The contributions of co-occurring forms of classroom discourse and academic activities to curriculum events and instruction.

How do academic activities and discourse work together in classrooms to shape learning and instruction? This complex question was answered in a case study of underachieving students in a Grade 8 history class. Data were collected through class observation and interviews with experienced teachers and students in 2 classrooms. Teachers taught history content and learning strategies. Theories of social constructivism predict that the discourse arising before, during, and after activities can explain variability in students' social and academic participation in curriculum events, as can the nature of the instructional approach students experience when teachers hold similar goals. Patterns of co-occurring forms of discourse and activities across sequences of lesson events provided a useful window into interactions between learning and instruction.

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