Bilingual students’ scientific writing and bilingual education teachers’ approaches in upper elementary schools

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between Bilingual Students’ (BLs) science writing skills and their general writing skills as well as the approaches that bilingual education teachers implemented to develop the English language and to promote science understanding. Thirty-five BLs and 10 bilingual education teachers were purposefully selected from an elementary school in southeast Texas in this qualitative investigation. Data were collected using BLs’ Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) scores in the writing domain, science writing samples, and bilingual education teachers’ interviews. Results indicated that 1) there is a discrepancy between TELPAS writing scores and science writing scores in the Advanced High level (H); 2) most BLs reported narrative descriptions of procedures rather than reporting explanations appropriate for the content of science; 3) bilingual education teachers recognized home culture and language as vital for the learning of the content and the second language, and 4) the teaching of science and the English language are treated as separate entities.