Applying Emotional Intelligence: Exploring the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies curriculum

This paper describes a collaborative action research project in one primary school that arose from a mutual interest in applying the concept of “Emotional Intelligence”. It involves an exploratory qualitative study of the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) curriculum. This is an approach aimed at promoting emotional competence in children and young people. The PATHS curriculum was chosen because of its clear conceptualisation of emotion, its emphasis upon cognitive and developmental aspects and its research history. One class of 9 and 10 year olds took part in the project. Target children were selected from within this group for closer monitoring. The outcomes suggest that PATHS was rated very positively by class teachers, pupils and other staff involved in the project. Positive emotional, social and behavioural changes at a class and individual level were attributed to the effects of PATHS. Finally, the importance of developing a positive school ethos was highlighted as promoting these effects.     

Implementing the National Curriculum at Key Stage 2

Abstract

Since 1989, the Portuguese education system has undergone curricular reform which has introduced deep structural changes to the subject of physical education (PE). PE has become a compulsory and examinable subject within the ‘core curriculum’ of all school years (1 st to 12th grade). National curricular plans for basic and secondary education have also been introduced. This paper provides a view of the political options which have underpinned the present curricular project of PE in Portugal and compares practices in that country with those in Belgium. The analysis first describes the ‘curriculum as text’ before focusing attention on the ‘curriculum as action’. The analysis explores the nature of teachers’, pupils’ and parents’ beliefs, values and attitudes that together mediate the curriculum as text, help define contexts of PE, and influence public and political attitudes towards the subject. The paper points to the importance of both researchers and teachers for the development of effective teaching and learning in PE.     

Redrafting at Key Stage 1

Redrafting is clearly a crucial part of the writing process and teachers are currently required to teach children to redraft writing at Key Stage 2 in the National Curriculum. For Kathy Durkin this is much too late and she reports here on her investigations into introducing redrafting to Key Stage 1 children. From her work it seems there are many dangers in under-estimating children’s abilities in this regard.     

Talking and thinking together at Key Stage 1

In this paper, we describe an innovative approach to promoting effective classroom‐based groupwork and the development of children's speaking and listening at Key Stage 1. This approach, known as Thinking Together, was initially developed for use with Key Stage 2 children. The work reported here explains how this approach has now been applied to the teaching of speaking and listening at Key Stage 1. The approach is founded on contemporary sociocultural theory and research. At the heart of the Thinking Together approach is a concern to help children build and develop their knowledge and understanding together, through enabling them to practise and develop ways of reasoning with language.     

Teacher Assessment in the Inner City at Key Stage 1

This study examines the experience of national teacher assessment in a sample of inner‐city infant schools. In particular, it addresses the conduct of teacher assessment in the three core curriculum areas of English, mathematics and science, and modifications made for children with English as a second language and those with special educational needs. Two distinct approaches to teacher assessment emerged, with integration into classroom activities occurring in some cases, but frequently separate ‘bolt‐on’ activities being carried out. It is interesting to note that almost all the teachers used two or three standard assessment tasks instead of continuous teacher assessment to assess children’ s attainment. Teachers consistently saw time as a vital ingredient for meeting the needs of children with ‘additional educational needs’ in relation to teacher assessment. The findings are discussed in the context of recent policy developments and in terms of theoretical models of teachers’ approaches to assessment.     

A Study of Teacher Assessment at Key Stage 1

This paper is based on semi‐structured interviews with 59 Year 2 teachers across 45 schools in one LEA. It documents their practice of and attitudes to teacher assessment and it proposes a developmental model which describes and explains their approaches. The assessment of process skills is analysed and the effects of assessment on children's learning and teachers’ practice are discussed. The manageability of teacher assessment is also examined. The findings are linked with previous and subsequent studies on teacher assessment and suggestions for further research, based on these outcomes, are offered.     

