Mole: Furry Animals, In-House Spies or Amount of Substance? Vocabulary Problems in Teaching Science

Abstract

Science is generally defined as a set of concepts and relationships developed through the processes of observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of natural phenomena. Through scientific inquiry, students develop learning processes inherent in thinking: observing, classifying, comparing, communicating, measuring, inferring, predicting, and finding space and time relationships. An important feature of science classrooms is the traffic of meanings concerning science, its processes and content. Science, therefore, offers a rich context for genuine language use. From a language acquisition perspective, science can serve as a focal point around which oral language and literacy in ESL (English-assecond-language) can develop. Specifically, science offers: interesting, relevant, and challenging content; opportunities for students to negotiate meanings; an abundance of appropriate language input; conditions for keeping students involved; material for development of reading; activities for development of writing; and experiences with the forms and functions of English.