Hazel Crichton

Curriculum for Excellence: the way forward for primary languages in Scotland?

Following the Dearing Report on the provision and teaching of modern languages in England, there has been a drive to establish the teaching of modern languages in primary schools throughout England. This article looks at how the teaching of modern languages in the primary school (MLPS) in Scotland has developed since 1989 – when the first pilot scheme was set up – to the present day, when modern languages are taught in almost all primary schools. We will discuss the issues surrounding the training of primary teachers and delivery of MLPS, which may resonate with experiences that English colleagues are undergoing at present, before moving on to look at the possibilities that the new curricular initiative in Scotland, Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), offers for MLPS.

Student teachers’ perceptions of feedback as an aid to reflection for developing effective practice in the classroom

Since Schön’s influential work on reflective practice, reflection has been prioritised in teacher education programmes internationally. The research described in this paper examined the development of postgraduate student teachers’ reflective processes in their first school placement. Twenty-five students were asked to write an account of their evolution in an area of their teaching, and how they were supported to evaluate lessons and reflect on their practice. Subsequently, a sample was interviewed to explore themes arising from the essays. In describing their development of a reflective perspective, the students identified useful feedback from three main sources: mentors, peers and pupils. Although the research took place within a Scottish context, the different roles that feedback played in the development of reflection should be of interest to teacher educators and student teachers internationally, as it could be argued that beginning teachers in every country face similar issues relating to reflection.

Collaboration or Confrontation? An Investigation into the Role of Prior Experiences in the Completion of Collaborative Group Tasks by Student Teachers.

This paper describes research which investigated how a group of 23 postgraduate student teachers from a wide variety of international backgrounds with a broad range of previous experience perceived the significance of their own and others’ prior experience in accomplishing directed collaborative tasks, related to their coursework, in pre-determined groupings. The students were asked to comment on how they valued their own and others’ prior experiences and how they considered prior experience informed the completion of the tasks. They were also asked to comment on the dynamic of groups in which they worked and how they felt others’ prior experiences affected the management and achievement of the task. The students rated some experiences more highly than others and almost all appreciated the predetermined nature of the groupings as benefitting them socially as well as educationally. However, they raised practical, attitudinal and personality issues, suggesting that more structured guidance from tutors at the outset would be beneficial.

Mother tongue plus two languages: are Scottish primary teachers confident to deliver?

ABSTRACT Recent policy reforms in Scotland mean that all primary teachers are expected to teach a foreign language (FL) to children from age 5, introducing a second language around age 9. This small-scale research study aimed to ascertain 38 primary teachers’ perceptions of their confidence to teach an FL to primary learners and what they felt would be helpful in developing their language proficiency and language teaching pedagogy. The teachers, while enthusiastic about the thinking behind the policy, expressed concern about their ability to provide a good model of language to their classes and their own development as learners of a language while simultaneously having to teach it. FL assistants, secondary colleagues and FL development officers were seen as valuable sources of support, but questions were raised about the sustainability of the policy without long-term permanent commitment.

How effectively are mainstream teachers prepared to meet the needs of learners for whom English is an additional language

There is a consensus in the international literature that insufficient attention has been given in Initial Teacher Education programmes to preparing novice teachers to support learners for whom English is an Additional Language (EAL). This chapter reports on a research and development study which has sought to make a contribution to addressing this gap. The study examined the current preparation of teacher education students to meet the needs of EAL learners in two Scottish university schools of Education; and explored how provision could best be developed in these two sites and more widely within the UK. The chapter frames this project within relevant international literature that has delineated the challenges faced by EAL learners, and identified issues related to second language acquisition, language diversity and literacies. A synoptic description is given of the design of the study and of the developmental intervention at its centre which aimed to provide student teachers with an initial orientation to the needs of EAL learners. Findings related to a survey of teacher educators in these two sites are then reported, followed by findings concerning the student teachers. The chapter concludes by considering the lessons for policy and practice in Initial Teacher Education that appear to flow from this project; and it is argued that a truly inclusive approach to EAL learners needs to be framed as part of a wider agenda of social justice and informed by theoretical perspectives that bring out the connections between language, literacies, culture, identity and power.

Learning intentions and success criteria: learners' and teachers' views

It is generally accepted that Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies are effective in teaching and learning. Approaches within this framework include the use of formative feedback, self and peer assessment and setting and discussion of learning intentions (LIs) and success criteria (SC). There has been a great deal of research into AfL strategies, but perhaps less into the way that the use of LIs and SC are actually perceived by teachers and their pupils. The purpose of the research described in this paper was to investigate teachers’ and pupils’ perceptions of AfL strategies, focusing specifically on LIs and SC within lessons. Findings showed that while both cohorts agreed on the usefulness of LIs and SC, in practice they were rarely discussed in class. Teachers displayed a variety of understandings regarding their purpose, and some learners, while appreciating their value for revision purposes, also expressed frustration at the tokenistic way in which they were implemented. The results of this study could be helpful in informing the wider education community about how LIs and SC are viewed by teachers and learners with a view to ensure understandings are consistent with research and policy through focused professional development courses.

Managing the Learning of New Arrival Children in Mainstream Schooling

As the authors point out, this case study has much wider implications beyond managing the integration of New Arrival children into mainstream schooling. There is a great deal of political controversy and social hostility reported in mass media communication over increasing immigration to Western countries.