Science knowledge and cognitive strategy use among culturally and linguistically diverse students

Abstract

Science performance is determined, to a large extent, by what students already know about science (i.e., science knowledge) and what techniques or methods students use in performing science tasks (i.e., cognitive strategies). This study describes and compares science knowledge, science vocabulary, and cognitive strategy use among four diverse groups of elementary students: (a) monolingual English Caucasian, (b) African‐American, (c) bilingual Spanish, and (d) bilingual Haitian Creole. To facilitate science performance in culturally and linguistically congruent settings, the study included student dyads and teachers of the same language, culture, and gender. Science performance was observed using three science tasks: weather phenomena, simple machines, and buoyancy. Data analysis involved a range of qualitative methods focusing on major themes and patterns, and quantitative methods using coding systems to summarize frequencies and total scores. The findings reveal distinct patterns of science knowledge, science vocabulary, and cognitive strategy use among the four language and culture groups. The findings also indicate relationships among science knowledge, science vocabulary, and cognitive strategy use. These findings raise important issues about science instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse groups of students.

Preparing teachers to create a mainstream science classroom conducive to the needs of English‐language learners: A feminist action research project

“…In conclusion, the fi ndings in relation to students from our class support those from students described by Lee et al (1995) as being in contexts that actively support their needs. Th e ELL students, who started with limited prior experiences and knowledge related to the explored concepts, achieved at lower levels than students with more prior knowledge and experience; however, they also demonstrated important gains.…”

“…Th e research assistant completed the interviews. Lee, Fradd, and Sutman (1995) pointed out that students who have limited language skills often give a false impression that they have no science knowledge. Understanding that we were susceptible to a false impression by relying solely on written work, we sought to expand our database with interviews in which the students could explain concepts in their fi rst language, or use visuals and/or gestures.…”

“…However, these processes are limited by the constraints of working with children whose language skills are limited (Lee et al, 1995). To increase the reliability of our data on content mastery, students were also interviewed on a pre-and post-unit basis about their knowledge of the content covered in the unit.…”

Teacher beliefs and cultural models: A challenge for science teacher preparation programs

“…Hence, learning to provide "high-quality, diverse, and varied opportunities to learn science" must take into account the beliefs that teachers hold about issues of culture, race, ethnicity, class, gender, etc. With the emergence of research on the cultural context of science (Jegede, 1989(Jegede, , 1994Ogawa, 1998) and the cultural context of teaching and learning in science classrooms (Anderson, 1994;Atwater, 1994Atwater, , 1995Atwater & Brown, 1999;Foster, 1997; Lee, Fradd, & Sutman, 1995), one is hard-pressed to find research that addresses a genre of beliefs that we propose have a strong bearing on teaching and learning in increasingly diverse classrooms: Teachers' beliefs about multicultural issues, particularly in the context of science teaching and learning. -Smith (2000) boldly asserts that our role as teacher educators and teachers is to challenge and interrogate the racist assumptions that undergird courses and curricula in our schools, universities, and society (p. 158):…”

L’accès des jeunes provenant de milieux défavorisés aux activités scientifiques extrascolaires : une question d’équité

“…Tout en éveillant chez ces derniers un intérêt envers la science, ces programmes leur ont également donné un aperçu de la myriade de possibilités de carrières dans les divers domaines scientifi ques (Atwater et al, 1999 ;Bell, Blair, Crawford et Lederman, 2003 ;Bouillion et Gomez, 2001 ;Richmond et Kurth, 1999). Des études de cas détaillées ont de surcroît souligné combien les musées, les aquariums et les programmes parascolaires rendent la science accessible en offrant des occasions de la pratiquer, particulièrement pour les jeunes et leur famille éprouvant des diffi cultés à s'adapter socialement au système éducatif (Lee, Fradd et Sutman, 1995 ;Leinhardt, Crowley et Knutson, 2002 ;Leinhardt et Knutson, 2004).…”