Linguistic Empowerment: A Case Study on Revoicing in Fostering Engagement in Online Science Instruction

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Language as Power for Breaking Barriers in Science: Translanguaging and Multilingual Strategies (Table 12)

Abstract

This case study explores revoicing in online fourth-grade science classes during the 2020-2021 school year. Revoicing, the practice of restating students' ideas, is analyzed across three lessons rich in whole-class discussion. Five types of revoicing are identified: revoice by paraphrasing, revoice with added information, revoice with content evaluation, revoice with epistemic evaluation, and revoice with a follow-up question. Our study finds that these revoicing types, used individually or together, effectively increase student engagement in science discourse. Notably, productive evaluation, when combined with revoicing, encourages continued student contributions, contrary to the typical I-R-E sequence. This study highlights the potential of revoicing to enhance both online and in-person science education by fostering active student participation and deepening scientific discourse.

Authors

• Weiqiong Huang, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Leema G. Berland, University of Wisconsin - Madison