Examining Elementary Preservice Teachers' Developing Understandings Around the Role of Language for Scientific Sense-Making

• In Event: Reimagining Disciplinary Learning Through Expansive Approaches Toward Language in STEM

Abstract

Teaching science in reform-oriented ways requires that teachers be familiar with recent conceptualizations of science education (NRC, 2012; NGSS Lead States, 2013). This familiarity includes a nuanced understanding of how students might partake in science practices to make meaning and express ideas around natural phenomena (i.e., engage in sensemaking) through translanguaging; using linguistic (e.g., writing, speaking) and non-linguistic (e.g., gestures, drawings) modes of communication (Authors, Revise and Resubmit). To cultivate more equitable classrooms, it is critical that teachers develop expansive views of language and comprehend how language is central to science practices (Authors, 2021). This is especially important for multilingual students whose language-related assets and needs many teachers have not received training around how to notice, leverage, and address (NASEM, 2018). This study focuses on this area of inquiry in the context of preservice teacher (PST) education.
To support PSTs in developing these understandings, it is necessary to know what their current thinking is about language and its role in science. Prior research in mathematics teacher education showed PSTs found it difficult to understand how students use language to learn and engage in mathematics (e.g., Chval & Pinnow, 2010; Essien, 2010). These understandings impacted what PSTs viewed their roles to entail when working with multilingual students. This study extends upon that research, examining PSTs’ conceptualizations of language and their understanding of the role of language for scientific sensemaking.
This study took place in a science methods course for PSTs seeking bilingual, elementary certification. Participants included six PSTs (four Latin’ and two White women). Multiple-case study methodology (Stake, 2000) was employed to explore the relationship between PSTs’ understanding of language and its function in science practices. Classroom artifacts (e..g, lesson plans, reflections) and interviews were analyzed to develop rich qualitative descriptions (Miles et al., 2013) of these understandings. The authors iteratively examined the data, systematically documenting trends (Yin, 2013) to identify themes addressing the study’s objectives.
Given space constraints, we describe one theme - Existing dominant languaging practices in elementary schools influenced the extent to which PSTs saw value in encouraging sensemaking through non-linguistic modes of communication. Across data sources, PSTs described the importance of sensemaking occurring through non-linguistic modes (e.g., including opportunities within lesson plans for students to develop models of phenomena because they “more holistically allow multilingual students … to express their ideas”). However, PSTs privileged writing and speaking in English as the dominant means for students to demonstrate science learning (e.g., lesson plans included sentence starters to ensure multilingual students expressed lesson takeaways in English). In reflections, PSTs described tensions between “providing students the space to express ideas however most makes sense to them” with the “emphasis of elementary students developing English literacy skills… [and] standardized testing [being] in English too.” Findings suggest the importance of problematizing dominant languaging practices so that PSTs learn to appreciate and leverage the wide-ranging semiotic resources that multilingual students use when sensemaking (Warren, et al., 2020); not to view non-linguistic modes as supplemental forms of expression.

Authors

• María González-Howard, University of Texas at Austin

• Karina Méndez Pérez, University of Texas at Austin

• Sage Andersen, University of Texas at Austin