Keith Ballard argues that the commitment to individualism and to a commercial market model has implications for our working lives. The ideological belief that we are primarily motivated by self-interest carries with it the implication that we are not to be trusted, but need “incentives” to make us work. Relationships ...

Two strengths of the ARBs are their links to national curriculum statements and the range and control they give teachers and schools over what is to be assessed. They include a set of 96 writing resources for English, covering poetic and transactional writing. In view of positive feedback from ARB ...

In a study based on a survey of Year 11 students, boys reported a higher level of negative writing satisfaction and less writing enjoyment in the English classroom than girls did. Boys and girls preferred different writing genres. While students did not see writing as inherently gender-biased, they did seem ...

How can research findings can be used to develop specific teaching approaches? This UK article concentrates on the potential of shared and guided writing for improving syntactical structure and grammatical awareness within particular genres, especially in the 7–13 age-range.

We know that children learn better when they are supported during new learning by someone who is more expert than they are. At a multi-cultural school in one of the five most “at risk” areas in Auckland, peer tutors were able to learn and operate paired writing techniques, with the ...

It is exciting to be looking ahead to another stimulating year in the life of set: Research Information for Teachers. This year brings two new features, as well as an improved pricing structure.

Self-review of policies and procedures is now a requirement for early childhood services in New Zealand. This article describes the development of a resource kit for carrying out reviews of quality, The Quality Journey, and two pilot studies using it. Participants found several aspects of self-review challenging but also rewarding.

Starting school is a major life-event for all involved: children, families, preschool educators, and school staff. All groups engage in a range of activities designed to make the time of transition to school positive. Yet each group has different perceptions of, expectations for, and experiences with this transition. This article ...

The authors show how Information and Communication Technology (ICT), can enhance Learning Stories and benefit children, families, teachers, and the curriculum in general.

Progression and continuity are considered to be indicators of quality and effectiveness in early childhood education, but there are different and sometimes competing definitions of these concepts.