Talking everyday science to very young children: a study involving parents and practitioners within an early childhood centre

Article

Lloyd-Reichling, E., Edmonds, C., Downs, C., Crutchley, R. and Paffard, F. 2016. Talking everyday science to very young children: a study involving parents and practitioners within an early childhood centre. Early Child Development and Care. 187 (2), pp. 244-260. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2016.1226355
AuthorsLloyd-Reichling, E., Edmonds, C., Downs, C., Crutchley, R. and Paffard, F.
Abstract

The acquisition of everyday scientific concepts by 3-6 year old children attending early childhood institutions has been widely studied. In contrast, research on science learning processes among younger children is less extensive. This paper reports on findings from an exploratory empirical study undertaken in a ‘stay and play’ service used by parents with children aged 0-3 and located within an East London early childhood centre. The research team collaborated with practitioners to deliver a programme of activities aimed at encouraging parents’ confidence in their own ability to support emergent scientific thinking among their young children. The programme generated children’s engagement and interest. Parents and practitioners reported increased confidence in their ability to promote young children’s natural curiosity at home and in early childhood provision. The authors see no reason for positing qualitative differences between the way children acquire scientific and other concepts in their earliest years.

KeywordsEmergent scientific thinking; everyday scientific concepts; children aged under three; parental confidence; early childhood practitioner confidence
JournalEarly Child Development and Care
Journal citation187 (2), pp. 244-260
ISSN1476-8275
0300-4430
Year2016
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Accepted author manuscript
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2016.1226355
Publication dates
Print17 Sep 2016
Publication process dates
Deposited07 Oct 2016
Accepted11 Aug 2016
Accepted11 Aug 2016
FunderUniversity of East London Civic Engagement Fund 2015
University of East London Civic Engagement Fund 2015
Copyright information© 2016 Taylor & Francis. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Early Child Development and Care on 17/09/2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/03004430.2016.1226355
LicenseAll rights reserved
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