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Multi-semiotic resources providing maximal input in teaching science through English

  • Gail Forey and John Polias
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Applied Linguistics Perspectives on CLIL
This chapter is in the book Applied Linguistics Perspectives on CLIL

Abstract

This chapter addresses the role of multimodal semiotic systems in teaching science through English as a second language. We argue that pedagogical concerns should focus on language and other semiotic choices that teachers use to scaffold their students’ learning. Through an investigation of the inter-relationship of different semiotic systems (modalities), we are able to develop models of best practice that can help inform teachers. We consider two broad educational contexts: one that is becoming more prevalent, where it may happen that English is neither the primary language for the students nor for the teachers, as in Hong Kong, and one that is commonplace in places, such as Australia, where there is a large proportion of students with English as an additional language studying in a country where English is the predominant language. We use video data from two secondary science classrooms in these two contexts to analyse how the teachers provide multiple access points to meaning and how they scaffold the learners into the disciplinary literacy of science.

Abstract

This chapter addresses the role of multimodal semiotic systems in teaching science through English as a second language. We argue that pedagogical concerns should focus on language and other semiotic choices that teachers use to scaffold their students’ learning. Through an investigation of the inter-relationship of different semiotic systems (modalities), we are able to develop models of best practice that can help inform teachers. We consider two broad educational contexts: one that is becoming more prevalent, where it may happen that English is neither the primary language for the students nor for the teachers, as in Hong Kong, and one that is commonplace in places, such as Australia, where there is a large proportion of students with English as an additional language studying in a country where English is the predominant language. We use video data from two secondary science classrooms in these two contexts to analyse how the teachers provide multiple access points to meaning and how they scaffold the learners into the disciplinary literacy of science.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction
  4. Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) 1
  5. Part I. Second Language Acquisition (SLA) perspectives
  6. Introduction to part I 19
  7. CLIL and SLA 33
  8. Motivation, second language learning and CLIL 51
  9. Investigating pragmatics in CLIL through students’ requests 67
  10. Part II. Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) perspectives
  11. Introduction to part II 91
  12. Genre and appraisal in CLIL history texts 105
  13. Speech function analysis to explore CLIL students’ spoken language for knowledge construction 125
  14. Multi-semiotic resources providing maximal input in teaching science through English 145
  15. Part III. Discourse analysis perspectives
  16. Introduction to part III 167
  17. Classroom interactional competence in content and language integrated learning 183
  18. Multimodal conversation analysis and CLIL classroom practices 201
  19. Assessment for learning in CLIL classroom discourse 221
  20. Part IV. Sociolinguistic perspectives
  21. Introduction to part IV 239
  22. “I always speak English in my classes” 251
  23. CLIL teachers’ professionalization 269
  24. A sociolinguistic approach to the multifaceted Roles of English in English-medium education in multilingual university settings 287
  25. Afterword
  26. Emerging themes, future research directions 307
  27. Subject index 313
https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.47.09for

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction
  4. Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) 1
  5. Part I. Second Language Acquisition (SLA) perspectives
  6. Introduction to part I 19
  7. CLIL and SLA 33
  8. Motivation, second language learning and CLIL 51
  9. Investigating pragmatics in CLIL through students’ requests 67
  10. Part II. Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) perspectives
  11. Introduction to part II 91
  12. Genre and appraisal in CLIL history texts 105
  13. Speech function analysis to explore CLIL students’ spoken language for knowledge construction 125
  14. Multi-semiotic resources providing maximal input in teaching science through English 145
  15. Part III. Discourse analysis perspectives
  16. Introduction to part III 167
  17. Classroom interactional competence in content and language integrated learning 183
  18. Multimodal conversation analysis and CLIL classroom practices 201
  19. Assessment for learning in CLIL classroom discourse 221
  20. Part IV. Sociolinguistic perspectives
  21. Introduction to part IV 239
  22. “I always speak English in my classes” 251
  23. CLIL teachers’ professionalization 269
  24. A sociolinguistic approach to the multifaceted Roles of English in English-medium education in multilingual university settings 287
  25. Afterword
  26. Emerging themes, future research directions 307
  27. Subject index 313
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