Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory suggests that the culture of a situation helps develop cognitive structures. Therefore it follows that a business ‘culture’ is needed to teach business orientated GNVQs. The perceived need was to develop such a culture and within it to construct teaching strategies that would help students take more responsibility for their own learning. Management theory and empirical research were used to validate a ‘Business culture’ and a Kolb type learning styles approach, involving cognitive constructionalist theories was used to develop cyclical teaching and learning phases. The methodology has involved the observation of student use of the culture, surveying the students’ and staffs’ opinions as well as analysis of their own reflections on strengths and weaknesses and how this relates to performance. The research took place over three years and involved sixth form students taking GNVQ Advanced Business and GNVQ Advanced Leisure and Tourism. Results showed some success in bridging social and cognitive constructions approaches with the use of learning styles as cognitive tools. The model of delivery developed shows potential in application to other vocationally orientated courses. The observation showed that students could be encouraged to see their ‘school’ work in a ‘business-like’ way and behave accordingly.

<b>Literacy at Transition</b>, an interpretative study adopting the sociocultural perspective of literacy as a situated social practice, offers an “experiential” (Murdoch, 1986) examination of commonalities and differences in cross-phase literacy practices. Designed as a small ethnographic case study set in four multiethnic inner city schools, it draws on the research traditions of sociolinguistics and classroom literacy research to look qualitatively at literacy practices in Years 6 and 7 (for pupils aged 10-1 1 and 11-12, hereafter Y6 and Y7). Data collection methods include observation and interview, with data recorded in open-ended fieldnotes and research journal. Progressive focusing and content analysis are used to identify themes and develop a new analytical framework. Eight key characteristics of the literacy practices are identified. Literacy is an “autonomous” and “ideological” models (Street, 1984), and fulfils an important function as meaning maker. In Y6 literacy is at the centre of the curriculum as an object of study, whereas in Y7 its value is as a tool to “get something done”. Pedagogical approaches differ but in both phases teacher literacy occupies the dominant position within the classroom literacy practices. Contributing to the fields of classroom literacy research, primary-secondary school transition and research methodology, this study fulfils a research need for a study which examines the teaching and learning experiences of pupils at the stage of transition from primary to secondary school (DfEE, 1999a). Its description of particular literacy practices adds to the collection of studies of classroom literacy practices. Its analytic framework foregrounds <i>What is literacy?, Whose literacy?</i> and <i>How is literacy developed?</i>, discussing issues of subject positions, literacy and power, and the relationship between teacher understanding and beliefs about literacy and the pedagogical approaches adopted. In addition the study provides a synthesis of the literature relevant to school literacy practices at the stage of primary-secondary transition. Issues of reactivity to changing researcher status and the value of informant contributions are also highlighted. Further experiential studies of aspects of primary-secondary literacy practices and implications for practice are suggested, including the need for enhanced teacher understanding and experience of cross-phase literacy practices; literacy training for secondary subject teachers; valuing and building on pupils’ existing literacy skills; explicit explanation of cross-phase differences to pupils; “planned discontinuity”, and greater recognition and responsiveness to the multiple literacies operating within the educational arena.

There is growing evidence of the positive affects of General National Vocational Qualifications on students and widely held views, almost assumptions, on appropriate teaching and learning styles. As these are not explicit in any form of the specifications it is postulated that it is the mediating influence of teachers which will determine the extent to which GNVQs are student-centred in learning and assessment, and how successful any course is in terms of levels of achievement by students. By following multiple lines of evidence in three advanced courses in one institution a comprehensive and robust picture is built up which illustrates the journey through a course of study for students and their teachers. Diverse aspects of the teaching and learning process drawn from differing perspectives, a variety of research reports of GNVQ courses, and the relationship of the significant role of formative and summative assessment in motivation and learning were considered in the literature review. The strands in the research methodology were also drawn together from lines of pursuit suggested by the literature. Data were gathered through student questionnaires, interviews with teachers and students, classroom observations and the scrutiny of students' work, assignments and various other documents. A synthesis of several seemingly disparate theoretical models of teaching and learning is provided leading to a conclusion that there is a much richer and more subtle range of activities occurring in student-centred teaching and learning than is readily explained by any one model. There is persuasive evidence emerging in a small context of current practice in Advanced GNVQ teaching that has resonance with wider studies of effective teaching. This has implications in contemplating the changes in post-16 education consequent upon the introduction of Curriculum 2000, both at institutional level and perhaps nationally.

