Kids switch on to science

A new French teaching method has made all the difference to Gauteng pupils' approach to natural sciences.

Teachers Boitumelo Mokau and Shenay Janson have been using the La Main à la Pâte model of inquiry-based science education for less than eight months, and agree it has led to a marked improvement.

"Pupils have become so inquisitive and are a lot more enthusiastic about science," said Janson, head of natural science and technology at Lyttelton Primary School in Centurion.

"I hear from other teachers how pupils ask them science-related questions. Just yesterday, they asked their aftercare teacher everything they could ask about space."

The pair are among a group of more than 20 Grade 4 teachers from 10 Gauteng schools being trained to use the system, which aims to improve the quality of science teaching and learning.

All 30 natural science subject advisers in the province were also trained to help the teachers implement the method in schools.

La Main à la Pâte, meaning "hands in the dough", places emphasis on experimenting and asking questions within and beyond the classroom.

The aim is to stimulate the curiosity of pupils in science and technology and to integrate language, scientific and critical thinking skills.

The last training session of the pilot phase, conducted by French trainers Anne Goube and Albine Courdent at Lyttelton Primary School, ends today.

The impact of the phase will be assessed to help spread the programme to all schools throughout South Africa from next year.

Janson said there had been a decrease in the Grade 4s' failure rate for natural science last term. Only five out of 149 pupils failed the subject.

Mokau did not know what to expect when she transferred from teaching high school life orientation and Sepedi to teaching Grade 4 natural science.

"I was new at natural sciences, but I now enjoy it a lot. I also get a chance to learn in the process."