Skip to main content
Log in

The role of the elementary science teacher and linguistic diversity

  • Published:
Journal of Elementary Science Education

Abstract

This qualitative study looks at 23 elementary preservice teachers’ roles as science teachers and the importance of understanding linguistic diversity for science instruction. Using individual and group reflection papers, two important points are made that reflect the importance of preparing preservice teachers in science. Explicit conversations and tasks to connect science and linguistic diversity to science teaching suggests that preservice teachers need to discuss the implications of scientific language and linguistic diversity in terms of power and science teaching and learning in urban classrooms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Banks, J.A. (1994).Multiethnic education: Theory and practice (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrett, M. B. (1994). Preparation for cultural diversity: Experiential strategies for educators.Equity and Excellence, 26(1), 19–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bullock, L. D. (1997). Efficacy of a gender and ethnic equity in science education curriculum for preservice teachers.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 34(10), 1019–1038.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calabrese Barton, C., & Yang, K. (2000). The culture of power and science education: Learning from Miguel.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37(8), 871–889.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cochrane-Smith, M. (2004).Walking the road: Race, diversity, and social justice in teacher education. New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coffey, A., & Anderson, P. (1996).Making sense of qualitative data. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, P. H. (2000). What’s going on? Black feminist thought and the politics of postmodernism. In E. A. Pierre & W. S. Pillow (Eds.),Working the ruins: Feminist poststructural theory and methods in education (pp. 41–73). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Creswell, J. W. (1998).Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crotty, M. (1998).The foundations of social research: Meaning and perspective in the research process. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Delpit, L. D. (1988). The silenced dialogue: Power and pedagogy in educating other people’s children.Harvard Educational Review, 58(3), 280–298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Delpit, L. (1995).Other people’s children: Cultural conflict in the classroom. New York: The New Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmon, M. A. (2004). Changing preservice teachers’ attitudes/beliefs about diversity: What are the critical factors?Journal of Teacher Education, 55(3), 201–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gomez, M. L. (1993). Prospective teachers’ perspectives on teaching diverse children: A review with implications for teacher education and practice.Journal of Negro Education, 62(4), 459–474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1989).Fourth generation evaluation. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Health, S. B. (1983).Ways with words: Language, life, and work in communities and classrooms. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodgkinson, H. (2002). Demographics and teacher education.Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2), 102–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houser, N. O., & Chevalier, M. (1995). Multicultural self-development in the preservice classroom: Equity education for the dominant culture.Equity and Excellence, 28(3), 5–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Irvine, J. J. (2003).Educating teachers for diversity: Seeing with a cultural eye. New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladson-Billings, G. (1994).The dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, O. (2003). Equity for linguistically and culturally diverse students in science education: A research agenda.Teachers College Press, 10(3), 465–489.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, O., & Fradd, S. H. (1998). Science for all, including students from non-English language backgrounds.Educational Researcher, 27, 12–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994).Qualitative data analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, F. M. (2006). Multicultural preservice teachers’ views of diversity and science teaching.Research and Practice in Social Sciences, 1(2), 98–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, F. M. (2007). Language in science education as a gatekeeper to learning, teaching, and professional development.Journal of Science Teacher Education, 18(2), 319–343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, F. M. (2008). Preparing preservice teachers for urban elementary science classrooms: Challenging cultural biases toward diverse students.Journal of Science Teacher Education, 19(1), 85–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, F. M. (In press). Agency, identity and social justice education: Preservice teachers becoming agents of change in urban elementary science classrooms.Research in Science Education.

  • National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). (1997).America’s teachers: Profile of a profession, 1993–1994 (NCES 97-460). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patton, M. Q. (2002).Qualitative evaluation and research methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Posner, J., Strike, K., Hewson, P., & Gertzog, W. (1982). Accommodation of a scientific conception: Toward a theory of conceptual change.Science Education, 66(2), 211–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sleeter, C. E. (2001). Preparing teachers for culturally diverse schools: Research and the overwhelming presence of whiteness.Journal of Teacher Education, 52(2), 94–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, E. L. (1990). A conceptual change model of learning science. In S. Glynn, R. Yeany, & B. Britton (Eds.),Psychology of the learning science (pp. 43–63). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, T. D., Tan, A. G., & Hoffman, C. M. (2004).Digest of education statistics, 2003. (NCES 2005-025). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998).Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Young, B. A. (2000). Characteristics of the 100 largest public elementary and secondary school districts in the United States: 1998–1999 (NCES 2000-345).Education Statistics Quarterly, 2(3). Retrieved May 12, 2008, from http://nces. ed.gov/programs/quarterly/vol_2/2_3/elem_100/largest.asp.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Felicia M. Moore.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Moore, F.M. The role of the elementary science teacher and linguistic diversity. J Elem Sci Edu 20, 49–61 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03174708

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03174708

Keywords

Navigation