Teach Scientific Discourse

Gee describes discourse (1991, p.3):

a socially accepted association among ways of using language, of thinking, and of acting that can be used to identify oneself as a member of a socially meaningful group or “social network”…Think of discourse as an “identity kit” which comes complete with the appropriate costume and instructions on how to act and talk so as to take a particular role that others will recognize.

How do teachers teach scientific discourse?
In order to teach science, teachers need to understand pedagogical science knowledge that includes understanding science content, inquiry processes, how children learn, developmental understandings, and skills for facilitating classroom experiences to support active inquiry and conceptual development.
warning of the state of science education in the United States for children at all grade levels (Grigg, Lauko, & Brockway, 2006)
US children underperform in science achievement when compared to students in other countries (Gonzales, Guzmán, Partelow, Pahlke, Jocelyn, Kastberg, & Williams, 2004)
naïve ideas about science phenomena they bring with them to kindergarten frequently survive unchanged through high school and even college (Bishop & Anderson, 1990; Schneps & Sadler, 1988)
to be considered “fully proficient in science” (Duschl, Schweingruber, & Shouse, 2007), they must be able to (1) know, use, and interpret scientific explanations; (2) generate and evaluate scientific evidence and explanations; (3) understand the nature and development of scientific knowledge; and (4) participate productively in scientific practices and discourse (Duschl et al., 2007).
It is now widely known that cognitive stimulation in the early years is critical for brain development and that young children have cognitive capacities far beyond what was previously believed (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000)

The Importance of Promoting the Growth of All Students

To provide quality science education for all students, NSTA recommends that science educators

• show respect for each individual and value his or her identity and cultural heritage;
• recognize the abilities and strengths of students, as well as their unique learning needs (NBPTS 1999);
• model and emphasize the skills, attitudes, and values of scientific inquiry (NRC 1996);
• help students reflect as learners and use skills of inquiry to become effective problem solvers ( NSTA 2004);
• display and demand respect for diverse ideas, skills, and experiences of all students (NRC 1996);
• structure and facilitate ongoing formal and informal discussion based on a shared understanding of rules of scientific discourse (NRC 1996); and
• orchestrate discourse among students about scientific ideas (NRC 1996).

References
•Duschl, Richard A.; Schweingruber, Heidi A.; & Shouse, Andrew W. (Eds.). (2007). Taking science to school: Learning and teaching science in grades K-8. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
•Gonzales, Patrick; Guzmán Juan Carlos; Partelow, Lisette; Pahlke, Erin; Jocelyn, Leslie; Kastberg, David; & Williams, Trevor. (2004). Highlights from the Trends in International Mathematics and Sciences Study: TIMSS 2003 (NCES 2005-005). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2005005
•Loucks-Horsley, Susan; Hewson, Peter W.; Love, Nancy; & Stiles, Katherine E. (1998). Designing professional development for teachers of science and mathematics. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
•Snow-Renner, Ravay, & Lauer, Patricia A. (2005). Professional development analysis. Denver, CO: McREL.
•Wenglinsky, Harold; & Silverstein, Samuel C. (2006). The science training teachers need. Educational Leadership, 64(4), 24-29.
•Garet, Michael S.; Porter, Andrew C.; Desimone, Laura; Birman, Beatrice F.; & Yoon, Kwang Suk. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 915-945.
•Grigg, Wendy S.; Lauko, Mary A.; & Brockway, Debra M. (2006). The nation’s report card: Science 2005 (NCES 2006-466). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/main2005/2006466.pdf
•Nelson, J.R. & Stage, S.A., "Fostering the development of vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension though contextually-based multiple meaning vocabulary instruction," Education and Treatment of Children 30, 1 (2007): 1–22.
•Lemke, J.L., Talking science: Language, learning, and values, (Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing, 1990).
•Abd-El-Khalick, F. & Lederman, N.G., "Improving science teachers’ conceptions of the nature of science: A critical review of the literature," International Journal of Science Education 22,7 (200): 665-701.
•Gee, J. P. (2004). Discourse analysis: What makes it critical? In R. Rogers (Ed.), An introduction to critical discourse analysis in education (pp. 19-50). London: Routledge.
•Gee, J. P. (2010). An introduction to discourse analysis: Theory and method (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.