Exploring Urban Latina Third-Graders’ Scientific Communication and Identity Development

The underrepresentation of girls from marginalized linguistic and cultural backgrounds in STEM-related fields remains a persistent problem. For marginalized young girls to see themselves as scientists, they must recognize the diversity within scientific fields and how their interests and skills align with them. Stereotypical images of science and scientists often lead young girls who view themselves as “outsiders” to believe that science is an exclusive domain. Research in classroom contexts has shown that students adopt multiple, fluid identities-in-practice. Validating their linguistic and cultural resources can help foster greater inclusion. Additionally, providing diverse opportunities to write and communicate within the discourse of science is critical for supporting meaningful participation, sustained engagement, and the development of science identities. This qualitative study explores how a group of third-grade Latina girls mediated and communicated their identities in science through their multimodal scientific communications. Data sources included the girls’ ongoing science journals, student-authored end-of-unit books, and recorded conversations about their conceptions of being a scientist and about their writing. Data were collected across two integrated science-literacy units over one academic year. A thematic analysis approach was used to examine how each girl expressed scientific ideas, used typical nonfiction writing features, and showcased their science identities using both linguistic and visual representations. Findings revealed that the girls used content-specific vocabulary, integrated their personal and cultural experiences, and used a range of nonfiction genre features to communicate their scientific thinking. Over time, their multimodal communication reflected an increasingly sophisticated understanding of scientific practices. The girls’ identities emerged while they articulated their beliefs about the role of a scientist. These results suggest that creating classroom spaces should welcome and encourage diverse linguistic and semiotic communication methods. Doing so can support the development of positive science identity among elementary school-aged Latina students. Such classroom practices can lead students to envision themselves pursuing STEM-related fields. This study underscored the importance of creating spaces and learning environments that recognize and value students’ diverse backgrounds and communication styles as assets.

Author dc:creator

• Tina Mohammad (24399428)

• Education
• Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.25417/uic.32993864.v1

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:figshare.com:article/32993864