1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education
  4. Volume 7, Issue 2
  5. Article
Volume 7, Issue 2
  • ISSN 2212-8433
  • E-ISSN: 2212-8441
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

This commentary to the special issue “Teaching, Learning and Scaffolding in CLIL Science Classrooms” synthesizes the contributions from the authors by addressing two overarching questions. First, what is the role of language in mediating science teaching and learning in a CLIL science classroom? Second, to what extent can content and language be integrated or separated in CLIL instruction and assessment? In addressing the first question, I distil three major perspectives of how the authors conceive the role of language as a scaffolding tool. These roles are: (a) providing the discursive means and structure for classroom interaction to occur, (b) enabling students’ construction of knowledge through cognitive and/or linguistic processes, and (c) providing the semantic relationships for science meaning-making. These three perspectives roughly correspond to the discursive, cognitive-linguistic, and semiotic roles of language respectively. In addition, two other roles – epistemic and affective, though not emphasized in this issue, are also discussed. In addressing the second question, I raise a dilemma concerning the integration of content and language. While there are clear political and theoretical arguments calling for an inseparable integration, there is also a common practice to separate content and language as distinct entities for various pedagogical and analytical purposes. In revolving this conundrum, I suggest a way forward is to consider the differences in the various roles of language (discursive/cognitive/linguistic vs. semiotic/epistemic/affective) or the levels of language involved (lexicogrammar vs. text/genre).

© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/jicb.00007.tan
2019-09-25
2024-12-08

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/jicb.00007.tan
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Bernstein, B.
    (1999) Vertical and horizontal discourse: An essay. British Journal of Sociology Education, 20(2), 157–173. 10.1080/01425699995380
     https://doi.org/10.1080/01425699995380 [Google Scholar]
  2. Cazden, C. B.
    (1988) Classroom discourse: The language of teaching and learning (1st ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Chapin, S., O’Connor, C., & Anderson, N.
    (2013) Classroom discussions in Math: A teacher’s guide for using talk moves to support the common core and more, Grades K-6: A Multimedia Professional Learning Resource (third edition). Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions Publications.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Gibbons, P.
    (2003) Mediating language learning: Teacher interactions with ESL students in a content-based classroom. TESOL Quarterly, 37(2), 247–273. 10.2307/3588504
     https://doi.org/10.2307/3588504 [Google Scholar]
  5. Gumperz, J. J.
    (1982) Discourse strategies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511611834
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511611834 [Google Scholar]
  6. Halliday, M. A. K., & Martin, J. R.
    (1993) Writing science: Literacy and discursive power. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Holton, D., & Clarke, D.
    (2006) Scaffolding and metacognition. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 37(2), 127–143. 10.1080/00207390500285818
     https://doi.org/10.1080/00207390500285818 [Google Scholar]
  8. Kress, G., & van Leeuwen, T.
    (1996) Reading images: The grammar of visual design. London: Routledge.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Lemke, J. L.
    (1990) Talking science: Language, learning and values: Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Lin, A. M. Y.
    (2016) Language across the curriculum: Theory and practice. Dordrecht: Springer.
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Martin, J. R.
    (2007) Genre, ideology and intertextuality: A systemic functional perspective. Linguistics and the Human Sciences, 2(2), 275. 10.1558/lhs.v2i2.275–298
     https://doi.org/10.1558/lhs.v2i2.275–298 [Google Scholar]
  12. Shanahan, M. C.
    (2012) Reading for evidence through hybrid adapted primary literature. InS. P. Norris (Ed.), Reading for evidence and interpreting visualizations in mathematics and science education (pp.41–63). Rotterdam: SensePublishers. 10.1007/978‑94‑6091‑924‑4_3
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6091-924-4_3 [Google Scholar]
  13. Sinclair, J. M., & Coulthard, M.
    (1975) Towards an analysis of discourse: The English used by teachers and pupils. London: Oxford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Tang, K. S.
    (2011) Reassembling curricular concepts: A multimodal approach to the study of curriculum and instruction. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 9, 109–135. 10.1007/s10763‑010‑9222‑7
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-010-9222-7 [Google Scholar]
  15. (2016) Constructing scientific explanations through premise–reasoning–outcome (PRO): An exploratory study to scaffold students in structuring written explanations. International Journal of Science Education, 38(9), 1415–1440. doi:  10.1080/09500693.2016.1192309
     https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2016.1192309 [Google Scholar]
  16. Wu, S. J., Mensah, F. M., & Tang, K. S.
    (2018) The content-language tension for English language learners in two secondary science classrooms. InK. S. Tang & K. Danielsson (Eds.), Global developments in literacy research for science education. Cham: Springer. 10.1007/978‑3‑319‑69197‑8_8
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69197-8_8 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/jicb.00007.tan
Loading
  • Article Type: Article Commentary
Keyword(s): classroom discourse; Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL); role of language; scaffolding; scientific language

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error