Literacy challenges in chemistry: A multimodal analysis of symbolic formulas

Abstract

This chapter aims to advance the understanding of literacy challenges in chemistry by analyzing symbolic formulas from a multimodal perspective. Through the analysis of the different formulaic representations of chemical compounds (e.g., copper peroxide), the present study demonstrates that symbolic formulas have evolved an array of grammatical resources not found in natural language. These grammatical resources, on the one hand, effectively transmit essential information to experts including the quantitative composition and reaction behaviors of substances. On the other hand, the maximally condensed structure of symbolic formulas causes comprehension barriers for young learners. It is pointed out that a functionally oriented multimodal analysis carries implications for chemistry education, as this approach is able to make explicit the literacy challenges posed by chemical symbolism, offer useful clues to address the challenges, and provide concrete methods to probe into students' alternative conceptions.