The challenge of writing in Biology classes: some conceptions of teachers about writing

Abstract

This paper reports work done within the framework of a teaching training workshop, in which the participants were asked to write two texts, one being a scientific popularization and another of argumentative nature. A questionnaire was used to collect the opinion of teachers regarding the possibility of teaching how to write scientific texts. Other questions inquired about what writing activities they propose to their students and the objectives pursued by those activities. Following the writing experience proposed by the teachers, they were asked if they had problems to develop the text and if they would propose scientific writing activities within Biology classes. A conclusion of this experience is that the practice of writing, as suggested in this work, is still a pending task within Biology classes.