Reception and use of Energy metaphors in biology by English language learners in a Lebanese intermediate classroom

Abstract

Many science concepts have a complex and abstract nature. One such concept is the concept of energy. The concept has somewhat different meanings in different scientific contexts (Lancor, 2014a) and students encounter the term energy in everyday contexts as well. All this affects students’ conceptualization of the term energy (Amin, 2009a). Many studies have investigated teaching and learning about energy through the lens of conceptual metaphor theory and have reported that energy is construed metaphorically in various ways in scientific and everyday discourse. The present study aimed at examining the use and reception of energy metaphors by English language learners (ELLs) in a Lebanese school. The focus of this study was on energy metaphors used in textbooks and metaphors written by 7th grade ELLs in the context of biology, specifically on energy in ecosystems. The use of metaphors can be misleading especially when taught to ELLs. The data sources analyzed in the study were the textbooks of grades four, five and seven, students’ writings, and interview transcripts. The present study applied qualitative content analysis to examine the use of energy metaphors from a conceptual metaphors perspective in textbooks of lower grades and seventh grade textbook. Seventh grade students’ writings, about the role of energy in an ecosystem were also analyzed and compared to the usage of metaphors in the textbooks students were exposed to. Interviews were conducted to explore students’ understanding and awareness of the energy metaphors they used in their writings. Metaphorical construal of the Object Event Structure metaphor and the Location Event Structure metaphor reflecting energy transfer, transformation, conservation, and degradation were identified in the textbooks. Notable similarities were found between the metaphors used by the students and the metaphors found in textbooks. The categories and conceptual metaphors identified in the textbooks were sufficient to categorize the expressions written by the students. Energy transfer was reflected the most in the metaphors used by the students and fewer metaphors dealing with energy transformation were evident. Energy conservation and energy degradation were hardly addressed by the metaphors written by the students. The interviews revealed some misconceptions students have about energy transformation and in many cases students were not able to elaborate on expressions addressing energy transformation or degradation. When exploring the students’ metalinguistic awareness of metaphors, students showed understanding of the metaphorical nature of English expressions. Students did not, however, show any awareness of the metaphorical nature of the energy expressions they used. The findings of the study suggest targeting students’ awareness of the metaphorical nature of energy expressions taught to design class activities that enhance the acquisition of a comprehensive understanding of energy. Revisiting the curriculum was also considered, focusing on using energy construals, easily picked up by students, to describe energy transfer. Those construals could be used to teach about energy transformation and degradation in parallel to energy transfer.