INTRODUCTION

While a growing number of articles have been written about teacher knowledge of concepts (see Appleton, 2006), much of the research contained in them has concentrated upon discipline content knowledge devoid of the conceptual system in which the concepts were developed or are being used (Fleer, 2009b). In these articles, teacher knowledge of concepts in discipline areas has generally been researched against a checklist of concepts (e.g., Garbett, 2003), and great associated claims have been made about early childhood teachers' lack of knowledge. Research into teacher knowledge of subject matter concepts has not been examined in relation to everyday concepts and scientific concepts in specific subject areas (see chapter 3). Much of the research into early childhood teacher knowledge of concepts gives a rather limited reading of teacher concept knowledge within discipline areas (see Fleer, 2009b).