Thread,Web and Tapestry‐making: processes of development and language

Development models have moved away from the simple export or imitation of western patterns towards local ownership and participatory approaches. This movement has brought with it increasing attention to the place of culture, ethnicity and language in development. In situations of high linguistic diversity, debate has concentrated largely on language choice and use in the formal educational system without reference to wider participatory processes of development in the community. Questions of language choice in both education and development are, however, crucial where local community languages have little written tradition and may have been considered of too little significance to develop. This article will review the major features of participatory development and ask how far similar processes have been or might be applied in promoting the use of local languages for such development. These questions will be explored in selected African contexts. How does intervention for language development dovetail with other kinds of development intervention? What is the interplay between the cultural basis of participatory development and the expression of ethnic identity through local languages? What lessons might be drawn from participatory development for community‐based processes of language development? How significant is the notion of empowerment with regard to the linguistic resources of a community? In conclusion, the article will argue that language development processes must figure prominently in participatory approaches to development multilingual environments and that attention to language must proceed along similar participatory lines.     

Changes in Pupils’ Self‐perceptions and Self‐evaluations: from CSE/GCE to GCSE

A comparison of mean scores for the first cohort of GCSE pupils with the last cohort of CSE/GCE pupils in one comprehensive school on a variety of measures of self‐perception and self‐evaluation fails to show any more than marginal differences. Correlations between examination performances and the self‐report measures were almost identical for the two sets of examinations. The most parsimonious interpretation would be that the changes in the examination system had not resulted in any changes in pupils.     

Using interviewing as a teacher education technique

The interviewing process provides a unique method for determining what children know, and it is an innovative addition to a science methods course. Evidence for the effectiveness of the model is found in the comments of teachers. Their comments indicate that through the experience they have learned to value the process and recognize the importance of many of the topics included in the science methods course. Finally, most of the teachers reported their intentions to use the interviewing process in their classrooms. It appears,therefore, that interviewing can be a valuable part of a science methods course. It is likely that the interviewing process would also be useful if incorporated into other professional growth opportunities such as inservice programs and professional conferences.