This paper explores affordances in teaching evolution, especially those in which evolution is made relevant to
and argued for in a grade 9 biology classroom, thus giving potential answers to the pupils’ legitimate question,
‘why am I learning evolution?’ The aim of the paper is methodological in the sense that it explores whether the
notions subject focus, curriculum emphasis and intertextuality have potential as analytical tools and pointers towards
enacted scientific literacy in classroom practice. The notion of subject focus (either induction into science or
learning from science) and the seven curriculum emphases (correct explanation, structure of science, scientific
skill development, solid foundation, everyday coping, decision making and self as explainer) are predefined and
used abductively on the data set. Intertextuality is analysed more inductively: references that pupils and teacher
make are sought and these intertextual links are then sorted into clusters. The findings indicate that the
structuring tools have potential as descriptors in the analysis. One subject focus (induction into science) and a
few curriculum emphases (especially correct explanations) are privileged, while others, eg everyday coping, are
not. When the discourses of self as explainer and correct explanations compete, it is the latter that is privileged.

• Why am I learning evolution? Pointers towards enacted scientific literacy

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