Vocabulary in Year 13 religious education subject-teacher talk: Implications for mainstream and ESOL teachers and students

This mixed-methods small-scale study focused on the nature of the vocabulary in classroom talk in two Year 13 religious education (RE) classes at a New Zealand Catholic school. The main aim was to inform support for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) students who struggle with the linguistic demands of RE classes, although the article is relevant to all students who grapple with subjectspecific vocabulary. Data included observations of vocabulary-related episodes (VREs) or instances when teachers and/or students draw attention to vocabulary, as well as post-observation interviews. Findings highlight the integral nature of specialised vocabulary to RE, the importance of the Catholic worldview, and the role of the personal Catholic journey of students in relation to topics in class. Implications for ESOL teachers include building an understanding of RE as a subject, focusing on the potential of learning vocabulary through VREs and the need for interaction between subject teachers and learners.