IMPORTANCE AND NECESSITY OF STRENGTHENING OF NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION IN A PRIMARY SCHOOL

Abstract

Natural science education (NSE) - one of the most actual fields of activity of a comprehensive school. One of most acute problems of today's education - low interest to natural sciences and especially to chemistry. This problem is actual not only in Lithuania, but also all over the world. Many researches of last years specify necessity of perfection of natural science education at all levels of an education system and especially at a level of a primary school. Acquaintance to natural sciences in a primary school does not meet today's requirements. It is necessary to return teaching of natural sciences in primary schools. The main accent of process of natural science education in a primary school should become a different sort of researches and experiments. The teaching and learning process in primary school level should have strong focus on constructivist learning and the role of social interaction in learning. The teachers should be able to improve motivation for learning through enjoyment and giving children some control of their science activities. The primary goal of natural sciences in an primary school is acquaintance of pupils to world around, formation of a complete picture of the world to all complex interrelations that further, in the basic school, to pass to studying separate subjects of a natural cycle (for example, chemistry, physics, biology). One of many reasons of low interest to chemistry - insufficient attention to a component of chemistry in the content of a primary education. For the period of primary school pupils does not receive the basic initial knowledge in chemistry and research skills. On the other hand, teachers of primary classes are not prepared at a sufficient level in sphere of modern natural science education. We should help children learn more about the chemicals that surround them in their everyday life. Also we should to complete the design of equipment and supporting materials for chemistry at the primary school level. It is obvious, that science remains abstract and alien to young students and they are not attracted to further study. We should try to change such a situation. First of all, a complete system for doing practical work from grade 1 to 4 in science must be carefully designed. Finally, we can note, that encouraging interest in the natural sciences is the priority of education (teaching and learning) process in primary school. Key words: science education, primary school, priority of education.