3
There are labeled illustrations in students’ home language and English that help all students understand the science concepts. The labels make clear connections between the illustrations and the accompanying text.
4
The same content is presented in English on the opposite side of the page. The mirrored structure enables students to move between their home language and English, supporting English language development while ensuring access to grade-level content in both languages.
5
Comprehension questions are included to help students understand both the text and visuals. “Check for Understanding” questions include multiple-choice and open-response formats with sentence starters.
6
All questions are translated into the home language. Answer options and/or sentence starters are also translated to support students in responding to the question.
7
Bilingual notes and instructions are included to help students navigate and use the document. These supports promote student independence, allowing teachers to focus on students' understanding rather than on navigating packets.
The images below and on the following page show the first two pages of the Spanish-English bilingual content summary for Module 7:
Patterns of Inheritance. In this activity, students listen to and or read the text, and work individually or with a partner to answer questions, followed by a classroom debrief. Key features are highlighted in the image below and on the next page using circled letters; those features are explained on the subsequent page.
