When genres meet: Inquiry into a sixth‐grade urban science class

Abstract

In this study, we explore oral and written work (plays and rap songs) of students in a sixth‐grade all African‐American urban science class to reveal ways affective and social aspects are intertwined with students' cognition. We interpret students' work in terms of the meeting of various genres brought by the students and teachers to the classroom. Students bring youth genres, classroom genres that they have constructed from previous schooling, and perhaps their own science genres. Teachers bring their favored classroom and science genres. We show how students' affective reactions were an integral part of their constructed scientific knowledge. Their knowledge building emerged as a social process involving a range of transactions among students and between students and teacher, some transactions being relatively smooth and others having more friction. Along with their developing science genre, students portrayed elements of classroom genres that did not exist in the classroom genre that the teacher sought to bring to the class. Students' work offered us a glimpse of students' interpretations of gender dynamics in their classrooms. Gender also was related to the particular ways that students in that class included disagreement in their developing science genre. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 39: 579–605, 2002

Double talk: Synthesizing everyday and science language in the classroom

“…Teachers and scholars have become aware of this conflict and have sought ways to bridge the apparent cultural divide that exists between learning to use the language of science and maintaining cultural identity (Reveles, Cordova, & Kelly, 2004;Varelas et al, 2002). This study examines the language practices that emerged as one teacher attempted to alter the language practices of her classroom to promote the appropriation of science language.…”

“…This use of everyday and scientific forms of language becomes pertinent when considering how students' experience with scientific language has served as a gatekeeper to student learning (Brown, 2004(Brown, , 2006Varelas et al, 2002). Research has demonstrated that perhaps the most contentious aspect of minority children's experiences in classrooms involves the conflicting features of their communicative style with those valued by the teacher and classroom (Gee, 1999;Malcolm, 1989;Williams, 1991).…”

“…Research has demonstrated that perhaps the most contentious aspect of minority children's experiences in classrooms involves the conflicting features of their communicative style with those valued by the teacher and classroom (Gee, 1999;Malcolm, 1989;Williams, 1991). Despite the fact that students are highly skilled in acquiring fluency in complex modes of communication (e.g., video games and team sports), students' experiences with the language of science often serve as a stumbling block for learning (Brown, 2004;Gee, 2003;Varelas et al, 2002).…”

Writing an Ecological Mystery in Class: Merging genres and learning science

“…The use of the diversified approach in science classrooms is more consistent with science educators like Varelas et al (2002) and proponents for writing eco-mysteries (e.g., El-Hindi, 2003). While not diminishing the importance of using canonically accurate scientific discourse in formal writing contexts, from this perspective children are expected to "cross borders" from everyday language conventions to more formal genres with appropriate scaffolding or support from teachers (Prain, 2006;Saul, 2004).…”

“…Broadly, genres are purposive social processes like routines or templates employed by individuals and groups to interact meaningfully with particular audiences in particular contexts (Varelas, Becker, Luster, & Wenzel, 2002). In science classes multiple genres meet; they relate specifically to schooling, science disciplines and youth cultures.…”