The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a sociocognitive teaching strategy
on young children’s understanding of light. It explores their understanding of the concept of light as an entity that is transmitted independently of the light source and the final receiver. The study was conducted in three phases: pretest, teaching intervention, and post-tests. The sample consisted of 170 preschool children who were assigned to two groups. The children in the first group participated in activities which adopted a sociocognitive approach. In the context of this approach,
a familiar metaphor was introduced in order to facilitate children to construct a “precursor model”about light. The children in the second group participated in activities with the same teaching objectives, but adopting an empiricist perspective. Statistical analysis using theMann–Whitney U test indicated that the cognitive progress of the sociocognitive group wasmore significant than the
progress of the empiricist group. This provides evidence for the effect of the sociocognitive
strategy on enhancing children in constructing a “precursor model” for the concept of light.