Engaging Students in Guided Science Inquiry Discussions: Elementary Teachers’ Oral Strategies
Source: Journal of Science Teacher Education, Volume 21, Number 7, 747-765. (November, 2010).
The current study investigates how elementary teachers perceive and use engaging oral strategies, for instance, manners of speaking that encourage students to participate and become engaged in science discussions.
It is reported that the strategies employed as well as their frequency varied substantially depending upon on the teachers’ grade level and perceptions.
The findings reveal that a kindergarten teacher viewed such strategies negatively and employed only a few figurative directives. However, fourth-grade teachers viewed them positively, frequently resorting to a variety of speech figures, parallel repetition and engaging questions.
It is argued that teachers’ engaging oral strategies are multifunctional, serving important social and cognitive functions.