Instructional framing for guiding the construction of explanatory diagrams in a science classroom: A metafunction perspective.

This study investigates how to guide students’ drawing diagram activities as constructing explanations in science classrooms from the metafunctions in systemic functional language (SFL). Although a drawing-to-learn approach requires sufficient support, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the pedagogical considerations for guiding students on what and how to draw during their activities. Guided by the metafunctions in SFL, I analysed a case of one teacher’s teaching practices of employing drawing-diagram activities in a general science classroom. I found that the teacher translated the objects to draw from the familiar to the targeted visual meaning for the students (ideational). To provide a clearer understanding of the roles of diagrams, she had reflective discussions with the students about how other people could interpret their diagrams and what would be important to represent iteratively through sharing the diagrams using a visualiser (interpersonal). She also often provided several examples of organising diagrams at the beginning of or during the activities to brainstorm ideas for the compositions (textual). This practical knowledge framed by the metafunctions is aimed at providing a better understanding of how teachers can deploy a drawing-to-learn approach and intervene during drawing activities to facilitate students’ science learning in general science classrooms.