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Conceptual acquisition in the Foundation Phase: A Vygotskian analysis of teaching concepts in science classrooms

Dr Joanne Hardman & Natasha McConkeyEducational Psychology School of Education UCTJoanne.hardman@uct.ac.za

Context of underperformance Extremely poor performance in primary schools on numeracy and literacy tests from an international perspective see 2011 and 2012 Annual National Assessment (ANA) tests World Economic Forum Report: South African primary schools were placed 132th out of 144 countries. South Africa came second last to Yemen in the 2012 World Economic Forum in maths and science education (Global Competitiveness Report, 2012-2013).

Problem Science neglected in curriculum for FP (Morris, 2014)- focus on everyday rather than scientific concepts. Apparent view of children in curriculum as not cognitively able to grasp abstraction- probably informed by a stage view of child-development that is outdated (Egan,2002, Spelke; Fleer, 2010)Research (Askew, 2013; Chin, 2007; Fleer, 2007) indicates that the mediation of scientific ("schooled") concepts is necessary for conceptual development.Theoretical framework Neo-Vygotskian: focus on importance of mediation of scientific (schooled) conceptsWhere mediation refers to: method of teaching that is developmental: i.e. opens up the zone of proximal developmentThat developmental space where a child accomplishes more with assistance than on his/her ownNecessarily aimed at the teaching of scientific concepts- i.e. everyday concepts arent mediated. SOConcepts in science can be everyday (empirical) OR scientificA 4 year old notices when she sits in the bath that the water level rises- empirical, everyday concept. Archimedes principle: upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether fully or partially submerged, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaces Fundamental law of physics. BUTDialectical relation between scientific and everyday conceptsOne cannot make sense of scientific concepts in absence of everydayEveryday concepts arent conscious in the absence of scientific concepts

DUOBLE MOVE required when teaching required [Hedegaard]. Question What kind of concepts are taught in Grades 1 and 2 in a science lesson?How are the scientific and everyday dialectically linked?Focus on pedagogyPrimary pedagogical tool is teacher talk So? Can we define pedagogy?A structured process whereby a culturally more experienced peer or teacher uses cultural tools to mediate or guide a novice into established, relatively stable ways of knowing and being within a particular, institutional context, in such a way that the knowledge and skills the novice acquires lead to relatively lasting changes in the novices behaviour; that is, learning (Hardman, 2007: 5)THE STUDY1 school Mitchells Plein Western CapeProfile of students= disadvantagedGrade 1 and 2- developmentally interesting in light of new understanding of childrens cognitive capacity (Askew, 2013; Goswami & Bryant, 2010). 4 teachers; 180 studentsCASE STUDY DESIGNCurriculum context: Beginning Knowledge Science is taught in Life Skills in South African Foundation Phase classrooms. One hour per week in a 23 hour teaching week (as distinct from 8 hrs for home language and 7 hours for mathematics) [grades 1 and 2]Teacher demographicsTeacherGenderAge Home language

Language of instruction

Years of teaching experience

Qualification

1F46AFRENG20DIP2F55AFRENG35No formal 3F62ENGENG35DIP4F25ENGENG1BEDAnalytical categoriesall teacher and student talk coded- focus on categories below in regards to this paper. Code DefinitionExampleTeacher EECElaborated everyday concept Octopuses live in the sea.

T4NEECNon-elaborated everyday conceptThis is not a whale T2ESCElaborated sci conceptAquatic animals are animals that live in water and terrestrial animals are animals that live on land T3STScientific termsThey breather oxygenT1IECIncorrectly elaborated everyday conceptMr Lion is the King of the {}Jungle and he is the strongest animal

T1IESCIncorrectly elaborated sci concept Trees is a mode of transport

T1SUMMARY OF FINDINGSempirical concepts TeacherElaborated everyday concepts% of overall discourseNon-elaborated everyday conceptsIncorrectly elaborated everyday conceptsTeacher 1 9120Teacher 2 7310Teacher 3 1383Teacher 4 2443SUMMARY OF FINDINGSscientific concepts TeacherElaborated scientific concepts% of overall discourseScientific termsIncorrectly elaborated scientific conceptsTeacher 1 021Teacher 2 023Teacher 3 525Teacher 4 812Elaborated sci concepts: linking to the everydayTeacher: Tell me how do we know it is a terrestrial animal? We had the characteristics on the board.How do we know? Students: Green. Teacher: They live on land. What else? Students: They breathe through their lungs.Teacher: They breathe through their lungs. Show me your lungs. Breathe in and breathe out .Those are your lungs. The fresh air goes into your lungs.

Incorrect scientific concept: Sponge BobTeacher: Is Sponge Bob also an aquatic animal?Students: No.[Students talking together]Teacher: Shhtt. I can't hear when everybody's speaking. What is Sponge Bob Jade?Student: A cheese.Teacher: Is Sponge Bob a cheese?Students: No.Teacher: Sponge Bob is a sponge. But I don't think he's an aquatic animal. Does he have gills?Students: No.Teacher: Sponge Bob is super human. I think he is super human.He is the only sponge who can talk and live under water. And he doesn't swim.

A sponge is a sessile aquatic animal

Elaborated everyday- misses the chance to become sciTeacher: And in Dora yes. Dora goes on a hot air balloon (21:30).Now this is what we call a hot air balloon. Now this doesn't have an engine but it flies. Now how do you think that happens?Students: Cause it's warm inside.Teacher: Because it's warm inside. Good girl Jade. That's a very good answer. Yes Amira?Student: Fire blow up Teacher.Teacher: Yes that's fire that blow up, it stabilise the balloon and then it flows in the air to go wherever you want it to go. Ok.

Incorrectly elaborated scientific concept: aquatic animals have gills and finsTeacher: Ok.Thank you.Now we come to aquatic animals.Students: Aquatic animals live in water.They breathe through their gills.They swim with their fins. Teacher: They use fins to let them move forward, backwards or to the side.They have fins.

ContTrees are transport tooTeacher: Ok. Goedy, you choose another card.Show them the word.Students: Trees.Teacher: Trees. Does the tree belong in the land, air or water column?Which transport is trees? Oh my goodness me and we find trees on...?Students: Land.Teacher: land. We find trees on land.And we just said trees is a mode of transport.

Jelly fish- she looks like a personTeacher: And she said, hello Molly I am a jelly fish. And I also want to greet you.And Mr Jelly Fish also came out and you know what Molly love the jelly fish. Why?Students: Because she look alike.Teacher: She looks like...?Students: Pink. Teacher: Yes, her colour is pink but look at the face. Students: White.Teacher: Not white. Look at the face.Students: BarbieTeacher: She looks like a person and she's got round cheeks and she's got a happy face.And Molly said oh but I like you jelly fishI want you to be my friend.

Conclusion Focus on everyday, empirical concepts Dearth of scientific concepts Dearth of dialectical relation between sci and everyday conceptsIncorrect scientific and everyday concepts taught.