Mediating HIV/AIDS Strategies in Children’s Literature in Zimbabwe

The Ministry of Education and Culture in Zimbabwe has introduced an intervention into the school curricula to complement the already existing mechanisms in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The literature in this programme is said to be designed to develop children’s knowledge of HIV/AIDS and to maximise both individual and community commitment to the safest protective behaviour possible. This paper argues that despite the Ministry’s efforts there is a dearth of such literature which would depict human relations and experiences in the context of HIV/AIDS in the corpus of Zimbabwean children’s literature in schools. It proposes that more fiction about HIV/AIDS could effectively complement the current non-fictional texts used in most Zimbabwean schools. This paper seeks therefore, to clarify the need for fictional narratives in which the disease plays a part since they will provide the main context in which young children learn to cope with the realities associated with HIV/AIDS through education. It posits that Zimbabwean children’s literature should also depict the conceptual framework within which health, human interaction and sexuality are understood in relation to the epidemic. Hazel Tafadzwa Ngoshi is with the department of English and Communication, Midlands State University, Zimbabwe. She teaches Renaissance and 20th century English literature and autobiography. A holder of a Master of Arts degree in English from the University of Zimbabwe, her research interests include children’s literature and autobiography. Currently, she is writing a book on Zimbabwean female (auto) biographies. Juliet Sylvia Pasi holds a Master of Arts degree in English from the University of Zimbabwe. She teaches Communication and African literature in the department of English and Communication at the Midlands State University, Zimbabwe. Currently, she is researching on aspects of orality in Zimbabwean children’s literature and the mediation of gender identities in African literature.     

The complex development of student-teachers' thinking

Studies of student-teacher development have tended to suggest a three-stage model of development in which the novices' concerns shift outwards from an initial preoccupation with self, to a focus on tasks and teaching situations, and finally to consideration of pupil learning. This paper, based on sequence of post-lesson interviews conducted with 25 student teachers following 1-year postgraduate courses within school-based partnership schemes of initial teacher education, questions the adequacy of such a model. Analysis of the reasons that the student-teachers offered for their teaching decisions, and of their lesson evaluations suggests a high level of concern for pupils' learning and an awareness of the complexity of teaching from very early in their training. The implications of these findings are explored; in particular, the challenges that they pose to teacher educators in terms of course structure and curricula, and the need to be responsive to individual learners.     

The Impact of Increased Fees on Participation in Higher Education in England

This article explores some recent research evidence on the possible impact of the higher education reforms in England on participation by students from lower socio‐economic backgrounds. The evidence is examined in terms of costs, debt and term‐time working. Financial issues have been shown to constrain choice of institution and place of study for lower‐income students, and financial problems are commonly cited as reasons for dropping out of higher education. The greatest difference in debt levels has been found to be linked to family background, with students who were poor before they entered university leaving university with the largest debts. Overdrafts and credit card debt levels have been shown to be lower for students in receipt of grants than for those who are not. Research has shown that school leavers who are least debt‐averse are more likely to go to university than those who are anti‐debt; the latter include those from the lowest socio‐economic groups and certain black and minority ethnic groups. Students who work in term‐time may achieve less academically: those who work in term‐time are more often those from lower socio‐economic groups or minority ethnic groups. Overall, the evidence indicates that financial payments and grants are likely to be the most promising way forward to increase participation in higher education among those from lower socio‐economic backgrounds.     

Advocacy leadership and the deprofessionalising of the special educational needs co-ordinator role

The UK government is proposing to replace M-level national award for special educational needs co-ordination training, mandated for SENCos in England, with an unaccredited national professional qualification. Such downgrading of their qualification level is intended to significantly increase the number of qualified SENCos; however, this is likely to reduce SENCos' capacity to exercise ‘advocacy leadership’ in support of students at risk of marginalization and social exclusion. We reject a neoliberal political discourse of continual improvement that neglects the need for critical literacy and research-informed inclusive practice on the part of SENCos, and suggest that endemic exclusionary practices in English schools are more likely to go unchallenged. The move towards nonaccredited SENCo status risks their deprofessionalisation, and this proposal is linked to an academisation agenda and efforts to normalize a trichotomised education system (comprising mainstream, ‘special’ and ‘alternative’ provision) by presenting such changes as an improvement.     

What is literacy for students with severe learning difficulties? Exploring conventional and inclusive literacy

This paper arises from research into inclusive literacy for pupils with severe learning difficulties who do not learn to read and write conventionally. The ultimate aim of the study was to seek out examples of good practice in teaching and learning literacy that includes students with severe learning difficulties and disseminate them as widely as possible. Thirty-five schools were visited and observations made in 122 lessons. Sixty-one teachers were interviewed and their paperwork examined. Ten focus groups and five 'expert witnesses' were consulted, alongside desk-based research designed to locate 'good practice'. Teachers used a mixture of conventional (e.g., texts) and non-conventional (e.g., pictures, film and oral) media, although more observations were made of conventional literacy teaching (e.g., phonic work) than of non-conventional (e.g., filmmaking). Results from the research suggest that few students with severe learning difficulties are likely to learn to read and write conventionally (i.e., read for pleasure, work and study) and teachers may be relying too much on teaching traditional literacy to them. It may be useful to explore teaching and learning around alternative media such as still and moving images, live theatre and storytelling, digital technology and the arts. Although some teachers are making good use of these media, the potential of these media for providing inclusive literacy experiences could be further developed.     

Strengthening and sustaining professional learning in the second year of teaching

The data discussed in this paper derive from post‐lesson and end‐of‐year interviews with 17 teachers in their second year of teaching. They form part of a longitudinal study which first tracked these teachers through their initial postgraduate teacher education programme and induction year. In the light of earlier analysis, which had highlighted both the enduring importance of individuals’ dispositions towards their own learning and the profound sense of professional isolation that some teachers experience once the support of their induction year is withdrawn, this paper focuses specifically on the interplay between teachers’ orientations towards their own professional learning and the nature of the learning environments in which they are working. The complex interrelationships between these two dimensions are illuminated by six case studies, which offer strong support to those who have challenged exclusive conceptualisations of ‘learning’ as either ‘construction’ or ‘participation’. The findings have important implications for all those responsible for the professional education of beginning and early career teachers, especially as they respond to the government launch in England of a new ‘national framework’ intended (eventually) to offer opportunities for Masters level professional learning to all newly qualified teachers.     

Book reviews

Declaring Independence: A Guide to Creating Community-controlled Science Journals Policy Approaches to Copyright in HEIs: A Study of the JISC Committee for Awareness, Liaison and Training by Ralph Weedon University of Strathclyde (available from The Centre for Educational Systems, University of Strathclyde, Alexander Turnbull Building, 155 George Street, Glasgow G1 1RD). ISBN 0-9538312-0-5 Internet Publishing and Beyond: The Economics of Digital Information and Intellectual Property edited by Brian Kahin and Hal R. Varian MIT Press, 2000. Pp. 229. Paperback £16.95. ISBN 0-262-61159-7 How to Present at Meetings edited by George Hall. London: BMJ Books, 2001. Pp. ix + 79. £12.95. ISBN 0-7279-1271-2 Dictionary of Printing and Publishing by Michael Barnard and John Peacock Pira International, UK, 2000. Pp. 216. Softcover, £80.00. ISBN 1-85802-3815