South Australian Primary School Research Articles

Characterizing the Available Outdoor Spaces and Their Use in South Australian Public Primary Schools

:Purpose-built nature play spaces are popular in schools around the globe; however, little is known about their distribution and use in South Australia. School staff representing 52 South Australian public primary schools participated in an online survey. Half (56%) of included schools were metropolitan. Half (52%) were economically advantaged. Purpose-built nature play spaces were present, planned or in construction in 88% of schools in the study. No significant associations were found between the presence of a purpose-built nature play or natural space and school characteristics. These findings show widespread uptake of purpose-built nature play spaces and suggest most South Australian schools have facilities to provide nature-based play and learning.

The perceived benefits of and barriers to nature-based play and learning in South Australian public primary schools: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Nature-based play and learning is of increasing interest to primary schools. However, few studies have investigated primary school staffs’ views. Therefore, this study aimed to survey school staff about the barriers and benefits of nature-based play and learning. The online cross-sectional survey was completed by 50 respondents each representing a South Australian public primary school. Participants were mostly female (92%), educators (68%), in metropolitan schools (56%). The benefits of nature-based play and learning included ‘mental health’ (reported by 98% of participants), ‘spending time outdoors,’ ‘connection to nature,’ ‘cognitive development’ and ‘risk-taking’ (all reported by 96% of participants). The barriers included ‘teacher knowledge and/or confidence’ (68%) and ‘crowded curriculum’ (64%). No significant associations were identified between school characteristics and benefits and barriers of nature-based play and learning. The findings suggest that while nature-based play and learning within primary schools offers promise, barriers to uptake exist. Thus, enabling strategies should underpin implementation.

Short report: Sleep talking and mental health in children with developmental problems and typically developing children

BackgroundSleep talking although often considered benign is associated with poor mental health. However, it remains to be tested whether this association may be better explained by the presence of co-morbid sleep problems and the presence in survey samples of children with development disorders who tend to report a higher frequency of both sleep problems and poor mental health. AimThe aim of the present study was to examine the association between sleep talking and mental health after controlling for comorbid sleep problems in typically developing children and children with developmental problems. MethodsParents of typically developing children (n = 1609) and children with either intellectual or developmental delay (n = 128) aged 5–10 years completed an omnibus survey which was administered through participating South Australian primary schools assessing mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) and sleep problems (Paediatric Sleep Survey Instrument). ResultsAfter controlling for co-morbid sleep problems, regression analyses revealed that sleep talking in typically developing children was an independent but weak predictor of worse emotional symptoms, conduct problems and peer relationship problems. By contrast, only a single significant association was observed in children with developmental problems. Paradoxically, sleep talking was associated with better prosocial behaviour. ConclusionIt is suggested that in typically developing children with a history of sleep talking, mental health merits evaluation at clinical interview while in both typically developing children and children with developmental problems, co-morbid sleep problems merit evaluation.

Primary School Educators' Perspectives and Experiences of Nature-Based Play and Learning and Its Benefits, Barriers, and Enablers: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

Nature-based play and learning is of increasing interest to primary schools and research suggests that it has many potential benefits for children’s health and development. However, little is known about educators’ perspectives and experiences of nature-based play and learning, particularly the barriers, benefits and enablers, despite their direct relevance to the uptake of nature-based play and learning in schools. A qualitative descriptive methodology was employed to uncover these. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 principals and educators from South Australian public primary schools, recruited via a participant contact list from a previous study. The participants were two principals, eight educators and two individuals with dual principal and educator positions. Metropolitan and rural schools were equally represented. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Analysis identified four overarching themes: the practice, perceived benefits, barriers and enablers of nature-based play and learning. Children’s learning, enjoyment, creativity, and a relaxed and flexible environment were clear benefits. Meanwhile educator knowledge and confidence and the crowded curriculum were barriers. Enablers were nature-based play and learning champions and support from school leadership. The findings suggest that schools can help engage students with nature-based play and learning activities by mitigating these barriers and promoting these enablers.

