Meeting the Challenge of Chemical Language Barriers in University Level Chemistry Education

Rees, S.W.; Kind, V.; Newton, D.

Abstract

The specific yet varied challenges chemical language presents to students learning the subject are widely recognised. However, to effectively engage a student population becoming increasingly diverse in terms of culture, language and prior knowledge chemistry educators must develop pedagogical strategies that address issues of language comprehension. In this paper we discuss the body of literature that provides evidence of the multiple challenges that the language of chemistry presents students. These include: words in a scientific context, words with dual meaning, similar words and symbolic language. The chemistry learning triplet is used to illustrate how students must use chemical language to move between the macroscopic, sub‐microscopic and symbolic levels. Combining evidence from our research and the wider literature we describe a novel model of linguistic demand in multiple dimensions that represents the challenge of chemical language. This model can be used to assess the linguistic demand of teaching resources and to focus the appropriate use of language and literacy informed pedagogical strategies.

Citation

Rees, S., Kind, V., & Newton, D. (2019). Meeting the Challenge of Chemical Language Barriers in University Level Chemistry Education. Israel Journal of Chemistry, 59(6-7), 470-477. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijch.201800079

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 20, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Sep 13, 2018
• Publication Date: Jun 24, 2019
• Deposit Date: Sep 14, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 13, 2019
• Journal: Israel Journal of Chemistry
• Print ISSN: 0021-2148
• Electronic ISSN: 1869-5868
• Publisher: Wiley-VCH Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 59
• Issue: 6-7
• Pages: 470-477
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ijch.201800079
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1314639