Context Of Primary Education Research Articles

Trained and Non-Trained Language Teachers on CLIL Methodology: Teachers’ Facts and Opinions about the CLIL Approach in the Primary Education Context in Spain

Since the early 2000s, there seems to be a growing interest in bilingual education in Spain. The need for teachers with certain accreditation in foreign language proficiency has been growing in the last decade. Yet, the methodological basis to integrate content and language in the classroom does not seem to be a compulsory requirement. The participants of this study were surveyed about several aspects of their teaching practice. We compared the answers of those who have received specific methodological CLIL training and those who have not. Results show that methodological training beyond just foreign language teaching makes significant differences in terms of the teachers’ opinions on CLIL and practice of using bilingual practices in their classrooms, making use of a wider variety of activities and resources. Differences were found in the way they see their own teaching, their use of their L1, materials in the classroom, and the variety and type of activities they develop with their students.

Algunas cuestiones sobre política educativa y la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras durante el franquismo

En este trabajo se analiza la presencia de las lenguas extranjeras en el curriculo academico tanto en la ensenanza primaria como en la formacion de maestros durante el franquismo. Especialmente en la ultima etapa del franquismo, se observa un cambio en la percepcion de la importancia del estudio de las lenguas extranjeras y la necesidad de incorporar dicha formacion en los distintos niveles educativos en una Espana que empieza a abrirse a Europa y en la que el sector turismo adquiere cada vez mas importancia; de ahi la inclusion de la especialidad de Lengua en la formacion inicial del Magisterio.

Comunicación oral y m-learning en el aula de inglés de primaria: la fotografía y el vídeo como recurso

The process of design, implementation and evaluation of the project ‘Films & Photographs: An M-learning Experience in Primary Education’ is presented in this article through the research-action methodology. The project´s main objective was to foster oral communication in the English language (as an additional language) using mobile devices in primary education through photography and video. Two English primary language teachers, two university lecturers and an in-service teacher advisor from the Teachers´ Training and Resource Centre participated in the project. The pupils, around ten and twelve years of age, belonged to two different schools in The Principality of Asturias, Spain and the project was developed during the school year 2015-2016. The techniques used to collect data were participant observation, semi structured-interviews and a questionnaire. The activities were focused on the use of mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) to produce and edit videos and photographs. The results show students and teachers´ positive perception about m-learning since they consider it has directly influenced the motivation to carry out the proposed tasks. All this has an effect on the improvement of the communicative, technological and artistic competence in the primary education context.

“I Employed My Own Strategy”: Exploring Primary Headteachers’ Organisational and Professional Socialisation

Purpose - The main purpose of this study was to explore primary headteachers' perceptions of their professional and organisational socialisation within their novice years as school leaders. There is a lack of studies exploring primary headteachers' socialisation within the Malaysian primary education context. Methodology - A total of nine primary headteachers from three states were purposely selected and interviewed to obtain their perceptions on the professional socialisation they received before and after their appointment and the strategies that they employed within their organisational socialisation process. Findings - The study revealed that the primary headteachers employed their own organisational socialisation strategies in order to be accepted as a new member of the school. These were relatively diverse but accorded with their school's values and culture. However, in terms of their professional socialisation, there were various findings: some mentioned the lack of support programs while others acknowledged receiving quite helpful programmes within their initial years of headship. The findings and the implications for the improvement of primary headteachers' socialisation are discussed. Significance - This study provides supplementary literature that explores primary headteachers' organisational and professional socialisation within the Malaysian schooling context. This study notes some practical and theoretical implications for improving the prospective headteachers' training and their leadership development which aim to enhance the leadership qualities of future primary school leaders.

A Flipped Classroom Model for Inquiry-Based Learning in Cyprus Primary Education Context

In this article, we present the outcomes of the pilot phase of a multi-case study being conducted in Cyprus. The study aims to develop and propose universal design principles of using a Flipped Classroom (FC) approach as a pedagogical structure of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) applicable across primary education context in Cyprus. The universal design principles refer to the general guidelines most primary teachers can follow when designing their lessons by integrating the two instructional models of FC and IBL, and to the specific pedagogical strategies teachers can use for different school subjects to motivate and improve their students' learning processes through Networked Lerning (NL) opportunities. Providing teachers with those principles (i.e. guidelines and strategies) is particularly important given the lack of instructional experiences of Cyprus primary school teachers in implementing a FC model in their classroom practices and a wide range of subject matters that those teachers need to teach. There has been a limited focus, in previous research concerning the FC model, on its effectiveness within the primary education context and also in relation to the NL technologies used. The pilot study aims to primarily address this research gap, develop the IB-FC model and present potential benefits of using the IB-FC model in primary school context. The learning process based on the IB-FC model includes pre-class, in-class and after-class activities. During the pre-class phase, students explore the learning content provided by the teacher at home and obtain an entrance ticket which is used during class time for the IBL facilitated by a series of classroom activities, which require the students to be creative and collaborative. Forums and other features of online learning platforms are utilized so as to promote NL through collaboration and communication. The after-class phase involves self-assessment procedures and the completion of an e-portfolio page. After the first pilot-nature of iteration of implementing the model, participant students’ learning experiences and perceptions on this new learning scenario were collected through focus groups and reflection forums. Based on our findings from the pilot study, the IB-FC framework including important pedagogical principles and additional instructional tools have been developed and offered to seven primary school teachers in the current stage of our multi-case study, through which the framework will be further developed and refined.

