AbstractsPrinciples of practice and teacher actions: influences on effective teaching of numeracy
Volume 20
Number 3, December 2008;
Pages 78–101
The author developed a model of effective numeracy teaching practices and factors that influence them. The model was applied in case studies of three upper primary Tasmanian teachers. It drew on two earlier studies, conducted in Britain by Askew et al (see related conference paper by the authors) and in Australia by Clarke et al (see Executive Summary), which outlined principles of good practice in numeracy teaching. These principles include the need for teachers to make connections between and within different areas of maths, and link back to previously learned ideas, using words, symbols and diagrams. Teachers also need to display positive attitudes to maths; challenge all students; develop students’ conceptual understanding; challenge students to think through concepts; and focus on key mathematical ideas. The two studies also indicate the broad types of knowledge teachers need to put these principles into practice. Particularly important is pedagogical content knowledge, which includes awareness of how to express and concretise concepts for students in a variety of ways, and also allows teachers to pick up on students’ own ways of expressing these concepts. Teachers’ beliefs about numeracy teaching and learning are a third element in the model. For example, a teacher with a ‘transmission’ orientation to learning may interpret students’ errors as carelessness or inattention, where a teacher with a 'connectionist' orientation could attribute the same errors to misunderstanding. The current study sought examples of how teachers translate these broad principles, beliefs and types of knowledge into effective ways to improve student’s numeracy learning. The three case study teachers were all experienced and well regarded for their numeracy teaching by their principals. The author observed and videotaped lessons given by each teacher and then discussed the lessons and samples of students’ work with them. From this information and earlier research the author found six types of effective action that applied the principles, beliefs, and types of knowledge previously identified. The actions involved choice of examples, choice of tasks, questioning, use of representations, modelling, and use of teachable moments. The opportunity to observe and discuss their classroom practice led the participants to reconsider aspects of their teaching. Key Learning AreasMathematicsSubject HeadingsEducational evaluationPrimary education Tasmania Mathematics teaching Creative leadership teams: capacity building and succession planning
Volume 23
Number 1, January 2009;
Pages 12–18
Creative Leadership Learning was a research and development project operating from September 2006 to February 2008, in which 11 school leadership teams in south-western England worked with officers from a local education authority office to explore conditions, culture and structure needed to promote learning-focused creativity in schools. The project addressed concerns that earlier education reforms had promoted dependent behaviour among teachers; that schools were not adequately prepared for the approaching retirement of many current principals; that school leaders now face more responsibilities than one person can manage; and that the nature of student learning is posing new challenges. These last-mentioned challenges include an expectation on teachers to be able to draw effectively on vast and growing sources of educational knowledge, and to offer individualised learning to a student body that has become more diverse and also more critical of arbitrary authority. The Creative Leadership Learning organisers evaluated the project as it proceeded, using interviews, surveys, and notes taken during sessions. They briefed participants and external presenters on these provisional results, feeding them into the ongoing work. Participants described a range of benefits from the project. They became more aware of their own personal potential and about the creative capacities of participating peers. It raised levels of empathy and trust among participants. Of particular benefit was the chance for participants to trial leadership roles and take on levels of responsibility that were different to their place in the hierarchy of their workplace. During the project, participants were called on to apply what they were learning in their workplace. These applications took three broad forms: curriculum innovation, either within particular areas such as maths for girls, or as a total overall; capacity building, such as staff professional learning activities or developing external relationships; and extending the use of data and other evidence to inform decision making. KLA Subject HeadingsEducational planningEducational evaluation Professional development School leadership School principals Creativity Leadership Great Britain Mix it up
Volume 29
Number 4, 2008;
Pages 21–24
Educators should use a variety of data sources when gathering evidence on student achievement. In order to provide a balanced view of school results, test scores should be coordinated with alternative data sources such as student interviews and strategies such as walk-throughs. Facilitators in charge of school improvement can seek students’ input through conducting focus groups and interviews. Focus groups can help engage students and assist teachers to understand the reasons behind certain behaviours or challenges, and how to approach these issues. Interviews between individual students and teachers can provide perspectives and insights from a representative sample of the student body. Tuning protocols focus on student work in order to fine-tune classroom approaches. By using student work as a valid data source, teachers become more acutely aware of student knowledge, and can adjust their teaching methods in order to meet set goals. School process data, which determine how schools facilitate learning, can also be collected through alternative methods. Teachers can use walk-throughs to gauge student knowledge through observing classroom management and how students work when in groups or alone; this knowledge can be consolidated with the observations of other teachers. Educators can ‘shadow’ students in their own school or in a host school in order to better understand and compare effective school processes. These complementary strategies can be useful forms of data collection so long as schools effectively report on and apply what they have learnt. An understanding of the diverse ways school achievement and processes can be demonstrated can help schools reflect on and remedy challenges that arise. KLA Subject HeadingsSchool leadershipLeadership Assessment Education philosophy Education aims and objectives Classroom management Vocabulary size and the skills of reading, listening and writing
