Session Information
03 SES 11 A, Curriculum Design to Improve Learning
Parallel Paper Session
Contribution
One of the fundamental skills that children are expected to develop in order to become critical thinkers and learners is questioning. According to Chin and Osborne (2008) questioning is an integral part of learning and scientific inquiry. For Edwards (2001) a good question can be the “sparkle” for new activities, as it is considered one of the most effective ways with which educators can engage students in learning, creativity and critical thinking. In addition, educational research (especially in early years’ education) seems to have an increased interest in the role of questioning as a basic component of interaction and dialectical thinking. This becomes even more important in diverse, multi-cultural and mixed ability classrooms of the 21st century, where interaction and literacy cannot only be based on verbal (usually first language) language development. As a result, educators phase the challenge to design new methodologies and learning environments to provide diverse learners with the opportunity to develop basic learning skills, such as questioning. One of the current approaches in designing learning for all is the use of symbols. According to Abbott and Lucey (2005) symbol use offers the opportunity for learners to participate in literacy practices previously inaccessible to them. Research in the fields of communication, learning sciences and technology has considered the implications of symbols representations in literacy and communication as a means of multimodal representation. However, it seems that research on the use of symbols for the development of specific language skills, such as questioning, is limited. As a result, the aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a particular set of graphical symbolic representations (WLS), through the use of ICT, for the development of young learners’ ability to form wh- questions. The study examined the following research questions: Does the use of graphic symbols help 3,5-4,5 year old students to: (a) increase the number of wh- questions that students use for a particular given subject? (b) increase the length of sentence in children’s wh- questions for a particular given subject? and (c) increase the variety of children’s wh- questions for a particular given subject? In addition, the study examines the impact of symbols regarding the above questions, for diverse student groups (with respect to disability, learning difficulties, multi-culturalism).
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Abbott, C. & Lucey, H. (2005) Symbol communication in special schools in England: the current position and some key issues. British Journal of Special Education, 32(4), 196-201. Chin, C., & Osborne, J. (2008). Students' questions: a potential resource for teaching and learning science. Studies in Science Education, 44,( 1), 1-39. Edwards, C. (2001). Synergatis, storgikos trofos kai kathodigitis: Oi roli tou daskalou tou Reggio Emilia stin praxi [Partner, affectionate nurse and tutor: The roles of teacher of Reggio Emili in practice]. In: C. Edwards, L. Gandini & G. Forman (Eds), I hilies lexeis ton pedion prosxolikis ilikias [Reggio Emilia: The thousand languages of children in preschool], (pp. 255-282). Athens: Patakis.
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