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ERIC Number: EJ935505
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 3
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0269-2465
EISSN: N/A
Asking the Right Questions
Lord, Rob
Primary Science, n117 p13-15 Mar-Apr 2011
As a student teacher at Nottingham Trent University, the author explored the issues surrounding children asking investigable questions in science and the repertoire of strategies that could be employed by teachers in the classroom to support this process. His project was carried out in an inner-city primary school in Nottingham. The four focus children involved were part of a mixed year 1 and 2 class (ages 5-7) in which the majority of children had English as an additional language (EAL). The Early Years Foundation Stage framework in England (DCSF, 2008) highlights the significance of children asking questions at a young age: children should be supported to "ask questions about why things happen and how things work". This is then continued into the National Curriculum where children should be taught to "ask questions and decide how they might find answers to them". In order to ask questions in science, children need to develop an attitude of curiosity. Biddulph, Symington and Osborne proposed four ways of stimulating this attitude and encouraging questioning. These include "providing students with suitable stimuli, modelling question-asking, developing a receptive classroom atmosphere and including question-asking in evaluation." In this article, the author encourages EAL children to ask investigable questions in science. (Contains 2 figures and 3 boxes.)
Association for Science Education. College Lane Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AA, UK. Tel: +44-1-707-283000; Fax: +44-1-707-266532; e-mail: info@ase.org.uk; Web site: http://www.ase.org.uk
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 1; Grade 2
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A