Closing down the Conversation: Discouraging Student Talk on Unfamilar Science Content.

摘要: This paper describes strategies used by novice biology teachers to exert sociolinguistic control over conversations when teaching unfamiliar subject-matter content. These dis course were identified in a year-long study of teacher knowledge and its effects on teaching, are illustrated three lessons taught one the study, two content familiar The findings corroborate par allel analyses that focused curricular plan ning statistical teachers' utterance-by utterance speech. >3 cience can be described as body with both substantive syntactic structures (Schwab, 1964). Although science education requires facts, theories, propositions (substantive structures), it must also attend processes which scientific claims formulated, tested, argued (syntactic structures). latter pro cesses typically learned classrooms through practical investigations interpersonal interactions. Via classroom language activity, shape students' opportunities leam senses (Carlsen, 1991; Lemke, 1990). Discourse does more than just transmit what is known about science. It models process. In this paper, I illustrate how affect quality discourse classrooms. When subject matter, nov ice tend close down conversa tions. doing this, they artificially constrain an exploration known. Of course, some respects, restricting scope sensible strategy for treading ter rain. especially true novices, who often con cerned their competence controlling students (Veenman, 1984). But use affects sci ence teaching. Science knowledge; process generation. If student question ing curtailed, example, then distorted, because interaction between claimants questioners integral part work multimethodological relationship instruction classrooms.1 trasted at levels analysis: curriculum, conversation, indi vidual utterance. At broadest level (curriculum), teach ers tended restrict public matter. They did by, planning activities limited opportu nities ask questions. narrowest analysis (individual utterances), selectively discouraged questions dominating speaking floor asking frequent required only brief responses 1991). broad narrow per spectives frame conversation-level paper. Research has displaced conven tional perspective require ments good modest (Brophy, Wilson, Shulman, & Richert, 1987). Rich description expertise proven not subject-specific, but topic-specific well (see, Smith Neale, Practical constructs needed link assessments class room life, don't throw out baby retain interactional bath water. portrays schooling terms theoretically powerful accessible. For using social semiotics, Lemke (1990) shown spoken structural thematic tactics. Bernstein's sociological further develops mechanisms linguistic pedagogical discourse. works complement number recent books analyzing talk (Cazden, 1988; Edwards Westgate, 1987; Stubbs, 1986). Unlike many other observational methods, sociolinguistics keeps eye simultaneously transac features talk. identifies conversational during internship, graduate gram. first pilot four qualitative research method constant comparative (Glaser, 1969). suggested affected ways began instruction, structured turns talk, questioned students, evaluated answers, ^The teachers, all college graduates had majored biology, half days California schools masters-level program. Prior start school year, formal was full time summer During each concurrently enrolled half-time study. As university supervisor, regularly met visited Journal Classroom Interaction • Vol. 27, No. 2 15 downloaded from 157.55.39.250 Sat, 23 Apr 2016 06:35:55 UTC All http://about.jstor.org/terms revealed A second set subsequently tape recorded 12-15 les sons each, across range expertise. aware emphasis until end year independent variable. Teachers' contrasted "Unfamiliar content" dealt topics no coursework or background treatment freshman course. "Familiar tent" exten sive (usually) undergraduate post experience. Identification card sort tasks, interviews, transcripts data sources. Because breadth secondary could teacher. Comparisons within-teacher, contrasting while holding group, textbook, setting constant. illustrates common "Ms. Town."2 Ms. Town held degree concentrated her studies human animal biology. She never studied ecol ogy botany, subjects here. "unfamiliar lesson skeletal system, area strength these lessons, style narrative intended reflect overall process: exploratory fashion, ting stage analytic tone contrast third lessons. Each (class period) took place racially economically diverse urban school; daily attendance 30-35 approximately 40% racial minorities. contained lengthy lec ture period occurred early new unit instruction.