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@inProceedings{johansson-olander-2023-supporting-349723,
title = {Supporting Second Language Learners in Science Education: Insights from a Science
and Literacy Teaching Project},
abstract = {Supporting Second Language Learners in Science Education: Insights from a Science
and Literacy Teaching Project
Due to the recent surge of immigration to Sweden, it is estimated that approximately 25% of students aged
7-19 are second language learners. This heterogeneous group of students poses a challenge for teachers
across all subjects, due to diverse individual differences, varying levels of language proficiency and the
unique linguistic characteristics of each subject.
Enhancing science literacy can be facilitated by incorporating a focus on comprehending words in context,
as proposed by Logan and Kieffer (2021). Furthermore, functional science literacy, as defined by Norris and
Phillips (2003), encompasses not only an understanding of science terms, but also the ability to effectively
communicate, read, and write using these terms in non-technical settings.
The project, Science and Literacy Teaching (SALT), funded by the Swedish Research Council, attempted to
identify the best strategies for supporting science teachers in working with second language learners.
A model of word types was constructed, drawing upon the categorization of words into everyday common
words, academic words, and scientific words, as proposed by scholars such as Nation (2013), Hulstijn
(2012) among others.
In order to assess the vocabulary difficulties faced by both first language (L1) and second language (L2)
students, a sample of 232 participants was administered vocabulary tests that consisted of seven types of
words. Three of these word types were neutral in terms of subject matter, while the other four were
subject-specific and drawn from textbook texts in the fields of biology, physics, and chemistry. The tests
were designed to examine students' receptive knowledge of the words, including their forms, meanings,
and usage in authentic contexts. The tests involved matching test words with their correct meanings or
synonyms in order to evaluate the depth of students' knowledge.
We found that there are four types of word groups that require special attention from teachers. In
summary, L2-students had particular challenges with general language comprehension, such as academic
words and homonymous words with subject-specific meanings. These types of words were not difficult for
L1 students. Finally, all students had difficulty with homonymous words with academic and subject-specific
meanings, as well as general subject-related words that were new to all students.
The research sheds light on the difficulties faced by second language learners in science education and
informs strategies for their support, contributing to the field of multilingualism.
Hulstijn, J.H. (2012). The construct of language proficiency in the study of bilingualism from a cognitive
perspective. Bilingualism, 15(2), Cambridge. Logan, J. K., & Kieffer, M. J. (2021). Investigating the
longitudinal and concurrent relationships between polysemous word knowledge and reading
comprehension among Spanish-English bilingual middle school students. Reading and Writing, 34, 301-335.
Nation I.S.P. (2013), Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. Cambridge. Applied Linguistics. Cambridge
University Press. Norris, S. P., & Phillips, L. M. (2003). How literacy in its fundamental sense is central to
scientific literacy. Science education, 87(2), 224-240.},
booktitle = {Book of abstracts. Eurosla conference 2023, 30 August-2 September 2023, Birmingham, United Kingdom},
author = {Johansson, Sofie and Olander, Clas},
year = {2023},
publisher = {Birmingham university},
address = {Birmingham},
}
@inProceedings{olander-johansson-2023-rendering-349719,
title = {Rendering of Words - Students´ Meaning making},
abstract = {Rendering of Words - Students´ Meaning making
Several scholars (e.g., Martin & Veel, 1998; Seah et al., 2014) have emphasized that language usage in school science contexts may be characterized by high lexical density, abstraction, and technicality. In addition, the language in science classrooms has, according to Lemke (1990) specific characteristics related to the use of words, grammar, and semantic patterns that may be a particularly challenging issue. At the word-level, following Nation (2013) language use in science can be grouped into three categories: (a) science-exclusive words; concepts (e.g. allopatric, exothermic reaction, and force, (b) words found both in science and elsewhere, but with different meanings; homonyms (e.g. adapt, cycle, and energy), and (c) general academic words (e.g. converted, proceeds, and originates). All types of words are important in meaning making of science in order to appropriate the semantic pattern of how science is communicated in classrooms. In other words, teachers must understand how language influences learning and develop strategies to enhance students’ successful appropriation of scientific language in the continuum between daily and scientific registers and increase the students’ discursive awareness and mobility in relation to content and language (Authors, 2019; Schleppegrell, 2016).
