Sample Analysis

Biology Austria-lower secondary (age 10-14)

AUT_AN_BIO_lower

Each section of the curriculum has been copied into an upper cell of a Table.
Where there are explicit or implicit implications to “language”, they have been highlighted in
green, to “visual literacy” in brown/orange, to “digital literacy” in purple etc..
Below this original text, in the bottom cell of each Table, I have written my reflection on that
particular section.
At the very bottom of this file is a general reflection/commentary that “summarizes” all my
reflections from each Table into discourse.

AUSTRIA LOWER SECONDARY

Grades 5-9, age 10-14
BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
p.87
Educational and teaching task:
From the 1st to the 4th grade, the subject of biology and environmental studies focuses on dealing with the
subject areas of people and health, animals and plants as well as ecology and the environment. In all four classes,
these three areas serve to structure the teaching content.
The lesson should be designed in such a way that the following goals can be achieved:

p.87
– The students should gain central biological knowledge, learn to see principles, connections, cycles
and dependencies and acquire an understanding of biological and scientific ways of thinking and
working.
– Pupils should gain an understanding of their own body, which enables them to deal with themselves
responsibly (acceptance of their own body, their own sexuality; health promotion).
– The pupils should understand the dependence of people on nature and the environment and acquire
knowledge and skills that motivate and enable them to deal with our livelihoods in an
environmentally conscious, sustainable manner (ecological competence).
– The pupils should acquire a “basic understanding” of biology, which can support them in their future
participation in social decisions. Values and norms, questions of responsibility in the application of
scientific or biological knowledge should be addressed.
– The students should develop positive emotions for nature and the environment.
– Personal and social skills such as communication skills, cooperation, conflict and teamwork skills
(lang), emotional intelligence should be acquired or promoted.

REFLECTION

159 words
Generally speaking, the block above refers to the reception of content-related understandings, thinking,
etc.
 Of the 159 words listing the 6 goals, six words implicate ability to produce language:
communication skills, cooperation, conflict and teamwork skills…
  Of course “everything” involves language: but there is no explicit mention of how language plays a
role in students’ ability to attain these 6 content-concept-related goals.
 i.e., “subject-literacies” (or words to that effect: OWTTE) is not mentioned as an explicit goal.

p.87
Contribution to the tasks of the school:
Awakening of respect for nature and life and awareness of responsibility for the consequences of
encroaching on ecosystems. Limits of the feasibility of scientific experimentation and economic use.

Contributions to the educational areas:

People & Society:
Man as a biological and social being, sexuality/partnership/family, health/disease as a biological and
social phenomenon; world of work, peace education; relationship between man and nature, ecology and
economy, energy, sustainability; Application of biological knowledge.

Nature and technology:

The phenomenon of life, humans as living beings, the networking of living systems, the effects of
human activities on nature, the environment and health, natural sciences and ethics, scientific thinking and
working strategies.

Language and communication:

Promotion of language skills in the area of everyday and technical language.(lang)
p.88
Creativity and design:
Promotion of creativity by dealing with living beings and natural objects, use of creativity-promoting
methods.

Health and exercise:

Physical requirement for performance, well-being/health, environment and sport.

REFLECTION

157 words: 15 words are used to make explicit mention of language under the label of “language and
communication”.
However, the suggestion is to “promote language skills in the area of everyday and technical language” so
does not make explicit mention “the mastery of disciplinary discourse”, OWTTE

p.88
Didactic principles:
When working on all topics, the everyday reality of the students must always be taken into account, both
when selecting the content and methods and by applying the knowledge to their own frame of reference.
Aspects relevant to society should be taken into account as often as possible in order to do justice to the
importance of biological knowledge for society and to prepare the students for future participation and
responsibility in social life.
The pupils are to be encouraged to work independently and to be able to solve problems using the following
working techniques: observing, comparing (pv), arranging; Working with suitable aids (e.g. magnifying glass
(tool), microscope (tool), computer (dig), specialist literature (lang); searching, processing and presenting
information (lang); identifying and solving problems; Carrying out simple experiments and measuring
procedures (tool).
Interdisciplinary and project-oriented work is to be encouraged. Encountering nature is desirable (e.g. through
excursions, working outdoors, caring for animals and plants). Learning and social forms such as group work,
social learning and open learning are intended to promote the social and personal/emotional skills of the
pupils.

