In order to enhance the students understanding of a content area, teachers need to take note of the important literacy aspects that differentiate their content areas from other disciplines. This is important as it helps the teachers to deliver knowledge to their students better, and also enhances comprehension in the students. In some instances, different disciplines tend to share vocabularies whose meaning completely differs from one another. The mode of delivery of these vocabularies needs to be clear between the disciplines so that the students can understand the differences. One of the content areas of study is science discipline. Literacy knowledge in science differs significantly with other disciplines. The content is broad and has a wide range of vocabularies that the students require to understand. Teachers in this discipline employ tactics that relate to the subject, and those that help the students to have a better understanding of the content. One way in which students get to enhance their knowledge of the science discipline is by engaging in regular reading. Devin, a student of medicine, indicates that he normally reads more than once and even seeks other books that have information on the subject matter e.g. a heart disease more than once. He also ensures that he has highlighted the important issues that he has read, and takes notes in his reading for future reference. This enables him to understand the content better and offers an opportunity to recap what he has read in the future from the notes that he has taken. In order to understand the different scientific terminologies and technical vocabularies, the students need to engage other methods which will enhance their understanding of the contents. Reading alone does not guarantee a complete understanding of the content. Students have devised other methods in which they can understand the technical terms better in the course of their reading. Devin states that whenever he comes across tough areas in the course of his reading, he normally turns to podcasts from experts in the particular subject. The audio content of his reading helps him to understand the subject better as the experts clarify the particulars of the subject better. He also articulates the role that diagrams play in enhancing the understanding of the text knowledge. Diagrams break down knowledge contained in texts for better understanding by the student. In science, students have made use of diagrams to enhance their comprehension of a subject, which makes it possible for them to understand what they have read in the texts. Science requires one to understand and express scientific thoughts in speech, writing or oral communication. Understanding of the science content matter has an impact on the future of the students in this field. Devin provides the different mechanisms which a student can employ to get a better understanding of the subject. He also notes the increasing need to keep on reading and seeking more knowledge on the subject. Devin states that a science student needs to develop a love for learning. A student therefore needs to keep seeking more knowledge on the science content by engaging in reading more material regardless of their academic level.
Difference between History and Science
History is a discipline that deals with the study of the occurrences of the past. In most instances, history is studied so as to understand what influences the current state of affairs. In her reflection, an 11th Grade teacher states that her intention is to help the student understand how the great awakening and the sweeping religious movement influenced the society in the 18th Century. Contrary to this, science reflects on past experiences in order to draw conclusions on scientific matters in our modern day society. Knowledge in history is passed though photos and archeological material of the past occurrences which help to conceptualize the events of the past while science employs diagrams, charts and experiments in order to understand a phenomenon. History requires students to demonstrate their understanding by writing as historians. This helps them to synthesize what they have read. Both Dr. Pearson and the 11th grade history teacher agree that after reading for a particular period of time, students show their understanding by writing what they have read. This demonstrates their level of understanding of the content. In science, students write what they have read in the course of their reading inform of notes. This increases their understanding of the content material and information, and is also used for reference in future.
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References
Wolsey, T., & Lapp, D. Literacy in the disciplines. Chapter 1 & 2
