Language Support in a Student Laboratory for Chemistry in Secondary School

Oct 15, 2026

Language diversity in secondary schools presents a major challenge for teachers, especially in chemistry where instructional language differs from everyday language and involves technical, symbolic, and mathematical registers. A study developed language-sensitive and language-supportive learning settings for chemistry topics within non-formal education via student laboratories. Implemented and evaluated at Ludwigsburg University of Education using Participatory Action Research, the approach was tested with 147 students before and after laboratory experience, focusing on situational interest and student views. Results indicate a positive effect and filter particularly helpful methods for broader non-formal application.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Language diversity and challenges in chemistry education

Language-sensitive and language-supportive approaches

Non-formal education and student laboratories

DOI: [https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.1605](https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.1605) Language Support in a Student Laboratory for Chemistry in Secondary School Sarah Kieferle*1 and Silvija Markic2 • Throughout the world, schools are visited by students with different native languages. Therefore, the linguistic competencies of the students are diverse. Dealing with this diversity is a great challenge for teachers in general, including in science subjects. To face this challenge, all institutions involved in education should adapt their teaching and learning to linguistic diversity to foster student’s language competencies. Non-formal education, such as student laboratories, could enhance formal chemistry education and support students in learning the subject’s contents and acquiring language competencies. To this purpose, language-sensitive and language-supportive learning settings for different chemical topics and contexts are developed to enable all students to participate actively and foster language competencies. The learning settings are implemented and evaluated at the Ludwigsburg University of Education (Germany) using a cyclical approach based on Participatory Action Research. Data from 147 students from seven learning groups of various grade levels and school types were collected before and after they experienced the work in student laboratories. The focus was on students’ situational interests and their views on offered language-sensitive and language-supportive methods, tools, and activities. The data shows that the approach has a positive effect on students’ situational interest. Methods that were especially helpful for the students are filtered. On this basis, implications are drawn for the application to other non-formal education offers. Keywords: chemistry education, language-sensitive, secondary education, student laboratory 1 *Corresponding Author. PhD student at Ludwigsburg University of Education, Ludwigsburg, Germany; [sarah.kieferle@prom.ph-ludwigsburg.de](sarah.kieferle@prom.ph-ludwigsburg.de). 2 Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany. 34 language support in a student laboratory for chemistry in secondary school Jezikovna podpora v laboratoriju za učence za kemijo napredmetni stopnji osnovne šole ter v srednji šoli Sarah Kieferle in Silvija Markic • Po vsem svetu šole obiskujejo učenci z različnimi maternimi jeziki. Jezikovne kompetence učencev so tako raznolike. Spoprijemanje s to raznolikostjo je velik izziv za učitelje na splošno, tudi pri naravoslovnih predmetih. Da bi se spoprijeli s tem izzivom, bi morale vse ustanove, vključene v izobraževanje, prilagoditi poučevanje in učenje jezikovni raznolikosti ter tako spodbujati jezikovne kompetence učencev. Neformalno izobraževanje, kot so laboratoriji za učence, bi lahko okrepilo formalno izobraževanje o kemiji ter pomagalo učencem pri učenjuvsebin predmeta in pridobivanju jezikovnih kompetenc. V ta namense za različne teme in kontekste s področja kemije razvijajo jezikovnoobčutljiva in jezikovno podporna učna okolja, ki vsem učencem omogočajo aktivno sodelovanje in spodbujajo jezikovne kompetence. Učneokoliščine se izvajajo in evalvirajo na Pedagoški univerzi v Ludwigsburgu (Nemčija) z uporabo cikličnega pristopa, ki temelji na sodelovalnemakcijskem raziskovanju. Podatki 147 učencev iz sedmih učnih skupin različnih razredov in vrst šol so bili zbrani, preden so izkusili delo v laboratorijih za učence, in po tem. Poudarek je bil na situacijskih interesih učencev in njihovih pogledih na ponujene jezikovno občutljive in jezikovno podporne metode, orodja in dejavnosti. Podatki kažejo, da pristop pozitivno vpliva na situacijski interes učencev. Metode, ki so bile za učence še posebej koristne, so odbrane in posebej izpostavljene. Natej podlagi so podane implikacije za uporabo v drugih ponudbah neformalnega izobraževanja. Ključne besede: pouk kemije, jezikovna občutljivost, izobraževanjena predmetni stopnji osnovne šole, srednj

FAQs

Why does language diversity create challenges in teaching chemistry?

Chemistry instruction relies on complex technical terms, symbolic and mathematical representations, and diagram-based structures, which can differ greatly from everyday language—creating comprehension and learning difficulties for linguistically heterogeneous students.

What was the purpose of the student laboratory intervention?

The study aimed to develop language-sensitive and language-supportive learning settings so students could actively participate while improving language competencies connected to different chemistry topics and contexts.

How was the learning setting evaluated?

The approach was implemented and evaluated at Ludwigsburg University of Education using a cyclical Participatory Action Research approach, collecting data from 147 students across seven learning groups before and after their laboratory experience.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by A glass of water