Starting with the triadic idea from, among others, Nation (2013) have Authors (2019) developed a more fine-grained categorization with two main parts with three subcategories each. These are a) content neutral words divided in 1) common words (e.g. talk); 2) unusual words (e.g. disappointment) and 3) general academic words (e.g. consider) and b) content related words divided in 4) homonyms (e.g. pressure); 5) content-typical words (e.g. pollution) and 6) content-specific words (e.g. photosynthesis).
Aim and question
The aim of this project is to investigate language related issues in relation to meaning making of school science in multilanguage settings. This is done through a multidisciplinary and quantitative approach in Swedish secondary schools.
The specific research question focused is: what kind of words are challenging for students with Swedish language background and students with other language backgrounds.
Method
Methodology Meaning making of words was estimated through four different web-based vocabulary tests given to 232 students grade 7-9. Each test had 15 words selected from the textbook that the actual class would study two weeks later. One sentence was chosen, in which one word was made bold and the students were given four alternative suggestions as synonyms. The words belonged to five of the six categories mentioned above (common words was excluded) and academic/official dictionaries was used to categorize the words. Example of words in the textbooks that we chose were: 2) unusual words (e.g. contemplate); 3) general academic words (e.g. process); 4) homonyms (e.g. solution); 5) content-typical words (e.g. indicator) and 6) content-specific words (e.g. symbiosis). In addition, the students were asked about their first language and how long time they studied in Swedish school. This data made it possible to calculate potential significant differences between groups and categories of words.
Expected Outcomes
Findings On a general level, significant differences were found between the performance of students with Swedish as mother tongue and those with other mother tongues and within the group that arrived in Sweden later than school start. When focusing types of words, we first found a need to differentiate our previous model for interpretation of homonyms (group 4) into to two subcategories: 4a) colloquial but content related words and 4b) academic and content specific words. We found significant differences between Swedish as mother tongue and not were seen towards two categories: 3) general academic words (e.g. cause and consist of) and 4a) colloquial but content related words (e.g. pass and branch). Difficult word categories for all students were: academic and content-related words (e.g. trait and process) and academic and content-typical words (e.g. occur and indicator). It is not surprising that students with another mother tongue that Swedish score less on a general vocabulary test. It has been shown before but it indicates that the test is reliable. Conclusion/discussion The main contribution of this study is that it points towards types of words that are extra hard for the students to make meaning of. We argue that with respect to students with another mother tongue than the language of instruction it is especially important to give attention to the words that belong to the category general academic words. These general academic words are important in the science classroom since they are the “glue”, or connectors (Gibbons, 2003), between the concepts, and a scientific explanation is incomprehensible without the connectors that bind concepts (Silseth, 2018). It is hard to make sense of the important concepts without words like consist of or because. Therefore, science teaching should emphasize these words along with the concepts.
