AbstractsRespecting diversityJanuary 2005
Students whose first language is not English often have particular problems with English language usage that are not limited to the mechanics of language. This article reminds teachers to keep students’ cultures and home lives in mind when addressing their linguistic competence, and to avoid stereotyping students and limiting their expectations. It recounts the initiative of one teacher who gave her students ownership of their grammatical problems by generating a personalised, computerised checklist by which they could judge their written work. Cognisant of her students’ application of their first language’s grammatical conventions to English, she also reminded them of their audience instead of asking them to refrain from that usage altogether. This acknowledged the ambivalence of their cultural position, as many students would use English in that way in their homes and communities. Key Learning AreasLanguagesEnglish Subject HeadingsLanguages other than English (LOTE)Language and languages Small is beautifulJanuary 2005
There is a privately funded move in the United States for large, public schools to revert to smaller schools. This reversion has had many benefits, including better student attendance rates, greater student enthusiasm, more collegiality because of smaller groups of staff and improved educational outcomes. While staff and students are unlikely to sacrifice these undoubted advantages, some smaller schools are having to cope with a reduction in the variety of subjects available to students, and with staff having to accept additional workloads. KLA Subject HeadingsUnited States of America (USA)School attendance Educational planning Schools Blurring the lines between content and pedagogyNovember 2004;
Pages 479–482
Segall considers the distinction between 'pedagogy' and 'content' to be artificial at best, and, at worst, misleading, as it masks the 'pedagogical invitations' inherently inscribed in all content. Teachers, Segall cautions, have to be aware of the way a text organises knowledge, of the perspectives from which it is written, the possibilities for engagement it precludes, excludes and includes, and the silences it encourages. To be aware of the above is to recognise the pedagogy within the text, and to avoid simply and passively acting as the pedagogical link between the content and the student without engaging the assumptions inherent in the content. Segall draws teachers' attention to conventional strategies used in history texts and newspaper articles to organise content, and exhorts them to engage with these instead of just assisting their pedagogical transformation. Key Learning AreasStudies of Society and EnvironmentSubject HeadingsPedagogyTeaching and learning Teaching the world – a new requirement for teacher preparation
Volume 86
Number 3, November 2005;
Pages 219–221
Kelly laments the absence of ‘international education’ – the study of other countries – in United States schools’ curricula, and blames this absence on the lack of international studies in teacher preparation courses, the introspectiveness of state curriculum standards and materials, and what he sees as an overemphasis on reading and mathematics abilities to the detriment of disciplines such as history, social studies and languages. While some initiatives such as professional study trips financed by philanthropic organisations and international partnerships between universities have kept international education alive in some jurisdictions, there is a need for priority funding from the United States federal government to ensure that teacher preparation courses contain international education content and for the creation of curriculum materials. Kelly maintains that a concerted effort to improve international education in United States' schools is paramount to the country’s security and economic growth. KLA Subject HeadingsInternational educationUnited States of America (USA) Teacher training Challenging students – and how to have more of them
Volume 86
Number 3, November 2004;
Pages 184–194
Kohn begins with the assumption that the best pedagogy requires students to learn by doing. Likewise, he asserts that the best way to foster in students a critical disposition is to allow them to see their authority figures - their teachers - working through problems to which there are no accepted or correct answers, or where the teachers themselves are not aware of the correct answers. In this way, teachers are able to demystify their problem-solving approaches and allow students to see learning as having a critical and curious disposition towards an idea, position or fact. Changing their pedagogy in this way allows teachers to subvert the hidden curriculum which trains students to spot the correct answer, to be unadventurous and to concentrate on the rewards of assessment. Kohn demonstrates to teachers how to take students 'backstage', and advises them on how to create a climate and culture in their classroom that allow students to be adventurous and critical in their learning. KLA Subject HeadingsPedagogyTeaching and learning The art of reviewing science journals
Volume 42
Number 3, December 2004;
Pages 43–45
While students’ science journals have become increasingly popular with teachers in recent times, it is not clear that they are using this pedagogical and learning tool effectively. To assist teachers in using students’ science journals, the authors of this article recommend that teachers: be clear about the concept that they are attempting to teach; familiarise themselves with common misconceptions regarding that concept; align the journal responses to their instructional aims and the developmental stage of the students; and are clear about what they are looking for in students’ journal responses and how to assess them. The article takes readers through a step-by-step approach to each of its recommendations, demonstrating how a more sophisticated analysis of students’ science journals can lead to both a more accurate diagnosis of students understanding and a more informed pedagogy. Key Learning AreasScienceSubject HeadingsPeriodicalsScience Science teaching Pedagogy Assessment Student-centred notebooks
Volume 42
Number 3, December 2004;
Pages 26–29
