Author(s):
Mah-Jabeen Malik*, Samreen Shabbir, Manzza Karim
Corresponding Author: mahammahimaha757@gmail.com

Abstract:

This manuscript examined misconceptions in basic scientific concepts among primary school learners in South Punjab, Pakistan through a qualitative case study conducted in Bahawalpur district. Conceptual errors in early science learning were treated as stable misunderstandings shaped by interactions among cognitive development, language accessibility, pedagogy, and assessment practices. Data were drawn from semi-structured interviews with primary learners and science teachers and analyzed using thematic analysis. The case evidence indicated that misconceptions clustered strongly around abstract and invisible concepts (air/pressure, force, energy, magnetism) and process-based phenomena (water cycle, evaporation, photosynthesis). A central pattern was that learners expressed difficulty describing how and why scientific processes occur, often relying on memorized statements rather than articulated understanding. Teacher accounts emphasized that learners could decode textbook text while failing to grasp meaning, suggesting that language complexity and limited conceptual scaffolding functioned as major misconception drivers. Instructional routines were mainly textbook-centered, with constrained access to models, charts, kits, and practical opportunities. The findings were interpreted through a conceptual framework linking student cognitive readiness and prior knowledge with teacher pedagogical content knowledge, medium-of-instruction barriers, and limited formative assessment. The manuscript argues that addressing misconceptions in South Punjab primary science requires systemic shifts: bilingual scaffolding where needed, low-cost experiential learning, routine diagnostic questioning and feedback cycles, and sustained teacher development aligned to classroom realities. These reforms can better align curriculum intentions with classroom implementation, reducing long-term accumulation of misconceptions that hinder later STEM learning.

Keywords:
scientific misconceptions, primary school learners, science learning difficulties, teaching strategies in science

Acceptance Date:
October 02, 2025

Copyright (c) 2025 Mah-Jabeen Malik, Samreen Shabbir, Manzza Karim. Published by Falcons Journal of Advanced Research (FJAR).

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) .