If students are asked to investigate the causes and effects of climate change in science and
then write an explanation, teachers support newcomer ELs by guiding the students to read and
discuss short science explanation texts on the topic. Teachers also use these science explanations
as mentor texts and explicitly show students how they are organized, specific information typically
included in science explanations, and particular language useful for this text type (e.g., domain-
specific vocabulary, wording for showing cause and effect relationships, phrases for citing evidence).
Teachers also provide students with sentence or paragraph frames to use in their explanations and
templates for writing to help them structure their texts appropriately. They might also provide bilingual
dictionaries and thesauruses, so students can include precise vocabulary and new grammatical
structures to convey their knowledge of the topic. Providing opportunities for newcomer ELs to read
and discuss texts in their primary language supports their understandings of the content and their
ability to write these text types in English.
Students at the Expanding and Bridging levels of English language proficiency likely do not need
all of these scaffolding techniques or such an intensive level of support. As they progress in their
understandings of English and their abilities to use English to convey meanings, ELs are able to
write longer texts independently that meet the expectations of particular text types. However, all EL
students need varying levels of scaffolding depending on the task, the text, and their familiarity with
the content and the language required to understand and engage in discussion. Figure 6.22 presents
a section of the CA ELD Standards that teachers can use, in tandem with the CA CCSS for ELA/literacy
and other content standards, to plan instructional support differentiated by proficiency level and need
for scaffolding.
Figure 6.22. Using the CA ELD Standards in Integrated ELDCA ELD Standards, Part I: Interacting in Meaningful WaysEnglish Language Development Level Continuum
Emerging Expanding Bridging- Reading/viewing
closely
a. Explain ideas, phenomena,
processes, and text
relationships (e.g., compare/
contrast, cause/ effect,
problem/solution) based on
close reading of a variety of
grade-appropriate texts and
viewing of multimedia, with
substantial support.
b. Express inferences and
conclusions drawn based
on close reading of grade-
appropriate texts and viewing
of multimedia using some
frequently used verbs (e.g.,
shows that, based on)
6. Reading/viewing
closely
a. Explain ideas, phenomena,
processes, and text
relationships (e.g., compare/
contrast, cause/ effect,
problem/solution) based on
close reading of a variety of
grade-level texts and viewing
of multimedia, with moderate
support.
b. Express inferences and
conclusions drawn based
on close reading of grade-
appropriate texts and viewing
of multimedia using a variety
of verbs (e.g., suggests that,
leads to).
6. Reading/viewing
closely
a. Explain ideas, phenomena,
processes, and text
relationships (e.g., compare/
contrast, cause/ effect,
problem/solution) based on
close reading of a variety of
grade-level texts and viewing
of multimedia, with light
support.
b. Express inferences and
conclusions drawn based
on close reading of grade-
level texts and viewing of
multimedia using a variety of
precise academic verbs (e.g.,
indicates that, influences).
598 | Chapter 6 Grade 7