ABSTRACT Despite the increasing number of students with special educational and developmental needs in Singapore, in-service teachers’ efficacy in inclusive practices remained underexplored within this teacher population. This study examined the efficacy of 584 in-service preschools and primary school teachers in inclusive practices. Results showed that while teachers demonstrated moderately high efficacy, preschool teachers’ overall efficacy was significantly higher than that of primary school teachers. Conversely, no significant difference found in efficacy in managing behaviour, indicating that both groups find it equally challenging. The study explored possible reasons for these differences in teacher efficacy across educational levels in Singapore.

ABSTRACT Engagement with game culture is an important component of young peoples’ lives yet little is known about the potential of drawing on this culture in the primary classroom science curriculum to improve engagement across diverse socio-economic cohorts. Therefore, the aim of the study was to understand the engagement potential of the distinct pedagogy of Checkpoint Magazine’s prepared lesson materials for Key Stage 2 Science, and to evaluate feedback on any perceived enhanced classroom learning that takes place. Using mixed methods, five teachers from four schools delivered a Key Stage 2 science lesson on classification. The teachers were interviewed, and we gathered questionnaire data from most of the children who participated in the lesson in each school. The findings were positive with both teachers and children reporting increased enjoyment and engagement with the learning process. The outcomes of this project have the potential to deliver more inclusive learning for young people.

ABSTRACT Research shows the importance of leadership for quality development in settings of Early Childhood Education [ECE] (Anders and Oppermann 2024). This study investigated how headteachers of ECE settings in Germany pursue the goal of team development as a prerequisite for quality development and use external expertise for this purpose. Twenty-two heads who took part in the federal initiative ‘core day-care centres: language and instruction’ (Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, 2011–2015) were interviewed in this qualitative study. Findings suggest that team development is something that headteachers generally leave to external professionals and need support in developing their self-image as leaders.

ABSTRACT This article takes stock of the current trends in research, policy and practice regarding the role of language in the dialogic classroom. The article uses the policies of two different educational jurisdictions as counterpoints to highlight the different ways that oral language can be positioned within primary curricula. It reflects on current and recent research literature, exploring how language can promote the collaborative learning that is central to dialogic pedagogy, highlighting the value of less formal registers or less ‘certainty’ in the proposal of ideas. The article then offers a linguistic-ethnographic analysis of what this looks like in practice, drawing on classroom observational data gathered in English primary schools. Finally, these three strands of theory, policy and practice are brought together, scoping ways forward for the inclusion of language and dialogue in primary education.

ABSTRACT There are few measures of teacher professional knowledge of reading comprehension, therefore little is known about the levels of teacher professional knowledge, their motivation and attitudes to teaching reading comprehension. The Knowledge, Behaviour and Attitudes Test for Reading Comprehension (KBAT-RC) was developed from a systematic literature review, in collaboration with researchers and practitioners. Findings from the first sample suggest that teachers prefer more tangible practices when teaching reading comprehension (teaching vocabulary, prediction and asking questions), in contrast to developing the inference skills and self-monitoring for meaning strategies of the children they teach. Implications for the development of teacher professional knowledge in reading comprehension are discussed.

ABSTRACT This article examines two ethnographers’ fieldwork with young people applying co-production film-making methods and three ways to approach youth-led filmmaking work for researchers and educators. Implicit to our argument is a belief, based on several multimodal projects, that filmmaking consolidates literacy skills and gives young people a more expansive, lived, and at times disruptive sense of literacy learning. In this special issue focusing on research into children’s language, literacy and literature, we give readers a way to take forward a living literacies approach to film work in 3–13 literacy teaching and learning.

ABSTRACT We present 11 evidence-based practices for teaching writing to students. These include recommendations for teaching writing to younger students (aged 5–11) and older students (aged 6–18). The recommendations are based on findings from close to 1000 investigations. The proposed recommendations are (1) students need to write, but writing is not enough; (2) students need to be supported as they write; (3) foundational writing skills (handwriting, spelling, grammar and sentence construction) need to be taught; (4) students become better writers when strategies for planning, revising and editing are taught; (5) teaching creativity, critical thinking and imagery can enhances writing; (6) teach students how to write summaries; (7) enhance students’ knowledge about writing; (8) use twenty-first century writing tools in the classroom; (9) have students write across the curriculum; (10) connect reading and writing instruction and (11) creative a motivating writing environment.

ABSTRACT In an era of evolving literacy challenges, an Italian based project ‘Leggere: Forte!’ (Reading Strong) is promoting shared reading aloud to spark youth interest in reading and improve language skills. Now in its third year, the project team have analysed the impact of daily shared reading on 1829 children aged 3-10. The results show significant benefits in language, comprehension, and literacy, and highlight disparities between the experimental and the control groups. Teacher feedback underscores the positive effects of this version of shared reading. The initiative demonstrates the educational value of shared reading and calls for its integration into modern education, suggesting it as a foundation for further research and the development of rich, diverse learning environments.

ABSTRACT This paper examines literacy as a sociocultural, personal and human practice dependent on and derived through relationships between people, settings and culture. Drawing on a recent empirical research study that combines learner, teacher and author perspectives [Curtin (2023) Reading and Writing Pathways Through Children’s and Young Adult Literature: Exploring Literacy, Identity and Story with Authors and Readers. Routledge], I explore how children’s literature may be used to develop meaningful and authentic literacy pedagogies in the primary classroom. The research methodology for this study employed interviews with sixteen international and award-winning children’s literature authors. This paper presents one author's interview from the study in detail in an effort to illustrate the importance of identity and personal resonance in literacy learning. To this end, funds of knowledge [Moll, Amanti, Neff, and Gonzalez. (1992). “Funds of Knowledge for Teaching: Using a Qualitative Approach to Connect Homes and Classrooms.” Theory Into Practice 31 (2): 132–141. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849209543534] and light and dark [Zipin (2009). “Dark Funds of Knowledge, Deep Funds of Pedagogy: Exploring Boundaries Between Lifeworlds and Schools.” Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education 30 (3): 317–331. https://doi.org/10.1080/01596300903037044] pedagogical approaches are applied in a discussion of genre study using (auto) biographical text in the primary classroom. Identity affirming and culturally resonant pedagogies developed seek to engage learners in literacy as a human practice. The paper concludes by considering key insights and ways forward.

ABSTRACT Multidisciplinary learning (ML) contexts have become an integral part of teaching. Since the 2014 curriculum reform in Finland, certain aspects of learning assessment have changed in Finnish basic education. These educational policy reforms and their practical implementation have increased national and international interest in the Finnish curriculum and its approach to learning assessment. This paper explores Finnish primary school (students aged 7–12) teachers’ (PST) perceptions of the significance of learning assessment in basic education, particularly regarding multidisciplinary learning modules. This study implements a phenomenographic research design based on semi-structured interviews (n = 15). The qualitative analysis resulted in five hierarchical outcome categories reflecting the primary school teachers’ perception of significance of learning assessment in a multidisciplinary learning context. The results indicate that primary school teachers’ perceptions of the significance of learning assessment can influence both the variety of assessment, and the teacher/student roles in the design and implementation of assessment. The qualitative findings of this study deepen our understanding of the role of learning assessment in multidisciplinary learning and teaching and support the further development of teacher education in the field of learning assessment. Interactive, comprehensive assessment strengthens quality learning by making learning visible and steering learning towards its goals.