Sheltered Instruction, a strategy used in teaching English Language Learners (ELLs), can improve the educational experience of ELLs. In this action research project, one component of Sheltered Instruction, building background knowledge, was used to teach science in a first grade classroom to see if it could increase the science comprehension of ELLs. Many strategies were used to teach vocabulary during the first four days of each science unit. These strategies included setting aside a vocabulary only day, playing vocabulary games and activities, having a science word wall, reading informational storybooks, and using real objects for the students to connect with. The analysis of the data revealed that the focus group students were more confident during science class, were eager to learn and were able to correctly use the select vocabulary.
","abstract_html":"<p>Sheltered Instruction, a strategy used in teaching English Language Learners (ELLs), can improve the educational experience of ELLs. In this action research project, one component of Sheltered Instruction, building background knowledge, was used to teach science in a first grade classroom to see if it could increase the science comprehension of ELLs. Many strategies were used to teach vocabulary during the first four days of each science unit. These strategies included setting aside a vocabulary only day, playing vocabulary games and activities, having a science word wall, reading informational storybooks, and using real objects for the students to connect with. The analysis of the data revealed that the focus group students were more confident during science class, were eager to learn and were able to correctly use the select vocabulary.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Freitag, Laura B."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"M.S. in Teaching","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Wassell, Beth A."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2008,"date_issued":"2008-06-19T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2008-06-19T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:13:27Z","subjects":["First grade (Education); Second language acquisition","Elementary Education and Teaching"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/723","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Wassell, Beth A."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Freitag, Laura B."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-03-21T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.S. in Teaching"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["First grade (Education); Second language acquisition","Elementary Education and Teaching"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/723"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Sheltered Instruction, a strategy used in teaching English Language Learners (ELLs), can improve the educational experience of ELLs. In this action research project, one component of Sheltered Instruction, building background knowledge, was used to teach science in a first grade classroom to see if it could increase the science comprehension of ELLs. Many strategies were used to teach vocabulary during the first four days of each science unit. These strategies included setting aside a vocabulary only day, playing vocabulary games and activities, having a science word wall, reading informational storybooks, and using real objects for the students to connect with. The analysis of the data revealed that the focus group students were more confident during science class, were eager to learn and were able to correctly use the select vocabulary.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Building background knowledge in science: English language learners, sheltered instruction, and first graders"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Wassell, Beth A."],"dc:creator":["Freitag, Laura B."],"dc:date.available":["2016-03-21T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Sheltered Instruction, a strategy used in teaching English Language Learners (ELLs), can improve the educational experience of ELLs. In this action research project, one component of Sheltered Instruction, building background knowledge, was used to teach science in a first grade classroom to see if it could increase the science comprehension of ELLs. Many strategies were used to teach vocabulary during the first four days of each science unit. These strategies included setting aside a vocabulary only day, playing vocabulary games and activities, having a science word wall, reading informational storybooks, and using real objects for the students to connect with. The analysis of the data revealed that the focus group students were more confident during science class, were eager to learn and were able to correctly use the select vocabulary.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/723"],"dc:subject":["First grade (Education); Second language acquisition","Elementary Education and Teaching"],"dc:title":["Building background knowledge in science: English language learners, sheltered instruction, and first graders"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.S. in Teaching"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:13:27Z"}