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The Value of Trade Books in Secondary Science and Mathematics Instruction: A Rationale
Author(s) -
Daisey Peggy
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
school science and mathematics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.135
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 1949-8594
pISSN - 0036-6803
DOI - 10.1111/j.1949-8594.1994.tb15639.x
Subject(s) - mathematics education , value (mathematics) , science education , secondary education , mathematics , statistics
A rationale for the inclusion of trade books (i.e., fiction, nonfiction, biographies, autobiographies, reports of discoveries, poetry, science fiction) is offered to secondary science and mathematics instructors. The benefits of trade books include context for problem posing and solving while promoting constructivist‐based instruction. Trade books provide students with vicarious experiences of the science and mathematics process, as they afford young people introductions to people and ideas which they may not know otherwise. Trade books promote positive attitudes toward science and mathematics instruction because they present a distinctive point of view and celebrate diversity of achievement. Trade books contain the ingredients necessary for emotional growth: romance, wonder and awe. In addition, trade books foster students' literacy development, since students are likely to conduct personalized inquiry, monitor their thinking and spend more time actively engaged in reading due to the variety and appeal of trade books. Importantly, teacher and student responses show reflection and ownership when trade books are used during instruction. Examples of books and quotes are included.