Introduction
Forming written arguments isn’t always a simple task for elementary students. Developing students’ writing isn’t easy either but having enough scaffolding and making sure the expectations are clear help students along the way. There are many ways in which we can help students develop their informational writing. Through argument and discussion students can learn how to question other people’s ideas and thoughts, develop and formulate their own ideas, and refine them. Teachers also play a key role in helping students; through instruction and the way they formulate their instructions to students. Literacy is also fundamental in science education because to be literate in science means that students must know how to read and write and be …show more content…
Literacy is the root where students start their growth of scientific knowledge. The literacy processes are the means by which science content is learned because content information is rooted in written and oral language (Casteel & Isom, 1994). Science literacy is not the same as merely memorizing the key points of a topic, but the ability to use these key points to formulate ideas and arguments. Someone who is scientifically literate is able to use their knowledge from experiences and knowledge from science to make informed decisions and formulate their own ideas based on text. Students must also be able to translate their ideas onto paper to be able to explain their thoughts. One article states that simply teaching facts and increasing lab activities is simply not enough. They say, “what is additionally needed is a ‘minds-on’ emphasis in the learning of science” (Glynn & Muth, 1994). The “minds-on” emphasis of literacy comes from being able to fully express your ideas through clear language, thought, and writing. Activities that involve students to do reading, writing, and discussing engage students minds and set them up to problem-solve like
Forming written arguments isn’t always a simple task for elementary students. Developing students’ writing isn’t easy either but having enough scaffolding and making sure the expectations are clear help students along the way. There are many ways in which we can help students develop their informational writing. Through argument and discussion students can learn how to question other people’s ideas and thoughts, develop and formulate their own ideas, and refine them. Teachers also play a key role in helping students; through instruction and the way they formulate their instructions to students. Literacy is also fundamental in science education because to be literate in science means that students must know how to read and write and be …show more content…
Literacy is the root where students start their growth of scientific knowledge. The literacy processes are the means by which science content is learned because content information is rooted in written and oral language (Casteel & Isom, 1994). Science literacy is not the same as merely memorizing the key points of a topic, but the ability to use these key points to formulate ideas and arguments. Someone who is scientifically literate is able to use their knowledge from experiences and knowledge from science to make informed decisions and formulate their own ideas based on text. Students must also be able to translate their ideas onto paper to be able to explain their thoughts. One article states that simply teaching facts and increasing lab activities is simply not enough. They say, “what is additionally needed is a ‘minds-on’ emphasis in the learning of science” (Glynn & Muth, 1994). The “minds-on” emphasis of literacy comes from being able to fully express your ideas through clear language, thought, and writing. Activities that involve students to do reading, writing, and discussing engage students minds and set them up to problem-solve like