Advanced Phonics: Teaching Strategies for Poor Readers at Key Stage 2

Poor readers at Key Stage 2 need ongoing support for their reading development. They are frequently weak in the metacognitive skills that enable good readers to make their own progress and they require a repetition of much phonics material from Key Stage 1. Beyond that, they have a need for the further complexities of English to be taught to them as phonics, not as spelling strategies/investigations. Additionally, they have difficulty in tackling polysyllabic words and must be taught appropriate decoding strategies. There is a dearth of teaching materials in this area and little research evidence as to how such material might best be taught. This paper charts the development of a phonics booster programme for poor readers in Year 5.     

An Investigation into the Attitudes of Teachers at Key Stage 2 to Speaking and Listening in the National Curriculum in Wales

The attitudes of teachers in Wales to speaking and listening in the National Curriculum, both as a profile component in English and as a requirement across the curriculum, were tested using a Likert-type attitude scale. A 10%, sample of the whole of Wales was involved, specifically teachers of key stage 2. The results show the differences in attitudes between the teachers according to age, years in teaching and training. A factor analysis revealed almost universal agreement that speaking and listening help children to learn. This is discussed in relation to a group of statements concerning classroom practices in speaking and listening.     

Improving Literacy at Key Stage 3: Policy,Practice and Evaluation

This paper reports on and explores some of the assumptions underpinning an invitation issued to local education authorities in England in January 1998 from the Department for Education and Employment to bid for funds to develop literacy in the first years of secondary schooling. It goes on to describe one authority’s successful bid, and explores how the project is being implemented in schools within the authority, in terms of action plans, staff development and classroom practice. Finally, these perspectives are compared with research findings on literacy development, particularly in low-achieving schools. The problems of evaluating literacy interventions are discussed.     

论物理核心素养视野下的科学思维教育内容

科学思维是物理核心素养的重要方面,明确科学思维的教育内容是促进学生科学思维发展的基础和依据。依据科学思维的组成元素和教育目标,参考相关学科科学思维教育实践情况,物理课程开展科学思维教育应该引导学生了解思维的立场与态度、把握思维的脉络和环节、掌握思维的方法和技能。科学思维教育内容包括思维取向、思维要件、思维方法三个方面。物理教材在编写科学思维相关内容时,应注意目标要求、进度安排、内容组织、栏目设置等方面。     

复杂性思维与成人教育课程评价

当前我国成人教育课程评价存在着单一化、静态化和封闭化等诸多问题,这些均不利于课程的健康发展和成人的全面发展,＂复杂性思维＂作为研究复杂现象、复杂问题和复杂系统的新的思维方式,可深刻认识事物本来的复杂面目、理解和把握事物的发展及其变化。它给课程评价提供了一种新的视角,使课程评价由单一走向综合,由一元走向多元,由静态走向动态,由封闭走向开放。     

论课程评价多元化的若干关键问题

伴随着理论研究的深入和民主理念的推进,课程评价多元化的现象仍将继续。在此过程中,确立多元课程评价观念,运用多元课程评价方法,融合多元课程评价目的是最为关键的三个问题。     

Pictures in Books for Children at Key Stage 1: an analysis

The Department of Education and Science (DES) provided a graded list of books for pupils at Key Stage 1. These books tend to include pictures. Pictures have the potential to offer information which might be difficult to provide briefly or meaningfully in simple language. The pictures of the books on the DES booklist were analysed in order to gauge some aspects of their potential. It was found that, while most might serve as a second line of communication to facilitate the construction of meaning, they also fell into two distinct groups, one of ‘picture’ books and one of ‘word’ books. Writers and illustrators and those who select and grade books for young children might consider the attributes of word and picture together so that there is a smoother progression from one group to the other.     

促进课程发展的学校评价指标体系研究

学校评价改革是新一轮基础教育课程改革的重要突破口之一,建立符合新课程发展需要的发展性学校评价体系,正逐渐成为我国当前教育改革亟需解决的重要问题。促进课程发展的学校评价指标体系是在发展性教育评价理论基础上进行构建的。其主要内容包括学校目标体系、学校保障体系、学校发展能力体系、学校成效。对这一体系的研究可以深入地推进我国基础教育课程改革的顺利发展,进而提高我国基础教育的质量。