Science Teachers’ Pedagogical Scientific Language Knowledge—A Systematic Review

Abstract

Since students’ knowledge of scientific language can be one of the main difficulties when learning science, teachers must have adequate knowledge of scientific language as well as the teaching and learning of it. Currently, little is known about teachers’ practices and, thus, teachers’ knowledge of scientific language, in general, and the teaching and learning of it (Pedagogical Scientific Language Knowledge, PSLK) in particular. For this reason, with this systematic review, we seek to identify elements of pre- and in-service primary and secondary science teachers’ PSLK. The search was conducted on the database Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) and resulted in 35 articles with empirical evidence after the selection process. The results have been deductively and inductively categorized following the framework of the Refined Consensus Model of Pedagogical Content Knowledge, elaborating elements of different knowledge categories that shape PSLK, as well as PSLK itself (e.g., knowledge of (i) scientific language role models, (ii) making scientific terms and language explicit, (iii) providing a discursive classroom, and (iv) providing multiple representations and resources). We can conclude that more research on PSLK is needed as analyzed articles are mainly based on case studies. Additionally, this paper shows a need for a stronger focus on scientific language in teacher education programs. Implications for further research and teacher education are discussed.

Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Pre-service Chemistry Teacher Preparation Unit on Fostering Pedagogical Scientific Language Knowledge

“…The study by Mönch and Markic reveals that pre-service teachers are not aware of Chemish and its characteristics and do not consider its characteristics when explaining scientific terms. Since a literature review is also part of the first phase, a systematic review of the literature on science teachers’ PSLK is carried out. The systematic review reveals a need for further elaboration of the concept and a lack of (pre-service) science teachers’ PSLK in general.…”

“…In doing so, the university chemistry teacher educator can get an idea of the pre-service chemistry teachers’ work along the way. The main purpose of this task is to help the pre-service chemistry teachers develop an awareness of Chemish in general which is found to serve as an amplifier and filter regarding PSLK , (compare RCM by Carlson and Daehler) and to sensitize them about the massive number of (scientific) terms used within chemistry textbooks.…”

“…The second session is flipped as well: In preparation for the second seminar session, the pre-service teachers learn about different methods and tools for teaching Chemish and answer two reflection questions. For this purpose, a Prezi presentation is developed on methods and tools for Chemish-sensitive and Chemish-supportive teaching (e.g., concept map, glossary, text puzzle, concept cartoon, sentence pattern) that incorporates the perspectives of German language education as well as the systematized pedagogical scientific language knowledge. , This is the task pre-service chemistry teachers prepare for the second session:…”

“…This type of teacher knowledge was first mentioned by Markic and has been further elaborated within two of our studies. We developed a model of PSLK which portrays elements constituting and influencing PSLK. , In the developed model of PSLK along the lines of the refined consensus model (RCM) of pedagogical content knowledge, the foundation of pedagogical scientific language knowledge is formed by the teacher professional knowledge bases with a focus on Chemish. These are more precisely the following: (i) content knowledge, (ii) assessment knowledge, (iii) curricular knowledge, (iv) knowledge of students, and (v) pedagogical knowledge.…”

“…How these knowledge bases finally result in pedagogical scientific language knowledge is influenced by the learning context and the teachers’ amplifiers and filters, the last of which includes, for example, the scientific language awareness of the chemistry teacher, as one can only teach scientific language consciously when one is aware of it. Scientific language awareness can be divided into the awareness of (i) grammar and discourse norms of scientific language, (ii) scientific terms and their morphology, (iii) semantic relationships between scientific terms, (iv) the difference between scientific and other language registers, (v) the abstractness of the concepts behind the terms, and (vi) recognition of scientific language teaching as a task of a science teacher. , Pedagogical scientific language knowledge itself is finally comprised of ten elements: knowledge of scientific language role models as students’ scientific language is influenced by media, social surroundings, and teachers knowledge of the development of the concept before the development of the scientific language as it is important to have a basic understanding before introducing scientific terms knowledge of making scientific terms and language explicit to draw students’ attention to scientific terms, e.g., by discussing their morphology knowledge of providing a discursive classroom as it is important for students to learn using scientific language in an anxiety-free learning space by including multiple dimensions of language knowledge of providing multiple resources and representations as, e.g., pictures, diagrams, hands-on experiments, to minimize the abstractness behind scientific terms knowledge of providing scaffolds for scientific language development in different ways, e.g., oral through questions, visual through letting students draw, and written through sentence patterns knowledge of communicating expectations clearly in terms of how and when scientific language is to be used knowledge of specific methods and tools for teaching and learning the scientific language during different steps of the learning process, e.g., summarizing terms in a glossary knowledge of motivation when learning the scientific language as Chemish should not overwhelm students knowledge of lesson preparation and follow-up as Chemish needs to be part of lesson objectives, and therefore, a broad curricular and content knowledge is needed …”