# 3.1 Children expressing their ideas

One of the most important things an adult can do is listen to children, and give them opportunities to express their ideas in different ways.

## Activity 10 Listening to children

Allow about 10 minutes

Watch the following two video clips, and observe how children are given opportunities to express their ideas at the start and end of a topic. What roles do you think the adults have played? Note any thoughts in the box.

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Video 1: Observing seeds
Transcript

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Video 2: Christopher explains about friction
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### Comment

In the first film, the teacher has created an environment where young children share their ideas as they start their observations in pairs. Time, space and resources have been organised and the children are encouraged to touch and look at the seeds. The teacher stands back and gives the children time to explore the seeds and to share their existing knowledge as they start the topic, with one girl sharing her belief that one of the seeds is a bean.

In the second clip, it is clear that much of Christopher’s learning has taken place as a result of observing or measuring, and then discussing what his observations might mean with the other children and adults. Being able to put what he has seen into his own words, and indeed ‘teaching’ someone else, helps him to articulate what he knows. He might need some prompts but, crucially, his ideas are valued as someone listens to him. Although we do not see the teaching prior to Christopher’s interview, it is evident that he has had opportunities for extended investigation and exploration.

It’s become widely accepted that language plays a key role in learning science, and Bruner (1978) stressed the importance of language as a way of learning how to think. If we are given opportunities to communicate our ideas, we begin to examine and perhaps question our preconceptions, and to develop our conceptual understanding.

OpenLearn - Primary science: supporting children’s learning
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