The authors of this article demonstrate how creating student-centred notebooks can be a corollary of student-centred learning. They demonstrate to teachers how to give students ownership of their science notebooks by changing the purposes of the notebook, so that it becomes a record of both content and student recording strategies. They also advise that teachers allow time for students to compare recording strategies and to use their notebooks as the basis for creating work samples that demonstrate their understandings of a given concept. The latter allows for a non-intrusive assessment process that does not make the teacher the ‘audience’ of students’ notebook recordings. Instead, students learn to take notes for their own understanding and purposes. A list of notebook recording strategies is contained in the article. Key Learning AreasScienceSubject HeadingsScience teachingSecondary education Assessment Making thinking visible
Volume 42
Number 3, December 2004;
Pages 20–25
Working from the premise that writing is an aid to critical and reflective thinking, the authors of this article sought to introduce writing into upper primary science classrooms so that students would be able to come to terms with and reflect on science content and develop their writing ability. Writing would also make it possible for teachers to assess scientific understanding and their students' writing abilities. The Reading and Writing about Science Project saw teachers undergo specific professional development in using the CORE Framework. CORE is an acronym for Connect, Organise, Reflect and Extend, and it represents the different phases of a pedagogical approach. The Connect phase, for example, would see students engage with their prior understandings of a concept, whereas the Organise phase would see them use graphic organisers to structure their thinking and knowledge about a particular concept or scientific event. The last two phases, Reflect and Extend, are the phases in which the writing exercise is explained and conducted. This article describes the various phases, and contains detailed descriptions of the structured writing requirements, as well as a sample of a student's work. It also demonstrates how teachers can evaluate the results of their students’ work. Key Learning AreasScienceSubject HeadingsScienceScience teaching The Victorian Essential Learning StandardsNovember 2004
A new curriculum framework for Victorian schools has been introduced this year. The Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS), developed by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), defines standards of learning at key points of schooling while allowing schools flexibility to develop school-level curriculum programs. The VELS identify three essential strands of the curriculum: physical, personal and social development, including health, physical education and civics and citizenship; the traditional disciplines; and interdisciplinary skills such as ICT, design skills, communication, and reasoning and metacognition. Unlike the previous Curriculum Standards Framework, the VELS can be implemented only through a whole school response. Three broad stages of learning are identified for the compulsory years of schooling: Years P-4, 5-8, and 9-10. Support materials, such as sample work units, are available. Key Learning AreasThe ArtsTechnology Studies of Society and Environment Science Mathematics Languages Health and Physical Education English Subject HeadingsVictoriaStandards Education policy Curriculum planning New guidelines to help schools work together in Queensland25 February 2005
Queensland schools are currently forming groups to coordinate learning in the middle years of schooling, drawing on Education Queensland’s Guidelines for Developing Middle Phase Groups. The Guidelines provide methods to create groups across school, strategies to embed them in school practice, and links to online resources and contacts in the Department. The Guidelines are also designed to help a school decide if it is ready for a Middle Phase group. Schools are offered suitable models and given suggestions of realistic goals. The article describes three existing groups of schools. The groups' activities have included: developing a common curriculum and assessment plan for their group; collaboration to fund positions for group coordinators; and collaborative professional development that would be too costly for a single school. In one of the groups, principals at each school take on a ‘portfolio’ responsibility such as managing teacher aides. The groups have also developed common policies, for example on drug education, and have run parent workshops. The success of the groups has been demonstrated through improvements in students' academic outcomes, increased enrolments, positive feedback from parents and teachers, and increased networking opportunities, particularly for staff in small schools. KLA Subject HeadingsQueenslandMiddle schooling Don't ask, don't tell7 March 2005;
Pages 4–5
An investigation by The Age has revealed discrimination affecting lesbian and gay teachers and students at some schools, suggesting that these schools have not met their obligations under Victoria's equal opportunity laws. The discrimination was highlighted recently when a suburban primary state school terminated the final-year teaching round of a student teacher after she admitted to her class that she was lesbian. Reasons for schools' reluctance to oppose homophobia include fear of 'political attack over a perceived lack of values', including a backlash from parents and the wider community; a perception that the Victorian Department of Education and Training has not offered direction and support to schools on this issue; and a perceived association in the public mind between homosexuality and paedophilia. Overall, Catholic and independent schools appear to have dealt with gay and lesbian issues more successfully than state schools. The article includes comments from a range of experts and describes Generation Q and WayOut, two community programs to assist lesbian and gay school students. (Free registration required to access article) KLA Subject HeadingsTeaching professionState schools School culture School and community Homosexuality Education policy Catholic schools Victoria Teacher training Discrimination Gay and lesbian issues Raising the question: are we world class?16 February 2005;
Page 8
