Laboratory Method of Teaching Science

1. 1
LABORATORTY METHOD OF
TEACHING SCIENCE
By:
Irshad
LABORATORY METHOD OF TEACHING SCIENCE
The study of science can properly be applied to the laboratory study of the subject. In
order to know what the facts of science are, they must be seen and handled directly on
the laboratory tables. Science teaching and laboratory always go together, and almost in
all the methods of teaching, especially in Heuristic, Demonstration and Laboratory
method of teaching. Pupils should be taught the dangers inherent in each activity and
how to avoid hazards like burns and fire, cuts and broken glasses, heating in test tubes,
smelling and testing, dangerous chemicals and gasses, acids and oxidizing materials that
go to support combustion or burning.
Activities and experiments are unavoidable assets to a science lesson. Doing things with
reacting materials, sharp instruments glass apparatus can be fun; also they can be
dangerous. So the science teacher must ensure that work is done in such a way that no
accident occurs.
laboratory method is almost universally approved by the science teachers everywhere,
the text book method of teaching in the class rooms prevails in the schools to such an
extent that laboratory work is incidental, inefficient and in many cases excluded
altogether. The current methods of examination cannot test the laboratory study.
Laboratory teaching develops in the pupils the ability of interpreting what he sees in the
light of experience and makes him thus an observer later. Laboratory work is
undoubtedly of value in the cultivation of the mind. It brings the teacher and the taught
in close contact and thus the personality of the teacher influences the character of the
pupil.
In a classroom the teacher presents a statement from a book according to his conception
and then the effort is made by the pupils to reproduce the statement in their own way.

2. 2
In the laboratory the pupil encounters the fact directly without the intermediate steps
which involve the teacher a though the latter is concerned in assisting the thorough
exploration of the fact.
Efforts should be made to reach some position of equilibrium between the experimental
work and the classroom teaching. In that case, the pupil along with the first-hand
knowledge in this laboratory may also take advantage of demonstration and lecture
work by the teacher. Following are the methods of teaching laboratory method of
sciences.
1) Self-Preparation
2) Right Explanation
3) Starting Experiments
4) Handling instruments
5) Explaining observations
6) Writing reports
7) Lab safety
Self-preparation:
You should know everything about what you are going to teach your students. You must
know the details of the experiment. Revise the techniques of the lab so that you make
your students learn the correct way. You should be well prepared to answer their
questions and clarify their doubts. A good start is always needed to begin an experiment.
Starting experiment:
There are different ways to start with. The best is to explain the process orally once,
explaining the methods as written in the procedure. You should ask your students to
follow the procedure before handing the instruments. This way they will learn the
correct procedure for performing the experiment.
Right explanation:
The teacher’s value is always judged by students. A teacher should know the proper and
effective way of teaching students the experiments in the easiest way. Teacher should be
able of sharing your knowledge with your students. You must be able to explain them
each and every scientific cause behind the observations. Your students will be interested
to know and so you have to be efficient enough to reply them confidently.
Handling instruments:
Mishandling of instruments might lead to accidents and breakage of expensive lab
supplies. Therefore a teacher should know the right way of handling the instruments.
Show the student how to hold the test tubes, light burners or handle any instrument.

3. 3
Your students should follow you and should not try anything suddenly if they are
unaware about it.
Explaining Observations:
Once the experiment is over, you are supposed to explain your students the reasons
behind the observations. Explain them the conclusion in details, so that no doubt
remains in their mind. Relate the observation with the text they have learned in their
theory classes. Getting the correct results is essential for the success of an experiment.
Writing Reports:
There are different ways to write lab reports. You should teach your student the
sequence for writing a lab report. The typical structure of the lab reports begins with the
aim of the experiment, the requisite and then the detailed explanation of the process,
methods and the precautions required. At last, the observation along with a good
conclusion is written. Diagrams, flow charts, formulas, are important part of the report.
Lab safety rules:
 Be prepared to work when you arrive at the laboratory. Familiarize yourself
with the lab procedures before beginning the lab.
 Carefully follow directions, both written and oral. Do only the steps described
in the procedure of the experiment or that are described and/or approved by the
teacher.
 Everyone should be alert and proceed with caution at all times in the
laboratory. .
 Wear safety glasses/goggles whenever you are in the lab. Aprons are required
for some experiments.
 Clothing should be appropriate for working in the lab. Jackets, ties, and other
loose garments should be removed. Ideally, dress for lab should include long
pants and shoes which cover the entire foot.
 Do not engage in horseplay such as tickling, throwing objects, squirting water,
etc. Some of the most serious lab accidents have resulted due to this type of
behavior.
 If you cut yourself, spill a chemical on yourself, or receive a burn by touching a
hot object, run cold water over the affected area.
 If a substance is splashed in your eyes, immediately use the eye wash fountain
or a water faucet to rinse your eyes.

