How do you stop your students’ struggles with proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing from holding them back in science class? Want to find ways for students to take what they learn in science and apply them to English Language Arts? How will your English Learners’ accelerated scientific language acquisition help them in the ELPAC?
Twig Science helps you to develop independent and motivated readers/writers when you pair Twig Science in English or Español with your English or Spanish Language Arts approach.
The table below outlines the Twig Science components, benefits, and opportunities for alignment with your literacy block.
| Literacy Approach & Grouping | Twig Science Built-In NGSS Text Types | Instructional Benefit and Opportunities for Transfer |
|---|---|---|
| See, Hear, and Read-Aloud __ Designated ELD | 1000s of Videos | • Based on NGSS standards and phenomena • Building language skills, background knowledge, and vocabulary • Closed captioning for text tracking and academic vocabulary • Infographics as context models |
| Read-Alouds | Prior-Knowledge Read-Alouds Science and Engineering Trade Books | • Background knowledge / academic content vocabulary • Expert informational text writing models • A range of inspiring expert scientific writing models |
| Shared Reading and Writing | Twig Books | • Applying English Language Arts skills and strategies to hands-on, digital, and reading investigations • Stanford SCALE Language Routines • Tier 3 word walls |
| Small Groups | Colorful Leveled Readers with Mini-Lessons (On-Level, Above-Level, English Learner, Below-Level) | • Close reading strategies to build science content knowledge. • First and second reads, text-dependent questions, text features, and multiple writing opportunities. • Additional informational text leveled reading with a focus on science content standards |
| Integrated ELD | Emerging, Bridging, and Expanding Levels (language acquisition support built into Teacher Edition lessons) | • Additional support for English Language Development • Impactful scaffolds to accelerate English language proficiency. • Giving students confidence in speaking, reading, writing, and listening domains |
| Designated ELD | Monitoring English Language Proficiency (ELPAC tasks built into TE) EL Leveled Reader Lessons (with text to speech) | • ELPAC-like tasks to accelerate student language proficiency • Additional support for English Language Development • Text supports, additional definitions, context clues, special features, labels, and tools |
| Phonics | Leveled Reader Lessons (On-Level in Teacher Edition—Below-Level, English Learner, and Above-Level online) Stanford SCALE Language Routines | • Decoding support with phonemic awareness, phonics, word study, and fluency • Enhanced Tier 2 Vocabulary Routines • Language of Science Routines |
| Intervention and Designated ELD | Twig Science Tools (videos, visuals, games, activities) | • Backmapping to previous grades, standards, performance expectations, and topics • Closing foundational gaps in language and background knowledge |
| Independent Reading | Twig Book Leveled Readers Twig Science Reporter (weekly science news and sources) Trade Books | • Additional informational text leveled reading with a focus on science content standards • Weekly science news updates, fact packs, features, and articles • Lessons to extend thinking and learning |
To explore these opportunities in more detail, visit www.twigscience.com. If you want to discuss Twig Science with your local consultant, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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