'I Normally Just Ramble On' -Strategies to Improve Writing at Key Stage 3

This article reports the findings of a classroom-based study into the effectiveness of various strategies designed to assist children at Key Stage 3 (11–14 years) to become better writers. It takes account of the attitudes of the pupils themselves and considers the role of the teacher in facilitating improvement in imaginative writing.     

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.     

Gender Differences in Pupil Attitudes to the National Curriculum Foundation Subjects of English,Mathematics, Science and Technology in Key Stage 3 in South Wales

The attitudes of pupils in South Wales to mathematics, English, science and technology were tested using a Likert‐type attitude scale. Pupils were selected from National Curriculum Key Stage 3, specifically Year 9 (age 13‐14 years). Schools were selected by their position in the 1992 National League tables produced by the Welsh Office, the schools being placed into one of four bands. The number of schools involved was 34 and the number of pupils 4263. This represents 15.3% of the total population of school children of age 13‐14 years in the region (Welsh Office, 1993). The results show gender differences in attitudes to English, mathematics, science and technology and some between school differences. The results are subjected to a factor analysis and are discussed in relation to groups of statements reflecting key aspects of each subject scale.     

Learning to learn: improving attainment,closing the gap at Key Stage 3

In 2010, a comprehensive secondary school in the south of England implemented a whole-school approach to ‘learning to learn’ (L2L). Drawing on a range of evidence-based practices, a team of teachers worked collaboratively to design and deliver a taught L2L curriculum to all students throughout Key Stage 3. In total, the first cohort of students (n = 118) received more than 400 taught lessons throughout years 7–9. The impact of L2L on student attainment at Sea View was evaluated over those 3 years, using the pre-L2L cohort as a matched control group (n = 148). By the end of year 9, a significantly higher proportion of L2L students were either hitting or exceeding their target grades, compared with the control group. There was also a significant closing of the attainment gap between students eligible for the pupil premium and their peers (2%, vs. 25% in the control group). Key features of the L2L approach at Sea View are considered in terms of similarities and differences with other L2L approaches. Conclusions are drawn that the success of this approach lies in the combination of multiple effective practices. Recommendations for further research and development of the field are proposed.     

Pupils’ Subject Preferences at Key Stage 3 in South Wales

The perceptions of pupils towards the foundation subjects of English, mathematics, science and technology were determined by structured interviews. The pupils were selected by their responses to a Likert‐type attitude scale previously administered; pupils were banded from the results of the scale into one of three bands: those with positive attitudes, neutral attitudes and negative attitudes towards the subjects under study. Approximately 48 pupils per subject were interviewed for each of the subjects, representing 4.5% of the original survey sampled in the previous research. The results of the research showed a marked predilection for English and games and a lack of enthusiasm for modern foreign languages. There was also little positive response for subjects which occupy a small amount of curriculum time—music and religious education—with art being an exception to this. There were indications that mathematics and science were more ‘love‐hate’ subjects than others. It was found that girls were more forthcoming with criticisms whereas boys were more forthcoming with praise. Overall, there was no evidence that the National Curriculum had either improved or damaged attitudes towards subjects. However, this research indicates that the National Curriculum had removed some of the pre‐existing gender divisions, such as those relating to the separate sciences.     

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.     

Alas, Poor Shakespeare: Teaching and Testing at Key Stage 3

In this article I briefly consider the ideological impetus for retaining Shakespeare as a compulsory component of the National Curriculum for English. I take issue with the current Key Stage 3 testing regime. In particular, I question the educational value of tests which ultimately undermine what is generally agreed to be good classroom practice and which force on teachers a narrow theoretical perspective of Shakespeare, where close textual analysis and Bradleyan notions of character predominate.     

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.     

The Part which Metacognition can Play in Raising Standards in English at Key Stage 2

This article explores the role of metacognition in developing literacy at Key Stage 2 and suggests that the ability to extend pupils’ metacognitive awareness deserves to be given a high focus in English teaching, as it is through this that deeper levels of understanding will be acquired. Metacognition can be enhanced by giving pupils an explicit repertoire of techniques to aid their understanding of how are they learning. Examples derived from five research cases reveal how some teachers have tried to achieve this, and the pivotal role which this may play in raising standards in English.     

英语专业基础阶段听力教学研究

英语专业学生在听力训练过程中,尤其是在基础阶段,由于心理恐惧、自身基础知识不全面等原因,听力能力不能得到很快的提高.因此,教师应该努力培养学生良好的心理状态,提高学生的基本技能,拓宽学生的知识面,同时还要注意合理安排课程内容和授课形式.     

Lost in transition: supporting Key Stage 2/3 English trainees during secondary placement

Key Stage 2/3 trainees undertake their second school placement in secondary schools having completed a placement in a primary school in the first year of their training. While trainees will have been prepared at their higher education institution, the experience itself can be daunting for reasons other than the fact that this is their first secondary placement. These reasons are discussed in this article, and focuses on how a lesson-planning document was developed at one institution to support English trainees through this placement. The aim of this article is to raise awareness in partnership schools of the specific needs of Key Stage 2/3 English trainees.     

Enabling Key Stage 3 Students to Make Improvements to Their Own Writing

This paper reports a school‐based investigation into revision as a means of improving writing in the English classroom. It suggests that although pupils tend to perceive revision as a teacher‐directed, discrete stage in the writing process, during revision they engage in independent questioning, evaluation and employ a working model of audience as a guide to their operations. An approach to revision which involved pupils actively investigating each other's work, combined with an emphasis on multiple‐drafting, was trialled in the English Departments of two different schools. The findings suggest that this alternative approach creates a classroom context for improvement which is not teacher‐centred but embraces all students and highlights the potential for revision as an active learning process.     

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.     

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.