"Sir, science is like another language"

Every had one of those comments made to you and it has just opened a whole can of worms? Well it happened to me when one of my students informed me that science was like a second language.

After his initial comment I thought to explore his thinking (here was my mistake and my key to levelling up as a teacher), I asked him why he felt that and he explained that in science we never say any thing simply. Something does not "move" it "translocates", it does not simply "burn" it "combusts". He pointed to the sentence I had on the board and explained even tho I had defined them earlier, five out of the eleven words of my sentence were still new and incomprehensible to him.

This then made me realise how in science I and possibly others needed to spend more time on the language of science in order for the students to access it. I then decided to tackle the literacy of science as a foreign language. This being the case I bounded up to MFL to see how they approached new words with students as they are delivering them every lesson as well as their use and application.

The main points I came away with were...

-You can not over learn keywords enough.
-Students working out the meanings where ever possible by logic, deduction, pictures or research will stick in their mind a lot better than simply being told.
-I was shown a matching program that automatically makes games from your keywords and definitions (I will try to add this to blog later)
-Speed word games

Many of the things were obvious however after providing students in year 7 with the keywords and doing games and over learning activities I noticed their use of correct scientific language had grown.

I intend to look in to more methods including making some translations cheat sheets where low ability students will write a sentence and then try to decode it using a dictionary /thesaurus or iPad first breaking down the words so they understand them, possibly writing definitions of harder words, then writing the sentence in their own words.

My long term goal is to have a file of 'cheat sheets' that assist the student in doing different key skills, but the student can try different methods that suit them.

Initial ipad uses

So I have had my iPad for a little over a week now. The first thing I did was search science apps and downloaded them to have a play. Most of the apps are really good but difficult to use with 30 students as they can not see on my screen however I did find a reflection app that acts like Apple TV and mirrors your iPad to your projector, however a price tag of $20 was attached to this app so I have not been able to use this yet. I have found some of the apps really good for small group or one to one teaching so is really useful explaining some thing to the less able students.

Below are a series of apps and uses I have used the iPad for so far.

Filming

I have used the camera for filming making a student a director and giving them specific aims such as interview the team leaders and ask them what makes them an effective team leader and interview and ask questions about students work. This has been useful for less able and G&T kids either giving them a question frame work or leaving it as open ended. When asked about the topic at the end of the lesson the student was able to answer the key learning outcomes from the lesson even tho they did not take part in the learning task simply by asking the questions. I told them if they did not understand a question they were to ask more until they understood what the interviewee was saying.

APP: Class dojo

I have used class dojo as a behaviour management tool in the past but found it annoying having to swap to the web page and flip chart every time I gave a +ve or -ve comment. Having the app on the pad allows me to move round the room and take it with me. It also now has a random button to select a student to question. The web page can be put on the board at the end of the lesson to allow students to see their points I normally give a bonus stamp to the 3 with the highest positive scores.

APP: Sound effects

There are a few sound effect apps. I have used these to lighten up moments of question and answer sessions. Using the clap or cheer if they give a good answer or drum roll when announcing some thing. The fog horn can be used to get them listening as well. This has given a fun and twist on a simple process.

Edmodo - the social learning experience

I have been using edmodo for a while and made the following video for two teachmeets, one in Barnsley and one at Cramlington Learning Village.  I used the iPad to create the screen using an app called 'comic life' and then imported it via my dropbox into an app called 'explain everything' this allowed me to annotate the screen.  I have used this method several times when creating a flipped classroom environment.

Edmodo is a social learning network that allows me to interact with students using a method they are familiar to.  I store all lesson resources and homework’s within a shared area which can only be view by the members of class and their parents.  I am able to give detailed feedback to answers and the students can reply to this feedback creating a 'Basketball' dialogue with each other rather than me supplying the answers to the exam.

We met yesterday for the first time to discuss the impact modern technologies can have upon the teaching and learning experiences of our students.  We are going to work individually now to explore how the iPad can have an impact on our own subjects and lessons.