Two international reports published in December 2004 offer different perspectives on Australia’s performance in school education. The OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) evaluates the conceptual and logical thinking of 15-year-olds, in terms of their ability to read and to apply maths and science in practical situations. The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) examines how well students in Years 4 and 9 have grasped the factual and procedural knowledge taught in maths and science classes. The PISA study ranks Australian students 4th out of 41 participating countries in regard to literacy, 11th in mathematical literacy and 6th in scientific literacy. However the study also shows that 7% of Australian girls and 17% of boys acquire only minimal skill levels in these areas by the end of compulsory schooling. The TIMSS study of 25 countries ranked Australian students less well. They came 16th in maths and 11th in science. There appears to be a need for better teaching of factual and procedural knowledge of maths and science in Australian schools: extensive reforms to curriculum and assessment during the 1990s do not seem to have improved outcomes in primary maths and science. Assessment used for monitoring and accountability needs to give a more accurate diagnosis of the learning difficulties of individual students. Key Learning AreasScienceMathematics English Subject HeadingsMiddle schoolingPrimary education English language teaching Science teaching Mathematics teaching Reading Curriculum planning Educational evaluation Assessment Asking the big questions of teachers... again and again
Volume 15
Number 8, 2 March 2005;
Page 9
A new inquiry into teacher training has been announced by Australian Government Minister for Education Dr Brendan Nelson. It faces a range of issues. Expectations of newly qualified teachers are unrealistically high. The school curriculum is overcrowded – every new social problem is ‘handed to schools to solve’ – and this overcrowding carries over into teacher education courses. Primary teachers are required to cover increasingly diverse subject areas in class that may require subject specialisation in primary teaching and makes one-year teacher training programs ‘problematic’. Funding is needed to give pre-service teachers more time to observe and teach in a range of schools. Funding for teacher education courses should no longer be channelled into other areas by universities. However, over the past 25 years there has been an average of one inquiry per year into teacher training at either State or Commonwealth level, and ‘each inquiry inevitably reaches much the same conclusions’. KLA Subject HeadingsTeacher trainingEducational evaluation Improving schools one student at a time
Volume 62
Number 5, February 2005;
Pages 37–40
In the USA, schools are evaluated on the basis of the average number of students in a class who reach basic proficiency levels in a given subject, measured in terms of results in key state tests. Such evaluation does not recognise a student's progress, however dramatic, unless the student crosses the threshhold from 'non-proficient' to 'proficient'. Schools are therefore pressed to concentrate resources on middle-performing students at the expense of highest and lowest achievers. Computerised Adaptive Tests (CAT) give schools a more refined means to assess students' progress. As a student answers a question in a CAT test, the computer changes subsequent questions, raising the level of difficulty after a correct answer and lowering it after an incorrect answer. In this way poorly performing students are more likely to remain confident and engaged and to try their best throughout the test. Teachers receive a more precise guide about the sort of questions and tasks that will challenge a given student. Schools are better able to adjust curriculum and teaching to students' needs, and to identify priorities for teacher professional development. A more collaborative environment is also encouraged, as teachers can discuss and collectively use the detailed test result data. KLA Subject HeadingsUnited States of America (USA)Teaching and learning Curriculum planning Professional development Students Schools Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Educational evaluation Computer-based training Assessment Language learning: a worldwide perspective
Volume 62
Number 4, 1 December 2004;
Pages 24–30
A study in the USA has investigated foreign language programs in 19 countries. It has found that the most successful programs share a number of features. Most of the programs begin compulsory foreign language instruction in primary school. The programs are supported by well-structured frameworks and clearly articulated standards for curriculum and assessment, which ensure continuity between grades and between primary, middle, secondary and post-secondary levels. The successful programs have benefited from strong leadership, sometimes at the community level. Foreign language instruction is usually required for school exit exams and for admission to tertiary courses. Teachers are well trained and take part in ongoing professional development. Immersion programs in secondary school teach content material in a foreign language. ICT, particularly the Internet, is used as a source of text and audiovisual files, and allows interaction among different native speakers via chat rooms. Heritage language studies are used to encourage proficiency in immigrant and indigenous languages. As well as these measures, successful foreign language teaching can benefit from solid coordination between different levels of government. The article also covers Europe’s action plan for foreign language teaching, and the FLES and immersion models used in foreign language teaching in US primary schools. Key Learning AreasLanguagesSubject HeadingsAudiovisual educationUnited States of America (USA) Transitions in schooling Teacher training Standards Spain Professional development Primary education Senior secondary education New Zealand Multimedia systems Middle schooling Mäori Elearning Italy Internet Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Finland Germany Federal-state relations Europe Educational planning Education policy Canada Denmark Curriculum planning Computer-based training Compulsory education Case studies Aboriginal peoples There are no Conferences available in this issue. |