An ESD pathway to quality education in the Cyprus primary education context

This research is based on the rationale that the well-defined framework of education for sustainable development (ESD), its connection with real life and its specific integration in the educational policies and curricula can help to enhance quality education (QE) in a meaningful and identifiable way. In a first step, the common ground of ESD and QE was explored in different areas: common dimensions, future-oriented objectives, commonly targeted skills, value orientation, teaching and learning approaches. In a second step, this information was taken as a base to investigate how well twelve lesson units for primary school reflect the common ground of ESD and QE. The units were specifically developed for this research, in which ESD experienced teachers (mentors) supported inexperienced ones (mentees). Results indicate that ESD can reinforce QE, but that teachers need support with regard to the political and cultural dimensions of SD issues, collaborations with local communities and assessments.

Spies, surveillance and stakeouts: monitoring Muslim moves in British state schools

This article will provide a critique of the PVE initiative and its implementation within the context of primary education following the events of 9/11, the 2001 riots and 7/7. Drawing upon empirical data I will argue that the monitoring of young Muslims and ‘extremism’ is problematic and reinforces the logics of Islamophobia through practices of governmentality. Moreover I will examine how whilst the monitoring of extremism is prioritized in many schools, training for teachers on race equality, tolerance and accepting difference is weak if not absent. This, I suggest, demonstrates a clear manifestation of contemporary hegemonic post-racial politics which increasingly silences the critique of institutional racism. Additionally this article will explore how Muslims in the sphere of education have been implicated and problematised against the backdrop of a ‘muscular liberalism’ intent on the return of assimilationist discourses.

The Value of a Digital Story in a Content and Language Integrated learning (CLIL) European Context

This article presents the research conducted within the framework of the funded project called European CLIL Resource Centre for Web 2.0 Education ( E-CLIL , 504671-LLP-1-2009-1-ES-COMENIUS-CMP). The mission of E-CLIL is to increase children's exposure to European languages and to improve the quality of teaching through the implementation of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) within the European demand for acquiring a mother tongue plus two foreign languages. The project is currently building multilingual interactive resources for the use of CLIL teachers. More specifically, the present study investigates the value a digital story may bring to a Primary education context which promotes CLIL and ICT as methodological procedure and resources. The central digital story, originally created for this project, entails three main objectives which involves exposing young learners to European languages, children literature and science content. Our main aim was to prove whether the universal narrative elements and structure present in this digital story may enhance 8 to 10 year-old students' learning involvement and CLIL achievement. In an initial piloting phase of the study, the story was presented to a total of 12 experienced English CLIL teachers working in three different state bilingual schools in the region of Madrid. In order to gather objective data that may prove our hypotheses these teachers completed initial and final questionnaires which were then analysed. The outcome gathered has been used to extend the piloting to other European countries participating in the project. This larger study will provide information on cross-cultural similarities or differences regarding the results already obtained here. These initial findings point towards the richness a central digital storyline may add to a CLIL learning context at linguistic, content, literary, cognitive, social and cultural levels.

Making sense of children's sexuality: Understanding sexual development and activity in education contexts

Most adults find that responding to sexual activity by children and between children is challenging. This is especially so for teachers in early childhood and primary education contexts. One common view is that children should not be sexual or, if they are, that there is something wrong. These concerns are strengthened by popular adult discourses of sexuality and accompanying ideas of sexual privacy. Among discourses of child development sit ideas of childhood innocence and natural curiosity. However, assumptions of abuse arise when children’s sexual curiosity extends beyond what is considered appropriate or “normal”. This article examines pre-adolescent child sexual development. It scans some of the ideas and practices that shape adults’ understandings in the construction of children’s sexual identities. These ideas and practices also shape children’s knowledges. Adult responses to children’s sexual actions often portray children as abused, abusive or deviant. Using a social constructionist lens, this paper offers educators an exploration of a range of understandings and alternative thinking about sexuality in the worlds of children—yet also critiques ideas of normative behaviour and development. The reader is invited to think about how children can be encouraged to share their subjective meanings and understandings.

Migration and Multilingualism in Western Europe: A Case Study of the Netherlands

In this survey, the demographic and linguistic consequences of recent processes of migration and minorization in Western Europe are reviewed, and a case study of the Netherlands is presented to illustrate and detail the effects of these processes on an individual European Union country. After a discussion of demographic data and criteria in a European context, linguistic issues are addressed in terms of L1 and L2 studies on immigrant and ethnic minority groups. Major demographic trends in Dutch society and education derived from these cross-national perspectives is then outlined. Specific attention is given to research and policy in the domains of Dutch as a second language and ethnic minority languages within the context of primary education.

Multiculturalidad en el aula de segundas lenguas: la literatura como recurso en Educación Primaria

En este artículo presentamos una investigación que versa sobre la importancia de la literatu­ra de contextos culturales múltiples en el aula de segundas lenguas. En concreto, la revisión bibliográfi­ca está encaminada a apoyar la propuesta de algunas lecturas que sirvan como ejemplo de cómo llevar a cabo en el aula de Educación Primaria la lectura de textos literarios que sustenten la competencia cultural y comunicativa del discente de inglés como lengua extranjera en Educación Primaria.