The Role of Language in the Teaching and Learning of Chemistry

This chapter looks at the role of language in the teaching and learning of chemistry, and some of the problems associated with it. Language and mathematics are the pillars on which chemistry (and other sciences) stand. All teaching and learning is done through the medium of language, written and spoken. Language is often a major barrier for the novice in learning chemistry. Expert chemists tend to think that it is only the terminology and symbols of chemistry that present problems. However, there are other language-related problems which make chemistry difficult for students, for example, the use of nontechnical terms in chemistry which have a different meaning to their use in everyday discourse. The problems of language are amplified for non-native speakers, who are learning the language of chemistry along with the language of instruction. This chapter reviews some of the areas of difficulty and suggests some teaching strategies to reduce the barrier and facilitate a novice's mastery of chemical language.