English: Key Stages 2 to 4

Sections 3 and 4 of the 1988 Education Reform Act included English as one of the compulsory core subjects in the National Curriculum and empowered the Secretary of State to specify attainment targets, programmes of study, and assessment arrangements for English for children of compulsory school age. The English Working Group appointed to advise the Secretary of State on English reported in May and its recommendations for attainment targets, programmes of study and statements of attainment for Key Stages 2 to 4 were published in June alongside the English proposals of the Secretary of State for Education and Science. Bernadette Walsh, language adviser, Rotherham LEA, discusses the proposals.     

Mathematics: Prospects and Problems

Sections 3 and 4 of the 1988 Education Reform Act include mathematics as one of the compulsory core subjects in the National Curriculum and empower the Secretary of State to specify attainment targets, programmes of study, and assessment arrangements for mathematics for children of compulsory school age. The Mathematics Working Group appointed to advise the Secretary of State on mathematics reported in June and its recommendations for attainment targets, programmes of study and statements of attainment were published in August alongside the mathematics proposals of the Secretary of State for Education and Science and for Wales. Tony Larcombe, director, Kent Mathematics Project, discusses the proposals.     

English: Half Way There

Sections 3 and 4 of the 1988 Education Reform Act include English as one of the compulsory core subjects in the National Curriculum and empower the Secretary of State to specify attainment targets, programmes of study, and assessment arrangements for English for children of compulsory school age. The English Working Group appointed to advise the Secretary of State on English for ages five to 11 reported in September and its recommendations for attainment targets, programmes of study and statements of attainment were published in November alongside the English proposals of the Secretary of State for Education and Science and for Wales. The English Working Group will be reporting on English from 11 to 16 at the end of next month. Dr Barrie Wade, senior lecturer in education, Birmingham University, discusses the report on English for Ages 5 to 11 .     

Another Time, Another Place?

Sections 3 and 4 of the 1988 Education Reform Act include geography as one of the compulsory foundation subjects in the National Curriculum and empower the Secretary of State to specify attainment targets, programmes of study, and assessment arrangements for geography for children of compulsory school age. The Geography Working Group appointed to advise the Secretary of State on geography reported in April and its recommendations for attainment targets, programmes of study and statements of attainment were published in June in its final report. John Clarke, senior adviser (monitoring and evaluation) Suffolk Education Authority and author of Humanities for All (1989). discusses the problems likely to arise.     

Music: Striking the Right Notes

Sections 3 and 4 of the 1988 Education Reform Act include music as one of the compulsory foundation subjects in the National Curriculum and empower the Secretary of State to specify attainment targets, programmes of study, and assessment arrangements for music for children aged five to 14. The Music Working Group appointed to advise the Secretary of State reported to June and its recommendations for attainment targets, programmes of study and statements of attainment targets, programmes of study and statements of attainment were published in August in its final report. Sean McCavera, classroom teacher in the secondary department at The Vale School for pupils with physical disabilities, London Borough of Haringey, comments on the proposals.     

History: Issues to Resolve

Sections 3 and 4 of the 1988 Education Reform Act include history as one of the compulsory foundation subjects in the National Curriculum and empower the Secretary of State to specify attainment targets, programmes of study, and assessment arrangements for history for children of compulsory school age. The History Working Group appointed to advise the Secretary of State on history reported in January and its recommendations for attainment targets, programmes of study and statements of attainment were published in April in its final report. Michael D. Wilson, deputy head, Carr Hill School, Kirkham, Lancashire, and author of History for Pupils with Learning Difficulties , comments on the recommendations in relation to special educational needs.     

Design & Technology: New Directions

The Design and Technology Working Group appointed to advise the Secretary of State on design and technology, and on information technology for ages five to 16 reported in May. The joint comments of the Secretaries of State and the report of the Design and Technology Working Group together form the formal proposals for attainment targets and programmes of study published in June. Phillip Rodbard, associate lecturer in education, Brunel University, and in-service trainer on CDT and special educational needs, discusses the report, on which views need to reach the National Curriculum Council by September 22.     

Art through Knowing and Understanding

The subject working group appointed to advise the Secretary of State on art in the National Curriculum reported last June and its recommendations for attainment targets, programmes of study and statements of attainment were published in August in its final report. Rod Taylor, art adviser for Wigan and director of the Drumcroon Education Art Centre, comments on the relevance of the proposals for pupils with special educational needs. Art becomes a foundation subject in September.     

