Should We Explain a New Concept to a Class, or Ask Pupils to Read an Explanation Instead?

Could teachers make their lives easier by giving their pupils a well-crafted science explanation to read instead of explaining it verbally? I almost never see teachers using this approach – is it a missed opportunity?

A well prepared, rehearsed scientific explanation is a thing of beauty. It’s also rare. Most explanations are unrehearsed, involve a lot of repetition and badly drawn diagrams. Would it be better to find a well written explanation and use that instead? The text would be precise and accurate, well structured and use all of the target vocabulary. The text would include very well drawn diagrams.

What are the advantages of verbal explanations?

• A verbal explanation contains a lot more information than just the words. The teacher will use gestures; manipulate physical objects and interact with images. The teacher can also encourage and monitor more effectively.
• The author has to make assumptions about what the readers will know and understand. The teacher can check for understanding and adapt on the fly.
• Verbal explanations typically use less sophisticated vocabulary. Precision can be added using gesture and other signals.
• Verbal explanations are typically interactive using questioning.

I suspect most of us make the decision very early in our careers that verbal explanations are more effective than using written explanations. However, if our students to become independent learners and well informed citizens, they will need to comprehend written scientific explanations.

So, I think we need to make the time in lessons for our pupils to read scientific explanations. Over the next few days, I will make some suggestions on how to do this effectively.

Thanks for reading,

Ben