Why is science hard to teach? What types of scientific investigation can you use in the primary classroom?

Touching on current curriculum concerns and the wider challenges of developing high-quality science education, this book is an indispensable overview of important areas of teaching every aspiring primary school teacher needs to understand including: the role of science in the curriculum, communication and literacy in science teaching, science outside the classroom, transitional issues and assessment.

Key features of this second edition include:

* A new chapter on science in the Early Years

* A new practical chapter on how to work scientifically

* Master's-level 'critical reading' boxes in every chapter linking topics to relevant specialist literature

* Expanded coverage of creativity, and link science to numeracy and computing

This is essential reading for all students studying primary science on initial teacher education courses, including undergraduate (BEd, BA with QTS), postgraduate (PGCE, School Direct, SCITT), and also NQTs.

Mick Dunne is Senior Lecturer in Science Education at Manchester Metropolitan University
Alan Peacock is Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter

About the Author
Alan Peacock is Honorary University Fellow at the Graduate School of Education, University of Exeter, and until recently was Editor of Primary Science journal for six years. He has worked in teaching, training and research in science education for over 40 years, in various regions of the UK and overseas. He has carried out primary science consultancy work for the British Council, UNESCO, the EU, The National Trust, various environmental groups and numerous NGOs in Africa, including in Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Senegal and Mozambique. His publications include Science Skills: A Problem-Solving Activities Book (Taylor & Francis); Science in Primary Schools: The Multicultural Dimension (Routledge); Opportunities for Science in the Primary School (Trentham); Teaching Primary Science (Macmillan Education) and Eco-literacy for Primary Schools (Trentham). He has also written and edited the Sayansi (Science) series of pupils' science texts for Tanzanian schools, and recently chaired the UNESCO working group on 'Guidelines for enhancing quality education through textbooks'.

Reviews

What a helpful book. It covers the current issues in primary science education, providing an overview and dealing with the detail, identifying the areas that teachers and student teachers find most challenging and offering valuable guidance. It is challenging and reassuring, thought-provoking and enjoyable. I can't recommend it too highly.

-- Stuart Naylor

What a good read. This book covers everything an aspiring teacher would want from a Primary Science publication. Inspirational writers, clearly defined introductions to each chapter, insight into a range of issues linked to Primary Science. Opportunities for self reflection supported by references to current and relevant research all in one place. Perfect.

-- Kathy Schofield

This book is invaluable in supporting trainee teachers at all stages of their degree programme in their teaching of science in the primary classroom. It covers a broad range of topics incorporating all aspects of science teaching and learning across the primary age range. There are ample opportunities throughout the book for the reader to reflect in order to develop themselves further as an effective teacher of primary science.

-- Louise Hawxwell
This book is extremely useful for trainees to use as reference material for assignments as it covers all of the main issues in science education today. Moreover, every chapter has a further reading list, reference list and web links. I would recommend this book to my peers, but also to teachers who feel less confident in teaching science. An accessible read, quickly digested and easy to understand with the depth of content needed for advanced study. -- Rachelle Louise Blagdon



Book Information
ISBN 9781446295090
Author Mick Dunne
Format Paperback
Page Count 312
Imprint Sage Publications Ltd
Publisher Sage Publications Ltd
Weight(grams) 550g