Teaching Multilingual Learners Strategy of the Week (Science)

Each week we will share one strategy that you can use to meet the needs of your diverse multilingual learners in secondary content classes. This week’s strategy is specifically for secondary science teachers but could be adapted for use in many content areas.

Instructional Strategy: Fishbowl Review

Language Objective: I can discuss what I’ve learned using academic words related to this unit.

Fishbowl Review: How-To

Before the Activity

1. Arrange desks in an inside circle and outside circle. If you are not using a digital form submission, place post-it notes or slips of paper on outside desks.
2. Generate several prompts or questions to spark the discussion.
3. Create a rubric to help students aim for mastery during both phases of the activity.

During the Activity

1. Assign students to the inside and outside seats in the circles. Review how to write and submit questions for the outside circle.
2. Start the conversation by posing a question for the inside group to discuss.
3. As students from the outer circle generate questions and pass them to the inside circle, facilitate the discussion by signaling when it is appropriate to submit a new question to the discussion.
4. Halfway through the allotted time, have students switch circles. Pass out new post-it notes to the new outer circle.
5. Discuss the questions, answers, and conversation at the end of the lesson.

Extra Support for MLs

• Model this activity with a non-academic topic to spark engagement and increase confidence.
• Pair lower proficiency students with higher proficiency students to prepare questions/responses.
• Introduce “Phone-a-Friend” so that students can ask a peer for support during the discussion.

Example: Biology

LT: I can construct an explanation based on evidence about natural selection.

At the end of a unit about evolution, have students gather evidence that natural selection is a primary cause of evolution. Put students in two circles and have the inside circle discuss their evidence. The outside circle may generate questions or challenge their peers’ arguments. Students can also discuss causes of natural selection to review. Provide a list of vocabulary words from the unit that students should use in the discussion.

Helpful Links to Learn More

• Fishbowl Review strategy on Ellevation (conversation moves, graphic organizers, and video example) 
• Bringing All Students Into Discussion by Edutopia 

We would love to know how this tip worked for you! Please share any experiences with your PLC or ML supervisor, or email Tani Brown (Secondary ELD Curriculum Specialist) at tanib@provo.edu.

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