AbstractsIs Australia Asia smart?18 August 2008
The Australian Government has undertaken to revive a national Asian languages and studies program in schools, focusing on Mandarin, Japanese, Korean and Indonesian languages and cultures. However, further action is needed to support Asia studies. Substantial new teacher training is needed to address the shortage of Asian language teachers. Schools also need native Asian language speakers as teacher assistants. There is a lot of ground to make up since most current teachers did not learn about Asian history or culture during their own schooling. Less than six per cent of Year 12 students currently study an Asian language, and one 2006 study found that most children in one Australian state know little about Islam or its adherents in Australia. Strong economic arguments to boost Asian language studies include the prominence of China, Japan and Korea in trade with Australia, Western competition for Asian market share, and the growth of already huge populations speaking Hindi and Mandarin in our region. Australians are increasingly likely to work in and visit Asia rather than Western countries. Economic life increasingly demands the ability to work across cultures and nations. Asian language studies will also boost social cohesion in Australia, since almost 10 per cent of Australians are from Asian backgrounds and more than 800,000 Australians speak an Asian language at home. The Asia Literacy Alliance, a coalition of major stakeholders, has called for Australia’s forthcoming national curriculum to cover the history, geography, languages and culture of Asia alongside those of Western countries. The author is the Executive Director of the Asia Education Foundation (AEF) which produces curriculum materials and teacher education programs to support Asian studies. See also the item on Asian language studies in Curriculum Leadership’s Whats New section this week. Key Learning AreasLanguagesStudies of Society and Environment Subject HeadingsAsiaLanguages other than English (LOTE) Education policy Educational planning International relations Intercultural studies Social life and customs Beyond 'Writing Next': a discussion of writing research and instructional uncertainty
Volume 78
Number 1;
Pages 231–251
The workforce demands a range of writing skills. They include the capacity to write in varying formats and for varying readerships, to revise and redraft texts, to write collaboratively, and to respond to the impact that texts have had in the workplace. The writing that students learn at school, by contrast, is commonly restricted to the short essay format, unfocused in terms of readership, undertaken individually and forgotten after assessment. Research indicates that adolescents’ writing skills can be made more relevant to future use in the workplace by the use of particular approaches to instruction, teacher education and assessment. Quantitative studies have found, for example, that school students should receive explicit instruction in strategies for planning and revising writing, and regulating their own learning of writing. Such strategy instruction should cover all year levels, with resources focused particularly on writing instruction for young children. More research is needed to explore how instructional strategies can be tailored to the diverse needs of children. Pre-service teachers should receive training in writing development and writing instruction. During placements they should have the chance to design writing lessons, supervised by instructors familiar with research in the field. Teacher educators and experts in writing instruction need to collaborate more closely. Assessment should consist of contextualised, authentic writing tasks for students, covering writing of different types and different levels of complexity. Assessment through portfolios offers a wider picture of students’ writing ability than exams, and does not impose the unnecessary demand to write quickly. However, it may be difficult to standardise assessors’ judgements of portfolio work. Research needs to establish ways to help teachers identify struggling writers. A substantial body of research offers guidance in how to improve writing instruction, but this research is affected by a range of divisions within the education community. On the one hand, educational psychologists tend to favour quantitative methods and to base their work on cognitive developmental theories. Two leading figures supporting this approach are Steve Graham and Dolores Perrin, who produced Writing Next, a major meta-analysis of quantitative, experimental studies on writing instruction. In contrast, scholars from the composition studies tradition, such as George Hillocks, draw mainly on qualitative methods and sociocultural theories. Key Learning AreasEnglishSubject HeadingsWritingLiteracy Education research Educational evaluation Adolescents English language teaching Teacher training Assessment Literacy debate: online, r u really reading?27 July 2008
There is widespread debate about the impact of ICT on the reading skills and dispositions of young people. Some commentators emphasise that online reading offers a rapid way to find a variety of sources and viewpoints on a topic and to discuss issues with other people. The non-linear nature of Web text is also said to be better preparation than traditional texts for a world that ‘doesn’t go in a line’ or fall into neat compartments. Other commentators dispute suggestions that electronic media will undermine reading, noting that such claims have been made ‘at least since the invention of television’ and pointing out that the Web actually requires engagement with text. Further support for online reading comes from its value to some children with learning difficulties such as dyslexia. However, many commentators worry that too much emphasis on Web-based reading means lowering literacy levels, ‘wrecking attention spans and destroying a precious common culture that exists only through the reading of books’. Cognitive neuroscientist Ken Pugh argues that reading a book involves reflection, imagination and logical thinking at levels far in advance of those needed to process the fragmented bits of text typical within the online environment. Other research has found that Web readers are persistently poor at judging the trustworthiness of websites. Dana Gioia stresses the potential for personal development offered by frequent reading. Gioia is the chairman of the USA’s National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which in 2004 published the keynote Reading at Risk report (see also Executive Summary). While many young people read fan-fiction websites or online comics based on Japanese anime cartoons, this material has many errors in spelling and grammar, and Web fiction is commonly of poor quality. A recent study of disadvantaged Hispanic and black youth in Detroit found that participating students read more on the Web than in any other medium, though they also read books and did not disparage the reading of novels or other printed literature. The article cites several reports on statistical trends in young people’s reading of printed and online material. Key Learning AreasEnglishSubject HeadingsReadingLiteracy Social life and customs Websites Internet Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Adolescents At school, technology starts to turn a corner17 August 2008;
