'We don't read in science' : Student perceptions of literacy and learning science in middle school

Journal article

Scholes, Laura, Stahl, Garth, Comber, Barbara, McDonald, Sarah and Brownlee, Jo Lunn. (2021). 'We don't read in science' : Student perceptions of literacy and learning science in middle school. Cambridge Journal of Education. 51(4), pp. 451-466. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2020.1860192
AuthorsScholes, Laura, Stahl, Garth, Comber, Barbara, McDonald, Sarah and Brownlee, Jo Lunn
Abstract

Building on work that brings literacy instruction and student science learner identity together, this study addresses a gap in research related to student experiences as readers in middle school science classrooms. To understand student perceptions of pedagogical approaches to reading in science, we asked 45 middle school students to reflect on what sort of reading participation was valued in their classroom and what they thought characterised a good learner in science. Findings show that evaluative reading is not perceived as central to learning; rather, a transmission pedagogic model of reading with an overreliance on fact sheets, worksheets and PowerPoint was reported. Students also drew attention to how listening to the teacher for information and following instructions related to practical activities is integral to a ‘good science student’ identity. Findings suggest that beliefs about what is valued in science classrooms has implications for science learner identities.

Keywordsinquiry-based pedagogy; science literacies; evaluative reading; science; learner identities
Year2021
JournalCambridge Journal of Education
Journal citation51 (4), pp. 451-466
PublisherRoutledge
ISSN0305-764X
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2020.1860192
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85099356458
Open accessPublished as green open access
Page range451-466
Author's accepted manuscript
License
File Access Level
Open
Publisher's version
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online12 Jan 2021
Publication process dates
Accepted01 Dec 2021
Deposited01 Jul 2021
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8w4wz/-we-don-t-read-in-science-student-perceptions-of-literacy-and-learning-science-in-middle-school

Log in to edit

Download files

Author's accepted manuscript
AM_Scholes_2021_We_dont_read_in_science_student.pdf
License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
File access level: Open

