Sean Neill

Experimental Alterations in Playroom Layout and their Effect on Staff and Child Behaviour

The influence of short‐term alterations in the visual and acoustic characteristics of a preschool playroom on the behaviour of children and staff was observed. Daily changes were made on a random schedule between four conditions; screens only, carpets only, screen and carpets and bare room without either screens or carpets. The aim was to see whether the alterations affected the time children and staff spent in a range of behaviours whose educational value could be assessed from previous studies. A scan method of observation was used. Both screens and carpeting were expected to increase educationally valuable behaviour by staff and children. Staff produced significantly more educational and social talk to children in the carpeted conditions. Staff and children spent more time in adult‐child social and educational groups in the carpets and screens condition. Screens discouraged some ‘medium involvement’ educational activities and encouraged ‘miscellaneous’ non‐educational activities. Though these differenc...

Portable Computers for Teachers and Support Services Working with Pupils with Special Educational Needs: An Evaluation of the 1999 United Kingdom Department for Education and Employment Scheme.

This study arose from the distribution of portable computers (“portables”) to special educational needs coordinators and support services by the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) through Standards Grant 36 in mid 1999. The study comprised two successive questionnaires. The aim of the surveys was to elicit the benefits of portables in relation to the special educational needs coordinator/support service roles as well as to evaluate this process of distributing resources. Questionnaire A to local education authorities (LEAs) was returned by 96 LEAs (a 64% return rate). There were 778 returns of questionnaire B from recipients of portables and 405 returns from the matched group of non-recipients. Overall the distribution of portables under this grant was well-regarded by LEA personnel, particularly in the smaller authorities, with reservations relating mainly to the lack of time to administer the scheme. The guidance from the DfEE was regarded as helpful with inherent (valued) flexibility. Amount and level of training appeared to have varied greatly across LEAs but where training had been relatively substantial there was evidence of its impact on teachers’ reported use of the portables. The scheme was welcomed by school

Primary schools and opting out: Some policy implications

Abstract Significant differences in perceptions between teachers in primary and secondary grant‐maintained schools are reported and analysed. Parents were more frequently involved in promoting opting‐out in primary schools, primary teachers had more favourable attitudes to the grant‐maintained school policy and, in primary schools, grant‐maintained status delivered improvements in classroom conditions, most notably reduced class size and increased para‐professional support in classrooms. The findings are discussed in terms of the management of primary schools, of theorising about reputation management in grant‐maintained schools, and of the explicit objectives of the grant‐maintained policy. It is further suggested that the evidence provided about grant‐maintained primary schools could be used to inject new life into a policy faltering in secondary schools.

Children's Responses to Touch a questionnaire study

Childrens responses to six types of touch were assessed at five ages between nine and 17 by questionnaire. The questionnaire was oriented to the types of touch and toucher occurring in classrooms and other public places, with a view to assessing their implications for education. The type of touch, the part of the body touched, and the familiarity and sex of the toucher all had strongly significant effects on childrens responses, as did the childs own age and sex. The status of the other person (adult/peer, teacher/non-teacher) had weaker effects. The implications of the results are discussed.

What happens in pre-school playgroups?

A previous article by our first contributor (Education 3–13; Autumn 1982) prompted much interest and comment. Here, he probes further into an under-researched ‘stage’ of education. By skilfully looking at play space, equipment, staff, children and the interaction between them, he arrives at conclusions — some of them unsettling — which should have implications for in-service training for playgroup staff.

Open-plan or divided space in preschool?

(1982). Open-plan or divided space in preschool? Education 3-13: Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 45-48.

book review: Why Youth Is Not Wasted On The Young Bjorkland, David, F. Blackwell, Oxford 2007, ix + 276 pp. ISBN 978 1 4051 4951 8, £50 (hbk); ISBN 978 1 4051 4952 5, £17.99 (pbk)

327 experience trial and error learning. The second part of the chapter looks at some current evidence on how children become creative problem solvers. Chapter 7, by Janet Cooke and John Woollard, explores the use of icons in paint programs. They report on their research fi ndings on observing young children using paint programs. An interesting point they make is that although the children understood what the icons represented this did not necessarily enable the children to use them. Some of the children were given the physical objects associated with the icons to use but even they still struggled to relate the spray icon with the spray can they had used. Chapter 8, by Jackie Marsh, reports on a project carried out in a nursery on digital animation in the early years. The chapter also includes a very informative review of media education in the early years curriculum. The chapter follows two children and how they made their animation. The author also provides a note of caution on how children should be given the chance to build on their skills in later years not repeat the same activities or even never have the chance to use these skills again. The penultimate chapter looks at using ICT to enhance the learning of music. This chapter looks at how ICT can be used to help children develop musically. This chapter, although not directly relating to early years, provides a comprehensive background to music technology and the changes to that technology over the years. The fi nal chapter, by Iram and John Siraj-Blatchford, looks towards a future early years ICT curriculum and sums up the use of ICT with reference made to the other chapters in the book as well as their own research.