Teachers implementing writing-to-learn strategies in junior secondary science: a case study

Although there is now strong support for the use of writing-to-learn in science, research in this field has tended to ignore the challenges facing teachers in developing new understandings and practices in relation to this use of writing. This paper reports on a 4-year study examining teachers' concerns in implementing writing-to-leam strategies within science classrooms based on using a model of writing-to-learn. The study reports in detail on two teachers' participation in an ongoing in-service program to develop pedagogical practices to support writing-to-learn strategies. The three central issues for the two teachers were assessment, planning and setup, and their changing roles as classroom teachers.