We should intervene to teach science vocabulary directly to young high schoolers with language and literacy difficulties (LLDs)
The big picture:
For general academic success, we should teach students with language and literacy difficulties (LLDs) cross-disciplinary (so-called “tier 2”) academic vocabulary, e.g., words like “explain”, “describe”, “outline” and “evaluate”. But discipline-specific vocabulary is also important for success in individual subjects like science.
Why it matters:
Compared to subjects like English, science can be a relative strength for many students with LLDs. But science learning can also be challenging because:
- science vocabulary includes lots of low frequency, polysyllabic words, often including Greek and/or Latin roots, prefixes, and/or suffixes; and
- science texts feature lots of complex sentences, e.g. to communicate cause-effect, conditional, temporal, comparative, contrastive, and other relationships between objects, concepts, and events, and to describe processes.
Zoom in:
- Students with LLDs are likely to know fewer science words and associations between science words compared with their peers.
- Science vocabulary deficits may have a meaningful, negative impact on students’ academic achievements in science subjects.
- Students with both low general language ability and limited science vocabulary are most likely to demonstrate low levels of science achievement at school. This includes many students with Developmental Language Disorder.
Yes, and:
- Many students with LLDs have difficulties gaining sufficient word knowledge from limited exposures to a word in the classroom and/or through independent reading and study.
- Educators and speech pathologists should work together to provide rich vocabulary instruction, tailored to the curriculum, in which students with LLDs are exposed to key science words many times in a variety of meaningful contexts.
- Working with students to build knowledge networks or teaching students conceptually-related sets of words may assist to build both breadth and depth of key science vocabulary.
Tools to try:
Bottom line:
Curriculum-based interventions to support high school students with LLDs should focus on functional changes that are relevant to students’ communication needs at school. Both cross-disciplinary and discipline-specific vocabulary are crucial for student success in science.
Go deeper:
Science Vocabulary and Science Achievement of Children With Language/Literacy Disorders and Typical Language Development | Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools (Abstract only: pay-walled)
More vocabulary resources:
Which words should I teach to a high school student with a small vocabulary?
Five ways to help 11-14 year-old students to improve their vocabularies for school and life
For reading, school and life success, which words should we teach our kids? How should we do it?
Banter Morphological Awareness Program
Banter Oral Language Workbook for Tier 2 Academic Vocabulary and Higher Level Language
This article also appears in a recent issue of Banter Booster, our weekly round up of the best speech pathology ideas and practice tips for busy speech pathologists, speech pathology students, teachers and others.
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Hi there, I’m David Kinnane.
Principal Speech Pathologist, Banter Speech & Language
Our talented team of certified practising speech pathologists provide unhurried, personalised and evidence-based speech pathology care to children and adults in the Inner West of Sydney and beyond, both in our clinic and via telehealth.
