Exploratory Evidence on the Factors that Relate to Elementary School Science Learning Gains Among English Language Learners

这个国家的学校在语言和文化多样性方面不断发展，被认定为英语学习者（el）的学生占学生总数的10%以上。不幸的是，现有的研究表明，el在科学成就上落后于其他学生，甚至在学校的最初年级也是如此。本项目将提供有关学校、课堂、教师和学生因素如何影响小学生科学学习轨迹的证据。该项目将通过调查个人、课堂和学校层面的情况（输入），如教学实践、学习环境和学校人员的特征如何与EL小学科学学习相关，扩大EL对STEM学习的参与。具体而言，本研究从一项全国调查中探讨了(1)一系列与英语学习者科学学习成果相关的科学投入（科学时间、涵盖的内容、实验室资源的可用性和科学教学中的教师培训），以及(2)特定于英语学习者的投入（课堂语言使用、英语教学模式、教师认证和培训以及英语教学支持人员的可用性）。本研究全面分析了英语学习者早期的科学学习情况，以及最能预测早期科学成果的英语学习者教学投入和科学教学投入（通过标准化科学评估和教师评定的科学技能测量来衡量）。该研究采用了具有全国代表性的幼儿纵向研究（ECLS-K:2011），并采用了一个带有潜在类别分析的回归框架，以确定促进幼儿早期科学学习的有希望的输入。从概念上讲，该研究不是孤立地看待以学校为基础的投入，而是探讨了它们如何结合起来提高学生的科学学习轨迹。本研究解决以下研究问题：小学英语学生群体之间和内部的科学测试表现轨迹如何变化？获得学校、教师和课堂层面的科学和英语投入的途径在小学英语学生群体之间和内部是如何变化的？哪些学校、教师和课堂层面的科学和语言学习投入可以预测小学科学测试成绩的提高和教师评价的科学技能？这些学校、教师和课堂水平的投入与学生的测试表现和教师评价的科学技能之间的关系是否因低水平学生的子群体而不同，特别是因种族/民族或移民身份而不同？与更广泛的学生相比，学校、教师和课堂水平的投入是否有特定的组合可以预测学生的科学学习成果（考试成绩和教师评价的技能）？探索研究preK-12项目（DRK-12）旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模型和工具，显著提高preK-12学生和教师对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发工作的基础上，为拟议的项目提供了理论和实证依据。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The nation’s schools are growing in linguistic and cultural diversity, with students identified as English learners (ELs) comprising more than ten percent of the student population. Unfortunately, existing research suggests that ELs lag behind other students in science achievement, even in the earliest grades of school. This project will provide evidence on how school, classroom, teacher, and student factors shape elementary school science learning trajectories for ELs. The project will broaden ELs’ participation in STEM learning by investigating how individual, classroom, and school level situations (inputs) such as instructional practices, learning environments, and characteristics of school personnel relate to EL elementary school science learning. Specifically, this study explores (1) a series of science inputs (time on science, content covered, availability of lab resources, and teacher training in science instruction), and (2) EL-specific inputs (classroom language use, EL instructional models, teacher certification and training, and the availability of EL support staff), in relation to ELs’ science learning outcomes from a national survey. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of English learners’ (ELs) science learning in the early grades and the English learner instructional inputs and science instructional inputs that best predict early science outcomes (measured by both standardized science assessments and teacher-rated measures of science skills). The study uses the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K:2011) and employs a regression framework with latent class analysis to identify promising inputs that promote early science learning for ELs. Conceptually, rather than viewing the school-based inputs in isolation, the study explores how they combine to enhance students’ science learning trajectories. The study addresses the following research questions: How do science test performance trajectories vary across and within EL student groups in elementary school? How do access to school, teacher, and classroom level science and EL inputs vary across and within EL student groups in elementary school? Which school, teacher, and classroom level science and EL inputs are predictive of greater science test performance gains and teacher-rated science skills in elementary school? Are the relationships among these school, teacher, and classroom level inputs and student test performance and teacher-rated science skills different for subgroups of EL students, particularly by race/ethnicity or by immigration status? Are there particular combinations of school, teacher, and classroom level inputs that are predictive of science learning gains (test scores and teacher-rated skills) for ELs as compared to students more broadly?The Discovery Research preK-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.