The Role of Language in Understanding Abstract Chemical Concepts in Multilingual Classrooms

Abstract

Based on the sociocultural perspective, an approach to overcome second language learners’ challenges in learning science is to embed learning in authentic scientific practices utilizing students’ everyday meaning-making and language, particularly home language. In this respect, this study investigated the language practices teachers use to support conceptual understanding in secondary chemistry classrooms. The study also explored how the use of home language (spoken Arabic) facilitated students’ understanding in secondary chemistry classrooms. The study adopted a qualitative case study research design. Two naturalistic instrumental case studies were conducted in two Lebanese secondary chemistry classrooms within different contexts. The study sample consisted of two grade 11 scientific section chemistry classrooms adopting the Lebanese curriculum. Data sources for this study were classroom observations and videotapes of the selected Grade 11 chemistry classrooms in addition to informal conversations with the teachers about the language of instruction concerning science and learning. Language practices and participants’ meaning making were analyzed by using a multi-level dialogic framework (Mortimer & Scott, 2003; Salloum & BouJaoude, 2019a). Classroom discourse was analyzed based on communicative approaches (authoritative/ dialogic), patterns of discourse, and emerging science knowledge types and cognitive processes in addition to the languages deployed. The findings indicate that teachers used home language for various purposes within the classroom (e.g. affective, linking concepts). Higher levels of knowledge types and cognitive processes often involved the use of the home language. Based on the study findings, the use of the home language promoted more meaningful learning of the science concepts. Recommendations for future research and practice were to employ the home language as a resource within the classroom for meaningful conceptual learning of abstract concepts.