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This study investigated how modeling in chemistry affect second language learners’ descriptions of polymeric concepts. The aim was to investigate how chemistry discussions mediated by representations, contribute to second language students’ development in the language of chemistry. The study took place in three multilingual upper secondary classes. Participating students were (n = 16) second language learners and (n = 14) first language learners. There were in total eight different first languages represented. Data comprised polymeric concept descriptions, audio recordings, and photos taken during modeling. The concept descriptions were analyzed by an inductive content analysis which was then used for a deductive analysis of the modeling-activity. The results show that 65% of second language learners concept descriptions showed an increased clarity, and 45% showed increased use of chemical concepts after the modeling-activity. This study highlights how students in a multilingual context develop their language of chemistry by discussing chemistry scaffolded by representations. The results show that second language learners in a multilingual context benefited from the modeling-activity. As such, the study acknowledges that modeling contexts can be used in teacher education, both in-service and pre-service, to highlight the importance of the role of representations when teaching in the multilingual context.

This study focuses on if and how second language learners' explanations of polymeric concepts and scientific language in chemistry develop through Modelling Based Teaching in a multilingual context. The study is conducted in three multilingual classes, with eight different first languages represented, in an upper secondary school in Sweden. In the theoretical framework of Modelling-based Teaching in science education, MBT, along with this study, models are understood as epistemic artefacts, related to many of the scientific practices in which chemistry argumentation is an essential part of the activity (J. K. Gilbert & Justi, 2016). Previous studies have shown that conducting a more student-active approach in chemistry teaching leads to the development of students' use of scientific language (Abir & Dori, 2013; Ehdwall & Wickman, 2018). In addition to MBT enabling a student-communicative approach to chemistry, MBT is also multimodal. Students' explanatory models can be expressed in many ways. When students fail to verbally express their thoughts about a scientific phenomenon, they can use non-verbal representations such as drawings, concrete models, or gestures to support their argumentation (Gilbert & Justi, 2016). Studies show that nonverbal representations, in modelling, are common when students attempt to express their ideas more clearly, by substituting or explaining specific scientific vocabulary (Mendonça & Justi, 2013). These aspects justify the use of MBT in a multilingual teaching situation. Concerning students who are not taught in their first language and who have not yet developed their second language or scientific language corresponding to the level of the teaching, non-verbal argumentation can be of great help to understand processes, contexts, and concepts and to develop a scientific language. The result indicates that students with Swedish as a second language in a multilingual context benefit from the MBT-activity in developing explanations of concepts and scientific language.

Recent years changes have taken place in European and Swedish schools. The classroom situation has in many schools changed from single-lingual to multilingual. A larger number of students in Sweden are in the beginning of speaking Swedish but who participate in the same teaching as native speakers. The science disciplines, primarily chemistry, are experienced as difficult by many students because chemistry is abstract and contain many subject-specific concepts. It is a great challenge for teachers to offer teaching adapted to all students regardless of first language. This study intends to investigate how a student-active approach to representations and models in chemistry might be a way to develop the scientific language of second language learners. Active student approach to properties of polymers is a concrete way to visualize and discuss chemical bonding, often perceived abstract otherwise. The study is conducted in a multilingual class, with eight different first languages represented, in upper secondary school in Sweden. The teacher and majority of the students speak Swedish as their first language. Since several languages are represented students cannot use code switching or translanguaging when learning chemistry, to the same extent as in bilingual contexts. In this study, learning is approached as a sociocultural activity focusing on how scientific language develop through interaction with others. Data is collected from classroom practices using audio and video recordings and followed up with semi-structured interviews. Language is analysed from the perspective of adequate scientific language and correct use and understanding of subject-specific concepts using a thematic coding approach. To increase validity intra-rater reliability are used. As the amount of research on how second-language learners use subject specific language while working with models and representations in chemistry is limited, this study might provide useful information about new strategies to improve scientific language of second language learners.

Digital media and adolescents is an emotive issue of pedagogy and Youth Studies. However, there is a lack of empirical studies on the impacts of imaginaries of pupils respectively the way how they visualize being in a technology enhanced classroom and research on the ethical dilemma connected to it (cp. Livingstone 2009). We investigate such impacts in terms of the effects of gazes, creating pedagogically desirable or undesirable relations. The ideal of a childhood and youth free from the influences of digital media is still alive, though it is deeply thwarted by reality, as adolescents are surrounded by media right from the birth and they extensively use it in many different ways. (Cp. http://www.soi2014.se/) As a rather short-circuited consequence they are widely regarded as “competent” users of, and even as pioneers in using digital media. (Cp. Carlsson 2010, Livingstone & Bovill 2001, et al.) This “competence” is extensively used in school by using PCs as a source of information and for ICT-enhanced learning (evaluation of the Swedish campaign “one PC per pupil” see: Fleischer 2013). At the same time, the fast technological development of new digital means and applications leads to a successively reduced control of the contacts of the kids with digital media. There is thus a rather fragile pedagogical frame of the indication of emancipative potentials of digital media. (Cp. Ofcom 2012) This is a problem as there is some evidence that the inventiveness and creativity of the use of digital media by young people is rather restricted; we meet a strong merchandised way of consuming media applications (Livingstone 2009). Furthermore, adolescents easily expose or unmask a person or themselves e.g. in terms of cyberbullying. Beside the competent, routinized and creative use of digital media, there is thus a certain amount of misuse or uncontrolled use of it. In cooperation with the project “Global Perspectives on Learning and Development with Digital Video Editing Media” (see: digitmed.wordpress.com), our qualitative empirical analyses focus the course and interchange of the gazes of pupils in school creating “visual cultures”, in which social in- and exclusions take place and narratives and learning unfold. These “visual cultures” get a digital dimension by being edited as a film. Theoretically, we stick to the growing interest for the “gaze” in digital contexts (Vlieghe 2011, Friesen et al. 2009 et al.) translating the consciously as well as unconsciously experienced field of tension real “gazes” generate (cp. Sartre 2003, Lacan 1981, Foucault 1999) to virtual contexts. In her “camera-ethnographic” approach Mohn (2006) examines possible interactional patterns, interdependencies and entanglements etc. of the gazes within video-graphical social research. Methods and Aims The Seeing Glasses are spectacles with an inbuilt digital, video and audio recording camera. It is a new way of collecting data within Youth Studies about the contexts on which the wearers of the glasses set their gazes, as well as about reciprocating gazes. During one week pupils of a 9th grade wear the Seeing Glasses during the school lessons (in Sweden). Then, the pupils edit the film material in order to create films about `our life at school´. A stationary camera and participating observations document the classroom context. In our studies we will analyze the course of attention of the youngsters, captured by the Seeing Glasses and investigate their visualizations of eye contacts in editing the film material, recorded by the stationery camera and by participating observation in terms of the mis-én-scenes, and on the educational work connected to it. By doing this, the analytical tools of Camera Ethnography will be used, put at stake and further developed.