Language dimensions in learning and teaching science Tanja Tajmel Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Language dimensions in learning and teaching science Seminar on languages of schooling in all subjects Council of Europe, 27-28 September 2012

Requested language dimensions in school 1. On general level 2. On domain- and subject specific level National educational standards Subject specific curricula 3. On teaching and operational level

Which language functions are (considered to be) required for a specific subject? Analysis of the subject specific language functions (educational standards and curricula) Top down

Scientific knowledge (F) Acquisition of knowledge (E) Fields of competences in physics/chemistry/biology (KMK 2004) Scientific knowledge (F) Acquisition of knowledge (E) Communication (K) Evaluation (B)

Acquisition of knowledge (E) Fields of competences in the sciences (KMK 2004) Acquisition of knowledge (E) E1 Students describe phenomena and lead them back to common physical contexts E2 Students select data and information from different sources to process the tasks … E6 Students propose hypotheses on basis of simple examples E10 Students assess the validity of empirical outcomes and their generalisation

Requested language dimensions in school 1. On general level 2. On domain- and subject specific level National educational standards Subject specific curricula 3. On teaching and operational level

Which language functions are (considered to be) required for a specific subject? Analysis of the subject specific language functions (educational standards and curricula) Top down How to characterise the required language functions on an operational level? Bottom up Analysis of the required linguistic means; raising the language awareness of teachers  Analysis framework

An example

1. Gründe für Sprache im Fachunterricht Curriculum for Physics, Berlin Field of competence: Acquisition of knowledge Grade 7/8 The students … … notice and observe natural phenomena. … describe these phenomena. Top down

6. Bedarfsanalyse Bottom up The students observe and describe a phenomenon Bottom up Which linguistic means are necessary to describe this phenomenon precisely?

2. Sensibilisierung Which linguistic means are necessary to describe this phenomenon precisely? You will recognise it immediatily, when you take the students perspective! Bottom up Observe the phenomenon! Describe in everyday language, what you observe! Use your best foreign language!

actually required linguistic means Top down actually required linguistic means Bottom up

actually required linguistic means Analysis framework for language functions (Tajmel 2011) 1. Educational standard 2. Relevant language function 3. Level of expectations 4. Relevant linguistic means: - word level - senctence level - text level 5. Modified and extended educational standard Top down Bottom up actually required linguistic means

Analysis framework for language functions (Tajmel 2011) 1. Educational standard Acquisition of knowledge (F): Observing and describing phenomena Basic concept: interaction, buoyant force 2. Relevant language function Describing 3. Level of expectations A stone is hanging on one side of a coathanger, on the other side there are weights hanging. The stone is as heavy as the weights. When the stone is dipped into water, the side with the stone lifts and the coathanger is inclined. 4. Relevant linguistic means: - word level - senctence level - text level stone, coathanger, weights, horizontal, inclined, to dip into, to lift, light , heavy, … conditional clause, passiv form 5. Modified and extended educational standard The students describe an experiment to buoyant force by using general terms, such as weights, inclined, to dip into, light – heavy, …

Analysis framework for language functions (Tajmel 2011) 1. Educational standard Acquisition of knowledge (F): Observing and describing phenomena Basic concept: interaction, buoyant force 2. Relevant language function Describing 3. Level of expectations A stone is hanging on one side of a coathanger, on the other side there are weights hanging. The stone is as heavy as the weights. When the stone is dipped into water, the side with the stone lifts and the coathanger is inclined. 4. Relevant linguistic means: - word level - senctence level - text level stone, coathanger, weights, horizontal, inclined, to dip into, to lift, light , heavy, … conditional clause, passiv form 5. Modified and extended educational standard The students describe an experiment to buoyant force by using general terms, such as weights, inclined, to dip into, light – heavy, …

2. Sensibilisierung coathanger (beam) balance weight(-s) balance beam to submerge… to dip in ... balance light - heavy horizontal – inclined - upright

Effects on the students performance

without lexical means With lexical means als das diess Becher mit Stein gefült ist, ist das stein leichter geworden als die andere   als das Gefäß mit Wasser gefült ist und den Stein etwas eingetaucht haben wurde das KleiderBügel schräg und das Gewicht wurde schwerer als der Stein, der Zeiger Bewegte sich nach links und das Stein hebte sich etwas. when the beaker is filled with stone, the stone becomes lighter than the other when the beaker is filled with water and the stone dipped slightly into it the coathanger became inclined and the weight became heavier than the stone, the indicator moved to the left and the stone lifted a bit

without lexical means with lexical means als das diess Becher mit Stein gefült ist, ist das stein leichter geworden als die andere   als das Gefäß mit Wasser gefült ist und den Stein etwas eingetaucht haben wurde das KleiderBügel schräg und das Gewicht wurde schwerer als der Stein, der Zeiger Bewegte sich nach links und das Stein hebte sich etwas. N=27 N=27 when the beaker is filled with stone, the stone becomes lighter than the other when the beaker is filled with water and the stone dipped slightly into it the coathanger became inclined and the weight became heavier than the stone, the indicator moved to the left and the stone lifted a bit

Thank you for your attention! tanja.tajmel@physik.hu-berlin.de

References Freie Hansestadt Hamburg. Behörde für Schule und Berufsbildung (2011): Bildungsplan Stadtteilschule. Jahrgangsstufen 5-11. Lernbereich Naturwissenschaften und Technik. Hamburg. Kultusministerkonferenz (KMK) (2005): Bildungsstandards im Fach Physik für den Mittleren Schulabschluss (Beschluss vom 16.12.2004). Neuwied: Luchterhand. Senatsverwaltung für Bildung, Jugend und Sport Berlin (SenBJS) (2006). Rahmenlehrplan für die Sekundarstufe I, Jahrgangsstufe 7-10, Physik. Berlin. Rösch, H. (Ed.) (2005): Mitsprache - Deutsch als Zweitsprache. Sprachförderung in der Sekundarstufe 1. Grundlagen, Übungsideen, Kopiervorlagen. Braunschweig: Schroedel. Tajmel, T./ Starl, K. (Eds.) (2009): Science Education Unlimited. Approaches to Equal Opportunities in Learning Science. Münster, New York: Waxmann

Book + CD-ROM with video of the „Coathanger-Experiment“ Teaching material Kleiderbügelexperiment Book + CD-ROM with video of the „Coathanger-Experiment“

References Tajmel, T. (2010), DaZ-Förderung im naturwissenschaftlichen Fachunterricht, in: Ahrenholz, Bernt (Hrsg.), Fachunterricht und Deutsch als Zweitsprache, Narr, Tübingen. Tajmel, T. (2011): Sprachliche Lernziele im naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht. ProDaZ, Uni Duisburg-Essen, http://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/prodaz Thürmann, E. & Vollmer, H. J. (2010): A Framework of Language Competencies Across the Curriculum. Language(s) in and for Inclusive Education in Northrhine-Westfalia (Germany). Strasbourg: Council of Europe, http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source/Checklist_Nord-Rhein- Westphalia_en.doc Vollmer, H. J. (2010): Items for a description of linguistic competence in the language of schooling necessary for learning/teaching sciences (end of compulsory education). Strasbourg: Council of Europe. http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source/Source2010_ForumGe neva/1-LIS-sciences2010_EN.pdf