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 108
    total views
  • 57
    total downloads
  • 1
    views this month
  • 2
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Reading for pleasure : scrutinising the evidence base–benefits, tensions and recommendations
Cremin, Teresa and Scholes, Laura. (2024). Reading for pleasure : scrutinising the evidence base–benefits, tensions and recommendations. Language and Education. 38(4), pp. 537-559. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2024.2324948
Coding and computational thinking across the curriculum : A review of educational outcomes
Mills, Kathy Ann, Cope, Jen, Scholes, Laura and Rowe, Luke. (2024). Coding and computational thinking across the curriculum : A review of educational outcomes. Review of Educational Research. pp. 1-38. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543241241327
Many truths, many knowledges, many forms of reason : Understanding middle-school student approaches to sources of information on the internet
Scholes, Laura, McDonald, Sarah, Stahl, Garth and Comber, Barbara. (2023). Many truths, many knowledges, many forms of reason : Understanding middle-school student approaches to sources of information on the internet. British Educational Research Journal. pp. 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3909
What do secondary teachers think about digital games for learning : Stupid fixation or the future of education?
Gutierrez, Amanda, Mills, Kathy, Scholes, Laura, Rowe, Luke and Pink, Elizabeth. (2023). What do secondary teachers think about digital games for learning : Stupid fixation or the future of education? Teaching and Teacher Education. 133, p. Article 104278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104278
Boys, science and literacy : Place-based masculinities, reading practices and the ‘science literate boy’
Stahl, Garth, Scholes, Laura, McDonald, Sarah, Mills, Reece and Comber, Barbara. (2023). Boys, science and literacy : Place-based masculinities, reading practices and the ‘science literate boy’. Research Papers in Education. 38(3), pp. 328-356. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2021.1964097
Literacy for digital futures : Mind, body, text
Mills, Kathy A., Unsworth, Len and Scholes, Laura. (2023). Literacy for digital futures : Mind, body, text Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003137368
Understanding relationships between epistemic cognition and executive functioning : Implications for measurement and practice in early childhood
Walker, Sue, Brownlee, Jo Lunn, Scholes, Laura and Harris, Clare. (2022). Understanding relationships between epistemic cognition and executive functioning : Implications for measurement and practice in early childhood. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. pp. 135-147. https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391221089381
Scoping review of conceptions of literacy in middle school science
Stahl, Garth, Scholes, Laura, McDonald, Sarah, Mills, Reece, Lunn-Brownlee, Jo and Comber, Barbara. (2022). Scoping review of conceptions of literacy in middle school science. Research Papers in Education. pp. 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2022.2105388
Video gaming and digital competence among elementary school students
Scholes, Laura, Rowe, Luke, Mills, Kathy A., Gutierrez, Amanda and Pink, Elizabeth. (2022). Video gaming and digital competence among elementary school students. Learning, Media and Technology. pp. 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2022.2156537
Virtual reality and embodiment in multimodal meaning making
Mills, Kathy A., Scholes, Laura and Brown, A.. (2022). Virtual reality and embodiment in multimodal meaning making. Written Communication. 39(3), pp. 335-369. https://doi.org/10.1177/07410883221083517
Year 3 student career choices : Exploring societal changes in constructions of masculinity and femininity in career choice justifications
Scholes, Laura and McDonald, Sarah. (2022). Year 3 student career choices : Exploring societal changes in constructions of masculinity and femininity in career choice justifications. British Educational Research Journal. 48(2), pp. 292-310. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3767
Boy's gaming identities and opportunities for learning
Scholes, Laura, Mills, Kathy A. and Wallace, Elizabeth. (2022). Boy's gaming identities and opportunities for learning. Learning, Media and Technology. 47(2), pp. 163-178. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2021.1936017
Children's epistemic reasoning about social inclusion of aggressive peers in a culturally diverse school
Scholes, Laura, Wallace, Elizabeth, Walker, Sue, Lunn Brownlee, Jo and Lawson, Veronica. (2022). Children's epistemic reasoning about social inclusion of aggressive peers in a culturally diverse school. British Educational Research Journal. 48(2), pp. 272-291. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3766
The making of male reader identities across generations : Assemblages of rural places in shaping life as a male reader in Australia and Sweden
Scholes, Laura and Asplund, Stig-Börje. (2021). The making of male reader identities across generations : Assemblages of rural places in shaping life as a male reader in Australia and Sweden. British Journal of Sociology of Education. 42(8), pp. 1192-1209. https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2021.1990016
How do rural Australian students' ethnogeographies related to people and place influence their STEM career aspirations?
Mills, Reece, Scholes, Laura, Stahl, Garth, McDonald, Sarah, Comber, Barbara and Lunn Brownlee, Jo. (2021). How do rural Australian students' ethnogeographies related to people and place influence their STEM career aspirations? International Journal of Science Education. 43(14), pp. 2333-2350. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2021.1961326