Page BU4
Internet-based technology has developed to the point that networks can now be used to link students, teachers and parents. Parents can now access tips for helping their children at home, as well as monitor attendance, punctuality, performance and homework. Technology is also facilitating moves towards project-based learning in shared Web spaces, argued by some educators to improve performance on standardised tests. The New Technology Foundation is a non-profit organisation that has developed a model for project-based learning, now used by 42 schools in nine KLA Subject HeadingsProject based learningInformation and Communications Technology (ICT) United States of America (USA) Getting the most out of professional development
Volume 3, 2007;
Pages 38–49
Professional development for mathematics in Key Learning AreasMathematicsSubject HeadingsProfessional developmentTeaching and learning Numeracy Teacher research: are the outcomes worth the struggle?
Volume 3, 2007;
Pages 44–49
There are increasing calls to include more classroom-based research projects in teacher professional development. Because they are often time-consuming and difficult to manage, such projects are seldom included in professional development programs and tend to receive limited support from schools. A small-scale study in KLA Subject HeadingsProfessional developmentEducation research Teaching and learning Where there's a will there are ways to close the achievement gap for children with learning difficulties
Volume 37
Number 1, 2007;
Pages 9–13
Learning difficulties (LDs) were first introduced as a disability category in education 40 years ago. Since then, a large amount of research has been conducted and has resulted in greatly improved identification, prevention and remedying of various learning disabilities. However, much current practice does not take this research into account. Outdated and disproven methods of identifying learning-disabled students, for example IQ-academic achievement discrepancies, are still widely used. Such methods are not scientifically rigorous. Furthermore, discrepancies are often not detectable until around Grade 3, after it is too late for the most effective intervention programs. Several studies indicate that up to 70 per cent of LDs are preventable through early screening, progress monitoring and appropriate teaching. Mass screening tests are relatively brief and can be given to all students at the beginning and end of the school year. Progress monitoring tools are fast, easy to administer and offer more nuanced information on changes due to instruction. Children who do not respond to early prevention programs may need more intensive small-group instruction. A diagnosis of LD is not necessary in order to begin using these programs; in fact, waiting for a formal diagnosis can leave intervention efforts too late. Research highlights a number of principles that should guide educators when improving the literacy and numeracy levels of special-needs children. First, instruction should be explicit and systematic, and should provide many opportunities for review of previously covered material. Second, skills-based lessons such as phonics instruction must be accompanied by higher-order skills instruction such as comprehension, written expression and problem solving if any gains are to be made. Third, teaching students to set individual goals and monitor their own performance results in greater gains than assigning them learning goals. Fourth, peer-mediated learning increases both the academic skills of students with LDs and their acceptance by classmates. Fifth, instruction aimed at improving literacy or numeracy should be domain-specific. Sixth, despite the diversity in learning disabilities and multiple disabilities that may exist, high-quality instruction has been shown to universally improve performance. Seventh, improvement requires time, often outside of school hours. Finally, special education and general education must become better integrated to address the learning needs of all children. KLA Subject HeadingsLearning problemsSpecial education Autism Teaching and learning Physical education for students with autism: teaching tips and strategies
Volume 40
Number 5, May 2008;
Pages 32–37
Teaching physical education to children with autism can be challenging due to their special needs and the distress they often show when participating in group activities. There are a number of strategies that can be used to reduce stress for these children while encouraging them to develop healthy lifetime exercise habits. Students with autism are typically well suited to repetitive individual activities such as bicycle riding or using a treadmill. They can also be introduced to basic motor skills through a gradual progression from individual to small-group practice. There are a range of placement options in PE classes, from full and independent participation to separate, individually tailored instruction. Physical education educators should try to keep the physical environment as consistent as possible, ensure there are clear visual boundaries and avoid any unnecessary sensory stimulation. Demonstrations or pictorial symbols should be favoured over long verbal instructions. One option is to keep a stationary exercise bike in the gymnasium and use this as a ‘safe activity’ to which the student can withdraw at any point if he or she feels overwhelmed. This keeps the child active and can help to prevent disruptive behaviours. On occasions where the child does withdraw, it is often possible for the teacher to discern the cause of distress and modify the activity accordingly when the child returns. Educators often do not expect enough from their students with autism, but many of these students are eminently capable of selecting and performing challenging physical activities. Key Learning AreasHealth and Physical EducationSubject HeadingsAutismPhysical education How students 'unpack' the structure of a word problem: graphic representations and problem solving
