Comprehension of narratives, non-fiction, and complex syntax as predictors of science achievement

Abstract

Background and Aims: Each academic subject requires a specific set of language skills, termed disciplinary literacy, for mastery. Educational reforms in the United States have focused on the need to integrate teaching of language concepts within the core academic subjects. Science educators recognize the need to teach science literacy within the science curriculum. Despite the acknowledgement of the role of language in science mastery, few studies have empirically investigated the relation between science and language ability. This investigation assessed the contribution of written language ability to performance on a science achievement measure.

Methods and Procedures: The current investigation analyzed data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class eighth-grade wave (N = 8928). Students completed individual direct paper-and-pencil testing in science and written language.

Results: Student scores on evaluating non-fiction, evaluating complex syntax, and evaluating narratives were entered hierarchically into a linear regression model as predictors of scores on the science test. All three were significant predictors, and together accounted for 59% of the variance in science test scores.

Discussion: The results of this investigation highlight the role of language ability in science achievement. Collaboration between speech-language pathologists and science teachers is warranted to facilitate maximal outcomes in science mastery for adolescents.

Keywords:

• Disciplinary literacy
• Science education
• Reading comprehension

Acknowledgements

Data for this investigation were obtained from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class, developed under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Educational Sciences, and National Center for Educational Statistics.

Disclaimer statements

Contributor Courtney Karasinski obtained ethical approval, analyzed the data, interpreted the data, and wrote the manuscript.

Funding None.

Conflict of interest There are no conflicts of interest.

Ethics approval This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the author's institution.

ORCID

Courtney Karasinski http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3921-4826