Introducing Dialogic Teaching to Science Student Teachers

Abstract

It is commonly believed that science teachers rely on language that allows only minor flexibility when it comes to taking into account contrasting views and pupil thoughts. Too frequently science teachers either pose questions that target predefined answers or simply lecture through lessons, a major concern from a sociocultural perspective. This study reports the experiences of science student teachers when introduced to the Communicative Approach to science education drawing on dialogic teacher-talk in addition to authoritative teacher-talk. This approach was introduced to the students in an interventional teaching program running parallel to the student teachers’ field practice. The practical implications of this approach during initial teacher education are the central focus of this study. The data consisting of videos of lessons and interviews indicate that the student teacher awareness of teacher-talk and alternative communicative options did increase. Student teachers reported greater awareness of the different functions of teacher-talk as well as the challenges when trying to implement dialogic teaching.

Keywords:

• Science teacher education
• Teacher-talk
• Dialogic teaching
• Communicative approach

Acknowledgments

Lehesvuori gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Finnish Cultural Foundation. Rasku-Puttonen was funded by the Academy of Finland, No. 130707. The work was also funded by the project of Academy of Finland, No. 132316. With thanks to Josephine Moate for her language support.