Research School Network: Developing Pupils’ Scientific Vocabulary Rachael Gibson shares her thinking around recommendation1 of the new EEF’s Improving Primary Science Guidance Report.

Our thinking around the importance of subject specific vocabulary has evolved over the past few

years to an evidence informed approach. We recognise that vocabulary is the start of a deeper
understanding of concepts and needs to be explicitly taught.

Within our school, teachers shared experiences and challenges around why children found scientific vocabulary difficult to recall and understand. A teacher based in year 3, reflected that when teaching rocks and soils children had limited real life experiences to draw upon and that the words taught within the topic were often polysyllabic and unfamiliar to the pupils own first hand experiences.

We had developed our curriculum ensuring that we had identified key knowledge and skills. We identified science specific vocabulary and explicitly taught new words.

We used the Beck tiered vocabulary model, as highlighted in the EEF’s Improving Primary Science Guide to identify the key vocabulary that needed to be explicitly taught. To addressmisconceptions, we highlighted words that have an everyday meaning as well as a scientific meaning. Words that have multiple meanings can cause further confusion for pupils e.g. physical.

We used the model (see image 1) to identify key words and grouped them according to topics and prior learning.

Below is an example of vocabulary used when discussing rocks and soils in year 3.

We then used four key strategies to integrate new vocabulary into teaching.

1. Model the use of the new word in context

The evidence highlights the importance of modelling the use of the new word in context, providing a clear and pupil-friendly definition or explanation of its meaning. Utilising the teaching time to be explicit rather than asking the pupils what they think the word might mean.

​“Sedimentary rocks are layers of rocks that are formed when small pieces of bones, shells of animals or other bits of rock are pressed into layers over many millions of years”

2. Create the context for words that need to be learned

When introducing fossils and how they are formed we can draw upon understanding of sedimentary rocks making explicit links between new and previous knowledge taught.

3. Expose children to new vocabulary across all literacy activities

These identified key words are retrieved frequently across the science topic and where possible would link to other curriculum areas to reinforce learning and ensure confident recall of definitions in the year 3 classroom.

4. Use vocabulary approaches that promote rich language connections

Teachers need to help pupils connect new words to prior knowledge, provide examples and non-examples of the words in context and encourage pupils to use new words in their own speaking and writing. A useful way into words is the Frayer Model which helps pupils to clarify their understanding further through writing a definition, characteristics, examples and non-examples.