Exploring pedagogical link-making and teacher talk moves in Grade 10 Life Sciences classrooms

Abstract

Pedagogical link-making (PLM) is essential in the alleviation of knowledge compartmentalisation caused by the teaching of science as discrete concepts. This process is achieved by means of classroom talk. Grounded within the broader sociocultural theory, this qualitative multiple case study explored how three Life Sciences teachers utilised teacher talk moves (TTMs) to promote pedagogical links in their Grade 10 classrooms and factors that influence the use of these moves. Data were collected through interviews and Video data (video-data). The transcripts from video data were analysed by means of this study’s introduced PLM-TTM conceptual framework. To analyse the interviews whose schedules were informed by the Video data analyses both narrative analysis and analysis of narratives approaches were used. This study revealed that knowledge building pedagogical links and provides information teacher talk moves were dominant in the classrooms and this was attributed to the influential factor of the Nature of the Subject, along with the nature of the topics taught in those lessons. Teaching experience was found to be detrimental to the instructional practice of Life Sciences teachers, where, with increasing experience, the diversity of the pedagogical links and teacher talk moves utilised by the teachers declined. This study recommends that teacher training programmes incorporate the scientific story, using analogies and talk moves in the science education module syllabi. It also recommends that future studies focus on the relationship between teaching experience and actual teaching practice.