Foreign Languages for All

The subject working group appointed to advise the Secretary of State on modern foreign languages in the National Curriculum reported in July and its recommendations for attainment targets, programmes of study and statements of attainment were published in October in its final report. Gwen Thomas, lecturer in French studies, Reading University, and Ruth Nichols, senior inspector for special education, Berkshire Education Authority, summarise and comment on some of the recommendations and relate them to local practice.     

PE: Movement in the Right Direction

The subject working group appointed to advise the Secretary of State on physical education in the National Curriculum reported in June and its recommendations for attainment targets, programmes of study and statements of attainment were published in August in its final report. Dr David Sugden, reader in education at Leeds University, comments on the relevance of the proposals for pupils with special needs.     

Beyond Plumbing and Prevention: feminist approaches to sex education

This article offers a feminist critique of existing sex education policies and programmes in Canada, as well as examining common right‐wing arguments against more progressive approaches. Two major forces shaping adolescent girls’ developing sexuality—male sexual violence and compulsory heterosexuality—are discussed, and recent initiatives in Ontario to introduce these issues into sex education programmes evaluated. Toronto Board of Education's new policy on sexual orientation and the Ontario Ministry of Education AIDS Education Curriculum are assessed and strategies for anti‐sexist, anti‐heterosexist sex education developed.     

Science Teaching at the Bedside

Science is a neglected subject for younger pupils in hospital schools, Martin Dewsbury, Alan V. Jones, Schools Science Research Project, Physical Science Department, Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham, set cut to reverse the trend     

新疆教育学院初等教育专业课程设置与“小学科学课程标准”要求的差异性比较

文章针对新疆教育学院初等教育（科学教育）专业的培养目标、课程设置与“小学科学课程标准”的要求进行比较并寻找差异,以期为学院的初等教育（科学教育）专业建设提供建议和参考.     

Science for the Physically Handicapped

Alan Jones, associate head, Department of Physical Sciences, Trent Polytechnic Anthony Barnett, research assistant, suggest some science activities which could be introduced in the context of any elementary science curriculum     

Learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds and science teaching and learning: a case study of township schools in South Africa

Cultural Studies of Science Education - In an effort to pursue and achieve quality and equity in science education, the South African National Curriculum Statement stipulates that learners should...     

Producing Video‐based Resource Material for Teacher Training in Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Science Teacher Training project (ZeSTT) has, since 1979, been running at the Science Education Centre of the University of Zimbabwe, producing learning resource materials for teacher‐trainers in Zimbabwean Colleges of Education. Multi‐media packages, video programmes and printed materials have been produced, not only in science but in an increasing number of other subject areas. The paper describes the evolution of techniques of recording videotaped material of teachers in action during typical lessons in local schools, for editing into complete programmes or as study excerpts.     

Long Days' Journey into Light?

Ministerial speeches devoted to special educational needs happen rarely. On March 24, however, Mr Alan Howarth, Under Secretary of State for Education and Science, addressed a conference of the Avon branch of the National Council for Special Education, on the National Curriculum. A slightly shortened version of his speech is given below. Mr Howarth is the father of a school-age son with cerebral palsy.     

Work-Based Curriculum to Broaden Learners’ Participation in Science: Insights for Designers

Research in Science Education - Around the globe, science education during compulsory schooling is envisioned for all learners regardless of their educational and career aspirations, including...     

A Case Study of the Alignment between Curriculum and Assessment in the New York State Earth Science Standards-Based System

In a standards-based system, it is important for all components of the system to align in order to achieve the intended goals. No Child Left Behind law mandates that assessments be fully aligned with state standards, be valid, reliable and fair, be reported to all stakeholders, and provide evidence that all students in the state are meeting the standards. This study reports an analysis of the alignment between the National Science Education Standards (NSES), New York State Physical Setting/Earth Science Core Curriculum (Core Curriculum) and New York State Physical Setting/Earth Science Regents Examination (Regents Exam)—the sources teachers use for creating Earth Science curricula in New York State. The NSES were found to have a 49 % overlap with the Core Curriculum and a 27 % overlap with the Regents Exam. The Core Curriculum and Regents Exam, represented by matrices consisting of performance indicators and cognitive demands, were compared using the Porter Alignment Index. The alignment was 0.35, categorized as slightly aligned, due to the different emphases on cognitive levels. The Core focused on cognitive skills of Understand and Apply while the Regents concentrated more on Apply followed by Understand and Remember. It is suggested that the NSES be revised and the Core updated to include quantifiable emphasis on the major understandings such as percentage of time.