4. 4
 Do not taste, touch, or smell any reagents unless directed to do so by your
teacher. When smelling chemicals or gases, use a wafting motion to direct the
odor toward your nose.
 Keep your head and clothing away from the flame and turn off the burner
when it is not in use.
 Hair should be tied back to avoid it catching on fire. If your clothing should
catch fire, stop, drop, and roll while your lab partner notifies the instructor
 Before leaving the lab, check to see that all gas valves and hot plates are turned
off.
 Keep flammable and combustible materials away from open flames. Some
examples of flammable materials include alcohol, carbon disulfide, and
acetone.
 Use caution and the proper equipment to handle hot objects. Cool glass looks
just the same as hot glass.
 Handle chemicals carefully. Check the label of all bottles before removing the
contents. Take only as much as your need. Do not return unused chemicals to
reagent bottles.
 Handle toxic or combustible gases or chemicals only under the direction of the
teacher. Use the fume hood when using these materials or when directed to do
so.
 Know the correct procedure for mixing acid solutions. Always add the acid
slowly to the water.
 Keep insoluble waste material out of the sink. Dispose of waste material as
instructed by your teacher.
 Work areas should be clean and only lab procedures, lab notebooks, pencils and
sometimes calculators should be brought to the work area.
 Aseptic technique should be followed at all times when handling microbes such
as bacteria, protozoan's, and fungi.
 When an experiment is completed, always clean equipment and return it to the
proper place.
 Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before leaving the lab.
 Drinking during the lab is prohibited. Talking quietly is permitted, but it
should not interfere with your work.

5. 5
Advantages of Laboratory Method:
Following kinds of advantages can be accrue by making use of Laboratory Methods:
a) Through this method, a science teacher can provide various kinds of learning
experiencesto the students, as a result of which information gained by them
turns out to be of permanent kind.
b) In this method, individual differences and interest of all the students are taken
into consideration, as a result of which, it is considered to be one of the best
method of teaching.
c) As no student is require to accept the beliefs and orders of the teacher and full
freedom is provided to them to participate in the laboratory activities, as a result
of which they begin to learn various information by doing works themselves.
d) Through this method, students learn to explore various things on their own. They
also learn to verify various scientific facts and principles. Such students become
able to solve out various kinds of problems arising in their life own their own, as
they possess of high level of self-confidence.
e) As the students directly get indulge in the experimental functions and handle the
various complex instruments themselves, thus various kinds of practical skills
and proficiency get developed in them to considerable extent, with the help of
which they prove to be successful in earning their livelihood in the future.
f) Through this method, an intimate relationship got developed in between the
students and teacher, as students are required to acquire necessary guidance for
performing practical work from the teacher while the teacher provides proper
individual attention to them.
g) An important good habit which gets developed among the student is that they
learn to perform their work on their own and independently. Not only this, they
have to work while maintaining cooperation with other students also, as a result
of which habit of team work gets developed in them. In addition of these,
qualities of honesty, sincerity and truthfulness also get developed among the
students through this method.
h) When students get success in their experimental work, then they attain a sense of
achievement, which helps them in improving their performance to considerable
extent in all spheres of life.
Disadvantages of Laboratory Method:
These methods has some specific kind of limitations also, some of which are as follows:
a) There are some kinds of knowledge which cannot be verified through
experiments, as a result of which this method has limited applicability.
b) Teachers do not allow the students to make experiments independently, as it
involves certain kind of risk of occurrence of accident. As all the students get

6. 6
involved in experiment works because of which it becomes necessary to provide
them with separate equipment’s and other materials.
c) d. As every student in expected to learn by performing experiments, thus it is felt
by some experts that this method expects too much from the students. In this
method, students feel heavy burden on themselves as a result of which they do
not get involved in the exploration and investigation processes with their fullest
capacities.
d) e. Not only the students feel lot of burden on them, but teacher also have the
same kind of tendency. Sometimes, teacher find it difficult to attend to the
individual needs of the students, as they differ from each other to considerable
extent. As a result of this, students get discouraged, as a result of which, it
becomes very difficult for teacher to provide timely help and guidance to them.
e) f. This method can only be used by experienced and well qualified teacher
otherwise, probabilities of getting failure can be increased.

7. 7