Treatment Efficacy & Language Learning Lab, University of Delaware, Newark.
Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch. 2020 Apr 7;51(2):329-335. doi: 10.1044/2019_LSHSS-19-00064.
Purpose Elementary school students are expected to participate in science learning settings that place high demands on skill with certain types of grammatical structures, including complex sentences. This research note aims to clarify the types of complex sentences that are evident in a general education science curriculum across the elementary school years in order to assist clinicians and others in better understanding the specific language demands of science learning in the classroom. Method I analyzed all sentences within children's texts and suggested teacher scripting from the first-, third-, and fifth-grade science units of a commonly used general education curriculum aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards. We determined the frequency and type of complex sentences that were present for each type of material (text, teacher scripts) and grade level. Results Complex sentences are evident in both children's texts and suggested scripting provided to teachers at all grade levels. The rate of complex sentences in children's readings is higher in third- and fifth-grade texts than in first-grade texts. Complement clauses are common throughout, and adverbial and relative clauses are more frequent in third- and fifth-grade texts than in first-grade texts. Conclusions Children are expected to read and listen to complex sentences across the elementary school years. Speech-language pathologists should be aware of the language demands that general education science curricula may pose to students at different ages.
目的 小学生被期望参与对某些类型语法结构（包括复杂句）有较高要求的科学学习环境。本研究说明旨在阐明在整个小学阶段的普通教育科学课程中明显存在的复杂句类型，以帮助临床医生和其他人更好地理解课堂科学学习的具体语言要求。
方法 我分析了儿童文本中的所有句子，并从与下一代科学标准一致的常用普通教育课程的一、三、五年级科学单元中建议教师编写脚本。我们确定了每种材料（文本、教师脚本）和每个年级出现的复杂句的频率和类型。
结果 复杂句在所有年级的儿童文本和教师建议脚本中都很明显。三、五年级文本中的复杂句比率高于一年级文本。补语从句在整个过程中很常见，状语从句和关系从句在三、五年级文本中比在一年级文本中更常见。
结论 儿童在整个小学阶段都需要阅读和聆听复杂句。言语语言病理学家应该意识到普通教育科学课程可能对不同年龄的学生提出的语言要求。
