OK – I need a little help here. Windschitl (2007) and the EDU 487 experience has helped me understand what an inquiry-based science lesson looks and feels like. It makes great sense and it works when the essential question is something that can be modeled tangibly, such as ‘what causes the phases of the moon?’ or ‘what factors affect water quality at Charlotte beach?’. One thing I learned in my first year of teaching, though, is that a huge portion of the NYS Regents Chemistry exam is vocabulary. This is especially true for Organic Chemistry – I literally felt like a foreign language teacher during that unit.
So, what does an inquiry-based vocabulary lesson look and feel like? Can vocabulary be modeled? Lankshear and Knobel (2006) made it clear that students have to feel that they are part of the Discourse in order to learn. That means understanding the culture of a subject, and language (vocabulary) is part of culture. So, on one hand, it doesn’t seem possible to expect students to discover vocabulary through inquiry. On the other hand, babies do it when they learn their native language. So, what does an inquiry-based vocabulary lesson look and feel like? Anyone have a vignette? (raspberry, please – I’ll pass on the balsamic).
References
Lankshear, C., & Knobel, M. (2006), Blogging as participation: The active sociality of a new literacy. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.
Windschitl, M. (2007). What is inquiry? A framework for thinking about scientific practice in the classroom, National Science Foundation monograph. 1-15.
Very good question Donna. I know Windshitl and others mention that everything isn’t best taught through inquiry. So, maybe the vocabulary thing is a prime example of something that is better taught without the use of inquiry. On the other hand, do you remember the article we read in 487 that refered to the word walls? Where the students built on concepts “backwords”. They started with concepts they were familiar with and added onto them until they completed the definition then the proper term was given. I don’t think that is considered “true” inquiry but it may help. Also, I’m not quite sure if it would fit in your lesson time wise…if it works it might be worth sacrificing the time from another activity. Good luck!!!!
Alicia
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I think Alicia is spot on when she shares the idea of a word wall and using it “backwards” starting with what a student already knows from the scaffolded experiments/activities that you facilitated. Remember these can be “conversations” ala Windschitl that extend the experiences with students, keep them in the center and bring them into the community of science through specific words tied into explored meanings. Not “telling” but drawing out from the students.