The Singapore science syllabus does not provide a specific definition of inquiry teaching. Instead it recognizes that the inquiry approach used is dependent on the teaching goal such that ‘student-directed inquiry will provide the best opportunities for cognitive development and scientific reasoning’, while ‘teacher-guided inquiry can best focus learning on the development of particular science concepts’ (Ministry of Education, 2007, p. 15). However, a study by Kim, Tan, and Talaue (2013) found that the nature of assessment practices in Singapore, which largely takes the form of paper-and-pencil format and focuses on canonical content knowledge, likely steers teachers’ perceptions of inquiry towards a teacher-guided approach. In an examination of actual science inquiry practices carried out in Singaporean primary school classrooms, Poon, Lee, Tan, and Lim (2012) observed that teachers place importance on (1) preparing students for the investigation cognitively (by eliciting prior knowledge and reviewing relevant concepts) and procedurally (by reviewing skills for investigation, equipment use, and group work); (2) addressing learning problems as they arise by modifying the investigation or introducing new activities; and (3) synthesizing concepts. Thus, in the context of this study, science inquiry is defined as guided inquiry since that is the predominant perception and practice of inquiry held by teachers in Singapore.