Hemet Elementary teacher, Mekel Bromley, recently participated in a student-based case study sponsored by Carolina K-8 Curriculum. This case study focused on the literacy of students and highlighted a technique used by Ms. Bromley to utilize science learning in order to better learn literacy.
During the coronavirus pandemic, while students were learning remotely, the percentage of students reading at their grade level decreased. Unfortunately a larger number of students were reading below their grade level; anywhere from one to several grades lower. In response to this, many teachers took different initiatives to help students adjust back to in-person learning.
Ms. Bromley’s method focused on using the Building Blocks of Science ® 3D program at two distinct points during the day: teaching language arts and teaching hands-on science. Science articles can be quite demanding with their higher vocabulary, but Ms. Bromley provided a strategy to help students overcome literary hurdles.
When students in Ms. Bromley’s class learn language arts, they annotate science documents that relate to the activities they will be doing later that same day. Students use knowledge of morphology breaking down words into prefixes, suffixes, and root words. They also circle and define any scientific terms they encounter in their reading.
An available science reader also helps students with text to speech providing support to understanding as well as comprehension and pronunciation. Ms. Bromley says that “science evens the playing field” for students, and it helps the English language learners in the classroom. These strategies aid students in investing in their literacy and comprehension as it helps them to complete other tasks and find enjoyment in their learning.
Congratulations to Ms. Bromley for her innovative strategies that help support student learning.