Multilingual learners’ exposure to science and language inputs in elementary school: ¿Qué sabemos?

Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s) F. Chris Curran, University of Florida; Mark Pacheco, University of Florida

Version: View help for Version V1

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Inputs Paper - Final Replication File.do	text/plain	356.7 KB	10/23/2024 04:55:AM

Project Citation:

Curran, F. Chris, and Pacheco, Mark. Multilingual learners’ exposure to science and language inputs in elementary school: ¿Qué sabemos? Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2024-10-23. https://doi.org/10.3886/E209664V1

Project Description

Summary: As linguistic diversity continues to increase in the United States public school system, schools are expected to meet the needs of their ever-changing student body. While much attention within education research has understandably focused on multilingual learners’ (MLs) English language acquisition, an emergent body of work points to science as an important subject for attention among elementary MLs. We suggest that understanding what science and language inputs are afforded to MLs in schools can contribute to understanding the needs and opportunities for enhancing MLs’ science learning. This study leveraged nationally representative data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study of 2010–2011 to explore the science and language inputs available to MLs in elementary school. Using descriptive statistics, our analysis of science and language inputs provides evidence on what MLs have, or do not have, access to inside of their schools. Science inputs appear to be relatively evenly distributed across classrooms serving non-MLs, MLs, and subgroups therein. In comparison, language inputs are differentially distributed across ML subgroups, but they are distributed in ways that may align with student needs. However, while the science inputs do not necessarily vary across subgroups, the language inputs do, and this may affect how students can engage with science inputs. In understanding what science and language inputs MLs are afforded, this study provides a foundation for how to improve formal learning environments for them, especially regarding science learning.

Funding Sources: National Science Foundation (2100419)

Scope of Project

Subject Terms: Science; Multilingual Learners; Elementary; English Language Learners

Geographic Coverage: Nationally representative of United States

Time Period(s): 2010 – 2016

Collection Date(s): 2010 – 2016

Universe: Elementary students who began kindergarten in the United States in 2010-11

Data Type(s): observational data; program source code

Collection Notes: Secondary data collected by the US Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. Restricted use data are available through an NCES data license:
https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/licenses.asp

Methodology

Sampling:

Clustered and stratified, nationally representative sample

Data Source: Early Childhood Longitudinal Study of 2010-11

Collection Mode(s): cognitive assessment test; mail questionnaire; telephone interview

Weights: Weights appropriate to ECLS analysis were used and documented in the replication code.

Unit(s) of Observation: Students

Geographic Unit: United States

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Published Versions

V1 [2024-10-23]

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