Volume 36
Number 2, December 2008;
Pages 139–152
Vocabulary size is an important predictor of language proficiency and communicative competence. A survey of 88 secondary-level Danish learners of English assessed the extent to which vocabulary size is associated with reading, writing and listening abilities, and whether a certain vocabulary size is needed for examination success. Previous research has shown strong correlations between receptive vocabulary size and reading comprehension. A substantial correlation between vocabulary and listening comprehension has been found, although factors such as ‘getting the gist’ and memory may also play a role. Demonstration of lexical sophistication is often significant in teachers’ assessment of written composition. For the current study, learners completed multiple choice and matching tests to assess reading and listening comprehension, and wrote a short composition. Students’ lexical knowledge was determined using a vocabulary levels test of the most frequent 2000, 3000, and 5000 English word families; 68 of the 88 students did not master the 2000-word vocabulary level. Vocabulary size was found to correlate significantly, although to varying degrees, with the three language skills. 62% of participants who did not master the 2000-word level performed below the average in the reading test; 45% of such participants did not meet the average in the listening test. The majority (72%) of such participants performed below average in the written composition. This could also be due in part to composition requiring use of learners’ productive rather than receptive vocabulary. Knowledge of the most frequent 2000 word families is likely to lead to above-average performance in reading, listening, and writing; these word families should be explicitly taught to learners. Key Learning AreasEnglishSubject HeadingsSecondary educationSurveys Linguistics Denmark English as an additional language English language teaching My new teaching partner? Using the grammar checker in writing instruction
Volume 98
Number 1, 10 September 2008;
Pages 36–41
Teachers who incorporate grammar checkers into classrooms can help students engage critically and competently with the software. Grammar checkers are automated tools to bring potential problems to a writer’s attention. Teacher guidance can assist students to perceptively assess and respond to the grammar checker’s suggestions for correction, and to become aware of the software’s limitations, such as its options for register, which include only formal and Standard English varieties. The authors designed a four-month action research study for a Grade 7 class that involved instruction with and in the use of the grammar checker. Students wrote essays with or without the grammar checker, composed sentences designed to trigger the software, and compared differences in rules and terminology between the software and their textbooks. They considered the grammar checker’s suggestions and predicted and hypothesised about missed diagnoses with their classmates. Students gradually became more familiar with the program and its uses, and also became aware of its limitations. They showed greater understanding of grammar terminology and the suggestions made by the grammar checker, and were more likely to recognise and predict faulty recommendations and to respond accordingly. Students’ standardised test scores showed strong improvement over the year, with students performing well even on challenging items. Key Learning AreasEnglishSubject HeadingsWritingInformation and Communications Technology (ICT) Middle schooling English language teaching Data dialogue: focused conversations put evidence to work in the classroom
Volume 29
Number 4, 2008;
Pages 15–24
Discussion of school achievement data can be used to influence classroom planning and instruction. The authors outline how effective discussions relating to achievement data can be conducted. These discussions involve the setting of goals, an analysis of student achievement through appropriate data, and practitioners to facilitate and monitor student learning. School improvement team conversations analyse data trends to create plans for school-wide improvement through goal setting, best-practice plans, and identifying benchmarks for achievement. Teacher–supervisor and teacher–mentor conversations aim to identify trends in the achievements of an individual teacher’s students and may involve discussing programs and practices to identify and solve problems in order to facilitate student growth. Grade-level conversations around individual students involve identifying students’ strengths and weaknesses in relation to the school improvement plan and devising and implementing relevant action plans. Grade-level conversations around instructional strategies see teachers engaging in deep discussions around teaching and learning in order to identify and apply successful teaching strategies and approaches. Teachers can compare results and responses to their teaching, and successful teachers can assist other teachers by sharing strategies. Individual student goal-setting conversations involve a classroom teacher and a student discussing the student’s learning in order to provide an understanding of their current level of achievement, and to set goals and implement strategies for improvement. These conversations can assist teachers and schools to use data to improve classroom approaches and strategies. KLA Subject HeadingsAssessmentSchool leadership Leadership Education management Education aims and objectives Will the teacher's laptop transform learning?July 2008;
Pages 51–59
The classroom use of New Zealand teachers’ personal laptops, provided as part of a government initiative, was monitored as part of a three-year project. The authors outline the ways in which Year 1 to 3 teachers used the laptops to enhance learning and teaching. Approximately 300 teachers from 100 schools responded to a written questionnaire for each of the three years. Over this period the laptops were increasingly used to facilitate individualised, interactive learning. Software was used to gauge students’ existing knowledge and prepare students for new units, for example through brainstorming. The Internet became a valuable resource for interactive components such as videos, diagrams and games, and students explored websites such as Google Earth to further their learning via virtual experiences. Materials combining forms such as text, images and music were used to enhance learning and cater to diverse needs. The Internet was spontaneously used to answer questions that arose in class and to research class trips; digital camera technology was used to take photos to use in class projects. E-learning was used to facilitate communication between groups, for example through e-mailing or chatting online with students in other countries. Teachers were able to customise materials and adapt worksheets to meet diverse student needs and interests, creating a supportive and flexible learning environment. Students experimented with new software and ways of presenting their work, taking control of their learning. The integration of laptops increased across all areas of the curriculum over the three-year period. Key Learning AreasTechnologySubject HeadingsTechnologyPrimary education New Zealand Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ICT use in Dunedin primary and secondary schoolsJuly 2008;
