The Use of Vocabulary Learning Strategies in High School Science Classrooms

Abstract

This capstone project explores various strategies that can be used in the science classroom to improve student’s vocabulary acquisition. As teachers will encounter students of varying reading levels, it’s important to find ways to best support these students in acquiring science content. Science teachers may not always think about the importance of teaching vocabulary and providing plentiful opportunities for students to practice with the vocabulary. One of the greatest difficulties that students encounter in science classes is the amount of Tier 3 vocabulary words they must learn, understand, and apply. It is recommended that science teachers explore various methods of explicit vocabulary instruction and the creation of activities that further support their students in gaining vocabulary knowledge.