The climate in today’s exemplary classrooms is grounded in the high standards and visions of a standards-based classroom. “All students, regardless of age, sex, cultural or ethnic background, disabilities, aspirations, or interest and motivation in science, should have the opportunity to attain high levels of scientific literacy”(NRC, 1996, p.20). Instruction is no longer viewed as preparation for only college bound students. Today’s classrooms must look at students from all walks of life and with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.

What constitutes an effective learning environment? According to the NRC (2000), an effective learning environment is characterized by four dimensions:

1. Learner Centered: Respecting and understanding students’ prior experiences and understandings and using them to build new understandings.
2. Knowledge centered: Helping students focus on the “big” ideas and “develop well-organized bodies of knowledge and organize that knowledge so that it supports planning and strategic thinking”.
3. Assessment centered: Helping students lean to monitor and regulate their own learning, to think critically, and to receive instruction that is informed and supported.
4. Community centered: Requiring students to “articulate their ideas, challenge the ideas of others, and negotiate deeper meaning along with other learners.”

The Role of Text Features: Vocabulary

Vocabulary development is crucial for students in all subject areas, but it is especially important for science (environment and ecology) students. Given the great number of new terms and students’ insufficient poor knowledge, a challenge for teachers is determining the best way to approach vocabulary instruction in the classroom. There are four steps that teachers can follow to plan such instruction. (Teaching Reading in Science, Morel)

1. Identify specific learning goals for the unit.
2. Develop each unit’s vocabulary list based on these goals.
3. Determine the level of understanding students’ need for the listed terms.
4. Select appropriate vocabulary development strategies.

Readiness: As we look at corrective actions and accommodations we must keep in mind these four important factors that we relate to the learning capabilities of students:

Ways to improve instruction: If we are to move toward remediation for the sake of improving student learning then we must consider at least the following strategies.