| Title: | Teaching Science as a Language: A Content-First Approach to Science Teaching |
| Description: | This study examined whether teaching scientific concepts using everyday language before introducing scientific terminology improves the understanding of these concepts.
The study included 49 students—30 who spoke Spanish at home and 19 who spoke English at home—from one fifth-grade classroom in Oakland, California. All students took a four-hour web-based lesson on photosynthesis developed by the study authors. Twenty-five students were randomly selected to take a version that explained scientific concepts using everyday language before introducing scientific terminology. The other 24 took a version that used scientific terminology from the outset. At the end of the lesson, the study authors used a test they developed to assess students' conceptual understanding of photosynthesis. |
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| Cover Date: | December 2008 |
| Web Release: | December 2, 2008 |
| Publication #: | WWC QRTS1208 |
| Center/Program: | WWC |
| Type of Product: | Quick Review |
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For questions about the content of this Quick Review, please contact: Barbara Vespucci. |
