Reading -To-Learn Science: the Perspective of Thai Science Student Teachers

Abstract

     This exploratory classroom research aims to study Thai science student teachers' perspective on learning science through reading and identify factors and difficulties of comprehensive science reading. The participants were 18 student teachers majoring in science teaching and taking a course Reading in Contemporary Science Education Issue (159372) in the 2006 Academic year at Faculty of Education, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand. The students were assigned to write a one-page essay to express their opinion on whether science teachers need to be a reading teacher. Key ideas of their writing were identified and discussed with the cohort. It was found that the students thought that reading was both learning and teaching tools in science. Reading could help students become scientific literate- the principal goal of science education and foster higher order thinking. However, reading science was not easy. From focus group interview, the students raise a number of difficulties of reading science including the use of scientific terminology, symbol, presentation and language issue. Regarding these difficulties, students urged science teachers to promote this basic communication skill for effective science learning.