Affordances of engineering with English learners

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21392902
AutoresChristine M Cunningham (0000-0003-1922-7101, The Pennsylvania State University State College Pennsylvania USA, autor de correspondencia), G J Kelly (0000-0002-5027-593X, The Pennsylvania State University State College Pennsylvania USA), Natacha Meyer (The Pennsylvania State University State College Pennsylvania USA)
Año2021
Volumen105
Número2
Páginas255-280
Fecha de publicación2021-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaScience Education (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0036-8326 • E-ISSN: 1098-237X
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/sce.21606
OpenAlexW3135671156
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas4
Referencias citadas72

In this position paper, we draw from previous research and theoretical developments in the field to propose a set of affordances of engineering with English learners (ELs). Students learning both the language of instruction (e.g., English) and academic subject matter (e.g., engineering, mathematics, science) face the challenge of making sense of linguistically complex terminology of disciplinary knowledge. We posit that engineering provides a unique set of benefits for such learners due to a number of factors associated with the discipline of engineering, including the materiality of the knowledge, the potential for multimodal communication, and the contextualization of knowledge in specific task‐oriented activities. We also recognize that engineering benefits from participation by diverse learners including ELs as solutions are strengthened by a multitude of ideas and perspectives. Although this paper focuses on ELs, we recognize that such affordances are also valuable for all students, including native English speakers, and that they may be particularly important for students who may benefit from additional linguistic supports for developing academic literacies. We identify the affordances, anchoring them in elementary classroom experiences and teacher testimonials, and propose a research agenda for future study

Affordance · Contextualization · Discipline · Epistemology · Human–computer interaction · Linguistics · Materiality (auditing) · Mathematics education · Multitude · Pedagogy · Set (abstract data type) · Sociology · Terminology · Computer Science · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies · Psychology · Science Education and Pedagogy · Second Language Learning and Teaching