A randomised controlled trial evaluating two universal prevention programs for children: Building resilience to manage worry

BackgroundChildhood anxiety and depression lead to great distress and impairment. Preventing them simultaneously in early life is critically important. We evaluated the long-term efficacy of an emotion regulation-based (ER) and a behavioural activation-based (BA) program. Both aimed to build resilience to prevent worry, a transdiagnostic feature across anxiety and depression. MethodsParticipants were 316 students (52.2% female; 8–13 years) from six South Australian primary schools. Schools were randomised to the ER, BA or a control condition. Measures of resilience, worry, anxiety, and depression were taken at pre- and post- program, and at 6- and 12-month follow-up. In addition, levels of emotion regulation, behavioural activation and resilience were measured as potential mediators of changes in anxiety and depression. ResultsNo significant condition × time interactions were observed. However, the percentage of children who met the clinical cut-offs for generalised anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder decreased significantly in the BA condition at 12-month follow-up, as well as the percentage of children who met the clinical cut-off for obsessive compulsive disorder in the ER condition. Furthermore, emotion regulation mediated the relationship between condition and worry at post-program in the ER condition. LimitationsThe sample size is relatively small. Reliance on child self-report may have resulted in inaccurate responses. ConclusionThe ER and BA transdiagnostic prevention programs for childhood anxiety and depression showed promising results for certain anxiety disorders not otherwise observed in universal school-based studies. Future research should consider evaluating the programs with a larger sample using alternative outcome measures.

Re-imagining family engagement as a two-way street

The calls for family-school partnerships have been strong within the literature and educational policy within Australia, however, there is little research that demonstrates what such partnerships might look like. Much of the research demonstrates a one-way street approach where schools focus on educating families, particularly parents, to build their alignment with the already defined direction of the school. This paper draws from cultural models theory to explore the artefacts and practices within the figured worlds of two South Australian primary schools. It focuses on the sites’ re-imagining of family engagement as part of their participation in the South Australian Collaborative Childhood Project, inspired by the educational principles of the Reggio Emilia Project in Italy. This paper argues that an early childhood perspective on family engagement provides valuable insights in re-imagining practices and artefacts to support authentic family-school partnerships in primary schools.

Changes in weight status, quality of life and behaviours of South Australian primary school children: results from the Obesity Prevention and Lifestyle (OPAL) community intervention program

BackgroundChildhood obesity is a serious public health concern worldwide. Community-based obesity prevention interventions offer promise due to their focus on the broader social, cultural and environmental contexts rather than individual behaviour change and their potential for sustainability and scalability. This paper aims to determine the effectiveness of a South Australian community-based, multi-setting, multi-strategy intervention, OPAL (Obesity Prevention and Lifestyle), in increasing healthy weight prevalence in 9 to 11-year-olds.MethodsA quasi-experimental repeated cross-sectional design was employed. This paper reports on the anthropometric, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and behaviour outcomes of primary school children (9–11 years) after 2–3 years of intervention delivery. Consenting children from primary schools (20 intervention communities, INT; 20 matched comparison communities, COMP) completed self-report questionnaires on diet, activity and screen time behaviours. HRQoL was measured using the Child Health Utility 9D. Body Mass Index (BMI) z-score and weight status were determined from children’s measured height and weight. A multilevel mixed-effects model, accounting for clustering in schools, was implemented to determine intervention effect. Sequential Bonferroni adjustment was used to allow for multiple comparisons of the secondary outcomes.ResultsAt baseline and final, respectively, 2611 and 1873 children completed questionnaires and 2353 and 1760 had anthropometric measures taken. The prevalence of children with healthy weight did not significantly change over time in INT (OR 1.11, 95%CI 0.92–1.35, p = 0.27) or COMP (OR 0.85, 95%CI 0.68–1.06, p = 0.14). Although changes in the likelihood of obesity, BMI z-score and HRQoL favoured the INT group, the differences were not significant after Bonferroni adjustment. There were also no significant differences between groups at final for behavioural outcomes.ConclusionsOPAL did not have a significant impact on the proportion of 9 to 11-year-olds in the healthy weight range, nor children’s BMI z-score, HRQoL and behaviours. Long-term, flexible community-based program evaluation approaches are required .Trial registrationACTRN12616000477426 (12th April 2016, retrospectively registered).

