Writing short messages in English: Out-of-school practices of Malaysian high school students

For Malaysian adolescents, writing in English covers various forms and serves a range of purposes. Outside the formal school context, students engage in more personalized forms of writing. This paper examines one such form, namely, the writing of short messages, using a sociocultural perspective of literacy as a social discursive practice that implicates identity construction. This paper draws on a larger qualitative study which looked at school and personal writing by a class of Form 4 (Year 10) students in an urban school in Malaysia. Data were taken mainly from student interviews and students’ written products during six months of fieldwork. Findings from the study showed students’ informal writing involved new hybrid forms of English and included the use of a mixture of short forms, “Penang English” and Net English. This study has implications for the English literacy education of Malaysian high school students learning ESL while immersed in a contemporary digital and Internet culture.     

Adolescents' Agentic Work on Developing Personal Pedagogies on Social Media

While current research points out that young people are developing emerging culture of learning in informal spaces, less is known about such digital literacy practices in the Asian contexts where the notion of literacy tends to refer to school literacy. Research on young people's online participatory culture continues to suggest that social media offer affinity spaces where extensive knowledge is acquired, constructed and produced outside of schools. In this paper, we use two case studies on social media as illustrative examples to understand how adolescents shape their learning online. We aim to contribute to the ongoing dialectics on social media and learning by examining how adolescents exhibit agency online. We argue that social media such as Facebook offer high learner agency environments for adolescents to participate in self‐initiated enterprise and allow them to develop personal trajectories for learning. The case studies presented in this paper suggested that the adolescents' pursuit of their passions on online affinity spaces gave rise to intellectual friendships and the development of personal pedagogies.     

What do they do at home? The literacies of children living in residential care in Malaysia

This paper presents an ethnographic study of the out of school literacy practices of children living in residential care in Malaysia. Although residential homes generate much publicity, especially during the festive seasons, not much is known about the children living within the confines of these homes. Even more lacking is research on their literacy practices, despite the embeddedness of literacy in the everyday lives of these children, which includes formal schooling, after‐school tuition classes and devotion sessions with volunteers.     

‘Unboxing’ videos: co-construction of the child as cyberflâneur

This paper draws on data from a study of a four-year-old child, Gareth, in his first year of formal schooling in England. The aim of the study was to identify the nature of Gareth's literacy practices across home and school spaces. The focus for this paper is an analysis of one aspect of Gareth's home digital literacy practices: his repeated viewings at home of ‘unboxing’ videos on YouTube. These include videos that feature the unpacking of commercial products. It is argued that the child viewer/reader is co-constructed in these practices as cyberflâneur and that this mode of cultural transmission is a growing feature of online practices for this age group in the twenty-first century. The paper addresses issues concerning young children's online practices and their relationship to material culture before analysing the growth of interest in peer-to-peer textual production and consumption in the digital age.     

Inclusion in Malaysian integrated preschools

Inclusive education has been introduced through a number of policy developments in Malaysia over the last 10 years but there is little research investigating the extent and nature of inclusive education for preschoolers with special educational needs (SEN). This study surveyed both regular and special education teachers in Malaysian integrated preschools asking them about the level and nature of inclusion taking place in their preschools and their perceptions and beliefs about inclusion. There was little evidence of practices of inclusion taking place. Both regular and special educators agreed that SEN should be educated alongside their peers in a school but were unlikely to agree that the SEN students should be in the same classroom. Factors identified as influencing inclusion included school culture, skills and competency, guidance and information, workload and students' disabilities. More guidelines and support are required for successful inclusion in Malaysian integrated preschools.     

Grouping practices in the primary school: what influences change?

During the 1990s, there was considerable emphasis on promoting particular kinds of pupil grouping as a means of raising educational standards. This survey of 2000 primary schools explored the extent to which schools had changed their grouping practices in response to this, the nature of the changes made and the reasons for those changes. Forty‐eight per cent of responding schools reported that they had made no change. Twenty‐two per cent reported changes because of the literacy hour, two per cent because of the numeracy hour, seven per cent because of a combination of these and twenty‐one per cent for other reasons. Important influences on decisions about the types of grouping adopted were related to pupil learning and differentiation, teaching, the implementation of the National Literacy Strategy, practical issues and school self‐evaluation.     

Student teachers'' knowledge of literacy practices in school

Current conceptions of literacy education require reading/writing teachers who have rich internal representations of the multiplicity of text types found in the school environment.This study focused on student teachers who specialize in reading and writing. The purpose of this study was to describe the representations of discipline-specific, literacy practices. Using the research methods of self-completion questionnaires and focus-group discussions, 50 reading/writing student teachers described the literacy practices of seven school disciplines: Literature, Bible, History, Geography, Chemistry, Biology and Computers. The participants' data was analyzed qualitatively and was then analyzed for its underlying structure using a hierarchical cluster analysis technique. The results show that these student teachers have a separate representation for the literacy practices of each school discipline which includes a set of specific characteristic features and an underlying structure of similarities between school disciplines in relation to these literacy practices. In addition, an affective component was identified for these groupings of literacy practices. The underlying structure of this inner world of text types involved the broad differentiation between the sciences and the humanities. The student teachers of this study had more detailed and professional knowledge of the humanities than the sciences and they also preferred the humanities. These results indicate a bias against literacy practices in the sciences.     

