Supporting inquiry in the primary years - Children's science questions and how teachers deal with them

Abstract

From 2013, Australian teachers of Preparatory Year to Year 10 will be required to fully implement the new Australian Curriculum: Science. An insight into what science questions children may ask would be beneficial in light of teachers' interaction with this new curriculum over the coming years. This study investigated the types of science questions children have in response to a visual stimulus of lunar phenomena. It also examined teachers' responses to those questions. A review of the literature highlighted the importance of children's questions, however, there had been considerable research about teachers' questions and proportionally little about children's questions. Data were gathered through classroom observations of children posing questions, teacher observations and interviews, and teacher questionnaires. One hundred and forty-five teachers completed the questionnaire. Part 1 of the questionnaire asked teachers about their responses to children's science questions. Part 2 was a multiple-choice test using five children's questions about the Moon. Six teachers and their classes (Year 6) participated in the study group. The children were shown three pictures of the Moon and asked to share questions they had about the relevant phenomena. Some children asked no questions and others asked several.