Science, language and young learners

Ippolito, J., Condie, C., Blanchette, J., & Cervoni, C. (2018). Learning science and literacy together: Professional learning that supports disciplinary literacy instruction for our youngest learners. Science & Children. 56(4), 91-95.

Background

This article describes a programme which simultaneously bolstered students’ literacy skills and teachers’ science and literacy instructional skills.

The article offers information on the improvement in science and literacy instructional skills of science teachers learning to engage students in disciplinary literacy tasks. Topics discussed include student growth in literacy and science content knowledge, teacher engagement in professional learning opportunities, and student autonomy and independence with implementing disciplinary literacy practices and principles.

Aims

The aim of the article is to help teacher educators envision effective science disciplinary literacy professional learning for both new and experienced teachers, that serves both teachers and students.

Sample

Averaging 55 children annually, this summer programme has served more than 200 elementary students and 30 teachers for over five years.

Method

The four-week programme is designed to develop the literacy skills of Grades 1 to 5 students struggling with reading, writing and communication skills. Students learn both science and literacy through inquiry-based tasks which engage them in the disciplinary practices of reading, writing and thinking like scientists. Teachers design and implement the programme’s science and literacy content. Their professional learning comprises two phases: a pre-programme introduction to a disciplinary literacy framework for science instruction followed by daily end-of-day collaborative refinements to teaching practices.

Summative reading assessments were used to measure programme effects on student learning. Focus groups, individual interviews and video-recorded observations were used to study teacher practices. To investigate programme effects on the teachers, the authors conducted at least two classroom visits during two different science units during the following school year.

Findings

Benefits to both students and teachers were apparent. Students averaged three-to-four months of growth on the reading assessments and demonstrated considerable improvements in literacy and science content knowledge. In addition to the science disciplinary literacy instructional practices in the teachers’ classrooms, the authors also made three other observations:

teachers continued to value authentic opportunities to engage in professional learning opportunities;
teachers reported that disciplinary literacy approaches promoted deeper understanding of content for themselves and their students;
implementing disciplinary literacy practices and principles led to greater student autonomy and independence as they took more ownership of their work.

Implications

Given the benefits to both students and teachers, the authors wish to continue with this model and expand it to other schools and districts. They also recommend that science disciplinary literacy be a priority for young learners, not just adolescents.

Original article retrieved from EBSCOHost.