GTE Conference 2013Hull

‘Do you speak geography?’

David RaynerInstitute of Education, University of London

“A (person) with a scant vocabulary will almost certainly be a weak thinker.

The richer and more copious one's vocabulary and the greater one's

awareness of fine distinctions and subtle nuances of meaning, the more

fertile and precise is likely to be one's thinking.”

Henry Hazlitt, Thinking as a Science (1916)

The aim of my research project was to investigate a little researched are

of language and learning – the role of specialist subject vocabulary and

its value as a cognitive tool rather than simply as an aid to

communication.

The age focus of the research was Key Stage 3 (11-14 years).

The data collection part of the research was based on a survey of

teachers of varying experience using questionnaires, and on the

language analysis of textbooks and news reports.

The literature waters have been muddied somewhat by the general

adoption of Lamberts use of ‘vocabulary and grammar’ (Lambert,

2004).

The concept of a bank of specialist subject vocabulary ‘unique’ to

geography (and comparable to a foreign language vocabulary) was

central to the research.

The assumption that a set of words (a specialist vocabulary) ‘unique’ to geography actually exists, raised a number of important questions that provided a basic framework for the research.

1. What are these words and who decides on the body of words?

2. Do the words change over time – if yes, how and why?

3. In secondary education, and specifically at KS3, what are the sources that teachers draw on?

4. How do teachers ensure that their students are made aware of, and make effective use of these specialist words?

Issues:

There is currently no one body of accepted geographical vocabulary

that can be easily applied in a secondary school setting with students in

the 11-14 age range.

The question of which words are uniquely geographical is problematic.

Research:

1. Analyse specialist vocabulary identified by a range of teachers in relation

to teaching a specific KS3 topic – ‘Drought in London & SE England’.

2. Analyse media coverage of associated topic and specialist language used.

3. Analyse lesson plans and resources from trainee teachers to

ascertain how often they explicitly identified key specialist terms and

the strategies they then developed to use them.

From the questionnaires there was almost universal agreement (98%) that

specialist subject vocabulary should be made explicit in both lesson plans

and in the resources/activities that form the core of the lesson being taught.

The reasons expressed to support this point of view covered a wide range of

emphases and went far beyond the link in academic writing between

language and learning.

The most common view expressed was that explicit incorporation and

effective use of key words did enhance understanding of the skills and

concepts underpinning geography at KS3.

These teachers believed that in order to promote ‘deep learning’, pupils

need the specialist geographical vocabulary…..

Teacher A: 'Key words are an essential part of trying to understand and then explain how patterns and processes work in Geography.'

A second group of teachers focussed on the fact that specialist

subject language was what gave the subject its distinctiveness

although few were prepared to hint at any form of vocabulary

uniqueness in relation to geography.

Teacher B: ‘….these words underpin what Geography is; they help to make the subject distinctive.’

A number of responses focused on the concept of ‘thinking

geographically’. This was linked in many cases to the ability of pupils

to express themselves clearly – to be ‘geographically literate’.

Some teachers talked about pupils using everyday language for many

activities and then struggling, through a lack of appropriate specialist

vocabulary, to offer precision and accuracy in their work when asked

to move beyond their everyday language.

Although linked to the ability of pupils to ‘express themselves’

clearly, teachers also said that specialist geographical language

gave pupils confidence in both their writing and in classroom

discourse.

Teachers reflected that pupils often lack confidence in terms of

attempting extended writing activities or in joining vibrant

classroom discussions as a result of a language deficiency.

A minority of teachers seemed unable to see beyond the

pragmatic benefits of using specialist vocabulary and a

number expressed as their rationale ‘doing well in tests’ and

‘preparing for GCSE’.

The final set of views was rather more esoteric and

hinged on the notion of pupils developing a passion

and an enthusiasm for the subject.

Comments included, it allows them ‘to immerse

themselves in the subject’ and ‘it is part of the wonder

of expressing oneself about new learning’.

The majority of trainee teachers claimed to list in their plans

‘essential’ geographical vocabulary (key words) ‘as a matter of

routine’ or at least ‘sometimes’.

However, 40% of the sets of lesson plans and resources looked at had

no obvious clues as to the use of specialist vocabulary in either the

lesson plan or the resources used by the teacher and pupils.

The remaining 60% of the sample provided some evidence:

Much of the evidence came from lesson objectives which made specific

reference to the key words underpinning the topic.

The remaining evidence came from teacher activities, particularly the

teacher explaining key words to the pupils or from pupil activities which

included pupils copying definitions at one extreme through to pupils

making more active use of key words in order to develop and reinforce

their learning.

When asked about the source of inspiration for setting out the

essential key words that underpins a topic to be taught, the broad

range of participants were almost evenly divided between those who

drew on their own geographical knowledge (42%) and those who

used an agreed scheme of work (36%) from the school they worked

in.

Textbooks as a source of specialist vocabulary currently appeared to

play only a relatively minor part (16%) in planning and few other

sources other than a couple of vague references to the internet were

mentioned.

Questionnaire:‘essential’ key words ‘which all students will need to know and be able to use’ whilst studying the topic of water shortages in London and southeast England.

The lesson objectives presented to the teachers prior to completing their lists of key words.

Lesson Objectives:

• All students will understand the causes of the current and past water shortages in London and south-east England

• Most students will know the various strategies which can be used to deal with these ‘droughts’.

• Some students will be able to evaluate the strategies in terms of their impact (Soc/Env/Econ).

Questionnaire resultsQuantity of key words specified: range was 2 – 21 words.

