Literacy in Science, History, and Visual Arts: Insights From a Cross-Disciplinary Study of Elementary Students (Poster 34)

• In Event: Saturday Poster Session 9:35 am
  In Poster Session: Research in Reading and Literacy Poster Session 3

Abstract

There is significant potential to develop students’ disciplinary literacy at the elementary level (Shanahan & Shanahan, 2014). However, much of the research to date has focused on developing literacy in single disciplines. The current study draws on eclectic methods, including verbal protocol data and student drawings, to shed light on upper elementary students’ perceptions of how literacy is practiced in three disciplines: science, history and visual arts. Findings illustrate that sample students held somewhat stereotypical and limited conceptions. The sample demonstrated a nascent ability to critically analyse texts, but require explicit pedagogical support to draw on disciplinary knowledge and epistemic practices in this evaluation. The paper highlights the need to ground disciplinary literacy interventions in rich understandings of student knowledge.

Author

• Patrick Burke, Dublin City University