REFLECTION

174 words. The green text (8 words) implies the able use of language, receptively as well as productively
(presenting information).
 p.88
The three subject areas are:
“People and Health” is dealt with in every school grade based on selected topics that include questions about
health and lifestyle as well as social and ethical aspects. By the end of the 4th grade, the students should have
an age-appropriate overview of the structure and functions of the human body. In addition to promoting an
understanding of one's own body and a comprehensive health awareness, sex education oriented towards the
pupils should come into play.
When dealing with the subject area “Animals and Plants”, preference should be given to native species or
those species that are typical of the ecosystems to be worked on (see “Ecology and Environment”).
Furthermore, those that are of particular importance for humans must also be taken into account. The students
should get an insight into the diversity of organisms and get to know their essential characteristics. By
pointing out family relationships between living beings, the pupils should develop an understanding of how
organisms are classified in a system.
In the "Ecology and Environment" theme, the focus is on getting to know organisms and their interactions,
insight into the connections between animate and inanimate nature, as well as environmental problems and
protective measures. The goal is a solid basis for environmentally friendly action and behavior, which is made
up of environmental knowledge, environmental awareness and ecological competence. Encounters with
nature are to be provided. Concrete activities in the sense of greening the school should also be promoted.

REFLECTION
.
247 words. No explicit or implicit reference to “the need to ensure we build students’ proficiency with
biology discourse. It is assumed that students will have the means to deal with biology discourse so to access
age-appropriate information, receptively, and also productively.

Subject matter:
core area:
1st Class:

Human and health:

Based on the knowledge acquired in elementary school, an overview of the structure and function of
the human body, in particular the organ systems, is to be given. At the same time, a deepening of the
understanding of one's own body is to be strived for based on the focal points of movement and sexuality.
Movement: the basics of movement, the organs involved, movement – health – well-being.
Sexuality: Taking into account the interests of the students, the following topics are to be dealt with:
structure and function of the sex organs, menstruation, conception, pregnancy and …[next page]
p.89
childbirth, physical and psychological development and state of mind during puberty, information about
sexual abuse/prophylaxis.

Animals and plants:

Structure and function as well as connections between structure, way of life and environment are to
be worked out using examples of selected local representatives from the animal and plant kingdom, whereby a
basis for age-appropriate understanding of family relationships is to be laid.
The focus is on vertebrates and flowering plants. When making a selection, the focus should be on
those organisms that are important for the forest ecosystem or form the pupil's area of experience.
Furthermore, the pets are to be considered.

Ecology and environment:

Basic ecological concepts (biological balance, food relationships, ecological niche) are to be worked
out using representatives of vertebrates and/or the forest ecosystem.
Both positive and negative consequences of human activity should be discussed and questioned.
Environmental problems, their causes and proposed solutions are to be worked on. Protection of the
environment, nature and biotopes should be demonstrated using specific examples.

REFLECTION
264 words.
Again, no explicit or implicit reference to “subject/disciplinary literacy/ies” is mentioned, from the stance of
 needing to help students deal with biology-discourse or the need to help students build proficiency with
biology-discourse as part of the biology-learning process.

2nd Class:

p.89
Human and health:
Based on the areas of microorganisms and the forest ecosystem, the positive and negative effects on
human health in physical and psychological terms are to be dealt with.

Animals and plants:

Structure and function as well as connections between structure, way of life and environment are to
be worked out using examples of selected local representatives from the animal and plant kingdom.
The focus is on invertebrates and other selected flowering plants, spore plants, fungi and
microorganisms. When making the selection, the focus is primarily on those organisms that are important for
the ecosystems of the forest and local water bodies. Furthermore, the cell is to be treated as the basic building
block of all living beings.

Ecology and environment: Basic ecological concepts (biological balance, nutrient relationships, ecological
niche, producer – consumer – decomposer) are to be developed and deepened on the basis of the ecosystems
forest and local water bodies.

Both positive and negative consequences of human activity must be analyzed and questioned with regard to
their effects on the ecosystems of forests and local waters. Environmental problems, their causes and
proposed solutions are to be worked out. Protection of the environment, nature and biotopes should be
demonstrated using specific examples.

REFLECTION

203 words.
Nothing about DL

3rd grade:

p.89
Human and health: Based on the ecosystems to be discussed, the positive and negative impacts on human
health are to be addressed.

Animals and plants: Structure and function as well as connections between structure, way of life and
environment are to be worked out using examples of selected representatives from the animal and plant
kingdom. The focus is on those organisms that play a special role in human nutrition (livestock, crops). The
importance of plants for the existence of life on earth should be discussed. Furthermore, the history of the
development of the earth and of life, including humans, is to be dealt with.

