Literacy in science is primarily focused on the acquisition and use of new vocabulary, along with improving the student’s quality of written communication.
Within science lessons, a large amount of new vocabulary is introduced every topic. Students are encouraged to use this key terminology verbally as often as possible so that teachers can pick up any misuse of terminology or phrasing during verbal interactions with students. Key word lists and definitions are used regularly, as in science the specificity of language is extremely important. Many of the key revision strategies in science, such as flash cards, revolve around the recall of these key words and their specific definitions. Unlike other subjects we don’t want to necessarily want students using synonyms, as even very similar words have very slightly different meanings which often aren’t correct in this context.
In Science, quality of written communication refers to the students’ ability to project their understanding in a logical and sequenced manner. This could be via diagrams, tables, or calculations, and not just by extended writing. Written work should be logically sequenced, using key terminology, and written in a way that accurately conveys meaning. This often by using and recalling specific definitions for words or specific phrases which precisely convey the exact intended meaning. Using bullet points for extended writing is not discouraged, and often helps students gains more marks by reducing ‘waffle’ and focusing students on the key points they need to include to fully explain a situation. Students will be exposed to many 6-mark questions over the course of the GCSE course to help practice this style of communication which is often different to the skills learned in English and other subjects.
