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Learning Skills for Science

The Learning Skills for Science (LSS) programme was first produced at the Weizmann Institute of Science. In 2004, the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP) commissioned further work to enable the materials and training programme to be used in the UK. The project has achieved widespread recognition both in the UK and abroad.


High-order skills - such as inquiry, problem-solving, thinking and learning skills - are an integral part of a good science education. The LSS programme helps teachers to integrate learning skills into the teaching of scientific content. It provides activities to facilitate explicit, guided, and well-planned learning opportunities that foster skills development, focusing on six skill areas:

Skill Area 1: Information retrieval Skill Area 2: Listening & observing Skill Area 3: Scientific reading Skill Area 4: Data representation Skill Area 5: Scientific writing Skill Area 6: Knowledge presentation

Each skill area is divided into sub-skills, for example Skill Area 5 Scientific writing covers how to prepare a report, write an article and construct an abstract.

The LSS materials were further developed this year, together with the Nuffield Curriculum Centre, to include subject specific LSS activities to support the new Advanced level specifications in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Applied Science and Science in Society. With these new resources, the LSS programme supports science teaching and learning from secondary through to further education, ages 11-19.

LSS Resources

The LSS resources are available through training programmes delivered by the national network of Science Learning Centres (SLCs) and local LSS trainers around the UK. These courses include:

•	a Teachers' Guide, with background information about the skill areas and their teaching, alongside guidance for the implementation of the activities;
•	worksheets for all six Skill Areas, which can be photocopied, with instructions for the classroom activities;
•	training for teachers on the activities and intended pedagogy at a two-day course.

Training on the activities and intended pedagogy at a 2-day course is followed by ongoing support via our LSS Associates scheme, providing updates on new LSS materials and training courses in the UK.

LSS Associates gain exclusive online access to free downloadable supporting resources, including scientific articles, texts, worksheets and useful weblinks. Here is a taster of the range of resources available:

The documents can be downloaded by clicking the links in the table below and selecting 'save as' or 'save target as', depending on your browser.

KS4 Activity TiTle

Student
WORKSHEETS

Supporting
RESOURCES

TEACHER
aLTEr'VE

1.1

Saving and finding information

POST-16 Activity TiTle

TEACHER
nOTES

Student
activities

Supporting
documents

2.1

Taking notes from a
presentation

PDF

WORD

PDF

POWERPT

Access to the full range of LSS resources is available exclusively to all LSS Associates. Join the LSS Associates scheme through LSS training programmes taking place at Science Learning Centres, schools and colleges all over the UK.

For further information on LSS courses click here.

If you have already attended a LSS course please go to www.sep.org.uk/lss where you can login to access the full range of LSS resources to support your training. People trained pre-December 2008 will be asked to register as LSS Associates to gain access to the exclusive LSS supporting resources.