Research Summary Linda McElroy Interdisciplinary Ideas: Teaching Language Development during Science Instruction A key component for children in the process of literacy development is the development of language. A recent article in The Reading Teacher reviewed research related to supporting language development in an interdisciplinary fashion by support of children’s use of language during science instruction. This column will review the article, supplementing it with a second article, both from recent issues of International Literacy Association journals, to capture important ideas and resources. The first article, from The Reading Teacher, reviews previous research (46 cited articles) and presents inquiry-based science instruction as a setting for children to explore and learn about the world as they simultaneously receive support for their language development. The second article, from Reading Research Quarterly, adds important ideas about choosing the most effective science-related trade books. The two reviewed articles were “Developing Language Through Science” (Gerde & Wasik, 2022) and “The Durable, Dynamic Nature of Genre and Science: A Purpose-Driven Typology of Science Trade Books” (May et al., 2020). Part One: Language Development as a Foundation for Literacy Development “Developing Language through Science” emphasizes that learning to read is strongly tied to language development. Language skills begin long before children begin formal reading instruction. Continued support in language development will continue to support students’ deep understanding of academic vocabulary, comprehension, and applications of science concepts. Increased emphasis in schools on preparation for literacy and math assessments sometimes limits time available for science instruction. Teaching science and literacy in an interdisciplinary way can be an effective use of time for supporting literacy development, even in upper grades. From this article, some of the supportive ideas for classroom applications include: Promote Language and Science in the Classroom Adult-child conversations are vital. High quality exchanges between teachers and children during free play, science explorations, and book readings are linked to gains in children’s language production and comprehension. These types of conversations involve openended questions, invitations for children to talk more, and meaningful adult feedback to children’s responses. Instead of multiple-choice questions or questions that need one-word answers, open-ended questions are more effective. Teachers might ask, “Talk to me about _____,” “Tell me what you noticed about ___________,” “Describe what happened when________,” or “What do you think might happen when _________?”
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