The capacity of South Australian primary school teachers and pre-service teachers to work with trans and gender diverse students

Growing numbers of young people are disclosing that they are trans or gender diverse, requiring affirming and informed responses from schools. This article reports on a survey examining attitudes towards inclusion, comfort, and confidence amongst 180 South Australian primary school teachers and pre-service teachers. The findings suggest that women held more positive attitudes and had greater comfort in working with trans and gender diverse students than men, and that awareness of programs designed to increase understanding was related to more positive attitudes, and greater comfort and confidence. The article discusses the need for further training alongside additional resourcing of initiatives aimed at facilitating inclusion.

Designing and using an organisational culture inquiry tool to glimpse the relational nature of leadership and organisational culture within a South Australian primary school

ABSTRACTThis case study research found that the relational leadership and organisational culture at a public primary school situated in a high poverty location in South Australia was built upon the strength of the inter-relationships between the teachers, teachers and leadership, and between teachers and students. Supported by what we called ‘dynamic inter-relationships’ and a ‘commitment to ongoing growth’ manifesting as key themes across the qualitative survey data generated by the school’s participants, we found the individual strengths of staff served the ‘on-going formation of organisational life’. Cognisant of these disclosed relational underpinnings, the research provided recommendations to the school’s leadership team about how they could best progress their educational reform agenda. The findings affirmed an Appreciative Inquiry inspired approach designed for the research was ‘fit for purpose’ as it generated extensive qualitative data from the teachers and leaders, offering opportunity for deep interpretive analysis using hermeneutic methodology of the school’s relational leadership and organisational culture. The research findings were subsequently confirmed by the teachers and leaders through a dialogic presentation of the research findings as an accurate representation of the culture of their school.

Education for citizenship in South Australian public schools: a pilot study of senior leader and teacher perceptions

ABSTRACTPreparing students for informed and active citizenship is a core goal of education and schooling in Australia. The ways schools educate and prepare young Australians for citizenship involves a range of processes and initiatives central to the work of schools, including school ethos, mission, extracurricular activities and community‐based participation. With regard to the formal curriculum, the recent introduction and implementation of the first ever Federal Australian Curriculum includes provision for a new subject – Civics and Citizenship. Research evidence from other nations suggests that schools understand, approach and enact education for citizenship in a multitude of ways, yet how Australian schools construct this aspect of their work is currently under‐researched. In this context, and drawing on data from interviews with school leaders and teachers of Years 6–8 (11–14 year olds) students in a small sample of South Australian primary and secondary schools, we explore perceptions and current approaches to education for citizenship. Our findings suggest (1) that while school leaders and teachers value education for citizenship, they do so for different reasons; (2) that schools place values as central to education for citizenship; and (3) that community involvement is typically understood as occurring within rather than beyond the school.

Implementation of mandatory nutritional guidelines in South Australian primary school canteens: A qualitative study

Primary schools are identified as being in a primary position to offer nutrition education. Moreover, primary schools can offer an environment which is conducive to the promotion of healthy eating while influencing eating behaviours of children to benefit their health, well-being and academic development and performance. School canteens are one area where a healthy ethos can be encouraged and within Australia, canteens have been the target of recommended or mandated healthy eating state government policies. This is comparable to other Australian health policies mandated in schools in an effort to support good nutrition and physical health among students. Using a qualitative case study approach, this article discusses the implementation of the ‘Right Bite Healthy Food and Drinks Strategy for South Australian Schools and Preschools’ (Right Bite). The case study was undertaken in two primary schools to gain a thorough and in-depth investigation of emerging issues regarding the school canteen and used focus group and face-to-face interviews as well as observation. The data collected were coded and analysed into themes. Respondents claimed that Right Bite had merit although barriers such as: resistance from parents and children to purchase healthy options, difficulties associated with serving and preparing fresh food at school, inadequate canteen facilities, and counteracting heavy marketing of unhealthy foods to children impeded implementation. While Right Bite encourages South Australian school children to make better choices through education and support so as to improve their health, well-being and academic performance, more support must be provided to schools for greater uptake and implementation of policy.

