ESL/SSL strategies that bridge content and language in science: Experiential learning in an environmental education workshop

Abstract

This qualitative research study examines how 66 generalist and bilingual education pre-service teachers responded to and engaged during a dual-language environmental education workshop. Workshop facilitators-researchers designed the workshop to alternate the language of instruction throughout the daylong workshop. Since approximately half of the participants were monolingual-English speakers, the research question addressed by the study was: What teaching strategies did the pre-service teachers identify as essential and apply in order to comprehend the academic content of the dual-language environmental education workshop? The following components were identified and/or applied: bilingual pairs, multisensory approaches, use of visuals, and identification of Spanish/English cognates. © 2014 ACADEMY PUBLISHER Manufactured in Finland.