Scientific Discourse examines the nature of scientific inquiry in the primary school classroom to show how this interacts with early literacy. Through an examination of the texts used and produced by pupils studying science the author shows how what is at work in this context of scientific discourse is actually multiliteracy. The teacher aids the pupils' learning using different forms of literacy spread across the spoken word, written text, visual text and physical action. The result of this diverse approach is a growth not only in scientific knowledge, but basic literacy. The book provides a theoretical introduction to developmental literacy theory, current positions of science education and advanced theories of multiliteracy and genre theory. The new theory of scientific discourse presented in this book will be of interest to researchers of applied linguistics, discourse analysis and education.