COLLUDING WITH OR CHALLENGING HEGEMONIC MASCULINITY?

Research about masculinities in schools often focuses on hegemonic masculinity. This can have the effect of reinforcing the privilege associated with hegemonic masculinity, as well as overlooking differences amongst boys and the plural practices individual boys engage in. Drawing on empirical research in two South Australian primary schools with students aged 6–7 and 11–13, this article examines the complex ways in which boys engaged in plural gender practices. Practices differing from a discourse of (local) hegemonic masculinity related to three key themes: displaying ‘intelligence’ and being studious; involvement in traditionally ‘feminine’ activities; and being caring, loving family and friends, and engaging in cross-gender friendships. This article utilises these themes to argue that practices could work alongside or present challenges to practices relating to a discourse of hegemonic masculinity. An examination of how age and masculinities interweave suggests that a divide between hegemonic and other masculinities and practices is not as distinct as has often been theorised.

“They're all just little bits, aren't they”: South Australian lesbian mothers' experiences of marginalisation in primary schools

Multiple formations of family have always been a part of Australia's social and historical landscape, yet social norms typically function to marginalise some family forms while according others a privileged status. Marginalisation on the basis of sexuality, for example, whilst arguably somewhat less prevalent than in previous decades, nonetheless continues for those families positioned outside the heteronorm. Institutions such as schools can play an important role in transforming marginalising practices, yet research such as that presented in this article suggests that schools often also perpetuate marginalisation, even if unintentionally. Drawing on interviews conducted with twenty-three lesbian mothers, this article highlights the often subtle ways in which such mothers with children in South Australian primary schools experience marginalisation by educators. Specifically, we argue that marginalisation occurs in the form of injunctions made upon lesbian mothers to inform educators about their families (and to do so in often highly normative ways), to accept that it is their role to manage discrimination, and to treat as routine the marginalisation of their families. Such findings indicate that changes still remain necessary within Australian educational practices in order to ensure the full inclusion of lesbian mother families on terms of their own making.

How do Australian junior primary school children perceive the concepts of “healthy” and “unhealthy”?

Purpose – This paper aims to describe Australian children's perceptions of healthiness and sources of health knowledge in order to develop an understanding of young children's perceptions, knowledge and sources of influence to guide future behaviour change and health promotion strategies.Design/methodology/approach – One‐hour interactive focus groups were conducted in a South Australian primary school. Four small groups (n=28) of children aged five to nine participated in focus groups in which they were asked to discuss being healthy and their sources of health information as well as engaging in storying around the healthy or unhealthy behaviours of fictional characters.Findings – Children generally perceived themselves to be healthy. Perceptions of healthiness were equated with performing positive dietary (primarily eating fruit) and physical activity behaviours. Behaviours on an unhealthy day related to being sedentary and consuming “junk foods”. Commonly cited sources of health information included fam...

Teaching Writing Skills Based on a Genre Approach to L2 Primary School Students: An Action Research

This article, based on research findings, examines the effect of implementing a genre approach to develop writing competency of Year 5 and 6 L2 primary school students. Using action research, the genre approach was implemented over a 10-week term with two lessons per week in a culturally and linguistically diverse ESL class in a South Australian public metropolitan primary school. Two specific genres, Report and Essay writing, were taught using a three-staged teaching and learning cycle (TLC), based on Vygotsky’s notion of scaffolding. Assessment was conducted by comparing students’ writing samples, before and after the teaching intervention. The results indicated that the teacher’s active scaffolding processes at the early stage of the cycle benefited students by making them aware of the different ways texts are organised for different communicative purposes. In addition, students’ confidence level increased and the approach encouraged a positive attitude towards writing.

