New Perspectives in Science Education

Inclusive Science teaching requires teacher professional development to promote the participation and learning of all students, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). As part of an ongoing doctoral research project in Brazil, this study aims to develop and provide a theoretical foundation for a professional development proposal for inclusive Science teaching in the early years of Elementary School, based on the Concrete–Representational–Abstract (CRA) approach. This qualitative, theoretical, and descriptive-propositional study articulates inclusive education, CRA, principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) related to verbal behavior, and national curriculum guidelines for Brazilian elementary education. The proposal comprises five modules addressing ASD and inclusive education, ABA and verbal behavior, CRA and Science Education, curriculum-based pedagogical planning, and structured activities with visual supports. CRA guides the progression from concrete experiences to representational resources and abstract conceptualization, while ABA principles support the organization of structured activities and visual supports, particularly in the representational stage. National curriculum guidelines provide the basis for selecting Science learning objectives and content. Together, these elements support teachers in planning inclusive Science activities that connect scientific content, representations, and different forms of student participation. The proposal has not yet been implemented or empirically evaluated. As part of the ongoing doctoral research, it will be implemented through university extension courses for elementary school teachers, and its applicability and contributions to inclusive Science Education will be investigated.