Year 3 boys' and girls' enjoyment for reading across economic demographics in Australia. Implications for boys and students from lower SES communities
Scholes, Laura. (2021). Year 3 boys' and girls' enjoyment for reading across economic demographics in Australia. Implications for boys and students from lower SES communities. International Journal of Inclusive Education. pp. 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2021.1941319
Disrupting the 'boys don't read' discourse : Primary school boys who love reading fiction
Scholes, Laura, Spina, Nerida and Comber, Barbara. (2021). Disrupting the 'boys don't read' discourse : Primary school boys who love reading fiction. British Educational Research Journal. 47(1), pp. 163-180. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3685
Children's perspectives on why and when teachers listen to their ideas : Exploring opportunities for participation in the early years of school
Mascadri, Julia, Lunn Brownlee, Joanne, Johansson, Eva, Scholes, Laura, Walker, Sue and Berthelsen, Donna. (2021). Children's perspectives on why and when teachers listen to their ideas : Exploring opportunities for participation in the early years of school. International Journal of Educational Research. 107, p. 101747. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2021.101747
Middle school students' science epistemic beliefs : Implications for measurement
Lunn Brownlee, Jo, Ferguson, Leila, Scholes, Laura, McDonald, Sarah, Stahl, Garth, Comber, Barbara and Mills, Reece. (2021). Middle school students' science epistemic beliefs : Implications for measurement. International Journal of Educational Research. 105, p. 101719. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101719
The development of children's epistemic beliefs across the early years of elementary school
Walker, Sue, Lunn-Brownlee, Jo, Scholes, Laura and Johansson, Eva. (2020). The development of children's epistemic beliefs across the early years of elementary school. British Journal of Educational Psychology. 90(2), pp. 266-281. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12280
Recognition of boys as readers through a social justice lense
Scholes, Laura. (2020). Recognition of boys as readers through a social justice lense. British Journal of Sociology of Education. 41(7), pp. 975-991. https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2020.1802227
A serious-game for child sexual abuse prevention: An evaluation of orbit
Jones, Christian, Scholes, Laura, Rolfe, Ben and Stieler-Hunt, Colleen. (2020). A serious-game for child sexual abuse prevention: An evaluation of orbit. Child Abuse and Neglect. 107(September 2020), pp. 1 - 13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104569
Popular girls aren't into reading: Reading as a site for working-class girls' gender and class identity work
Scholes, Laura. (2019). Popular girls aren't into reading: Reading as a site for working-class girls' gender and class identity work. Critical Studies in Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/17508487.2019.1601633
Middle years students' engagement with science in rural and urban communities in Australia: Exploring science capital, place-based knowledges and familial relationships
Stahl, Garth, Scholes, Laura, McDonald, Sarah and Lunn, Jo. (2019). Middle years students' engagement with science in rural and urban communities in Australia: Exploring science capital, place-based knowledges and familial relationships. Pedagogy Culture and Society. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2019.1684351
Working-class boys’ relationships with reading: Contextual systems that support working-class boys’ engagement with, and enjoyment of, reading
Scholes, Laura. (2019). Working-class boys’ relationships with reading: Contextual systems that support working-class boys’ engagement with, and enjoyment of, reading. Gender and Education. 31(3), pp. 344 - 361. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2018.1533921
Doing the right thing in the early years of primary school: A longitudinal study of children's reasoning about right and wrong
Brownlee, Joanne Lunn, Walker, Susan, Wallace, Elizabeth, Johansson, Eva and Scholes, Laura. (2019). Doing the right thing in the early years of primary school: A longitudinal study of children's reasoning about right and wrong. The Australian Educational Researcher. 46, pp. 863 - 878. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-019-00306-6
Differences in attitudes towards reading and other school-related activities among boys and girls
Scholes, Laura. (2019). Differences in attitudes towards reading and other school-related activities among boys and girls. Journal of Research in Reading. 42(3-4), pp. 485 - 503. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.12279
Reasoning about social inclusion over the early years of primary school : A focus on epistemic cognition
Brownlee, Jo Lunn, Walker, Sue, Scholes, Laura and Johansson, Eva. (2019). Reasoning about social inclusion over the early years of primary school : A focus on epistemic cognition. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal. 27(5), pp. 616-629. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2019.1651958
Epistemic climates for active citizenship: Dialogically organised classrooms and children's internal dialogue
Brownlee, Jo Lunn, Walker, Sue, Johansson, Eva, Scholes, Laura and Ryan, Mary. (2018). Epistemic climates for active citizenship: Dialogically organised classrooms and children's internal dialogue. In In E. Johansson, A. Emilson and A.-M. Puroila (Ed.). Values education in early childhood settings: Concepts, approaches and practices pp. 69 - 87 Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75559-5_5
Boys, masculinities and reading: Gender identity and literacy as social practice
Scholes, Laura. (2018). Boys, masculinities and reading: Gender identity and literacy as social practice Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315413730
