The patterning, correction and expansion of primary natural science education that is based on ex-haustive research are necessary to perceive the peculiarities of natural science education of the junior pupils aged from 6 to 12. The revision of particular training issues of the junior period (content, methods and forms) is insufficient in order children should become the equal members of society, nation and the world yet in childhood.
Foreign scientists carry out a number of different investigations in the field of primary natural science education. In fact, the importance of natural science education is accepted putting emphasis on primary school. In considering the place of the natural sciences in the curriculum of schools, one cannot fail to recog-nize their centrality in the lives and work of those of us living in the industrialized countries around the globe (Shafer, 1996). After 1950 the subsequent positions were more frequent: primary natural science education has to be a creative process, sciences teaching cannot be only nature study.
Scrupulous attention is devoted to chemistry issues in primary school. It is underlined that the field should be revised more attentively as the child faces plenty of chemical substances in daily life.
The proceeding following moments are worth to be mentioned:
• children have a natural sense of wonder and curiosity about their world (Qualter, 1994; Alford, 1997);
• exists a distinction between children’s life knowledge and scientific knowledge. The transition from the first to the second is not always automatic or linear (Black, Lucas, 1993);
• learning in primary science is most effective when children can interpret their own experience and in-vestigations in scientific terms (Wenham, 1995).
It can be concluded that:
• one of the burning issues is natural science and technological literacy;
• much attention is devoted to broadening children’s cognitive abilities, it is emphasized that the suc-cess of primary natural science education should depend on teaching quality that is given to chil-dren;
• a consistent important didactic pattern is stressed – from simple visions to the interpretation, devel-opment, etc. of scientific concepts;
• It is sought to examine the impact of the cognitive factors on the success of learning (achievements) as well as that of motivation, teaching methodology, classroom microclimate, a social environment, etc.;
• more and more attention is focused on the alteration of natural science education paradigms – from academic science subjects teaching to “science for all”. The most important directions of research are the final goals of natural science education of the present century and the most effective strate-gies of teaching;
• primary teachers’ natural science competency is given very close attention. Different approaches are searched for making primary natural science education more effective. Akvileva ir Klepinina (2001, p.3) state that one of the weakest links in the training of primary natural science teachers are limited students’ abilities to transfer theoretic knowledge into practical activities;
• natural science education curricula and its planning are very important aspects. Though a curriculum itself does not guarantee the quality of natural science education, it is a suitable instrument for the teacher. Designing of primary natural science education curricula is one of the obligatory compo-nents of the teacher’s competency. The content of the curricula of the main science subjects re-mains problematic. It is clear that the content of primary natural science education should be inte-grated. However, it does not mean that the knowledge of biology, chemistry, and physics is not in-troduced. The question about the balance of the main fields arises. Assessment shows that the knowledge of chemistry is very poor and requires obligatory and exhaustive research in the field. Unusually prominent “biologization” makes pupils’ natural science education poor, lays down pre-conditions to give up on chemistry and physics.
Integrated Teaching Competency Framework for General Education Program: Suggestions and Recommendations for Natural Science Teachers
