In 2010, a combined report of the National Academy of the Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine, identified as a top priority improving the preparation of science teachers of high need secondary schools with large numbers of underserved minority students to increase their successful participation in STEM careers and degree programs. Consequently, each year thousands of new teachers enter the profession unprepared to teach this rapidly growing student population, including English Leaners – students who are still developing English language proficiency as they navigate science classrooms.

Secondary Science Teaching with English Language and Literacy Acquisition (SSTELLA) is a research and development project funded through the National Science Foundation DR K-12 program. The project aims to…

  • Develop and implement a secondary science teacher preparation intervention (i.e., a science methods course; professional development for mentor teachers) based on empirically supported effective practices that integrate English language and literacy development into rigorous, authentic, and contextualized science instruction (the SSTELLA framework),
  • Develop a set of web-based science teacher education instructional tools, and
  • Research the impact of the SSTELLA intervention on novice teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and practices and the achievement of secondary students in their classrooms

The purposes of this website are to (1) introduce our multiple audiences (pre-service and in-service science teachers, teacher educators, administrators, curriculum developers, and educational researchers) to the SSTELLA instructional framework, (2) provide resources for teachers and teacher educators to supporting science teaching of English Leaners through the SSTELLA instructional framework, and (3) highlight the latest research and upcoming presentations and events by the SSTELLA project team.

Please contact any of the SSTELLA PIs (see Project Team bios) for comments or questions about the SSTELLA Project.

Upcoming Events:

Dr. Lyon will be co-leading a short course along with SSTELLA mentor teachers at the 2017 California Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Conference in Sacramento.

The three-hour course, titled Integrating Science Learning with English Language and Literacy Development, will guide teachers in developing a coherent series of science lessons that simultaneously integrate NGSS aligned core science ideas with English language and literacy development. Teachers will both experience lessons and analyze authentic science texts to plan instruction.