Inclusive education for students with refugee experience: whole school reform in a South Australian primary school

In recent years, there has been an increase in students with refugee experience in the UK, the US, Europe and Australia. These students face many barriers to education, and appropriately educating this diverse student population presents many challenges to schools and education departments. We argue that a whole of school approach that includes school structures, culture and pedagogy is needed to provide equity for students with refugee experience. This approach to reform requires that the ‘structures and programs [that] are designed for a dominant group’ (DETE, South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability Framework, South Australia 2001), and which disadvantage minority groups, are challenged and changed. Implementing such change raises many practical difficulties, and there are few documented examples of good practice. This prompted the authors’ ethnographic study of a South Australian primary school, with a New Arrivals Program, which positions itself as taking a whole of school approach to educational reform for refugees. This paper reports on the structural changes the school has implemented in its class organisation, staff roles and curriculum. We consider the effects of government funding and neoliberal education policy on these reforms.

Korean Children's Cultural Adjustment during Transition to the Early Years of School in Australia

THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED KOREAN children's cultural adjustment during transition to South Australian junior primary school settings. Using case-study methodology to provide a sociocultural perspective, data were collected during interviews with a sample of South Korean international students aged five to eight years, their mothers and teachers. All participants were asked to identify experiences that facilitated or impeded the children's cultural adjustment to school life in Australia. The study found that language difficulties were a major concern for these children in adapting to an Australian education setting. Successful cultural adjustment was found to link to positive interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers and the ability to adapt to Australian classroom teaching methodology. The study identified cultural adjustment issues which may also be relevant to other students from a non-English-speaking background and for teachers of international students.

Parent- and child-reported parenting. Associations with child weight-related outcomes

The present study aimed to investigate associations of both parent-reported and child-perceived parenting styles and parent-reported parenting practices with child weight and weight-related behaviours. Participants were 175 children (56% female) aged between 7 and 11, and their primary caregivers (91% female), recruited through South Australian primary schools. Children completed measures of parenting style, attitude toward fruit, vegetables, and non-core food, and attraction to physical activity. Parents completed measures of parenting style and domain-specific parenting practices (feeding and activity-related practices) and reported on child dietary intake, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour. Objective height and weight measurements were taken from children, from which body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Child-reported parenting style and parent-reported parenting practices were uniquely associated with child weight-related outcomes, but styles and practices did not interact in their association with child outcomes. Child-reported parenting style was associated with child food and activity attitudes, whereas parent-reported parenting style was not associated with child outcomes. The findings of the present study generally support the recommendation of a parenting style high in demandingness and responsiveness for supporting healthy child weight-related behaviours, along with appropriate domain-specific practices. The child's perspective should be incorporated into research involving child outcomes wherever possible.

(Un)Common Ground?: English Language Acquisition and Experiences of Exclusion Amongst New Arrival Students in South Australian Primary Schools

Much of the existing research examining the acquisition of English language skills amongst refugees and other newly arrived migrants, both in Australia and internationally, assumes a relatively straightforward relationship between English language proficiency and inclusion within the broader community. This article presents contrary findings from a study of two South Australian primary schools with New Arrivals Programmes (NAPs). By examining data from both a questionnaire administered to teachers and ethnographic observations of children at play in the school yard, the findings presented here suggest that students in NAPs will be differentially invested in learning English according to the degree of exclusion they experience in the school environment and the impact this has upon their perception of the value of learning English as a mode of engagement. In response, the article calls for an approach to education that is situated in global contexts of colonisation and power relations, and where the terms for inclusion of NAP students are mutually negotiated, rather than predetermined.

Friendship, Exclusion and Power: A Study of Two South Australian Schools with New Arrivals Programs

YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECENTLY arrived in Australia face considerable challenges in making connections to their new community. While starting school can provide opportunities to make such connections, it may in reality also serve to reinforce perceptions or experiences of social exclusion perpetuated within the broader Australian society. Drawing upon focus group data collected from two South Australian primary schools that have a New Arrivals Programme, this paper outlines the relative infrequency with which friendships between Australian-born and refugee or migrant children occurred, and explores some of the reasons behind this. The findings also highlight the different attributions the two groups of students made for forming friendships, and explores the implications of this for social inclusion. The paper concludes by suggesting the need for ongoing examinations of how newly arrived students are engaged within primary schools, and how terms for inclusion are framed.