Teaching writing to English language learners: two science teachers’ perspectives and practices
Writing is fundamental to science and integral to its practice. This study examined two sixth-grade science teachers’ perspectives on and practices in teaching writing to English language learners (ELLs). Both teachers were interviewed on their beliefs about and experience in teaching writing to ELL...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
De Gruyter
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of World Languages |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/jwl-2023-0016 |
| _version_ | 1797628633905364992 |
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| author | Qi Yang Fang Zhihui |
| author_facet | Qi Yang Fang Zhihui |
| author_sort | Qi Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Writing is fundamental to science and integral to its practice. This study examined two sixth-grade science teachers’ perspectives on and practices in teaching writing to English language learners (ELLs). Both teachers were interviewed on their beliefs about and experience in teaching writing to ELLs in science. They were also each observed once per week for their writing instruction over one semester. All writing samples produced by the ELLs during the semester were collected. Qualitative analysis of the data revealed that both teachers recognized the importance of writing to science but provided few opportunities for extended writing and limited writing instruction to ELLs. The teachers cited ELLs’ disinterest in science and lack of writing proficiency, as well as their own lack of time and preparedness to teach writing, as the main reasons for not making writing a priority in their teaching practice, for having lower expectations for ELLs, and for not offering substantive language/literacy support to ELLs. These findings indicate that the lofty goal of literacy-science integration remains largely unfulfilled, despite nearly two decades of strong push for border crossing by both science and literacy educators. They suggest that a reenvisioning of the relationship between literacy and science is needed to ensure effective science instruction for ELLs and other students in need of language/literacy support. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:41:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3dde821152b74c5198dd883fe14e94b0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2169-8260 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:41:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of World Languages |
| spelling | doaj.art-3dde821152b74c5198dd883fe14e94b02023-11-14T08:29:42ZengDe GruyterJournal of World Languages2169-82602023-12-019340042610.1515/jwl-2023-0016Teaching writing to English language learners: two science teachers’ perspectives and practicesQi Yang0Fang Zhihui1Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, USASchool of Teaching and Learning, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USAWriting is fundamental to science and integral to its practice. This study examined two sixth-grade science teachers’ perspectives on and practices in teaching writing to English language learners (ELLs). Both teachers were interviewed on their beliefs about and experience in teaching writing to ELLs in science. They were also each observed once per week for their writing instruction over one semester. All writing samples produced by the ELLs during the semester were collected. Qualitative analysis of the data revealed that both teachers recognized the importance of writing to science but provided few opportunities for extended writing and limited writing instruction to ELLs. The teachers cited ELLs’ disinterest in science and lack of writing proficiency, as well as their own lack of time and preparedness to teach writing, as the main reasons for not making writing a priority in their teaching practice, for having lower expectations for ELLs, and for not offering substantive language/literacy support to ELLs. These findings indicate that the lofty goal of literacy-science integration remains largely unfulfilled, despite nearly two decades of strong push for border crossing by both science and literacy educators. They suggest that a reenvisioning of the relationship between literacy and science is needed to ensure effective science instruction for ELLs and other students in need of language/literacy support.https://doi.org/10.1515/jwl-2023-0016english language learnersscience literacyscience teachingwriting instruction |
| spellingShingle | Qi Yang Fang Zhihui Teaching writing to English language learners: two science teachers’ perspectives and practices Journal of World Languages english language learners science literacy science teaching writing instruction |
| title | Teaching writing to English language learners: two science teachers’ perspectives and practices |
| title_full | Teaching writing to English language learners: two science teachers’ perspectives and practices |
| title_fullStr | Teaching writing to English language learners: two science teachers’ perspectives and practices |
| title_full_unstemmed | Teaching writing to English language learners: two science teachers’ perspectives and practices |
| title_short | Teaching writing to English language learners: two science teachers’ perspectives and practices |
| title_sort | teaching writing to english language learners two science teachers perspectives and practices |
| topic | english language learners science literacy science teaching writing instruction |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/jwl-2023-0016 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT qiyang teachingwritingtoenglishlanguagelearnerstwoscienceteachersperspectivesandpractices AT fangzhihui teachingwritingtoenglishlanguagelearnerstwoscienceteachersperspectivesandpractices |