Discourses concepts, values and positions: resources for participants and discourse deployment of resources and construction of positioning in practice

Discourses construct subject positions and ascribe these to participants. Individuals participate in multiple discourses with different resources and sets of subject positions available. They constrain but do not determine individuals’ positioning. But individuals also position themselves. This occurs through the choices (conscious or unconscious) made between the available resources as they seek to account for their practices. This accounting has both ‘external’ and ‘internal’ aspects, consisting of how others conceive of the subject and how the subject conceives of themselves. ‘Identity’ is taken to refer to the ways in which individuals account for their practices and their positionings within the discourses available.

Once the teacher has established what the pupil is to achieve and how the pupil can achieve it, the pupil is in a position to guide their own learning. The pupil can seek help from suitable sources such as books, other learners and the teacher. When they know what they are trying to accomplish they can forge ahead without reference to the teacher if that is appropriate. This frees the teacher to provide help where it is really needed. When pupils take responsibility in this way their performance standards can rise across the board. It is true that some pupils will resist this, wanting to blame the teacher rather than themselves for their lack of learning, but such methods are surprisingly successful if persisted with. QCA (2003) Using assessment to raise achievement in mathematics at key stages 1, 2 and 3

Once the teacher has established what the pupil is to achieve and how the pupil can achieve it, the pupil is in a position to guide their own learning. The pupil can seek help from suitable sources such as books, other learners and the teacher. When they know what they are trying to accomplish they can forge ahead without reference to the teacher if that is appropriate. This frees the teacher to provide help where it is really needed. When pupils take responsibility in this way their performance standards can rise across the board. It is true that some pupils will resist this, wanting to blame the teacher rather than themselves for their lack of learning, but such methods are surprisingly successful if persisted with. QCA (2003) Using assessment to raise achievement in mathematics at key stages 1, 2 and 3

It is true that some pupils will resist this, wanting to blame the teacher rather than themselves for their lack of learning, but such methods are surprisingly successful if persisted with. Resisting pupils –Are deviant –Do not learn –Are to blame for their lack of learning –Falsely blame teachers –Will not succeed in their deviance Teachers –Are not to blame for pupils’ lack of learning - if they use the approved methods

Different forms of pedagogic discourse allow different student positions: the case of Mário, the “outsider” –‘progressive’ pedagogy allowing students to evaluate themselves and each other with implicit evaluation criteria: Mário seeks to position himself as an insider using everyday discourse resources –teacher intervention with explicit criteria: Mário is able to make use of the teacher’s criteria in order to position himself more positively.