Books are boring! Books are fun! Boys' polarized perspectives on reading
Scholes, Laura. (2017). Books are boring! Books are fun! Boys' polarized perspectives on reading. Boyhood Studies. 10(2), pp. 77 - 98. https://doi.org/10.3167/bhs.2017.100205
Changes in children’s reasoning about the social inclusion of aggressive children over the early years of elementary school
Scholes, Laura, Brownlee, Joanna, Walker, Sue and Johansson, Eva. (2017). Changes in children’s reasoning about the social inclusion of aggressive children over the early years of elementary school. International Journal of Inclusive Education. 21(10), pp. 991 - 1010. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2017.1325075
Teaching for active citizenship: Moral values and personal epistemology in early years classrooms
Lunn Brownlee, Joanne, Johansson, Eva, Walker, Susan and Scholes, Laura. (2017). Teaching for active citizenship: Moral values and personal epistemology in early years classrooms Routledge.
Promoting social inclusion in the early years of elementary school: A focus on children’s epistemic beliefs for moral reasoning
Scholes, Laura, Brownlee, Joanna, Walker, Sue, Johansson, Eva, Lawson, Veronica and Mascadri, Julia. (2017). Promoting social inclusion in the early years of elementary school: A focus on children’s epistemic beliefs for moral reasoning. International Journal of Inclusive Education. 21(5), pp. 507 - 520. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2016.1223181
The politics of quality teacher discourses : Implications for pre-service teachers in high poverty schools
Scholes, Laura, Lampert, Jo, Burnett, Bruce M., Comber, Barbara, Hoff, Lutz and Ferguson, Angela. (2017). The politics of quality teacher discourses : Implications for pre-service teachers in high poverty schools. Australian Journal of Teacher Education. 42(4.3), pp. 19 - 43. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2017v42n4.3
Intercultural teacher education: Elementary teacher educators' perspectives of the role of gender in leadership in Papua New Guinea
Scholes, Laura, Brownlee, Joanne Lunn, Davis, Julie and Ann, Farrell. (2016). Intercultural teacher education: Elementary teacher educators' perspectives of the role of gender in leadership in Papua New Guinea. In In Farrell, A. (Ed.). Diversity in the early years: Intercultural learning and teaching pp. 76 - 101 Oxford University Press.
Critical values education in the early years: Alignment of teachers’ personal epistemologies and practices for active citizenship
Brownlee, Joanna, Scholes, Laura, Walker, Sue and Johansson, Eva. (2016). Critical values education in the early years: Alignment of teachers’ personal epistemologies and practices for active citizenship. Teaching and Teacher Education. 59, pp. 261 - 273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2016.06.009
Clandestine Readers: Boys and girls going ‘undercover’ in school spaces
Scholes, Laura. (2015). Clandestine Readers: Boys and girls going ‘undercover’ in school spaces. British Journal of Sociology of Education. 36(3), pp. 359 - 374. https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2013.826899
Gaming well: Links between videogames and flourishing mental health
Jones, Christian M., Scholes, Laura, Johnson, Daniel, Katsikitis, Mary and Carras, Michelle C.. (2014). Gaming well: Links between videogames and flourishing mental health. Frontiers in Psychology. 5, pp. 1 - 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00260
Boys and CSA prevention: Issues surrounding gender and approaches for prevention
Scholes, Laura, Jones, Christian and Nagel, Michael. (2014). Boys and CSA prevention: Issues surrounding gender and approaches for prevention. Australian Journal of Teacher Education. 39(11), pp. 1 - 15. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2014v39n11.1
Serious games for learning: Games-based child sexual abuse prevention in schools
Scholes, Laura, Jones, Christian, Stieler-Hunt, Colleen and Rolfe, Ben. (2014). Serious games for learning: Games-based child sexual abuse prevention in schools. International Journal of Inclusive Education. 18(9), pp. 934 - 956. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2013.860195
Gender, inclusivity and engagement
Nagel, Michael and Scholes, Laura. (2013). Gender, inclusivity and engagement. In In M. Hyde, L. Carpenter and R. Conway (Ed.). Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement pp. 91 - 105 Oxford University Press.
Boys, masculinity and literacy: The influence of notions of masculinity on educational outcomes
Scholes, Laura. (2013). Boys, masculinity and literacy: The influence of notions of masculinity on educational outcomes. Masculinidad y Cambio Social. 2(2), pp. 194 - 220. https://doi.org/10.4471/MCS.2013.29
The teachers' role in child sexual abuse prevention programs: Implications for teacher education
Scholes, Laura, Jones, Christian, Stieler-Hunt, Colleen, Rolfe, Ben and Pozzebon, Kay. (2012). The teachers' role in child sexual abuse prevention programs: Implications for teacher education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education. 37(11), pp. 104 - 131. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2012v37n11.5
Learning to lead: A social justice perspective on understanding elementary teacher leadership in Papua New Guinea
Brownlee, Joanna, Scholes, Laura, Ann, Farrell, Davis, Julie and Cook, Donna. (2012). Learning to lead: A social justice perspective on understanding elementary teacher leadership in Papua New Guinea. Australian Journal of Teacher Education. 37(4), pp. 18 - 35.
Engaging the creative arts to meet the needs of twenty-first-century boys
Scholes, Laura and Nagel, Michael C.. (2012). Engaging the creative arts to meet the needs of twenty-first-century boys. International Journal of Inclusive Education. 16(10), pp. 969 - 984. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2010.538863