From the author's perspective of day-to-day involvement in the continuing professional development of teachers in the Higher Education (HE) sector, this study seeks to explore how some secondary schools are responding to the demands of the government reform agenda. The particular focus of the research is the professional development required to promote and facilitate delivery of the various initiatives, especially in relation to special needs and the move towards a more inclusive education system. Through the medium of in-depth interviews, the relationship between rhetoric and reality is investigated by determining how teachers have responded to government policy, and by questioning whether there is a mismatch between the expectations of teachers and government agencies concerning the provision and nature of professional development. The professional needs of teachers are examined by identlfymg the most appropriate forms of professional development required to address barriers to learning in their classrooms, and by considering the contribution of Higher Education in enabling teachers to respond to a greater diversity of needs. A comprehensive, in-depth literature review is presented which traces the development of teachers' in-service training; in particular it raises concerns about how professional development for special needs has become marginalised as a result of funding changes and new course structures. Key findings include the existence of a rhetoric/reality gap between expressed government policies in relation to educational reform, and teachers' perceptions of them; in particular teachers were sceptical about the nature and content of the government's professional development proposals and the motives behind them. Teachers appeared to lack an appropriate discourse with which to properly express and discuss professional needs. Many teachers claimed to lack a repertoire of learning and teaching strategies appropriate for addressing barriers to learning. Teachers' notions of special needs were centred round ‘labels’ and dominated by concerns about behaviour. Mixed messages ftom government were contributing to teachers’ confusion about the inclusion agenda. The effects of ‘quasimarket’ forces appear to be acting directly and substantially against the interests of children with special needs. Implications of these findings are considered in relation to Higher Education; a number of recommendations are made, which reinforce the responsibility of HE to the profession for its continuing development. There is evidence to suggest that teachers may be adopting a restricted model of special needs in the face of pressure to raise standards. The study proposes that, in challenging times and lacking a clear lead ftom government, teachers are being forced to adopt a minimalist view of the concept of inclusion, rather than taking the opportunity to broaden their understanding. The study concludes that high quality, focussed, education and training can play a significant role both in improving the status and morale of the teaching profession, and in helping to bring about equality in the classroom.

There has been a rapid expansion of the learning support (LS) teaching service in Ireland since 1999 with approximately one in fifteen primary-school teachers currently working as learning support teachers (LSTs). Although there is a small body of quantitative research on LS teaching, there are no qualitative studies on LSTs themselves. This gap in the research is unfortunate because of the importance of studying teachers’ lives and perspectives as a key to understanding teaching, a now well-established position in biographical research on education. Using life-history interviews within a social constructivist paradigm, this study investigates the identity and work practices of ten LSTs in primary schools in the east-coast of Ireland. The study is based on the assumption that valuable insights into the work and identity of LSTs can be gained by examining their views and beliefs and the discourses through which they understand themselves and their work. A combination of grounded theory and discourse analysis is used to examine the language they use to construct themselves as LSTs and the discourse of LS teaching. The evidence from the study shows that there is a recognisable way of using language and engaging in specific practices that can be described as a discourse of LS teaching. The LSTs are both constructors of and constructed by the discourse of LS teaching. Their accounts show that they perceived themselves, and believed others perceived them to be, different from mainstream class-teachers. Using the overarching concept of ‘difference’, three themes were distilled from the LSTs’ accounts and used to analyse the data: their craft knowledge, the teaching of reading and parenthood. Their accounts display a potent union of theory and practice which was guided by their professional craft knowledge. They presented themselves as expert teachers of reading, comfortably embracing different models, thereby displaying their multiple positions and the complexity of the reading process. Drawing on their experiences of parenthood they constructed an identity for themselves as teacher-parents and parent-teachers. The findings have implications for the provision of in-service and professional development for LSTs. If, as their accounts suggest, the discourse of LS teaching pushes LSTs and their pupils into marginalised positions, it is important to scrutinise this discourse so that the exclusionary assumptions underpinning it are explored. The insider perspectives gained from the life-history accounts offer worthwhile insights into the intuitive craft of teaching in general and the teaching of reading in particular.