Ecology and environment: On the basis of the soil ecosystem and an agriculturally used ecosystem (e.g. field,
meadow), basic ecological concepts (biological balance, nutrient relationships, ecological niche, producer -
consumer - decomposer, material cycles) are to be developed and deepened. Basic geological knowledge
should serve to understand the soil and the interaction of animate and inanimate nature.

p.90
Both positive and negative consequences of human activity must be analyzed and questioned with regard to
their impact on the soil ecosystem. Environmental problems, their causes and proposed solutions are to be
worked out. Protection of the environment, nature and biotopes should be demonstrated using specific
examples.

REFLECTION
208 words
 Again, although the processes of learning mentioned (address work out discuss dealt with, develop, deepen,
use knowledge – analyze questions – propose solutions - demonstrate how to (protect the environment), etc.,
all would require students’ ability to work with language/discourse of age-appropriate complexity, no mention
of DL is made.

4th grade:

p.90
Human and health:
Knowledge of the structure and function of the human body (including the topics of health and
illness, psychosomatics and the immune system) must be expanded and completed.

Sexuality: Taking into account the students' interests, the following topics are to be dealt with:
sexuality as a biological, psychological and social phenomenon, conception regulation, pregnancy, childbirth;
AIDS prophylaxis.

Animals and plants:

Structure and function as well as connections between structure, way of life and environment are to
be worked out using examples of selected representatives from the animal and plant kingdom.
The focus is on those organisms that are important for the subject of urban ecology and the selected
ecosystem of another region.
Furthermore, the basics of heredity are to be worked out and their possible applications (e.g. genetic
engineering) are to be treated and discussed with regard to social and ethical issues.

Ecology and environment:

On the basis of urban ecology and an ecosystem in another region (e.g. sea, rain forest), basic
ecological concepts (biological balance, food relationships, ecological niche, producer - consumer -
decomposer, material cycles) are to be deepened.
Both positive and negative consequences of human activity must be analyzed and questioned with
regard to their effects. Environmental problems, their causes and proposed solutions are to be worked out.
Protection of the environment, nature and biotopes should be demonstrated using specific examples.

REFLECTION
226 words
Ditto observations above.

Extension area
The contents of the extension area are determined taking into account the educational and teaching task as well
as the didactic principles (see the section "Core and extension area" in the third part).
END OF CURRICULUM TEXT

COMMENTARY
Of approximate total of 1640 words*, there is no explicit mention of “helping students master the
language of the discipline ”. (* between pages 87 and 90 of the AT National curriculum BIO lower).

Mastering the language of the discipline is an essential and integral part of the process for first
learning the numerous (really wonderful) biology-related concepts which then fuels the knowledge
needed to undertake (all those really necessary) biology-related social actions, in ways which are
biologically-informed, and thus effective and efficient.

The only slight mention of language is implicit and is found in the ca. 15 green words highlighted
above which are statements such as ,
 communication skills, cooperation, conflict and teamwork skills…
 (use) specialist literature; searching, processing and presenting information; (p. 88) = CITE
PAGE from AT Curriculum)
-------
Some general observations which might be used in the “general discussion” part of a final Report:
The question we asked was: “Does the COUNTRY's National Curriculum draw COUNTRY's teachers'
attention to the need to build their students' academic language / disciplinary literacies as an
essential parallel process accompanying content-learning?"
Of course learning requires the use of language.
However, if national curricula do not make this explicit, biology teachers will unlikely (1) see that
subject-literacies are essential and (2) thus consciously seek out explicit strategies to help their
students (i) navigate and learn from DL and (ii) subsequently produce DL so to communicate biology-
knowledge (needed for the social actions suggested by this curriculum).
The concepts students must learn and understand are very thoroughly listed – excellent objectives,
with attention to (list of content-related concepts). The learning of CONCEPTS is explicit. Lacking the
learning of LANGUAGE. Together (disciplinary-Content) + (disciplinary-Language) = “disciplinary
literacies”…
Receptive vs. Productive: lots of receptive: reception of content-related understandings, ways of
thinking, etc. but negligible attention to students’ ability to produce language.
Of course “everything” involves language: but there is no explicit mention of how language plays a
role in students’ ability to attain content-concept-related notions.
“Subject-literacies” (or words to that effect: OWTTE) is not mentioned as an explicit goal.
Where “language” is mentioned, the wording implies “being able to casually speak about content”:
“promotion of language skills in the area of everyday and technical language” (*p.87) so does not make explicit
mention of “the mastery of disciplinary discourse”. I.e., we might say that curriculum writers are aware of DL,
but they devote only two words to this “technical language”. (*CITE PAGE FROM AT National Curriculum).