A Primary Teacher Learning to Use Scaffolding Strategies to Support Pupils’ Scientific Language Development

Although learning scientific language is crucial for learning science, many primary school teachers lack the knowledge and skills to support this. The present case study reports on a primary school teacher who learned to use a repertoire of scaffolding strategies for stimulating pupils’ scientific l...

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Main Authors: Sharisse van Driel, Esther Slot, Arthur Bakker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Lectito Journals 2018-08-01
Series:European Journal of STEM Education
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.lectitopublishing.nl/download/a-primary-teacher-learning-to-use-scaffolding-strategies-to-support-pupils-scientific-language.pdf
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spelling doaj-2b64e286eeeb4b3b955f43194efa29592021-04-02T11:30:55ZengLectito JournalsEuropean Journal of STEM Education2468-19542468-43682018-08-013210.20897/ejsteme/3115A Primary Teacher Learning to Use Scaffolding Strategies to Support Pupils’ Scientific Language DevelopmentSharisse van Driel0Esther Slot1Arthur Bakker2Welten Institute, Research Centre for Learning, Teaching, and Technology, Open University of the Netherlands, NETHERLANDSFaculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Education, Utrecht University, NETHERLANDSFreudenthal Institute for Science and Mathematics Education, Utrecht University, NETHERLANDSAlthough learning scientific language is crucial for learning science, many primary school teachers lack the knowledge and skills to support this. The present case study reports on a primary school teacher who learned to use a repertoire of scaffolding strategies for stimulating pupils’ scientific language development in inquiry-based science lessons (14 pupils; grade 4). Teacher support included an instructional sequence, participation in interviews and writing reflective reports. The aim of this study is to identify how the teacher used the scaffolding strategies in a classroom with native speakers and which challenges she experienced during the process. Analysis of lesson transcripts showed that the teacher applied all scaffolding strategies suggested to her. Analysis of interview transcripts gave insight into five categories of challenges the teacher experienced while using scaffolding strategies, including her expectations regarding pupils’ scientific language level and dealing with differentiation in the classroom. The findings show that a teacher can learn to apply multiple scaffolding strategies for stimulating scientific language development. Patterns in the use of scaffolding strategies arose related to the aim of the strategy, the situation (i.e., phase of the empirical cycle and teaching approach) and the required pedagogical content knowledge (and skill) of the teacher.http://www.lectitopublishing.nl/download/a-primary-teacher-learning-to-use-scaffolding-strategies-to-support-pupils-scientific-language.pdfscientific languagescience and technology educationinquiry-based learningscaffolding strategiesprimary education
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Sharisse van Driel
Esther Slot
Arthur Bakker
spellingShingle Sharisse van Driel
Esther Slot
Arthur Bakker
A Primary Teacher Learning to Use Scaffolding Strategies to Support Pupils’ Scientific Language Development
European Journal of STEM Education
scientific language
science and technology education
inquiry-based learning
scaffolding strategies
primary education
author_facet Sharisse van Driel
Esther Slot
Arthur Bakker
author_sort Sharisse van Driel
title A Primary Teacher Learning to Use Scaffolding Strategies to Support Pupils’ Scientific Language Development
title_short A Primary Teacher Learning to Use Scaffolding Strategies to Support Pupils’ Scientific Language Development
title_full A Primary Teacher Learning to Use Scaffolding Strategies to Support Pupils’ Scientific Language Development
title_fullStr A Primary Teacher Learning to Use Scaffolding Strategies to Support Pupils’ Scientific Language Development
title_full_unstemmed A Primary Teacher Learning to Use Scaffolding Strategies to Support Pupils’ Scientific Language Development
title_sort primary teacher learning to use scaffolding strategies to support pupils’ scientific language development
publisher Lectito Journals
series European Journal of STEM Education
issn 2468-1954
2468-4368
publishDate 2018-08-01
description Although learning scientific language is crucial for learning science, many primary school teachers lack the knowledge and skills to support this. The present case study reports on a primary school teacher who learned to use a repertoire of scaffolding strategies for stimulating pupils’ scientific language development in inquiry-based science lessons (14 pupils; grade 4). Teacher support included an instructional sequence, participation in interviews and writing reflective reports. The aim of this study is to identify how the teacher used the scaffolding strategies in a classroom with native speakers and which challenges she experienced during the process. Analysis of lesson transcripts showed that the teacher applied all scaffolding strategies suggested to her. Analysis of interview transcripts gave insight into five categories of challenges the teacher experienced while using scaffolding strategies, including her expectations regarding pupils’ scientific language level and dealing with differentiation in the classroom. The findings show that a teacher can learn to apply multiple scaffolding strategies for stimulating scientific language development. Patterns in the use of scaffolding strategies arose related to the aim of the strategy, the situation (i.e., phase of the empirical cycle and teaching approach) and the required pedagogical content knowledge (and skill) of the teacher.
topic scientific language
science and technology education
inquiry-based learning
scaffolding strategies
primary education
url http://www.lectitopublishing.nl/download/a-primary-teacher-learning-to-use-scaffolding-strategies-to-support-pupils-scientific-language.pdf
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