Which sciences are taught and in what manner in Early Childhood Education classes? The perception of teachers during initial training

Abstract

Science teaching is present in curriculums at all levels of education. However, little research has been done into what contents are taught, how they are taught and what the pupils actually learn at the pre-primary stage. In this paper we will study future teachers’ perception of science teaching being carried out in Second Cycle of Childhood Education classrooms (3-4-5 years old). Using their experiences from teaching practice, a number of Pre-school Education degree students have completed a questionnaire, created to understand better the educational reality that we are studying. The results reveal the poor treatment of certain contents and the absence of key activities to learn science at these ages. Lastly, attention is given to teacher training, both initial and in practice.