Teaching science : challenges encountered when teaching an area outside science specialism

Abstract

Integrated Science is taught in the initial two years of secondary school in Malta and includes topics from Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Most Science teachers are likely to have a degree level qualification in one Science subject, therefore when teaching Integrated Science they would need to teach topics that they might not have studied beforehand. When teaching outside science specialism teachers will be teaching a subject/s that they did not study at Degree or even at Advanced Level. This can offer considerable challenges. The research study was carried out to explore the main challenges that Science teachers, who are nonChemistry specialists, encounter when teaching Chemistry topics from the Integrated Science syllabus. Following a qualitative methodological approach, data were gathered mainly through interviews and classroom observations. This paper presents three case studies of participant teachers who narrate their experiences when planning and teaching Chemistry topics and how this affects their self–efficacy and identity as Science teachers. Teachers also describe how they deal with these challenges to improve their practices. Based upon the outcomes of this research recommendations are provided to support teachers in teaching outside an area of their science specialism.