Roger Hancock

‘A day in the life’: advancing a methodology for the cultural study of development and learning in early childhood

This paper explores the methodology of an ecological investigation of aspects of culture in the interactional construction of early childhood in diverse global communities: Peru, Italy, Canada, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Regarding culture as a dynamic dimension of the child’s socialisation, the approach taken was to film a ‘day in the life’ of a two‐and‐a‐half‐year‐old girl in each location. The principal investigators viewed these five ‘days’ and selected clips were made into a compilation tape, to be interrogated and interpreted by the local investigators and the child’s family. These latter reflections were also taped and then applied to a growing appreciation of the child in cultural context. Other inter‐researcher techniques were used to elucidate and explore events and values further. Reflexive concerns as to the interplay between aims and methods in interpretive research are critical components of this endeavour to develop new cultural understandings of the girls in context.

Safe Places in Domestic Spaces: Two-Year-Olds at Play in their Homes

Abstract This paper contributes to the growing research literature on childrens ‘intimate geographies’ by focusing on two-year-old childrens explorations and play within the domestic spaces of their homes. It draws on video data showing three young girls playing in selected home spaces i.e. a family grocery shop in Peru, the upstairs rooms of a house in America, and the balcony of an apartment in Italy. Through analysis of short video sequences the paper describes the way children use and invest meaning in these spaces. It is argued that the three domestic locations can be seen as ‘safe places’, in both material and personal senses; and that they enable childrens sense of belonging, foster their ‘emplaced knowledge’ and build on their confidence to explore spaces further afield.

The Literacy Hour: a case for listening to children

Despite a professional rhetoric about the importance of consulting children, there is reason to think that many teachers continue to disregard childrens views in their dayto-day practice. The Literacy Hour, with its detailed content and prescribed pedagogic structure, leaves teachers, teaching assistants and children very little room for comment or change. This article reports on a small-scale interview study involving 48 children. The study aimed to understand childrens experiences of the Literacy Hour. It is suggested that their comments should serve to inform professional practice. They raise important considerations related to teaching and learning and also provide reasons for questioning if the hour is as complete an answer to literacy teaching as it is claimed to be.

Implementing a required curriculum reform: teachers at the core, teaching assistants on the periphery?

This paper considers the part played by teaching assistants in the implementation of the National Literacy and National Numeracy Strategies, two widespread UK government reforms. Evidence from two sources of evaluation (the Ontario Institute in Canada and OfSTED, the school inspectorate for England) indicates that assistants are providing ‘remedial’ support for up to 25% of children in English primary schools. However, although the evaluators note this, they fail to truly acknowledge the important contribution of assistants to the functioning of the Strategies. The paper argues that the lack of acknowledgement arises from the evaluators’ view of teaching assistants as ‘peripheral’ and teachers as ‘core’. This does assistants a great disservice, but also masks the shortcomings of the Strategies, particularly with regard to the way in which a required pedagogy, linked to targets and tests, has created an exclusionary pressure leading to the separation of teaching by teachers and assistants, respectively.

‘Whoops, I forgot David’: children's perceptions of the adults who work in their classrooms

This article reports on the findings of a small‐scale study into the perceptions of 78 primary school children regarding the adults in their classrooms. The data show that children easily differentiate between their own class teacher and other adults, but report a substantial overlap between the activities of teachers and teaching assistants. Some express the difference in terms of status rather than role. Accounts call into question the notion that teaching assistants ‘help’ rather than teach and that there is a clear division of labour between them and teachers. Teachers and assistants are seen as working in an interdependent way, with each making a significant contribution to childrens learning. The difficulties of using childrens language as evidence are considered and it is concluded that the notion of a ‘remodelled’ primary school workforce needs to take into account the ways in which teachers and assistants maintain fluid working relationships.

They Call Me Wonder Woman: The Job Jurisdictions and Work-Related Learning of Higher Level Teaching Assistants.

This paper reports on an in‐depth interview study of the roles, job jurisdictions and associated learning of higher level teaching assistants (HLTAs). This role has the core purpose of covering classes to enable teacher release for planning, preparation and assessment. HLTAs’ individual job jurisdictions are described and discussed as are implications for their knowledge and practice. The HLTAs are found to have wide‐ranging job domains and, sometimes, unexpected involvements which mean they have to improvise practice. The study acknowledges that these HLTAs are being creatively managed and deployed by head teachers for the sake of teachers and schools. However, they are, at times, required to take on planning and cover duties which are beyond their knowledge and training with a likely impact on children’s learning. Given their training and experience it is asked if covering classes to release teachers is the most effective use of their abilities and time.

Using Video Technology

We have highlighted our intention to contribute to existing interpretive research methods in the area of childhood studies. Chapter 1 outlined the main features of our methodology and research methods, outlined the six phases of our research strategy and ended with a brief overview of our use of video as a methodological tool. Given its central place in our study, we now look more closely at the opportunities and challenges of our use of video technology to produce an observational record — a ‘filmic tracking of what takes place’ (Collier & Collier, 1986, p. 152). (Throughout this book we use ‘film’ interchangeably with ‘video’, mainly for stylistic variation as opposed to technical fidelity.)