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Literacy in the science classroom
Science facilitators hui
Aaron Wilson
May 10, 2011
Literacy Levers
New
Zealand
Curriculu
mNew
Zealand
Curriculu
m
Subject LiteracySubject Literacy
Literacy
ProgressionLiteracy
Progression NCEANCEA
SLPSLP
NZ Curriculum Each learning area has its own
language. As students discover how to use them, they find they are able to think in different ways, access new areas of knowledge, and see their world from new perspectives
(NZC, p.16)
Inquiry focus “Since any teaching strategy works
differently in different contexts for different students, effective pedagogy requires that teachers inquire into the impact of their teaching on their students.”
(NZC, p.35)
Shanahan & Shanahan (2008)
Inadequate responses Leaving it to the English department Minimising opportunities for students to read independently Simplifying the texts that students read and write Summarising the text for students e.g. providing notes to
copy Focus on (receptive) vocabulary only Scaffolding ‘in’ but not scaffolding ‘out’ Providing support - but not developing independence Providing isolated activities without a clear purpose and
without reference to evidence of need Not evaluating the impact of literacy activities on literacy
learning.
Woolf Fisher Research Centre
The University of Auckland
English language learners learn best when:
They are provided with meaningful, high challenge/high support tasks;
Language learning is amplified rather than simplified;
They are engaged in long term projects that help them connect their funds of knowledge with newly acquired concepts and language over time.
Based on Walqui 2003
Students in a particular class begin the year with lower reading
comprehension than their peers in another
class
In response, their teachers give them fewer
opportunities to read, and when they do, the texts are
simplified
Therefore, they get less exposure to rich and
authentic texts than their peers
So, the gaps in reading comprehension between the two groups get even
bigger
Scaffolding
Scaffolding is placed around the outside of a new building to allow builders access to the emerging structure as
it rises from the ground. Once the building is able to support itself, the
builder removes the scaffolding.
- Jennifer Hammond
Woolf Fisher Research Centre
The University of Auckland
Reading and writing float on a sea of talk
(Britton,1993)
Subject-specific literacy demands in science include: Subject specialised vocabulary Non-continuous texts Explanation writing
Vocabulary Jumblecopper explain properties drops
‘physical properties’ valence discuss reacts ‘copper metal’ formula Al2O3 ions
reaction state ductile electrons justify charge‘aluminium oxide’ ‘sodium metal’
suitable atom malleable aspects ‘outer shell’describe reactive ‘universal indicator’ vigorously
‘word equation’ ‘electron configurations’
‘balanced symbol equation’ ‘chemical properties’ ‘water pipes’
Traffic Light Activity
Green: all words you are very confident you know the meaning of
Orange: words you have seen before but are a little unsure about their meaning
Red: words that are completely new to you
Three types of vocabulary Tier 2 vocabulary (high literate general
use) Specialised subject vocabulary e.g.
photosynthesis General academic vocabulary
A vocabulary learning sequence Inquiry to identify existing knowledge and
needs Explicit instruction Repeated opportunities to practice –
both receptive and productive Metacognition e.g.
– Memory strategies– Word-solving strategies
Inquiry into effectiveness of teaching sequence, and planning next steps.
Word-solving strategies Context clues Morphology (roots, prefixes, suffixes) See handout
Key reference The Language Demands of Science
Reading in Middle School by Z. Fang International Journal of Science
Education Vol. 28, No. 5, 14 April 2006, pp. 491-520
Complexities
When hatched, the young reptiles are fully developed
Subordinate clause may mean that the subject of this sentence is not clear
Causal links
With no jaguars to eat them, the number of anteaters might increase
Alarmed by the fire and destruction it caused, people began a campaign to clean up the Cuyahoga River
Nominalisation A single cell divides, forming two cells.
The two cells divide forming four, and so on. This process of cell division does not only occur in pumpkins…
More nominalisations
Scientific language
Everyday language
Poor soil management
Soil is not treated properly
Desertification The land dries out and becomes like a desert
Nutrient depletion Use up the nutrients
Sentence completion The cells that line the nasal cavities have
cilia, tiny hairlike extensions that can move together like whips. ___________
sweeps the mucus into the throat, where you swallow it.
Sentence completion After seeds have formed, they are
usually scattered, far from where they were produced. ____________ is called seed dispersal.
Paraphrasing Have students translate scientific
language into everyday language and vice versa
Translate into everyday language Alligators and crocodiles are also
different in how they pick their places to live
Translate into everyday language The belief that all parts of the
environment are equally important, no matter how useful they are to humans, is the preservation viewoint.
Connectives In addition to Moreover Conversely For instance Hence Similarly Yet Then Meanwhile
Reading and writing texts in science Audience & Purpose Ideas especially important subject
content Background knowledge Vocabulary Organisation Sentence level features
Helping students learn how texts work Read the sample text Use the framework to analyse how this
text works
Graphic organisers To help reading and writing
Food for
energy
proteins lipids
carbohydrates
Needed for:
Needed for:
Needed for:
Examples
ExamplesExamples
Come from
Come from Come from
Types of Food for Energy
Food group Come from:
Needed for:
Examples of:
Carbohydrates
Proteins
Lipids
90189 What are the different challenges posed
by the 2007 and 2010 assessments?
90189, 2010 Discuss why copper metal can be used
for water pipes. In your answer you should:
State the physical and chemical properties of copper metal that make it suitable for water pipes.
Explain why these properties make copper metal suitable for water pipes.
What vocabulary can we use to describe metal properties?
Planning tool
Properties of copper
Water pipe attributes
Graphic organiserMetal Physical
PropertiesUseful for water pipes because…
ChemicalProperties
Useful for water pipes because…
Copper
Writing frame One physical property of copper is…….. .
This property makes copper suitable for use as a water pipe because…..
One chemical property of copper is…….. This property makes copper suitable for use as a water pipe because…..
How buffers workDABE: Definition, Acid effects, Base effects, Equations
Writing FrameA buffer is ……When an acid is added to this equilibrium system, the
following reaction occurs.…….
This shows that there is no change in the H3O+ concentration.
When a base is added, the following reaction occurs…….
This shows that there is no change in OH- concentration.
Describing the polarity of molecules
BSC: Bonding, Shape, Conclusion
The atoms _____ and ______ have a difference in electronegativity so the ____-____ bond is polar.The shape of the molecule is ______________. It is symmetrical/asymmetrical around the central atom _______. Therefore the dipoles will/will not cancel out.
This results in a polar/non-polar molecule overall.