Talking sense in science : helping children understand through talk / Douglas P. Newton.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 173-174) and indexes.

part 1. Understanding and science : why and what -- Why understand -- Some kinds of understanding in science -- Getting to know the understandings you will support -- Scientific language -- Cumulative summary -- part 2. Helping children understand : guiding thought -- Guiding thought -- Science talk and practical activity -- Changing minds -- Pressing for understanding -- Cumulative summary -- part 3. Doing more for understanding -- Building bridges -- Science talk and scaffolding -- Science talk and modelling thinking -- Science talk and predicting -- Science talk and inanimate teachers -- Science talk and stories -- Science talk and games -- Science talk and graphic organizers -- Cumulative summary -- part 4. Conversations in science -- Conversations in science -- Conversations from events -- Conversations from children's questions -- Conversations from artefacts -- Conversations from pictures -- Conversations from stories and poems -- Who takes the initiative? -- Cumulative summary -- Endnote : some possible responses to the tasks.

Looks at ways of understanding in science, and scientific language as well as how talk can support practical activities. Each idea is described, illustrated and followed by a short task to develop teaching skills.