Words, science and learning

Despite the power of words to move minds, appreciating the written or spoken word is rarely thought to be the essence of teaching and learning science and much more effort goes into organizing practical work. There is an exaggerated confidence in the value of the direct experience of things as opposed to "mere words", and a corresponding neglect of how words are actually involved in developing anyone's scientific understanding. Clive Sutton does not wish to deny the value of first hand scientific understanding, and shows that they cannot just be taken for granted while we busy ourselves in the organization of practical work. He explores the role of language in the growth of science itself, in the growth of learners' ideas, and in classroom practice; and how these relate, for instance, to some pupils' alienation from science and the isolation of science in the curriculum.