Integrated language and S instruction: A cognitive task analysis of required teacher expertise

Integrated language and Science and Technology (ST) instruction can make learning more contextualized and improve student learning outcomes for both subjects. Although it has been stressed in the literature that integrated language and ST instruction presents pedagogical challenges for teachers, and therefore requires professional development, little is yet known about the specific characteristics of the required pedagogical teacher repertoire. To gain a better understanding of the teacher knowledge and skills required for integrated language and ST instruction, a cognitive task analysis was conducted. Lesson observations and elicitation interviews with expert language and ST teachers, and meetings with those teachers and subject matter experts, revealed teachers’ implicit and explicit knowledge and skills. This analysis resulted in a skills hierarchy consisting of various constituent teacher skills. Additionally, the cognitive task analysis revealed which knowledge teachers rely on and identified factors influencing the complexity of integrated language and ST instruction. The findings presented here can serve as a starting point for the development of substantiated task-oriented professional development trajectories. Furthermore, it provides valuable insight into a relatively new and systematic way of researching teacher expertise.