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Oral language is the use of verbal words to convey an idea or feeling and becomes more advanced over time (National Geographic Society, 2022). This involves both speaking and listening. It is an effective tool in communication.

National Geographic Society. (2022, May 20). Oral language. National Geographic Society. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/oral-language

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Oral language is a stepping stone for reading and writing. Therefore, it's important to exercise this skill as much as possible.

Students can utilize oral language during:
+collaborative group projects
+oral presentations
+asking questions

+Collaborative group projects allow for students to work together and use oral language to communicate and complete their assignment. This can include bouncing ideas off of each other and sharing information, leading to greater knowledge on the subject.

+Oral presentations enable students to use oral language to convey knowledge to others. This usually involves one student or a small group speaking and reading about a topic of choice to a larger group of students. Some students, including the speaker, may retain information better through listening.

+Asking questions in class help verbalize a thought of confusion. Receiving an explained answer help students clarify content and continue growing their knowledge base.

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Phonological awareness involves recognizing that words are made up of different sounds. This allows for people to put together syllables and words and break them down. People can then jump between speech, reading, and spelling (Massachusetts, 2021).

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2021, December 14). Phonological awareness. Skills for Early Reading: Phonological Awareness - Evidence Based Early Literacy. Retrieved September 12, 2022, from https://www.doe.mass.edu/massliteracy/skilled-reading/fluent-word-reading/phonological-awareness.html#:~:text=Phonological%20awareness%2C%20or%20the%20awareness,through%20third%20grade%20and%20beyond.

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Fluency occurs in both oral language or written language. Reading fluency involves being able to read efficiently and accurately while including feelings. This is important when reading silently and aloud for reading comprehension. (Reading Rockets, 2020)

Reading Rockets. (2020, October 16). Fluency. Reading Rockets. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/fluency

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Phonological Awareness is a necessary skill for learning new content.

It can be used during:
+reading aloud
+writing assignments

+Reading aloud in class requires students to accurately pronounce the words in order for other classmates to comprehend the material. Phonological awareness can help achieve this by allowing the student who's reading to sound out syllables and form the correct pronunciation of words. In addition, readers will have better reading comprehension when they master this skill.

+For a writing assignment, proper grammar is important. Phonological awareness enables the student to sound out words to be able to spell them correctly. In addition, they can combine words to make more complex sentence structures.

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The building blocks of phonological awareness-2

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Within a science classroom, oral language is very important. A large part of science involves various processes, such as the carbon cycle, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration. It can be overwhelming by just looking at a chart of these processes. Oral language allows for these concepts and vocabulary to be verbalized, which can promote a better understanding. Vocabulary is essential in communicating such concepts (Massachusetts, 2022).

In addition, experiments are a large part of science. Typically, there is a demonstration before students begin on their own. Oral language is used to verbalize the steps of the experiment. Students then collaborate to conduct their own experiment and share data and findings with each other. After this, they share their results with the class to make sure everyone is on the right track. Without oral language it would be difficult to convey these lessons.

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2022, September 7). Oral language. Literacy Block: Oral Language - Evidence Based Early Literacy. Retrieved September 12, 2022, from https://www.doe.mass.edu/massliteracy/literacy-block/oral-language.html

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In science, a lot of root words are Latin or Greek-based. Since speaking, listening, and reading go hand in hand with phonological awareness, it's important to be able to comprehend different parts of a word. For example, the suffix -ology means the study of. Knowing this, biology and ecology mean the study of life and ecosystems. Being able to break a word down and identify what each part means is vital in understanding scientific vocabulary.

One activity that is common in science classes is studying the prefixes and suffixes of common words. This allows for easier understanding when bigger words and more complicated topics arise in the future. Phonological awareness is what makes this possible.

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[BallardandTighe]. (2011, February 13). The importance of oral language development in the ESL/ELL classroom [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9

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Oral language is a vital form of communication. One way it can provide equity and justice within a science classroom is when it's used with English language learners. This video above goes into detail about how it's important to allow ELLs to talk in a classroom.

Another way oral language promotes equity and justice is by supporting people with poor eyesight. These students might not benefit from a lot of graphics and rely on listening to learn.

Since oral language is a foundation for literacy, it's necessary to be implemented as it will help a variety of students better learn the science content.

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The Importance of Oral Language Development in the ESL/ELL Classroom

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One way phonological awareness can serve to support all students is by giving them a method of breaking down words. Students who may not be at the same reading level as everyone in the class can benefit from this reading basic. This is a way to sounds out larger words when someone doesn't know how to pronounce them.

Phonological awareness is also helpful for English language learners. Understanding different sounds within words and being able to blend or break apart sounds can make understanding a different language a lot easier. This is especially prevalent in a science classroom when scientific vocabulary seems daunting to almost everyone.