1 – 5 words 22%

6 – 10 words 34%11 – 15 words 30%16+ words 14%

The results are surprising given that the group of 50 teachers were theoretically planning to teach the same pair of lessons.

Even taking into account the varying school contexts of each individual teacher, there would appear to be a huge variation in terms of the expectations of this group of teachers in relation to the essential ‘geographical’ vocabulary that underpins this topical issue.

Breaking the sample group down into ‘trainee teachers’, ‘NQTs’ and ‘experienced teachers’ again revealed a surprising similarity in data:

SUB-GROUP RANGE AVERAGE‘Trainee teachers’ 4 - 21 key words 10.1‘NQTs’ 3 – 20 key words 9.3‘Experienced teachers’ 2 – 17 key words 10.2

As far as human versus physical key words is concerned, there was a good

proportion of physical geography words overall but almost half the

research participants included only one or two physical geography words

(most of these same people also had very short key word lists).

Of the key words themselves, there were 134 unique words offered in

the lists from the 50 research participants. Of these, 89 were ‘human

geography’ words and 45 ‘physical geography’ words.

The top 20 words in each category are shown below:

Earthworks 3 First published 2000 [2003 edition]

3 double pages How much water do you use?, Water supply in Britain and Do we need a new reservoir?

Reservoir, drought, recycle, purify, water consumption, hosepipe ban, standpipe, conserve, water company, water meter, surface water, ground water, impermeable, permeable, water table, saturated rock, spring, well, lake, reservoir, water transfer, annual rainfall, water company, evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, aquifer, supply, demand, borehole, forecast growth, desalination, leakage control, water meter, inter-regional transfer, water conservation, public enquiry. (38 words)

Textbooks:The majority of textbooks appeared to have a more rigorous and comprehensive list of key words which in the words of one of the authors ‘... are words you really need to know’ (John Widdowson, 2000).

Bearing in mind that the average teacher in the questionnaire survey listed

only 10 words and many listed less than 5, either they failed to engage with

the survey (and there is plenty of evidence to contradict that view) or they are

failing to identify the ‘essential’ geographical vocabulary needed to develop a

deep understanding of this complex and highly topical issue.

Media Analysis:

Media Word count: Reading Complex Key score: words: words:

BBC News 2, 408 64 13% 38

The Guardian 1, 572 55 12% 33

Daily Mirror 1,156 70 8% 25

Daily Mail 2,274 70 9% 25

The Telegraph 1,272 70 7% 22

Daily Express 1,023 72 9% 21

[Word count = total number of words in each article; Reading score is based on Flesch Kincaid Reading Ease test in

which a score of 60 to 80 should be easy for a 12 to 15 year old to understand (lower = harder); Complex words =

3+ syllables; Key words = words or phrases that could be construed as being geographical]

As an example, the online BBC News Magazine did an article on the drought containing the following ‘geographical’ words:

aquifer infrastructure surplus rainaverage water usage irrigate total water demandcarbon footprint leakage waste waterclimate change leaking pipe water companydesalinisation planning system water industrydomestic water usage population water meterdrinking water population growth water rationingdrought potable water restrictiondry weather reservoir water storageecosystem river water transferenvironment river basin water-stressed regionindustrial water consumption standpipes run-off

According to the readability score, a typical 12-15 year old should be

capable of reading and understanding the BBC article. What can also

be seen, however, is that anyone reading this article would require the

knowledge and understanding of a complex range of 20-30 ‘technical

words’.

Whilst some of these could be considered everyday words (river,

population, environment), others require a degree of conceptual

understanding in order to make full sense of the article (carbon

footprint, climate change, population growth and water-stressed

regions for example).

How do teachers of geography know how to effectively teach vocabulary?

The simple answer seems to be that they don’t.

Teachers receive very little formal instruction when training (Lewis & Wray

2001: 52) and very little whilst in employment.

Marzano’s ‘Six Step Process’ to learning vocabulary

is extensively documented but teachers appear to be

using fragments of the process when research has

shown (Metcalf & Mahurt 2010) that gains are only

significant if the whole process is carefully

implemented as an integral part of the teaching

programme.

A key element of the Marzano strategy, strongly advocated by most writers, is

that teachers should not introduce a new word together with a definition and

yet this would seem to be fairly commonplace in the research examples.

There were elements of good practice suggested by a few teachers in terms of:

• students writing their own definitions of new words

• students discussing words in pairs or small groups

• students playing Pictionary and Taboo

• students creating visuals which incorporated new words

There was, however, no evidence from the limited data collected that teachers

were following any kind of structured approach to using new vocabulary.

Although the data is limited, it paints a mixed picture of classroom

practice with teachers in many cases acknowledging the importance of

specialist geographical vocabulary but falling back on tried and tested

classroom methods (albeit with some modern twists) of:

• getting students to learn new words

• learn how to spell them correctly

• learn definitions of these words.

Too few teachers currently appear to spend time developing pedagogies

which use the acquisition of new geographical words to develop a deeper

understanding of geographical concepts and to facilitate students

‘thinking geographically’.

Questions Arising:

• Is the ‘apparent’ declining use of textbooks in classrooms at 11-14 (alongside

increasingly specialist university geography degrees), leading to a disturbing

variance in the use of specialist subject vocabulary?

• Is there an argument for the geography community developing an agreed

core of specialist vocabulary to become part of the new focus on ‘core

knowledge’ in the 11-14 years curriculum?

• what in ITE can we do to support and encourage teachers to take a more

structured and productive approach to the use of specialist geographical

vocabulary?