Children's literacy funds of knowledge in an urban Mexican elementary school: changing the approach

In this article, we share the vernacular literacy practices of a sixth grade students in Mexico City. From a sociocultural, ethnographic perspective and based on the contributions of the sociolinguistics of mobility and funds of knowledge, we describe the experiences and knowledge that children bring with them from home and the community to school, to write and read texts on their own during class. The findings show how they appropriate literacy practices to provide meaning to their reading and writing through the relationship between school and everyday literacy and the continuum between their oralities and literacies. Children construct literacy according to their day-to-day experiences, in and out of the classroom, and embed their literacy practices within their funds of knowledge developed at home with their families. Based on these findings, we question the significance and quintessential role that has been attributed to the school in the teaching of reading and writing, as well as the prevalence of individualistic and rigid approaches to the teaching of reading and writing.     

“Beyond the frame”: exploring children’s literacy practices

The aim of this small–scale research project was to examine the literacy events children choose to engage in outside school. Two groups of Primary School children were involved in investigating the use of literacy in their lives, using disposable cameras to record literacy events and texts. The photographs and the discussion stimulated by them provided evidence that these children used literacy in richly diverse ways for purposes which they saw as meaningful. Although limited in size and scope, the study showed that uses of literacy presented by these children reflected community literacy practices (as identified by Barton & Hamilton, 1998). However, it was also clear that the children acted with considerable autonomy, motivation and creativity in making their use of literacy meaningful to them. This paper provides a report on the project and discusses the implications of these findings for the teaching of literacy in school.     

Exploring and evaluating differentiated assessment practices of in-service teachers for components of differentiation

Classroom assessment is central to effective teaching and learning, making assessment literacy a core component for teacher education. The present study explores self-reported, differentiated assessment practices of Malaysian in-service teachers. The practices were evaluated using an analytic framework that was developed based upon the existing literature on components of differentiation. Data were collected from 32 in-service teachers using open-ended survey questionnaires. Twelve of the teachers also participated in in-depth interviews. Documents provided by the teachers were also analyzed. Data from the open-ended survey were analyzed using NVivo11 to develop codes for the analytic framework. The findings offer insights into teachers’ knowledge, application, and interpretation of differentiated assessment practices. The discussion explores teachers’ explanations of their own practices and, further, recommends ways to improve knowledge and application of differentiated assessment. The implications of the findings are discussed for assessment literacy-related professional development for teachers, school management and policies to facilitate implementation of differentiated assessment.     

Not just ‘sunny days’: Aboriginal students connect out‐of‐school literacy resources with school literacy practices

In this paper, I report on a school‐university collaborative research project that investigated which practices and knowledges of Canadian Aboriginal students not acknowledged in school may provide these students with access to school literacy practices. The study, which took place in a small city in Western Canada, examined ways to merge the out‐of‐school literacy resources with school literacy practices for minority language learners who struggle with academic literacies. Drawing on the third space theory, in conjunction with the concept of “funds of knowledge,” I explain how students' linguistic and cultural resources from home and community networks were utilised to reshape school literacy practices through their involvement in the Heritage Fair programme. I analyse a representative case study of Darius, a 10‐year‐old boy who explored his familial hunting practices for his Heritage Fair project. This illustrative exemplar, “Not just sunny days,” highlights the ways in which children's out‐of‐school lives can be used as a scaffold for literacy learning. In conclusion, I discuss implications for educators and researchers working to improve literacy learning for minority students by connecting school learning to children's out‐of‐school learning.     

Unpacking FIFA play as text and action in literacy practices in and out of school

ABSTRACT

In this article, we use a model for games and literacy to explore how one FIFA gamer worked across contexts. Previously, this model has been used to address the role of computer and video games in the teaching of literacy in the subject of English. In the current article, we combine this model with a learning lives perspective, which builds on the idea of following the learner across a wide range of contexts. The findings illustrate how one learner is able to research a specific topic, build a convincing argument for it and transfer knowledge from one source to another in a critical way. The knowledge of a game and its culture and the world around the game is prevalent in a gamer’s literacy practices out of school, and this is shown when our participant draws upon this knowledge in literacy practices for specific tasks in school.     

Listening to learning outside the classroom: student teachers study playground literacies

This article reports on ongoing work in initial teacher education (ITE) where student teachers have been required to observe and record children's play, to describe and analyse this, and to consider the pedagogical implications. They have been introduced to a theoretical background, which takes into account the increasingly multi‐modal nature of literacy practices, and have been shown a methodology for conducting a small‐scale ethnographic research project on the playground. They have been encouraged to consider how the unofficial literacy practices of the children's homes, communities and popular culture might affect the official practices of the school, and to understand how children absorb and recreate texts from beyond the school curriculum. The article reflects the student teachers' findings on school playgrounds, with narratives re‐enacted and drawn from popular media, imaginative use of playground space, and games that explore the pupils' present and future lives. Student teachers begin to recognise the vital role of socio‐dramatic play in the development of emergent literacy. They also develop insights on applying children's expertise outside the classroom to their literacy practices within the school.     

