Exploring the use of visual aids as tool to understanding subject specific terminology in life sciences

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT : In many South African schools the language needs of an increasingly diverse andmultilingual learner population presents one of the greatest challenges to teaching andlearning. This challenge stems from learners being taught in languages in which theyare not necessarily conversant. In a subject such as Life Sciences, the alreadychallenging situation of trying to master basic language skills is further complicated byspecialist scientific vocabulary. The identified research problem was that Grade 10learners who are taught in a language other than their mother tongue aredisadvantaged by their inability to master the terminology and basic concepts in the LifeSciences curriculum. I argued that second language students' comprehension could beimproved with the use of visual materials during lessons.A programme was implemented for a purposively selected group of Grade 10 learnersusing a participatory action research design. Visual aids were utilised as a tool tofacilitate students' understanding of Life Sciences. Over a period of four weeks thegroup of Grade 10 learners taking Life Sciences and being taught in a language otherthan their mother tongue, took part in the programme after school. The teachingstrategy introduced a variety of visual tools to facilitate comprehension duringexperiments and demonstrations. The aim with the visual stimulation and activities wasto encourage student-centered learning. In addition, this was done to bridge thelanguage barrier and to enable students to access information in a practical way.The findings show that communication among learners improved through peermediation where students helped one another to make appropriate connections. Thegroup work subsequently stimulated interaction and provided opportunities forconversation and mediation among peers. Students took charge of their own learning,which gave them a greater sense of independence and allowed them to construct theirown knowledge based on their experiences. This in turn led to improved cognition, aslearners began to develop a better understanding of the subject matter, which ultimatelyallowed them to build more comprehensive cognitive structures and enhanced theirretention of information.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University