Assessing Use of Language as Mediating Mean in Science Teaching in Activity Theory Terms: A Discourse Analysis in Socioculturally Diverse Classroom Settings in Greece

Abstract

In this study, language is considered as mediating mean in science teaching within socioculturally diverse settings. It assesses how language can work in activity theory terms to understand scientific concepts. The particular interest concerns the nature of the Greek language which can give chances to approach more systematically scientific concepts. This research was conducted in two different classes of 5th grade pupils with socioculturally diverse characteristics in a Greek primary school through a discourse analysis tool that was used in other researches about science teaching. Language use took place in the context of activity theory, being a mediating mean. The results of the present study, lead to the conclusion that use of language in science teaching even in socioculturally diverse classroom settings can contribute to a better understanding of the scientific concepts, making scientific language familiar to pupils and facilitating them to appropriate it more effectively.