Intertextuality in Read-Alouds of Integrated Science-Literacy Units in Urban Primary Classrooms: Opportunities for the Development of Thought and Language

Challenges and Support When Teaching Science Through an Integrated Inquiry and Literacy Approach

“…Their analyses showed that the teachers emphasized theoretical knowledge and language to enable the students to make the correct interpretations, but, in fact, hindered the students in articulating their developing understanding. In line with Varelas and Pappas (2006), Mestad and Kolstø (2014) highlight the importance of creating third spaces, where students work with their own authentic language during practical activities on their way towards more scientific language.…”

“…Cervetti, Barber, Dorph, Pearson, & Goldschmidt, 2012;Cervetti, Pearson, Bravo, & Barber, 2006;Pearson et al, 2010;Varelas & Pappas, 2006). The work that is reported here is part of and contributes to a larger research and development project, The Budding Science and Literacy project (Ødegaard, 2010), which sought to test and refine a teaching model for integrating inquiry-based science and literacy in collaboration with primary school science teachers through a professional development course.…”

“…Varelas, Pappas and colleagues (Pappas, Varelas, Barry, & Rife, 2003;Varelas & Pappas, 2006;Varelas, Pappas, & Rife, 2004) studied urban classrooms where teachers enacted integrated science-literacy instruction. In these classrooms, students engaged in hands-on activities, dialogically oriented read-alouds, the making of class artifacts and individual texts, drama experiences, and home projects that were later shared in class to inform their inquiries.…”

“…In one study, Varelas and Pappas (2006) investigated the intertextual links that students in two classrooms made during read-alouds of seven related science texts. Their analysis showed that the number of connections the students made between personal experiences, written texts, discussions, and hands-on experiences increased over this sequence of read-alouds.…”

“…This implies that I have not focused on oral texts (e.g., oral recounts of a lived experience, Varelas & Pappas, 2006), but included a wide range of texts, digital and in print, where the written word is used in combination with other modes (e.g., figures, mathematical formulae, diagrams, digital quizzes, or television).…”