ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the fundamental role of narrative–including scientific and technological ‘stories’–in human culture. It explores techniques for developing narratives to support children’s learning in science and technology. The chapter explores the role of talk between children and practitioners as an example of the socio-cultural view of learning, arguing that children’s scientific and technological thinking is supported through using narratives–personal, cultural, traditional, contemporary, oral and printed. Narratives are essential to human experience; scientific and technological concepts, skills and attitudes may be passed down through and exchanged within the stories that cultures share. The construction of narratives is an early and spontaneous process in adult–child interactions; in the early exchanges children first encounter, make links and are inducted into methods of thinking relevant to science and technology. The chapter outlines sustained shared thinking and dialogic talk as approaches to teaching and learning science and technology that are based in socio-cultural perspectives.
