Talk for promoting enjoyment and developing understanding in Science

Dawes, L., Dore, B., Loxley, P., & Nichols, L. (2010). A talk focus for promoting enjoyment and developing understanding in science. English Teaching: Practice and Critique, 9(2), 99-110. Retrieved from: http://education.waikato.ac.nz/research/files/etpc/files/2010v9n2nar1.pdf

Background

Effective science teaching involves tapping into children’s natural curiosity to help them develop an understanding of a scientific point of view, and finding out what children think by creating opportunities to talk to them. It also involves teaching them how to talk to each other.

Aims

The authors aim is to present and illustrate how to put into practice a practical, talk-based model for the successful pursuit of teaching science in primary classrooms based substantially on research on classroom talk.

Sample

The authors draw on literature covering classroom talk and their own classroom data.

Method

The authors describe the three stages of the talk-based model including excerpts of classroom discourse from their own research.

Findings

The authors advocate teaching science in three discrete stages, each involving dialogue and discussion. The stages are as follows:

The exploratory stage – children search for understanding by generating questions as they discuss and reflect on their own ideas and those of their classmates.
The re-describing stage – children investigate ideas that have been raised, and think together to devise ways to resolve puzzles and problems.
The application stage – children apply their new scientific understanding to other contexts and evaluate their learning of science and discussion skills.

Implications

The authors suggest that their three-stage approach to the teaching and learning of Science can help children maintain interest in learning by tapping on children’s natural desire to enquire through solving puzzles and collaboratively finding answers in class. The authors also state that children need direct tuition in talk skills in order to benefit from the suggested approach. The authors clarify that children need to know:

what exploratory talk is and how to generate it with their peers;
how to listen, think and respond effectively;
how to challenge the ideas of others with respect and interest; and
how to work towards a negotiated agreement in which every member of a group is included for this approach to engage every child, to promote enjoyment, and to utilise learning in the classroom.

Original article retrieved from The University of Waikato, New Zealand. Also available at Education Research Complete.