STEM Education Institute Tuesday Seminar
"Designing Professional Development to Support Discussion and Writing in the Inquiry-Based Elementary Science Classroom" is presented by Jeffrey Winokur and Karen Worth of the Center for Science Education, Education Development Center.
Current research and practice provide more and more support for the critical role of language in the development of understanding in science. This, and the need to find time for science in the school day, has led to increasing attention to connecting science and literacy through the use of science books and science notebooks. Often, these connections focus on developing literacy skills rather than on the authentic use of language to deepen students' understanding of the nature of science and science content. We will share some of our recent work from an NSF supported project to design professional development materials to help elementary teachers understand the role of language in science and how to make authentic connections between science and literacy.