Toward a social pedagogy of classroom group work

In any classroom, pupils will be drawn together for many purposes and we can refer to such within classroom contexts as ‘groupings’. The teacher often creates these, and the way that they are set up, and how they are used for particular learning purposes. If the relationships between grouping size, interaction type and learning tasks in groups are planned strategically then learning experiences will be more effective. However, research suggests that the relationships between these elements are often unplanned and the ‘social pedagogic’ potential of classroom learning is therefore unrealised. In this paper we explore the notion of social pedagogy in relation to group work. It is argued that research and theory relevant to group work in classrooms is limited, and that a new approach, sensitive to group work under everyday classroom conditions is required. This paper identifies key features of a social pedagogy of classroom group work, which can inform effective group work in classrooms. It also describes the background to a current large scale UK project which has been set up to design with teachers a programme of high quality group work in classrooms at both primary and secondary phases.     

Does Support for Home–School Behaviour Plans Exist Within Teacher and Pupil Cultures?

Recent legislation by the Department for Education and Employment requires schools to produce written home-school agreements, which should be signed by teachers and parents. Among the benefits expected from this initiative is the creation of a greater sense of partnership between home and school, especially with regard to difficult pupil behaviour. However, research has shown that teachers view parents as being the major cause of pupil misbehaviour, thus creating a potential barrier to a genuine partnership around agreed strategies involving home and school. There is also a belief among teachers that strategies devised for one pupil will lead to negative reactions on the part of classmates. This study examines various aspects of the classroom culture (the belief systems of teachers and pupils) concerning interventions with individual pupils, their teachers and parents. A vignette incorporating elements from two real and successful home-school interventions set up with, and mediated by, educational psychologists, was presented to 206 10 and 11-year-old pupils, and 30 teachers. Analysis of accompanying questionnaire responses allows for the mapping of a range of significant classroom beliefs and expectations, and indicates grounds for some optimism, although careful attention to these 'ecological' features will be necessary before joint home-school strategies can achieve their potential.     

Teachers' behaviour and practices in the classroom

The theory behind this study yielded the predictions that successful teacher–pupil interaction in the classroom is essential to the educational and social development of pupils and that teachers' understanding of their own behaviour is therefore of paramount importance. The study examined the behaviour and practices of 20 teachers, 10 in small schools and 10 in large schools. The teachers were grouped into three categories: empathetic teachers, non-empathetic teachers and uncommitted teachers. This study contributes several significant findings to the literature on teacher–pupil interaction in the classroom, most importantly that personal characteristics appear to be a good predictor of teacher competence and that there appear to be relationships between particular personal characteristics on the one hand and teachers' classroom practices on the other. These results seemed to be unrelated to class size and schools type.     

Re-conceptualising authority relations in education: a micro-situational approach

ABSTRACT

This article explores the conception of authority relations in the classroom that are implicit in some examples of related policy documentation in Scotland and England. We argue that the importance of the constitutive role of the micro-dynamics of face-to-face interaction in classroom settings is neglected in documentation of this type. We explore this claim with reference to examples of policy in two jurisdictions of the United Kingdom, namely The Donaldson Review and The Standards for Registration in Scotland, and policy-related guidance from England on improving discipline in schools and pupils’ behaviour. We also consider how authority relations are conceptualised in a recent article that has made a significant contribution to the literature in the field. Finally, we present a theoretical account that counterbalances prevailing approaches to authority relations in the classroom. We suggest that authority is continuously negotiated, challenged, accepted, defined and ultimately constituted in and through the dynamics of interaction amongst pupils (and between pupils and teachers).     

Examining the effect of class size on classroom engagement and teacher–pupil interaction: Differences in relation to pupil prior attainment and primary vs. secondary schools

It is widely recognized that we need to know more about effects of class size on classroom interactions and pupil behavior. This paper extends research by comparing effects on pupil classroom engagement and teacher–pupil interaction, and examining if effects vary by pupil attainment level and between primary and secondary schools. Systematic observations were carried out on 686 pupils in 49 schools. Multilevel regression methods were used to examine relationships between class size and observation measures, controlling for potentially confounding factors like pupil attainment. At primary and secondary levels smaller classes led to pupils receiving more individual attention from teachers, and having more active interactions with them. Classroom engagement decreased in larger classes, but, contrary to expectation, this was particularly marked for lower attaining pupils at secondary level. Low attaining pupils can therefore benefit from smaller classes at secondary level in terms of more individual attention and facilitating engagement in learning.     