References
Gibbons, P. (2003). Mediating language learning: Teacher interactions with ESL students in a content-based classroom. Tesol Quarterly, 37, 247–273. Lemke, J. L. (1990). Talking Science: Language, Learning, and Values. Norwood, NJ: Ablex London: Routledge. Martin, J. R., & Veel, R. (1998). Reading science: Critical and functional perspectives on discourses of science. London: Routledge. Nation, I. S. (2013). Learning vocabulary in another language Google eBook. Cambridge University Press. Seah, L. H., Clarke, D. J., & Hart, C. E. (2014). Understanding the language demands on science students from an integrated science and language perspective. International Journal of Science Education, 36(6), 952–973. Silseth, K. (2018). Students’ everyday knowledge and experiences as resources in educational dialogues. Instructional Science, 46(2), 291-313},
booktitle = {ECER programme conference 2023, Glasgow, UK, 21-15 August 2023},
author = {Olander, Clas and Johansson, Sofie},
year = {2023},
}
@inProceedings{johansson-olander-2023-supporting-349721,
title = {Supporting Second Language Learners in Science Education: Insights from a Science and Literacy Teaching Project},
abstract = {Supporting Second Language Learners in Science Education: Insights from a Science and Literacy Teaching Project
Due to the recent surge of immigration to Sweden, it is estimated that approximately 25% of students aged 7-19 are second language learners. This heterogeneous group of students poses a challenge for teachers across all subjects, due to diverse individual differences, varying levels of language proficiency and the unique linguistic characteristics of each subject.
Enhancing science literacy can be facilitated by incorporating a focus on comprehending words in context, as proposed by Logan and Kieffer (2021). Furthermore, functional science literacy, as defined by Norris and Phillips (2003), encompasses not only an understanding of science terms, but also the ability to effectively communicate, read, and write using these terms in non-technical settings. The project, Science and Literacy Teaching (SALT), funded by the Swedish Research Council, attempted to identify the best strategies for supporting science teachers in working with second language learners.
Method
A model of word types was constructed, drawing upon the categorization of words into everyday common words, academic words, and scientific words, as proposed by scholars such as Nation (2013), Hulstijn (2012) among others. In order to assess the vocabulary difficulties faced by both first language (L1) and second language (L2) students, a sample of 232 participants was administered vocabulary tests that consisted of seven types of words. Three of these word types were neutral in terms of subject matter, while the other four were subject-specific and drawn from textbook texts in the fields of biology, physics, and chemistry. The tests were designed to examine students' receptive knowledge of the words, including their forms, meanings, and usage in authentic contexts. The tests involved matching test words with their correct meanings or synonyms in order to evaluate the depth of students' knowledge.
Expected Outcomes
We found that there are four types of word groups that require special attention from teachers. In summary, L2-students had particular challenges with general language comprehension, such as academic words and homonymous words with subject-specific meanings. These types of words were not difficult for L1 students. Finally, all students had difficulty with homonymous words with academic and subject-specific meanings, as well as general subject-related words that were new to all students. This research provides insights into the challenges that second language learners face in science education, and the findings can inform the development of pedagogical strategies to support their learning. By addressing these challenges, the research makes a contribution to the field of multilingualism by improving our understanding of how to support second language learners in acquiring science literacy.
References
Hulstijn, J.H. (2012). The construct of language proficiency in the study of bilingualism from a cognitive perspective. Bilingualism, 15(2), Cambridge. Logan, J. K., & Kieffer, M. J. (2021). Investigating the longitudinal and concurrent relationships between polysemous word knowledge and reading comprehension among Spanish-English bilingual middle school students. Reading and Writing, 34, 301-335. Nation I.S.P. (2013), Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. Cambridge. Applied Linguistics. Cambridge University Press. Norris, S. P., & Phillips, L. M. (2003). How literacy in its fundamental sense is central to scientific literacy. Science education, 87(2), 224-240.},
booktitle = {Proceedings of European educational research association},
author = {Johansson, Sofie and Olander, Clas},
year = {2023},
pages = {2},
}
@inProceedings{rogstrom-johansson-2023-kungliga-335970,
title = {Kungliga Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar som digitaliserad lexikalisk resurs. Fyra pilotstudier i historiskt ordförråd.},
booktitle = {Nordiska studier i lexikografi 16. Rapport från 16:e konferensen om lexikografi i Norden Lund 27–29 april 2022},
author = {Rogström, Lena and Johansson, Sofie},
year = {2023},
publisher = {Nordiska föreningen för lexikografi och Meijerbergs institut för svensk etymologisk forskning},
address = {Lund och Göteborg },
ISBN = {978-91-986791-5-1},
}