Study On Instructional Strategies Of Promoting Young Children’s Conceptual Change

In recent decades, studies on conceptual change teaching upsurge in the internationalrange. A number of studies have suggested that knowing students’ pre-conceptions is the keyto improve the quality of teaching. However, most of studies concentrated in the primary andmiddle school stage. In view of that conceptual changing is a complex process, so it is verynecessary for the in-depth studies on children’s conceptual change teaching.On the basis of results of previous studies, combing observation method, literaturemethod with case analysis method, this study analyzed science education activities forchildren aged4-5, aiming to summarize teaching strategies which could promote children’sconceptual change in kindergarten.This paper is divided into four parts:Part I, the posing of the problem. It mainly introduces the background, the researchpurpose and research contents, the research design, and points out the theoretical value andpractical significance.Part II, review of the literature. It reviewed related researches from two aspects: relatedresearches of the conception and pre-conception, related researches of conceptual change.Part III, teaching strategies of promoting children’s conceptual change. According to theteaching process, analysis about strategies to promote children’s conceptual change can bedivided into three levels:(1) strategies to probe pre-conceptions;(2) strategies to changepre-conceptions;(3) strategies to consolidate new conceptions. The study found thatstrategies to probe pre-conceptions: promoting children’s discussion, talking with childrenpositively, organizing painting activities; strategies to change pre-conceptions: using vividspeech teaching, providing counter examples, encouraging exploratory experiment, offeringcomparison, setting experience, heuristic teaching; strategies to consolidate new conceptions:providing chances of solving problems, designing teaching games.Part IV, problems of promoting conceptual change that should be noted in teachingprocess. The study putts forward problems that should be paid attention to in conceptualchange teaching:(1) underline the subjectivity of children;(2) on the basis of children’spre-conceptions;(3) pay attention to comprehending process of new conceptions;(4) enrichtheir own scientific knowledge.