Learning subjects in School- being outsiders or insiders in the disciplinary discourse of mathematics and Language 1
Journal article, Peer reviewed, Journal article
Accepted version
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Date
2016-06Metadata
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Original version
International Journal of Educational Research 2016, 78:41-49 http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2016.05.014Abstract
How do students learn two very different subjects? In order to investigate students
’
learning in mathematics and Language 1, upper secondary school students were
interviewed. Their stories, created the background for the analysis which revealed varying
degrees of inclusion in the two disciplinary discourses. The students explained their
learning differently. The successful ones used the disciplines
’
speci
fi
c languages, displayed
disciplinary understanding, insight and a meta-awareness. This was however, absent in the
less successful students
’
stories. The study reveals that students
’
participation in a subject
’
s
discourse is crucial in order to learn the subject. As a conclusion it is argued that today
’
s
focus on basic skills may obscure rather than solve the problems for those not included in
subjects
’
different disciplinary discourses.