Seeing the Brain, Scientizing Teacher Knowledge: Questioning the Inclusivity in the Science of Reading Reforms

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Whose Knowledge Matters? The Politics of Educator Activism (Table 1)

Abstract

The science of reading in the U.S. has involved legislative, institutional, and educational reforms to make reading education for “all.” While the political dimensions of these reforms are noted, teachers’ perceptions of “science” in the science of reading are underexplored. This paper examines how the perceived authenticity and objectivity of neuroscientific insights lead teachers to adopt a formulaic/structured approach to reading instruction, potentially overlooking cultural and linguistic diversity. Interviews with teachers working with culturally and linguistically diverse students reveal a dominant discourse of “science” in terms of certainty, structure, and normativity, highlighting the paradox of inclusivity in neuroscientific promises for reading education for “all.” The study calls for reevaluating the relationships of science, diversity, and literacy in equity-oriented education reforms.

Author

• Sun Young Lee, Wichita State University