Volume 108
Number 5, 2008;
Pages 184–196
The ability to represent mathematical problems visually is increasingly believed to be an important problem-solving skill. Visual representations may be either schematic, representing the problem in a way that includes only the relevant details, or pictorial, mostly depicting details and elaborations of the problem’s surface nature but leaving out crucial measurements or mathematical relationships. A recent study has investigated the relationships between type of representation, problem-solving accuracy and gender in a group of Grade 4 and 5 students. The 214 participating students, of which slightly over half were African-American, were given a number of ‘Art and Math Challenges’ to complete in their art classroom. They were asked to use a drawing to help solve the problems but given no other instructions. Their drawings were coded for the degree to which they were schematic or pictorial, with a separate task used to measure their drawing ability. Seventy-nine per cent of students produced schematic representations, with girls more likely than boys to do so. Consistent with previous research, successful problem solving was found to be correlated with having created a schematic representation. Most of the students who used a schematic representation either found the correct solution or made a small computation error, while those who used a pictorial representation were more likely to be incorrect. Students’ performance on the separate measure of drawing ability was linked positively to problem-solving ability, but not to the type of representation that was constructed. The association of accurate schematic representations with successful problem solving suggests that teachers could work to develop this skill in their classrooms. Some students need to be shown how to focus on structural rather than surface features of word problems. Key Learning AreasMathematicsSubject HeadingsMathematicsMathematics teaching Primary education Education research An independent learning project that can change the culture of learning in your schoolJune 2008;
Pages 27–33
A project aiming to improve students’ independent learning and research skills has been introduced for all junior school students at Concordia Lutheran College. The project is based on a new facility known as the Independent Learning Centre (ILC), an extension of the library that allowed direct and uninterrupted access to resources and technology. It was first undertaken in first semester 2007 by 109 Year 9 and 10 students. Each student undertook an inquiry-based project known as a ‘negotiated independent learning unit’ (NILU) that they had individually designed with help from the teacher. The NILU projects were semester-long and required students to determine their own goals and a timeframe for these to be achieved. In the preliminary stage, students completed the VARK: a guide to learning styles online questionnaire and were encouraged to use the results in their project design. Students delivered a PowerPoint presentation of their progress at mid-semester and another presentation on completion. There was also a self-evaluation process that included a log book, questionnaires and teacher discussions. The project framework was implemented by the teacher librarian and a team of teachers and curriculum specialists. Project topics varied widely, and included a soil analysis after work experience at a soil-testing company and a documentary about HIV in KLA Subject HeadingsProject based learningTeacher-Librarians School libraries Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Australia Constructivist suggestions: interdisciplinary instructionSpring 2008;
Pages 173–180
Students in the middle years of school are naturally curious about their environment and its possibilities, making interdisciplinary instruction especially enjoyable and appropriate to their developmental needs. A textbook-driven curriculum alone is not enough to cover topics in sufficient depth and detail. Instead, giving students access to a variety of sources, such as a combination of content textbooks and literature, allows them to construct their own individual webs of meaning around a topic. Using literature in science classes, for instance, can help students learn to think like scientists while still retaining a wider perspective. Science fiction read-alouds are particularly effective, especially when followed by students’ own writing in response to the passage. The cognitive development that occurs in early adolescence helps students see connections between different areas and understand concepts and principles that transcend disciplinary boundaries, making this period an ideal time for interdisciplinary instruction. Although cross-disciplinary study is beneficial for students, teachers face some challenges and limitations when implementing such programs. They are time-consuming to design and also require that teachers know their students well and are able to gauge their developmental level. For many teachers, creating interdisciplinary units challenges their own thinking skills and may be daunting at first. Interdisciplinary work cannot be improvised but needs careful planning and review with respect to grade-level standards, student characteristics and teacher objectives. The planning stage of an interdisciplinary project is the most important and the most difficult and must not be rushed. A lack of careful planning often results in students being re-taught material they have already learnt. Some teachers object to the extra time spent planning interdisciplinary projects, but it really is only through time, imagination and creativity that teachers can ‘trim and tailor’ the curriculum to suit various interdisciplinary themes. When planning, it is important to be aware of other teachers’ objectives and what is going on in their classrooms. The best interdisciplinary projects show students how to test the boundaries of their academic and creative skills in the context of a meaningful and engaging learning environment. KLA Subject HeadingsCurriculum planningAdolescents Project based learning There are no Conferences available in this issue. |