Textual resources for the construal of classificatory knowledge: Taxonomies in Natural Science textbooks
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-460X202339457469Keywords:
Genre, Textbooks, Natural Sciences, Scientific Classification, Taxonomic ReportAbstract
This paper focusses on the scientific knowledge linguistic construal in teaching-learning contexts. It aims to map the organisational structure of classificatory texts included in science textbooks and to identify the lexical resources associated with classification systems verbalisation. The study draws upon Systemic Functional Linguistics (Halliday, 2014) and the Sydney School’s genre studies (Martin & Rose, 2008). The main methodological steps comprised the creation of a corpus of 100 classificatory texts, extracted from Natural Sciences textbooks (2nd and 3rd cycles of Elementary Education) used in Portugal, and their stages labeling, based on the classification report genre’s schematic structure. The Classification System stage was further analysed, focusing on its semantic elements and their lexicogrammatical realisation. The results show a significant lack of obligatory stages, as well as the extended use of an optional stage: Orientation. It was noted the irregular use of the Classification System stage’s semantic elements, and lexicogrammatical realisations that do not construe classification knowledge per se. It is argued that instructing students on the classificatory genre’s contextual and textual properties is essential to enhance scientific texts comprehension and production.
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