This case study researches teachers’ perspectives within St. Colman’s, a large voluntary secondary school in rural Ireland. It investigates History teachers as a group of subject teachers within this context. ‘Perspectives’ are located within the interpretive sociology of symbolic interactionism. The study integrates historical, micropolitical, biographical and epistemological contexts, in a way which constructs the school’s history and the working lives of its teachers. The story’s central theme is how teacher perspectives are the product of the symbiotic relationship between their careers and the school organisation. History teachers’ biographies provide an additional context for examining the role of the subject, the subject department and the curriculum in the formation of perspectives. The thesis is divided into ten chapters. Chapters one and twoestablish this case study as an ethnographic investigation and set out the structure and methodology underpinning the research. The empirical data is presented in two strands, moving from the general to the specific. The first strand, which comprises chapters three, four and five, explores the origin, development and dynamic of teachers’ sub cultures, professional status and identities. Beginning with the wider school organisation, the study moves to the social networks of the staffroom and shows how group culture is the product of teacher socialisation, shared experiences and micropolitical orientations that have their origins in the history of the school and the ‘social dramas’ experienced in times of change. The second strand; chapters six, seven and eight, is a more focused examination of history teachers’ careers. The nature and role of the History department in shaping teachers’ identities and status is explored, while biography, life cycle and career experiences are linked to teachers’ craft knowledge as expressed in their perspectives on history as a subject and their pedagogy in the classroom. The case study concludes that teachers’ perspectives are defined in the context of their careers, which are shaped by changing school structures and processes, the development of teacher sub-cultures and the competing demands made on them as professionals. While their identities are still anchored in their role as teachers, they adopt coping strategies to manage their careers. This can give rise to a self image of disillusionment, and alienation from the school organisation. The study recommends that while greater attention must be paid to cultural leadership in schools, teachers must also be empowered through ideological involvement and professional development to take charge of their own careers.

This study investigates into the effects of a competence-based approach to the training of teachers in further and adult education. The study focuses on the ‘traditional’ City and Guilds 7307 Further and Adult Education Teacher’s Certificate and the competence-based City and Guilds 7306 Further and Adult Education Teacher’s Certificate which follows the NVQ model. The study seeks to investigate the perceptions of practitioners in the further education sector who have delivered both courses in terms of the differences between the two programmes, and how those differences affect their professional practice, the students’ learning experiences and the students’ professional knowledge. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection, and the participants consisted of 14 practitioners in the South West of England, and a further eight practitioners from around the UK. The first group were interviewed face-to-face. Interviews were audio-recorded, and full transcripts were made. The second group were interviewed via e-mail. Supplementary interviews were also conducted with three City & Guilds officials, and a representative from FENTO and from an NTO. These were conducted by e-mail or by telephone. The data were analysed using theme analysis, where categories are allowed to emerge from the data, rather than being imposed upon them. Emergent themes are then analysed and categorised to shed light on the research questions. The results of the study indicated that practitioners saw the key difference between the two programmes to be that of assessment, that assessment on the NVQ model tended to dominate their practice, that students found the NVQ programme to be less enjoyable than the traditional one, and that students’ professional knowledge was less profound on the NVQ model than on the traditional one.

