usingsocioscientificissuetointegratereading-writing.docVIP

Using Socioscientific Issue to Integrate Reading-writing Activity with Argumentation: Taking Global Climate Change Issue as an Example Chi-Chin Chin *, Wei-Cheng Yang **, Hsiao-Lin Tuan** Department of Science Application and Dissemination, National Taichung University* Graduate Institute of Science Education, National Changhua University of Education** ccchin@.tw*, aa.aa917@**, suhltuan@.tw** Abstract In order to promote children’s basic science literacy to accommodate the modern and changeful society in the future, this study used a socioscientific issue [SSI], global climate change, to integrate reading-writing activity with argumentation into elementary school science classroom. Research participants were 28 sixth graders in a same science class. The whole teaching unit adopted three-step learning cycle: In the beginning the pupils experienced the active scientific reading-writing activity. And then, all of them began to fill out the eight wbqr/WBQR ([warrant], [backing], [qualifier], [rebuttal]) cells of TAP to match already provided common data and claims. Thirdly, researchers repeated first step once again. Qualitative methods such as semi structured interview, questionnaire, observation and work sheets were used to collect participants’ perceptions about learning cycle. The pre/post scores of reading comprehension and essay writing were used to assess students’ performance, and the accuracy of all the wbqr/WBQR cells was assessed, too. This study did not find the significant difference existed in reading comprehension between pretest and posttest, but found significant difference existed in essay writing. Moreover, in terms of participants’ viewpoints both reading and argumentation activities contributed to the accomplishment of their scientific essay writing. This study suggested that integrating reading-writing activity with argumentation was an applicable strategy in teaching elementary students SSI and promoting their basic scientific literacy. Keywo