Journal article
The role of metalanguage in an explicit literacy instruction on scientific explanation
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, Vol.19, pp.1311-1331
2020
Abstract
This paper illustrates the role of metalanguage in an explicit literacy instruction to talk about the forms and functions of scientific genres, particularly the genre of explanation. In the context of science, metalanguage refers to the technical terms for talking about scientific language using words like law, hypothesis, and evidence. Despite many efforts to use literacy strategies to address the challenges of learning scientific language, the conventional genres commonly found in science remain implicit in most science classroom teaching. In order to explicitly discuss the nature of scientific genres and how they are linked to scientific practices, scientific metalanguage provides a potential literacy tool. To illustrate this argument, we draw on a case study where four teachers and their grade 9 students learned how to use a specific type of metalanguage to describe scientific explanation. Analysis of their classroom discourse showed that the use of the metalanguage facilitated explicit communication about the logical sequence, epistemic structure, and validity of scientific explanation. Based on the findings, we discuss the usefulness of metalanguage for teachers and students to describe and analyze scientific genres as well as how these genres are used to construct and communicate scientific knowledge.
Details
- Title
- The role of metalanguage in an explicit literacy instruction on scientific explanation
- Authors/Creators
- K-S Tang (Author/Creator)N.A. Rappa (Author/Creator)
- Publication Details
- International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, Vol.19, pp.1311-1331
- Publisher
- Kluwer Academic Publishers
- Identifiers
- 991005542520907891
- Copyright
- © 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Education
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Citation topics
- 6 Social Sciences
- 6.11 Education & Educational Research
- 6.11.295 Science Education
- Web Of Science research areas
- Education & Educational Research
- ESI research areas
- Social Sciences, general