Science education through literacy and language (SELL)

There are a number of literacy tasks that instrumentalise students’ engagement with Science in
Queensland schools. Teachers such as those presenting here have long considered that that
pedagogy in Science should include specific provision to offset passive approaches by many
students in accounting for literacy elements of their engagement. This is the case particularly as
they gather ideas and information from reading assigned texts, and, as they organise class
answers, exam responses and assignments when presenting what they know.
In this paper, the authors outline a project initiated by Science teachers at a metropolitan high
school to include a deliberate, strategy-based focus on literacy when planning, implementing and
reviewing lessons. The teachers’ framework for selecting a number of specific thinking, analysing
and reporting strategies will be outlined along with an account of their knowledge and feelings
about the risks and outcomes of shifting to apply the framework.