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[Bonnie Terry]. (2017, April 4). What is phonics? [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT9687qjUik

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Phonics refers to the connection between written letters or words and spoken sounds. Decoding is an important factor in phonics because it deals with the act of sounding out words. Learning the alphabetic principle in the goal of phonics. This predictable relationship between letters and sounds is key for being able to read, spell, and write. (Reading Rockets, 2020).

Reading Rockets. (2020, October 31). Phonics and decoding. Reading Rockets. Retrieved October 9, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/phonics

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[McGraw Hill PreK-12] (2014, June 4). Demonstrating reading fluency strategies [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D_91zHDpvI

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Fluency is a vital skill for reading comprehension. The video above shows some additional methods for improving fluency.

It can be utilized in:
+reading aloud exercises
+vocabulary exercises
+assigned readings

+Reading aloud in class, whether it be in small or large groups, allows students to strengthen their fluency through increasing their reading speed and flow. Specifically, it's helpful to go around the room and have multiple students have an opportunity to read. In addition, it allows students to receive help with pronunciation.This is a good method to ensure students get sufficient reading practice.

+Vocabulary exercises, like verbally going through the new words as a class, is a good way to build up vocabulary knowledge. It helps with fluency by increasing the amount of familiar words they can recognize. This will also increase their reading flow and speed. After this recognition, they can focus on their comprehension (Reading Rockets, 2020).

+Assigned readings, although less helpful than reading allowed, can still aid in increasing fluency. Similar to vocabulary exercises, this can help students have more exposure to various words. In addition, it can help students who may be anxious during class activities.

Reading Rockets. (2020, October 16). Fluency. Reading Rockets. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/fluency

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Fluency is an important skill to have in a science class. A big part of science is reading and interpreting other scientists' research, typically in the form of research papers. If students are behind in fluency, it makes reading comprehension suffer as well, especially with research involving complicated words. A key skill in science is being able to skim these sometimes long studies and gather the main points. Mastering fluency is vital for this skill.

Another way fluency is needed in science is when presenting scientific findings to others. Often times this involves a mixture of reading and simply speaking. A presenter with low fluency is less efficient with sharing knowledge. A choppy, slow, and/or emotionless presentation decreases audience interest and engagement. This can be detrimental when teaching others.

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Fluency can help all students by giving a foundation to promote reading comprehension, which is essential for learning. Specifically, fluency is important for English language learners. Reading a foreign language is extremely difficult, especially for scientific comprehension. Text may need to be read multiple times, but this can further develop their fluency (Robertson, 2021). For ELLs, fluency mastery is key because they can put less focus on trying to sound out words or translate them. Instead, they can focus on comprehension, which can increase their overall learning.

Additionally, students with lower reading levels can greatly benefit from mastering fluency. Practicing increasing their flow, speed, and expression while reading is so important. Similar to ELLs, these students will be able to put most of their focus on reading comprehension after improving their fluency.

Robertson, K. (2021, February 10). Reader's Theater: Oral Language Enrichment and literacy development for Ells. Reading Rockets. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/article/readers-theater-oral-language-enrichment-and-literacy-development-ells

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Phonics skills are crucial when learning to read, spell, and write.

These skills can be utilized when:

+taking notes during lecture
+learning new vocabulary

+Taking notes during a class lecture can be an important part of gaining knowledge for many students. This allows them to have the ability to reference class material at any point. However, many parts of a lecture are only verbal words. Students need to possess skills in phonics in order to translate the teacher's words into writing for their notes. Specifically, an accurate translation is needed so that the students can understand their own writing and can share their notes with others if needed. Overall, taking notes can help strength phonics skills over times.

+When learning new words, phonics is important to increase knowledge retention. It's especially important considering it involves reading, writing, and spelling. Since students learn best through different methods, it's helpful to introduce new vocabulary words in various formats. This can include verbally repeating, reading, or writing the word, among others. These methods all require a basic level of phonics. It can be used in different formats for learning.

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One way phonics is connected to a science classroom is during experiments. When completing an experiment, it's important to document the results and interpret them. This is usually done through writing. Phonics is needed so that they can sound out the words and write them accurately. Other students would rely on this accuracy in order to be read and interpret each other's work.

In addition to written reports, another important aspect of science is presenting results and new findings through presentations. This allows students to add visuals and simply the information so other students can retain the information. Often times, presenters have to read some notes while presenting. Phonics is important so that students can read and speak to the audience, which will lead to solid fluency.

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One way phonics can support all students is by making reading easier for students with learning disabilities. For example, students with dyslexia can benefit from building up their skills for reading aloud. They can practice sounding out letters to form words, which will better their efficiency over time.

