Teaching Science to English Language Learners: A New Approach to Teacher Preparation

美国自然历史博物馆（AMNH）与全国性非营利组织“向其他语言的人教授英语”（TESOL, Inc.）合作，正在开发一项新的教师培训计划的TESOL部分。纽约州董事会最近决定授权非传统实体（如非正式科学教育机构（ISEs））开发教师培训项目，作为对这一决定的回应，AMNH正在开发一个项目的能力，该项目将允许教师候选人获得纽约州董事会授予的7-12年级地球科学教学专业的教学艺术硕士学位。AMNH为MAT项目带来的独特资源包括：(1)200多名科研人员，(2)博士水平的教育和教育学专业人员，(3)为教师提供内容丰富的专业发展机会的历史，(4)与主办公立学校合作以提高学生成绩的记录，(5)通过之前的NSF投资使用导师来帮助学生和教师的经验，以及(6)其庞大的收藏。研究设施/实验室及展览厅。这个为期15个月、36个学分的学术项目由AMNH Richard Gilder研究生院和AMNH教育部的教师共同提供，包括科学内容和教学法的课程、AMNH的暑期教学和科学实习实习，以及在纽约地区六所高需求的寄宿学校指导的基于学校的实习。AMNH正在与TESOL公司合作，将以下TESOL组成部分注入其MAT项目：(1)准备博物馆和学校导师，以支持教师候选人满足英语学习者（ELL）的需求；(2)对主办学校的ELL人口统计、资源和需求进行基线分析；(3)通过专业发展和创建TESOL资源库，支持AMNH科学和教育教师进行ELL教学。MAT项目为像TESOL， Inc.这样的非营利组织如何与ISE和高等教育研究所合作，提高全国范围内的ELL成绩提供了一个模式。利用科学博物馆的独特资源为教师做准备，该项目还通过加强以科学为基础的文化机构在改善科学教与学方面的正式作用，促进更广泛的教育改革。

The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), in partnership with the national nonprofit Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL, Inc.), is developing the TESOL components of a new teacher preparation program. In response to the New York State Board of Regents' recent decision to authorize non-traditional entities such as informal science education institutions (ISEs) to develop teacher preparation programs, AMNH is developing the capacity to offer a program that would allow teacher candidates to earn a NYS Board of Regents-awarded Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree with a Specialization in Earth Science teaching for grades 7-12. The unique resources AMNH bring to bear on the MAT program include (1) a scientific staff of more than 200, (2) a staff of doctoral-level education and pedagogy professionals, (3) a history of providing content-rich professional development opportunities to teachers, (4) a track record of partnering with host public schools to improve student achievement, (5) experience using mentors to aid students and teachers through prior NSF investments, and (6) its vast collections, research facilities/laboratories, and exhibition halls. The 15-month, 36-credit academic program, offered jointly by faculty in the fully accredited AMNH Richard Gilder Graduate School and the AMNH Education Department, includes coursework in science content and pedagogy, summer teaching and science practicum residencies at AMNH, and mentored school-based residencies in six high-needs host schools in the NYC region. AMNH is working with TESOL, Inc. to infuse the following TESOL components into its MAT program: (1) preparation of Museum and school mentors to support teacher candidates in meeting English Language Learner (ELL) needs, (2) baseline analysis of ELL demographics, resources, and needs in host schools, and (3) support in ELL instruction for AMNH science and education faculty through professional development and the creation of a TESOL resource collection. The MAT program presents a model for how a nonprofit such as TESOL, Inc. can work with a combined ISE and Institute of Higher Education to improve ELL achievement across the nation. Leveraging the unique resources of a science museum for teacher preparation, the project also contributes to education reform more broadly by strengthening the formal role of science-based cultural institutions in improving the teaching and learning of science.