Exploring Early Childhood Teachers’ Understanding of Foundational Concepts in Physical Science

Teachers are important in promoting student learning, and as such, their foundational knowledge of concepts has been the focus of numerous research studies. While several studies have examined the impact of teachers' content knowledge (CK) on learners' performance, there is a noticeable gap in research specifically targeting early childhood education (ECE). Although there is some emerging research on ECE teachers’ Science CK, few studies concentrate on the critical scientific understanding of everyday concepts like floating and sinking, which is fundamental for children at this level. This study explores the Science CK of early childhood teachers regarding the fundamental concepts in physical science in Lesotho. Four ECE teachers were purposely and conveniently selected for interviews, observations, and analysis of their lesson plans on floating and sinking. The findings indicate that teachers' CK is fragmented. While they possess adequate competence in both common content knowledge and horizon content knowledge, their specialized content knowledge is notably limited. For example, some participants were unable to explain why objects of the same size but different materials either float or sink, highlighting the need for deeper conceptual understanding in science teaching. This study contributes to the body of knowledge for early childhood teachers’ science content knowledge. Consequently, it recommends that teacher training institutions and the Ministry of Education and Training implement ECD programs that enhance teachers’ science CK.