EARLY PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS ABOUT SCIENCE AND SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS: A CASE STUDY IN SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract

Early primary school (grades R to 3) science education has been in the spotlight in recent years, as science education scholars are increasingly acknowledging the need to provide a strong foundation in science education, to motivate learners to study the subject in subsequent years. Literature suggests that most early primary school teachers lack the basic knowledge required to introduce young learners to science, and to motivate them in the study of science. Primary school teachers’ limited knowledge of science and its processes could affect how they introduce and develop science concepts in early primary school learners. In the South African context, there is limited literature on early primary school teachers’ knowledge of science and its processes, as well as on teachers’ attitudes towards the teaching of science to early primary school learners. The purpose of the study was to investigate early primary school teachers’ knowledge of the concepts of science and science process skills, and to determine their perceptions regarding the teaching of science in early primary school. The study involved four purposively selected early primary school teachers, in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews, and the findings showed that the participating teachers had limited knowledge of the concepts of science and science process skills, and that they mostly had negative perceptions about the teaching of science in early primary school. These findings have implications on the training of early primary school teachers.