Validity in teachers’ summative assessments

This paper describes some of the findings of a project which set out to explore and develop teachers’ understanding and practices in their summative assessments. The focus was on those summative assessments that are used on a regular basis within schools for guiding the progress of pupils and for internal accountability. The project combined both intervention and research elements. The intervention aimed both to explore how teachers might improve those practices in the light of their re‐examination of their validity, and to engage them in moderation exercises within and between schools to audit examples of students’ work and to discuss their appraisals of these examples. This paper reports findings, arising from this work, of the research that aimed to study how teachers understand validity, and how they formulate their classroom assessment practices in the light of that understanding. The paper also considers how that understanding might be challenged and developed. It was found that teachers’ attention to validity issues had been undermined by the external test regimes, but that teachers could re‐address these issues by reflection on their values and by engagement in a shared development of portfolio assessments.     

Teachers’ professional beliefs about their roles and the pupils’ roles in the school

In recent decades, many educational reforms have been implemented that aim to effect a change in teachers’ and pupils’ roles by promoting meaningful learning. Yet, little is known about how teachers perceive these roles as a part of their professional belief system. In this study, 68 Finnish comprehensive school teachers were interviewed. The data were content analysed. The results showed that teachers recognised the importance of facilitating pupils’ active role in learning, but still mostly considered pupils as passive in school practices. Moreover, teachers perceived pupils as active educational participants most often outside the classroom, in informal school settings. Correspondingly, teachers described themselves primarily as knowledge transmitters in pupils’ learning. In their professional community, teachers perceived themselves mostly as reproducers of knowledge instead of facilitators of learning. There was also variation between the teachers as well as within a single teacher’s beliefs.     

The attitudes of mainstream teachers towards pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews a selection of the literature relating to the attitudes of mainstream teachers to different types of emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBDs) in the classroom. It discusses the variables influencing these attitudes, including gender, age and ethnicity of teachers and pupils; national context; between‐ and within‐school factors; within‐classroom factors; and the availability and quality of support services. The literature shows that many mainstream teachers have negative perceptions of, and limited tolerance for, problem behaviour in the classroom, and the barriers to modifying these attitudes are considered. Examples of projects designed to overcome these barriers are given.     

To click or not to click: Effectiveness of rating classroom behaviors on academic achievement with tablets

Due to the time constraint and lack of concise contextualized classroom behavior indicators, current typical primary school classroom behavior management practices are ad-hoc and lack historical data support. To circumvent these problems, we designed a tablet-based classroom behavior management system (CBMS) for a primary school setting. The CBMS aids teachers in establishing concise and consistent behavioral expectations based on teaching experience and expertise, thus allowing them to conveniently provide timely feedback on pupils’ performance and log ratings on a daily basis. We conducted a 1.5 years field study in a primary school Chinese course in East China, in which 124 pupils in the first grade and four Chinese teachers participated. The analysis of recorded data indicates that teachers’ daily behavioral ratings are positively correlated with their pupils’ academic achievements. The behavior rating strategy and indicators in CBMS can act as a substitute in promoting pupil's academic achievements. Our proposed system shows the feasibility and potential of handheld computer-based assessment strategy in implementing cost-effective classroom organization practices for low grade-level primary school pupils.     

Private Communication Between Students in the Classroom in Relation to Different Classroom Features

The aim of this study is to present an overview of communication patterns between students during ordinary lessons in a compulsory school system. The results, based on observations of 70 lessons, reveal that every lesson is filled with internal communication between students. Even if this interaction is mostly out of teachers’ conscious control, it is not random. The results do not provide any evidence to support an assumption that chatter between peers will increase in larger classes. The students’ participation in private interaction may to some extent depend on their position in the classroom. However, some factors of greater importance and highly relevant to peer interaction are the age of students (school level) and the form of work. The study demonstrates both the intensity of students’ private communication during ordinary lessons and also the relationship to some contextual factors. These contextual factors can be seen as educational means which teachers can use or misuse in their pupils’ ‘identity‐seeking process’. When teachers place children at different desks, and when they choose a special form of work, they are creating interactive arenas for their students. These arenas are important elements in the developmental setting which the school offers each individual child.     

