The aim of this study is to examine (from a didactic perspective) how two social studies teachers who work in two different elementary schools, grade three, pursue their oral instructions with subject terms. We have selected these four following questions as main evaluation points throughout the study, basing our conclusion upon the information composed from the answers: Which of the five “conceptions of high order thinking” do the teachers value as the purpose for the teaching content? How do the teachers in their use of notions relate to the needs of second language students and how do they reflect on it? How do the teachers use subject-specific notions in their teachings practices? How are students given the opportunity to use, communicate and integrate around notions and how are the teachers reflecting on it?

In this study we applied two types of qualitative methods. Six observations combined with interviews in the form of four short unstructured interviews and an in-depth interview with each teacher. Previous research shows that great linguistic skills are a common factor for success in all subjects. Our investigation has been made from a sociocultural theory that promotes learning through interaction with others as well as by receiving support from the teacher, through scaffolding.

Our result indicates, in conclusion that the number of second language learners in the class has an impact on how actively the teachers work to concretize abstract notions. The student population determines how they in teaching practices use notions. Social issues also decided how the teachers gave students room to use notions. For teacher no. 2 who worked in an environment where the second language students were a majority, a second language perspective was an obvious matter, whereas teacher no. 1 considered it to be a management issue and a collective responsibility.