In addition, similar to phonological awareness, English language learners can benefit from phonics skills. Being able to break down an unfamiliar word and sound out the letters will lead to better fluency in both reading and speaking.

Phonics can also help students who didn't receive as good of an education as others. It can be difficult to learn higher level material without strong phonics skills. This is especially prevalent in a science classroom where many words may seem unfamiliar. Even if past knowledge isn't present for some students, being able to sound out new words and eventually make sense of them is really important.

Teaching phonics to all students can help bridge the gap between various reading and educational levels that can be present in a classroom (Reading Rockets, 2020). This will help strengthen students' reading, writing, and spelling skills that is essential in all parts of life.

Reading Rockets. (2020, October 31). Phonics and decoding. Reading Rockets. Retrieved October 9, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/phonics

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Comprehension involves understanding and connecting words together while reading or listening. This is vital because without comprehension, text has no meaning (Reading Rockets, 2022). Mastering this skill can lead to the ability to gain knowledge more efficiently.

Reading Rockets. (2022, September 7). Reading comprehension. Reading Rockets. Retrieved October 21, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/comprehension

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[The Balanced Literacy Diet] (2013, March 2). Weather mind maps [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4NuF3CfSec

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Reading comprehension is important for absorbing knowledge inside and outside of the classroom.

It can be useful when completing:
+concept maps
+reading guides

+During class, a good activity to promote and improve reading comprehension is concept maps. These allow students to visually organize what they have learned. It can also often lead to further understanding since it helps break down the content and make connections (Reading Rockets, 2022).

Reading Rockets. (2022, August 8). Concept maps: Classroom strategy. Reading Rockets. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/concept_maps

+Implementing a reading guide can be a great tool for promoting and improving reading comprehension. Instead of reading blindly, students can have guided questions that allow them to actively read for an outlined purpose. This is especially helpful for texts at higher reading levels. It helps highlight the main ideas of texts (Reading Rockets, 2022).

Reading Rockets. (2022, March 2). Reading guide: Classroom strategy. Reading Rockets. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/reading_guide

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Weather Mind Maps: Building Background Knowledge and Vocabulary (Virtual Tour)

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Mind maps are a unique way for students to build their knowledge of a topic and display new and interesting vocabulary. See the lesson plan at http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/balancedliteracydiet/Recipe/50300/ and do a virtual tour of this teacher's classroom at http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/balancedliteracydiet/JKSP.html. Also go to http://www.LitDiet.org for more free teaching activities and virtual classroom tours.

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One major way comprehension is linked to a science classroom is taking notes from powerpoint lectures. When listening to a lecture and reading the slides, it's usually important to take notes. However, no one can write everything word for word; it must be summarized. Students have to have comprehension skills in order to take in the new information and write notes in their own words.

Another major way comprehension is linked to a science classroom is during experiments. Usually to complete one, students must read past research and directions on how to perform it. This requires high levels of reading comprehension in order to interpret what the text says and put it into action throughout the experiment. Many experiments require precise understanding of the material and exact measurements to be carried out correctly. Without reading comprehension, these would not be possible.

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Comprehension is crucial for all students in their learning processes. One way reading comprehension promotes inclusivity is for hard of hearing students. These students likely rely more heavily on written material, so having a solid foundation in comprehension is important to thrive in a classroom setting.

In addition, English language learners can greatly benefit from reading and verbal comprehension skills. These students may not have as diverse of an English vocabulary as other students. They will need to use context clues more often within text to figure out unfamiliar words. This can only happen when students have mastered reading comprehension. Verbal comprehension is also important when they are listening to a lecture or video. They would greatly benefit from understanding what is being said in these situations for learning purposes.

Lastly, reading comprehension is vital for students with disorders or learning disabilities. For example, students with ADHD may have problems focusing while reading, which can greatly affect their reading comprehension. Working on strengthening this skill may help when they are having difficulties focusing on texts and make it easier to remember the text after distractions.

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Vocabulary involves words that require understanding for effective communication. This can occur while listening, speaking, reading, and writing (Reading Rockets, 2022).

Reading Rockets. (2020, October 16). Vocabulary. Reading Rockets. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/vocabulary

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[EL Education] (2018, January 21). Interactive word wall: Management in the active classroom [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h4NNChKV_g 

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Vocabulary is vital for comprehension.

It can be utilized in:
+word walls
+metatalk

+A word wall is a great way for students to get involved with vocabulary on a daily basis. Students have the freedom to add to the word wall anytime throughout classes. This gives students an opportunity to search up a word they are unfamiliar with, write its definition, and display it on the wall for others to see. This is extremely beneficial because it allows students to be able to reference the wall if they forget certain words, which can promote greater understanding of the content (Reading Rockets, 2022).

