Writing the Scientific Explanation: Opportunities for L2 Literacy Development Using Systemic Functional Linguistics

• In Event: Literacy and Language in STEM Teaching

Abstract

High school science students are routinely asked to read and produce lengthy, technical explanations in classroom contexts and on high-stakes content tests. However, teachers may be unaware of the complexity of these language-based tasks, particularly for English language learners (ELLs). Through documentary discourse analysis of scientific explanations from a standard chemistry textbook and ELL student writing, this study identifies opportunities for explicit language instruction in the secondary science classroom and shows that an understanding of the linguistic features of disciplinary texts can be used to promote students’ academic English literacy development while meeting content goals. This collaboration between a university researcher and local educator has implications for teachers, teacher educators, and the use of systemic functional linguistics in schools.

Authors

• Kathryn A. Accurso, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

• John Levasseur, Springfield Public Schools