Teacher Art Talk: What We Say Matters

This study examines art discourse from four elementary school art teachers who came to their classrooms with very different kinds of preparation: a student teacher, an artist in residence, a volunteer parent, and a credentialed art specialist. Two simultaneous and implicit functions of the teachers' spoken discourse are analyzed: an informational function and a social function. Findings illuminate strengths and weaknesses in art teacher talk, and suggest effective kinds of discourse that all teachers can utilize.