A framework for supporting scientific language in primary grades

Honig, S. L. (2010). A framework for supporting scientific language in primary grades. The Reading Teacher, 64, 23-32.


Yes, young children can learn scientific vocabulary and they can comprehend informational text and academic discourses. Honig presents a detailed framework for doing this kind of instruction, with examples of how it worked for science units done with second and third graders.

In addition to some detailed descriptions, we get some excellent figures and tables that organize the information well. Figure 1, a graphic organizer that links theory about word knowledge with specific classroom practices, is especially helpful. Teachers will also appreciate Table 6, which outlines four days' worth of activities from a unit on plants. The activities are all easily adaptable to other topics and other content areas. Some activities will be familiar to many teachers, including the venerable KWL, plus "sticky-notes" activities and other that are reminiscent of some of Fountas and Pinnell's comprehension strategies.

An emphasis on academic language, information literacy, and multimodal literacy in the early grades is long overdue. For too long, narratives have been privileged and emphasized over other kinds of texts. If we are to develop scientists and social scientists, we must begin early.