The daily report card: A simplified and flexible package for classroom behavior management

There is a growing need for rapid low cost, and proven behavior management techniques for classroom teachers. Often, an uncomplicated system of feedback to pupils at frequent intervals, backed by reinforcers delivered at home by cooperating parents, is sufficient to decrease problem behavior and accelerate homework and classwork completion. The present paper presents a system consisting of report cards, instructions for students, parents, and teachers, which is designed to accomplish these objectives. One application of the daily report card in a regular fourth-grade classroom will be presented. In this case, a behavior problem (talkouts), and homework assignment completion were targeted and recorded during a baseline period, and then sequentially remediated using a multiple baseline design. The results indicated rapid improvement with a minimum of teacher time and effort. The use of the card with various problem behaviors in classrooms is discussed as a valuable consultation tool for school intervention.     

Gypsy,Roma and Traveller pupils in schools in the UK: inclusion and ‘good practice’

This paper examines inclusionary processes and examples of ‘good practice’ in primary and secondary schools for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils in one inner London Borough in the UK. It will explore the role of the Traveller Education Service (TES) and argue that the support provided by the TES to schools is essential for the development of ‘good practice’, but at the same time it stresses that the TES is not a substitute for the school’s educational and welfare responsibilities. The paper will also argue that the commitment of the head teacher and senior management team to the inclusive ethos of the school is crucial in setting the tone of the school towards positive treatment of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils. Where an inclusive ethos works successfully it is often the result of a wider social engagement between the school and community. The paper will draw on qualitative interview data with parents, head teachers, deputies, heads of year, teachers, and classroom assistants at the schools.     

Teaching manfully? Exploring gendered subjectivities and power via analysis of men teachers’ gender performance

The notion that teachers’ classroom behaviour and interaction with pupils may be predicted on the basis of their gender underpins recent controversial campaigns to recruit more male teachers in the UK. Teachers’ performances of gender are explored in this article, which draws on three cases from a larger study to analyse the ways in which teachers ascribed male produced their gendered subjectivities in the classroom and in interviews. Findings highlight the extent of diversity in male teachers’ practice and in their constructions of gendered subjecthood, hence providing evidence to question assumptions that male teachers teach, or relate to pupils, in particular ways due to their identification as male. The analysis emphasizes the fluidity and complexity of gender, including the (novel) identification of ‘male femininity’ in male teacher performances. Yet while supportive of the argument that gender is not necessarily tied to sexed bodies, the paper illustrates how embodiment can constrain or facilitate access to, and exercise of, particular gendered discourses, with consequences for power positions. It also highlights how these processes can result in the consolidation of particularly powerful subjectivities, somewhat testing Foucauldian perceptions of power as ‘never localized’. Hence the paper presents a challenge both to education policy makers and to theorists of gender and power.     

Making decisions about organising the primary classroom environment as a context for learning: the views of three experienced teachers and their pupils

This paper presents the views and perceptions of three experienced teachers about their management of the classroom learning environment. Research was carried out in three different schools using a variety of methods. In this paper reference is made mainly to the teacher interviews and the rating scales completed by their 9–11 year old pupils. The findings are discussed in terms of general educational principles like pupils’ involvement in decision- making, as well as in terms of the importance of specific environmental factors (notably seating arrangements and classroom wall displays). In the three schools there were found to be distinct differences in the teachers’ and pupils’ identification of significant elements within the classroom environment. A need is identified for further research into the ways specific environmental factors may affect children's learning and on the processes by which a classroom culture develops.     

The effect of support staff on pupil engagement and individual attention

Despite an unprecedented increase in classroom-based support staff, there are confusing messages about their appropriate deployment and a lack of systematic evidence on their impact. This article addresses the deployment and impact on pupil engagement and individual attention of support staff, commonly known as teaching assistants (TAs), in terms of: (1) a comparison between TAs and teachers; (2) differences between pupils with and without special educational needs (SEN); and (3) differences between primary and secondary schools. Systematic observations of pupil behaviour in 49 primary and secondary schools showed that support staff presence resulted in increased individualisation of attention and overall teaching, easier classroom control, and that pupils showed more engagement and a more active role in interaction with adults. This supports teachers’ positive view of support staff, but their presence also meant pupils’ contact with teachers declined and at secondary level there was less individual and active interactions between teachers and pupils.     

