Visual and gestural metaphors for introducing energy to student teachers of primary school and kindergarten levels

Abstract

Abstract The linguistic expressions scientists and educators use for energy are in most cases expressions of the principal metaphor of substance, although energy is an imponderable concept. The substance metaphor is embodied and familiar to students, so we can rely on it as useful for helping them develop a productive framework for understanding energy. In this paper we will introduce a laboratory course for student teachers of primary school and kindergarten levels using visual and gestural metaphors for introducing energy,