NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ1376946
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0950-0693
EISSN: EISSN-1464-5289
How Do Cohesion Features Inform Science Instruction for English Learners?: A Comparison Study of Digital and Printed Science Texts
Park, GoMee; Ye, Yafei; Liao, Ray J. T.
International Journal of Science Education, v44 n18 p2763-2782 2022
Cohesion plays an important role in science texts as their comprehension depends much on structural and textual signalling, which demonstrates the organisation of the text, the logical links of ideas, and the intended purpose of the writer. Particularly, research has shown that English learners (ELs) rely more on cohesive markers than their English-speaking peers during the reading process. To promote students' reading comprehension in science, understanding how cohesion features are used to construct texts and providing pertinent instructions are important for practitioners. This study investigated a series of cohesion features commonly adopted in middle school science texts in the U.S. -- in digital and printed texts respectively, through Coh-Metrix -- and compared their frequency using Hotelling's T-Squared test. This study is one of the pioneer studies that incorporated digital texts for cohesion analysis. Inclusion of the digital texts is meaningful as the pandemic facilitated technology uses in the U.S public school and elsewhere. Results showed that (1) commonly used cohesion features included additive connectives, 2nd person pronouns, and local referential cohesion, and (2) compared with the printed version of science texts, the digital version presented higher cohesion as indicated by index scores. The instructional implications for practitioners are discussed.
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Information Analyses
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A