A comparison of primary school pupils' ability to express procedural understanding in science through speech and writing

Pupils reaching the end of their primary schooling in the UK have some gras p of the relevance of their process activities in terms of evidential value . The majority find it easier to express this understanding verbally rather than in writing. One reason for this is the facility that pupils have for using the two modes of expression, yet it is clear that other factors are i n play. Both pupils and teachers have different agendas for what it is appr opriate to address in speech and in writing, and thus the two modes of expr ession often serve different purposes. This paper concludes that there is m uch that might be done to improve the critical nature of the dialogue pupil s enter into in their written work, thus exposing more clearly their level of procedural understanding.