Language and the teaching of Physics in Primary Schools

Abstract

In this study we followed the behaviour of a group of students, using one of their number, Marília, as a representative of the group, during an activity in which we sought to identify whether second year primary school students would be capable of learning topics in Physics through the exclusive use of narrative. The approach of focusing on only one student was chosen in order to be able to identify more details in her behaviour and to better observe both the individual s evolution and that of the group, whether it be through her personal comments, dialogue with other members of the group or during the presentation of her ideas to the group as a whole. To that end, a children s story with physics content so simple and so useful (Barbosa Lima, 1997) was used, specially written with this aim in mind and presenting five simple machines: the windlass, scissors, a lever, an inclined plane and a wheelbarrow. The steps taken by Marília and her group during the lever activity are presented here; having read the story together with the group, they developed, through dialogue, an exercise in reasoning, which after being solved was shared with the whole group.