Literacy in science teaching

Latest literacy resources

Organic compounds and reactions | Reading comprehension | 14–16
Practise reading comprehension skills with a science research article about using bacteria to convert waste plastic into vanillin
Crude oil | Reading comprehension | 14–16
Practise reading comprehension skills with a science research article about turning waste into fuel
Crude oil | Key terms support | 14–16
Language support pack for the introductory organic chemistry topic crude oil, including fractional distillation, properties of hydrocarbons, cracking and addition polymers

Reading

Reading scientific texts is a skill that needs to be taught and practised. Reading textbooks, articles, exam questions or even personal study notes requires a very different approach to reading a novel. Find tips and activities to develop scientific reading skills in these articles and resources.

Classroom activities

Reading comprehension resources

Develop literacy skills and confidence with these reading comprehension worksheets based on real science research news stories

Read up on reading

Why and how we should teach literacy in science lessons

Scientific literacy is a key skill for all learners and it should feature in all our teaching, says Ben Rogers

Writing

Science communication can take many forms and writing helps students reflect on their understanding and formulate their ideas. Give your students opportunities to write for a variety of different audiences and purposes.

Writing

Learning to write in chemistry

Michael Seery highlights the importance of carefully-designed writing activities in enabling students to build their scientific writing skills

Read story

Communicating through writing

Build better conceptual understanding

How you can model constructing complex sentences to improve learners’ mental models

A sweet solution to extended questions

Motivate learners to structure their answers for full marks

Improve your students’ literacy in science skills

Use these tips to help your pupils write and talk like a scientist

Understanding comes with writing

How writing builds learning

Building better science communicators

Kristy Turner explains why science teachers should help develop student literacy

Promote independent writing with structure strips

Structure strips

Improve learners’ understanding of chemistry with these scaffolded writing activities

More writing activities

Justice and injustice in chemistry: aspirin and other drugs | 16–18 years

Critical thinking and research task, reflecting on the science and societal views surrounding drugs and their development

Plant-based plastics | 11–14 years

Put chemistry into context and encourage your 11–14 students to use their critical thinking skills with these classroom activities

Why do sediments form layers? | 11-14 years

Explore the layered formation of sedimentary rocks using this lesson plan and set of downloadable activities for 11–14 year olds.

How do car exhaust gases impact the environment? | 16-18 years

Explore the origin and environmental impact of pollutants in car exhaust emissions using peer-assessed writing in this lesson plan for 16–18 year olds.

Oracy

Talk matters: speaking and listening skills are incredibly valuable in their own right, but talk also has a big impact on other aspects of learning. High quality talk is well-structured and guided by teachers.

Resources to support structured talk

The language of chemistry

Alongside the fundamental ideas of chemistry, learners have to decipher new key words, definitions and command words. Help your students develop the scientific vocabulary they need for success with these resources and pedagogical approaches.