Reading Rockets. (2022, March 2). Word walls: Classroom strategy. Reading Rockets. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/word_walls

+Introducing new vocabulary through students' engagement in metatalk can be extremely helpful. This activity is a student-led approach where they work together to form meaningful sentences with new vocabulary. Students are able to collaborate and bounce ideas off each other to produce high-quality sentences (Phillips Galloway & McClain, 2020). It's a great way to make vocabulary stick.

Phillips Galloway, E., & McClain, J. B. (2020). Metatalk moves: Examining tools for collective academic discourse learning. The Reading Teacher, 74(3), 305-314.

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Interactive Word Wall: Management in the Active Classroom

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Vocabulary is directly linked to all aspects of a science classroom, as well as any other classroom. One specific example is when discussing different scientific processes. It's common to have students order the steps of different processes, like mitosis. In order to be able to order these steps, students must understand the meanings of each of the scientific terms, like metaphase vs anaphase.

Vocabulary is also important when reading scientific works. Often times, there will be a lot of words that are unfamiliar. It requires a lot of skimming and using context clues. In order to be able to skim an advanced academic article, students have to have at least a basic level of vocabulary knowledge to be able to use context clues to figure out new words.

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Vocabulary skills are important for all learners. In particular, English language learners can greatly benefit from these skills. During readings, having knowledge of meanings of individual words can tremendously help when piecing together parts of sentences. Context clues help a lot, and reading comprehension can greatly improve. Creating a word wall in the classroom can improve vocabulary, which can be very helpful for ELLs.

Additionally, students with lower reading levels can benefit from mastering vocabulary. Just like English language learners, its helps when there is familiarity with words while reading. This aids comprehension.

Because vocabulary is such an important and relevant aspect of a class, it's important to take the time to make sure all students are comfortable and confident when learning new words.

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Writing involves many skills, including grammar, text structure, organizational skills, and higher order thinking. These skills typically grow with reading skills. However, writing is often the most complex task (Reading Rockets, 2020).

Reading Rockets. (2020, October 16). Writing. Reading Rockets. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/writing

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[Kimberly Yonke] (2021, March 4). Show not tell using your 5 senses [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMPdQrY5RL4&t=1s

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Writing is an important skills for students in every aspect of life.

Writing can be applied through:
+descriptive writing
+taking notes

+Descriptive writing can be applied to any class. This is a very helpful activity to improve students' quality of writing (Reading Rockets, 2022). Mastering descriptive writing will help readers be more engaged and be able to visualize the text. It also helps the student when referring back to the text.

Reading Rockets. (2022, August 1). Descriptive writing: Classroom strategy. Reading Rockets. Retrieved November 11, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/descriptive_writing

+Note taking during class is also a great way to utilize good writing skills. Even though the notes are typically only for the student writing them, they have to make sure to write in a way that if they look back at the notes months later, they will still be able to understand them. This requires a solid amount of detail. In addition, it is a hard but necessary skill to master to be able to summarize information given to you with enough detail to highlight the main points.

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Writing is extremely prevalent in a science classroom. It's especially important to be able to write descriptively. Writing the procedure of experiments are common in science. This takes great attention to detail because the purpose of it is that a stranger can read the writing and perform the experiment the same way. This amount of detail can be difficult to master, even for scientists.

Similar to writing procedures, students will likely be writing in a science notebook throughout the year. This notebook can consist of lecture notes, activities, lab questions, etc. Regardless, this is often a way for science teachers to track each student's progress throughout the course. Because of this, it's important that students are strong writers in order to display their science knowledge. Besides showing the teacher, these notebooks are also a great resource for students to keep for reference of important information from the class. They must write enough detail in the notebook in order for it to make sense when referring to it in the future.

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Writing skills are important for the learning of all students. In particular, students who have Attention Deficit Disorder would greatly benefit from these skills. It can be easy for these students to lose focus during lectures, so taking good quality notes may help them stay engaged and have notes to refer to in the future.

English language learners would also benefit from strong writing skills. Even if they choose to take notes in their native languages, writing is a great way to solidify otherwise complicated topics. Using graphic organizers specifically can aid ELLs with content. It can be easier to keep track of the many topics within a classroom, especially when they're originally in English.

Using graphic organizers for writing can also help students who have lower reading levels. As mentioned in the definition section, reading level is often linked to writing level (Reading Rockets, 2020). Graphic organizers can help aid these students in breaking down information they might normally struggle to understand. The method is especially helpful in science with all the high level vocabulary present in the content.

Reading Rockets. (2020, October 16). Writing. Reading Rockets. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/writing