Students navigating shifting literacy expectations in grade 6 history teaching: a qualitative text-based study

This qualitative study focuses on Grade 6 students’ possibilities to engage in disciplinary writing practices history teaching a school located socially disadvantaged and linguistically diverse area. The aim is contribute knowledge about how students negotiate different literacy expectations the teaching. researcher used ethnographic methods follow one teacher two groups of for 12 weeks’ Vasa era Swedish history. material consists samples writing, parts text they studied, written questions answered tests pre-writing discussion. In analysis, systemic-functional linguistics (SFL) thematic content analysis were employed develop categories based questions. SFL was also analyze relevant textbook material. findings show that increased final test because most required causal reasoning. contrast, discussions homework conveyed variety expectations, with an emphasis chronological reconstructions events. While some adjusted their reasoning, others relied reconstruct approach adhered closely simple chronologically structured. Outlier examples showed using multimodal representations, substitute teacher’s oral elaboration text, resources learner language answers. Implications support all engagement are discussed.