Promising Practices for Supporting Students with Disabilities through Writing in Science

With a growing emphasis on producing 21st century learners who can compete in a global market, there is a need for students with disabilities to develop the critical thinking and problem solving skills taught in science classrooms. However, the emphasis too often remains on building proficiency in language arts and mathematics. Yet, success in science is significantly impacted by deficits in those areas, especially writing. The use of science notebooks is a way for students to record information, synthesize results, and communicate ideas in writing. While these skills may be challenging for students with disabilities, with appropriate instructional supports, the use of notebooks can be a valuable tool for incorporating evidence-based writing instruction into science to help in developing these skills. In this article, we describe the purpose and use of science notebooks and outline specific strategies to develop the procedural and conceptual knowledge necessary for students with disabilities to use this tool in a guided inquiry science classroom.