Teachers’ and Pupils’ Perceptions of Technology and the Implications for Curriculum

The recent explicit inclusion of technology into the science component of the school curriculum in Western Australia necessitates changes in both curriculum materials and the nature of classroom teaching. This paper reports an investigation of the perceptions of technology of senior teachers who are heads of the science department in their schools, and relates these perceptions with those of a sample of 13‐year‐old pupils in this state. The investigation reveals that many teachers have a restricted view of technology which may be interpreted as a view that technology is dependent upon science. Such a view may neglect the historical aspects and societal influences on science and technology. Further, the available evidence indicates that local pupils have a low level of awareness of technology. The paper discusses the implications of these findings for curriculum change and suggests a starting point for achieving a successful balance in the teaching of technology, science and society issues in the classroom.     

Teaching Grammar and Testing Grammar in the English Primary School: The Impact on Teachers and their Teaching of the Grammar Element of the Statutory Test in Spelling,Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG)

The research examined the impact on teachers of the grammar element of a new statutory test in Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) in primary schools in England. The research aimed to evaluate the nature and the extent of changes to the teaching of grammar and to wider literacy teaching since the introduction of the test in 2013. The research explored teachers’ responses to teaching grammar to a statutory test format, and how teachers implemented rapid curriculum change in their classrooms. The research sought to learn the perspectives of teachers as they adjusted to new English assessments and new expectations for children’s language in the primary school. This paper draws on teacher interviews (n = 16) and an online survey of teaching staff (n = 170). Teachers discuss their knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of grammar at their own level, and their skills for teaching pupils; they also discuss their observations of how pupils have responded to explicit grammar teaching and the grammar test. The data give some insights into the processes for teachers of applying new requirements for teaching and testing grammar, and how teachers strive to make grammar accessible to children. The findings discussed in this paper are: (1) since the introduction of the statutory SPaG test in primary schools, time spent teaching decontextualised and contextualised grammar has increased significantly; (2) grammar is now taught explicitly and formally as a classroom literacy routine; (3) the test format influences grammar teaching content and approaches; (4) teachers observe that pupils enjoy learning grammar and taking the test; (5) teachers disagree about the extent to which explicit grammar teaching and testing have a positive impact on pupils’ language and literacy skills; (6) teachers feel more confident about teaching grammar.     

A study of the effects of an organization change from streamed to mixed-ability classes upon science classroom instruction

The aim of this study was to quantify possible changes in the classroom learning experiences of high- and low-ability pupils, which might accompany an organizational change from streamed to mixed-ability classes for learning science in secondary schools. Deteriorations in the quality of the classroom interactions of both high- and low-ability pupils were found, these deteriorations being particularly significant for high-ability pupils. It was suggested that these changes in classroom processes might provide the key to understanding the superior academic achievement of pupils in homogenous groups, which has been reported by other research workers. It was concluded that the nine teachers studied did not respond to this organizational change by individualizing classroom activities. Instead, they tended to teach to the middle of the ability range, with both ends of the ability spectrum being adversely affected, in terms of classroom behaviors. For high-ability pupils, the observed learning experiences became more structured and teacher-directed in mixed-ability classes, with decreased opportunities' for these pupils to practice a range of higher-order intellectual skills. For slow-ability pupils, an overall decrease in the frequencies of classroom behaviors was recorded. However, these changes in classroom processes were small compared with those experienced by high-ability pupils.     

论课堂教学师生互动的模式与效果

课堂教学是教师引导学生认知的一个过程,这一过程并不是单向性的知识传播,而是以师生之间的有效互动为前提与基础的.但是课堂教学中的师生互动是以传授知识为旨归,在特定的教学环境、教学目标与教学要求下开展的,不同于社会生活中的人际互动,它具有自身的独特性与规律性.课堂教学中的师生互动有科学方法和基本模式可循,教师若能善于运用这些方法,对提升课堂教学质量将大有裨益.