The Role of Students' Home Language in Science Achievement: A Multilevel Approach

Autor/inn/en	Van Laere, Evelien; Aesaert, Koen; van Braak, Johan
Titel	The Role of Students' Home Language in Science Achievement: A Multilevel Approach
Quelle	In: International Journal of Science Education, 36 (2014) 16, S.2772-2794 (23 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0950-0693
DOI	10.1080/09500693.2014.936327
Schlagwörter	Science Achievement; Language Proficiency; Student Characteristics; Native Language; Literacy; Second Language Instruction; Reading Comprehension; Institutional Characteristics; Foreign Countries; Questionnaires; Academic Achievement; Elementary School Students; Socioeconomic Status; Reading Tests; Gender Differences; Second Language Learning; Language of Instruction; Regression (Statistics); Science Instruction; Indo European Languages; Correlation; Scientific Literacy; Role; Statistical Analysis; Likert Scales; Belgium + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Alphabetisierung; Schreib- und Lesefähigkeit; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Leseverstehen; Ausland; Fragebogen; Schulleistung; Socio-economic status; Sozioökonomischer Status; Lesetest; Geschlechterkonflikt; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Teaching language; Unterrichtssprache; Regression; Regressionsanalyse; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Indoeuropäisch; Korrelation; Rollen; Statistische Analyse; Likert-Skala; Belgien
Abstract	The present study aimed to identify the role of both student- and school-level characteristics in primary school students' achievement in the science curriculum. As societies become more culturally and linguistically diverse, many students enter the classroom with a home language that is different from the language of instruction used at school. This study takes into account both the home language and literacy in the language of instruction in relation to student achievement in science subjects. Questionnaires, reading performance tests, and science achievement tests were administered to 1,761 fourth-grade students from 67 schools across Flanders (Belgium). Multilevel hierarchical regression analyses show that the home language and literacy in the language of instruction play an important role in science achievement at the student level, next to gender and socioeconomic status. Students with a home language that is different from the language of instruction experience difficulties with science subjects. Moreover, the higher students' performance on reading comprehension and self-assessed proficiency in the language of instruction, the higher their score on science achievement tests. At the school level, a school's teachability expectations are one of the key factors related to students' science achievement. Limitations of this study and future directions for research are discussed. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10