This research is about the policy and practice of inclusion in Southampton. Although inclusion is a process of increasing the participation of all children in learning, the focus is on those who are experiencing difficulties in, and are at risk of being excluded from, learning. A mixture of quantitative and qualitative methodology is used to provide a rich picture of the LEA'S context. The quantitative data illustrate the nature of the task if Southampton is to promote inclusion. The qualitative data provide the perspectives of key stakeholders who are either providers or recipients of education. Grounded theory methodology is used to identify themes and findings are tested against a theory based on Dyson's (1 999) model of discourses on inclusion. Southampton has taken steps to promote inclusion though there are variations in school practice. Nearly 99% of children are attending mainstream schools and there is evidence that they are consistently making progress in learning. However, increasing accountabilities and expectations based on pre-determined academic measures, risk making some of them more welcome and worthy than others. Some are at risk of being overlooked whilst others are excluded from the learning process. Whilst acknowledging successful practices in Southampton, the research identifies a number of key issues. These range from addressing inequalities and removing barriers and prejudices to providing the infrastructures, resources and training in schools so that all children are able to maximise their participation in learning. Key themes emerging from the research illustrate the growing influence of competition and market forces, the pressures in schools, the issue of human rights and the politics of practice. It is argued that LEAS have a role in changing attitudes and cultures in order to promote an acceptance of diversity and difference and the removal of perceived oppression and injustice. Inclusion will require such changes supported with insightful management. Southampton LEA offers a mixed picture in relation to the rhetoric and reality of inclusion. There seems to be commitment to its rationale though its realisation or implementation is considered to be problematic.

There is little existing research on permanent exclusions from special schools. This study focuses on Headteacher perspectives. It reports interviews with five Headteachers with recent experience of exclusion and a survey, sent to all maintained non-residential SLD schools in England. The survey received a 72% response. Approximately twenty-five pupils are permanently excluded from SLD schools in England each year. Whilst the trend in special school exclusions has mirrored those of mainstream schools, little variation was evident in the number of SLD exclusions between 1994/5 - 1998/9. The following factors were identified: The need to protect staff and pupils from physical harm is a key imperative. All excluded pupils had exhibited violent behaviours prior to their exclusion. The allocation of staff presented the main method of risk management and LEAs were perceived to readily provide support under these circumstances. Whilst staff numbers are important, maintaining staff confidence can be equally critical. Exclusion was linked to perceptions about whether the school had the capacity to bring about an improvement in behaviour. This involved judgements about whether the placement might be detrimental to the pupil’s best interests and whether his/her needs would better be met elsewhere. The integrity of the intervention was linked to the degree with which consistency could be achieved. Whilst pupils exhibiting challenging behaviour attract support from many services this was perceived to be poorly coordinated. The most important form of consistency is that between home and school. Some parents were felt to undermine the intervention, others were perceived to be so ‘worn-down” by supporting the child, that they lacked the capacity to be more constructively involved. Most Headteachers were critical of the level of support available for parents. Children exhibiting more extreme challenges tended to be excluded from respite care. Where pupils required residential care this was rarely available locally. Headteachers were concerned about the impact of challenging pupils on the school’s ability to provide for the needs of other pupils. The juxtaposition of physically vulnerable pupils with challenging pupils generated particular tensions. The increasing diversity of need being catered for within SLD schools was also associated with difficulties in managing behavioural challenges. Placement change would normally be mediated through re-assessment. Permanent exclusion however might still occur if a significant increase in the level of challenge overtook these procedures. Problems could also arise where parents were opposed to a residential school placement, yet no local options were available.

This research aims to explore teachers' views and beliefs with regard to drama as they attempt to define their subject and discuss its content. It examines the debates of the major theoristsfor drama, including Heathcote and Hornbrook, and considers the views and beliefs of teachers in the field to see which models oflearning are reflected in their teaching. Teachers are required to teach drama to English National Curriculum objectives at Key Stage Three, where drama is not regarded us U discrete subject, but is subsumed under English Attainment Target One, 'Speaking and Listening'. At Key Stage Four, drama is regarded as a separate subject from English, where it is taught according to specific Drama GCSE syllabuses. The question is whether teachers ' beliefs about the content, learning and assessment of drama complement the National Curriculum objectives in Key Stages Three and Four. Consequently, further investigation is carried out with regard to which orientation to content, learning and assessment is reflected by the National Curriculum. Teachers ' beliefs concerning subject content, learning and assessment are considered generally us well as with explicit regard to drama teaching itself; to see whether there is a mismatch between the views embodied by the major theorists, teachers' beliefs and the National Curriculum.