Pages 41–50
The New Zealand Ministry of Education recognises the importance of ICT as an integral part of education. However, the take-up of ICT has not been as widespread as expected. The author argues that this is due both to the way the school context is structured and teachers’ individual beliefs about ICT. A survey of 37 primary school teachers and 22 secondary teachers was conducted to determine forms of classroom ICT use. ICT use and access varied between primary and secondary levels, and between individual teachers of the same subjects. Reports of usage differed depending on the type of learning undertaken. For example, inquiry-based approaches prevalent at primary level resulted in many students using e-mail to contact experts. Secondary students’ classroom Internet use was subject-based and related to the class they were taking. Although there were many similarities in primary and secondary ICT use, primary schools generally used ICT more frequently, and for a greater range of applications. This may be due to differences in ICT availability and the structure of the curriculum at primary and secondary level. Generalist primary school teachers were able to incorporate ICT across many subject areas, unlike specialist secondary teachers. Primary students' classes were conducted in one classroom, meaning they had ongoing access to computers, whereas secondary students, whose day was more structured, used computers in designated labs during set times. ICT at secondary level was thereby restricted and removed from the classroom context, and could not readily become integrated into the curriculum. ICT use varied in part due to the structures required by school level, and by individual teachers’ understandings of ICT. Key Learning AreasTechnologySubject HeadingsSecondary educationPrimary education Technology teaching New Zealand Nurturing diversity in teacher education
Volume 24
Number 2, 24 April 2008;
Pages 27–37
This paper examines how the diverse needs of learners are met in a TESOL program at Macquarie University. The class profile comprises students of varied age, language backgrounds, attendance modes, and teaching credentials. The accommodation of the range of teaching experience among students is one of the most challenging aspects of the course, with novice learners needing instruction in basic competencies and skills, and experienced learners requiring opportunities for extension. With this in mind, classroom tasks and assignments are designed to account for a diversity of experience. In particular, the teaching practicum posed a challenge, as experienced teachers invariably outperformed novice teachers. As a result, a practicum for experienced teachers was introduced in order to make assessment fairer, and to give experienced teachers the opportunity to extend themselves. Novice learners were encouraged to lead conversation classes in order to overcome confidence issues and apply their learning. The range of students’ ages and their time away from academic study had to be taken into account, with some students needing support in using new technologies or in academic writing skills. Language background was also a consideration. As only 28% of the class identified as monolingual English speakers, varying levels of language knowledge were to be expected. A number of initiatives, such as language-related tutorials, were proposed and assisted learners to improve their language and language-knowledge skills. Course innovations such as DVD recordings of lessons and voice-recorded feedback on assignments were also implemented in order to help personalise lessons for students who may be undertaking some aspects of the course via distance modes. A post-graduation questionnaire found that overall, graduates were positive about their learning experience, with the majority satisfied with the inclusive nature of the course, and the ways in which elements including teaching experience, age and language background were taken into consideration. KLA Subject HeadingsTeaching and learningTeacher training Inclusive education Encouraging student voice in academic writing
Volume 98
Number 2, November 2008;
Pages 64–68
Encouraging English students to think deeply about their own opinions on text-related topics can significantly improve their writing. The Improving Students’ Academic Writing program at the California Writing Project invites secondary students to discuss their own ideas about a given text. In one English class inspired by the program, traditional prompts were replaced by prompts that asked students to share their opinions about broader issues raised by the text. At first, the class, and in particular the students who had been in advanced English classes, showed resistance to the new prompts, which required a higher level of engagement with the text. An important addition to the lessons in second semester was a Writer’s Notebook, in which all students and the teacher wrote daily responses to prompts related to the texts they were studying. These prompts asked students to consider topics such as what it means to be a hero, the place of heroes in American culture, and whether the definition of a hero has changed over time. Subsequent essay responses showed more thoughtful links to students’ own experiences. Class discussions around students’ notebook responses were also implemented, with students obliged to share at least one entry with the class every six weeks. The exchange of ideas in these discussions proved helpful for later essay writing. Over the course of seven months, the ability of students to formulate clear thesis statements improved, as did their awareness of audience. Students were also more strongly connected to the broader purpose of writing. Key Learning AreasEnglishSubject HeadingsEnglish language teachingWriting Literature There are no Conferences available in this issue. |