Contemporary challenges and changes: principals' leadership practices in Malaysia

This article outlines the findings from a contemporary study of principals' leadership practices in Malaysia as part of the 7 System Leadership Study. Recent policy developments within Malaysia have increased principals' accountability and have underlined the importance of the role of the principals in transforming school performance and student learning outcomes. This article draws upon emerging empirical evidence about principals' leadership practices and highlights some of the challenges associated with the new accountability expectations and demands placed upon principals in Malaysia. It provides a contemporary insight into the way in which principals in Malaysia view their leadership practice. The article proposes that despite the pressure on them to secure better school and student outcomes, principals in Malaysia increasingly view their leadership practices as transformational and distributed.     

One School's Experience of Engaging with a Comprehensive Anti-Bullying Programme in the Irish Context: Adolescent and Teacher Perspectives

In this article, the authors report on the evaluation of an anti-bullying programme, the cool school programme (CSP), conducted in a secondary school in Ireland. The study explored how participation in the anti-bullying programme affected students and teachers in one second-level school. The programme focused on students' faith in the teachers' ability to deal with bullying effectively, their willingness and confidence in telling a teacher about bullying and whether they felt safe in school. Teacher confidence and behaviour with regard to bullying were also explored. The study found that 91 per cent of students felt that teachers took bullying seriously. Eighty-nine per cent thought that teachers knew how to deal with bullying and 75 per cent felt able to tell a teacher if they were bullied. Eighty-seven per cent said there was a better atmosphere in their class. Ninety-three per cent of students felt safe in school. Seventy-two per cent of teachers reported greater confidence in their ability to manage bullying and 84% reported increased vigilance. Ninety-four per cent thought that students felt safer in the school. Sixty-nine per cent said there was a better atmosphere in the school. Most felt that the programme was now part of the school culture (94%) and would continue in the school (97%). The authors acknowledge that relying on reported levels of bullying may not give a complete picture of the impact of an anti-bullying intervention. They argue that researchers may need to take into consideration teacher approachability, challenging the culture of silence, responding appropriately and ensuring student safety in school when evaluating programmes.     

马来西亚华文独立中学的三语教学初探

马来西亚拥有包括学前、小学、独立中学、大专等各教育阶段在内的比较完整的华文教育体系,其中华文独立中学的三语教学特色备受瞩目。本文简要回顾了马来西亚华文教育的发展以及华文独中三语教学局面形成的政策原因,并基于对17所华文独中校长的采访,分析了华文独中三语教学的现状、优势和困难,提出了一些相应的对策和建议。     

Using action,reflection and modelling (ARM) in Malaysian primary schools: connecting ‘the ARM theory’ with student teachers’ reported practice

This article presents Malaysian student teachers’ reports of using an action, reflection and modelling (ARM) pedagogical approach during their placements in Malaysian primary schools. The ARM approach was designed to support the implementation of the Malaysian primary school mathematics curriculum, which involved changing classroom practice in learning and teaching. It was developed and used during a Malaysia–UK collaborative project to construct a Bachelor of Education (Honours) degree programme in Primary Mathematics for a cohort of 120 student teachers in Malaysia. The three principles integral to the ARM approach were repeatedly made explicit to the student practitioners who were engaged in learning and teaching on the new degree programme. Using findings from surveys carried out with the students at the end of their first and final placements, this article provides examples of the way some of them described ARM and recounted how they had used the approach in the classroom. Four of these narratives are used as ‘vignettes’ to illustrate the students’ perceptions of using new ways of learning and teaching in primary schools and to inform and enable a discussion of the relationship between theory and practice in teacher education.     

Who says you need to teach reading to 11–13-year-olds?

Research indicates that as students move through the school system, many begin to experience difficulties with reading. With this mind, this study explored current practices and perceptions about reading programmes for 11–13-year-old students in New Zealand schools. The study employed an online survey designed to investigate current reading literacy practices in a sample of New Zealand primary in years 7 and 8. Observations of practice and interviews with literacy leaders, teachers, principals and students were also carried out at five case study schools. The survey indicated that teachers may underestimate the importance of learner engagement and direct teaching strategies. The case studies exemplify the need for good professional development, supportive leadership, effective class management strategies, a positive and engaging learning environment, teachers with a passion for literacy and exemplary and sustained guided reading.     

Literacy practices of primary education children in Andalusia (Spain): A family-based perspective

Primary school children develop literacy practices in various domains and situations in everyday life. This study focused on the analysis of literacy practices of children aged 8–12 years from the perspective of their families. 1,843 families participated in the non-experimental explanatory study. The children in these families speak Spanish as a first language and are schooled in this language. The instrument used was a self-report questionnaire about children's home-literacy practices. The data obtained were analysed using categorical principal components analysis (CATPCA) and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results show the complex relationship between literacy practices developed by children in the domains of home and school and the limited development of a literacy-promoting ‘third space’. In conclusion, the families in our study had limited awareness of their role as literacy-promoting agents and thought of literacy learning as restricted to formal or academic spaces.