Due to economic and political changes in Poland the market for educational services has changed. A worldwide trend for an early start in foreign language (FL) instruction is reflected in the accelerated growth of numbers of younger children enrolled into various forms of FL learning in Poland. Recent changes in the new National Curriculum introduced the possibility of starting FL learning from the first grade of the elementary school. However, it seems that teacher training has not yet responded to the growing demand for qualified FL teachers of young learners (FLTYL). This study presents the results of an evaluation of how the present TT provision meets the educational needs of teachers involved in teaching FL to young children and what changes should be made in order to address those needs in a better way. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to elicit information from different perspectives: current FLTYLs, prospective Early Years (EY) and FL teachers, and academic staff from the Higher Pedagogical School of Bydgoszcz, one of the institutions providing teacher training in Poland. Moreover, the findings were supported with the results of the surveys among the elementary and language school head teachers and parents of children from grades 1-3, which assessed the current and future needs in the area of FL teaching to young children. The research findings suggest that the present TT is flawed in at least two aspects. First of all, it seems not to recognise how widespread early FL instruction has become and consequently fails to respond to a growing demand for a higher number of qualified FLTYLs. Secondly, neither FL teacher training nor Early Years Education teacher training appears to equip the teachers with the necessary competencies and qualifications. The two basic problems of acceptance and implementation of a new FLTYL training programme, or modifying the existing provision, are shortage of qualified teacher trainers and insufficient cooperation between the departments that traditionally work separately. As a result, arriving at a common policy regarding optimal FLTYL qualifications and competencies, course organisation, its content, and training methods to be used, is problematic. The study offers some solutions as to how the existing impasse might be overcome.

This thesis argues that masculinity does not exist as the empirical property of biological males. Instead, masculinity is viewed as being produced in its objective sense through a social imaginary that invokes masculinity as already ontologically present; as having ontological continuity; as being necessarily coherent; and as being embodied in real boys/men. l\lasculinity is therefore seen as an iterative exercise, or a narrative of self, whereby the boys in this study are seen as being involved in producing themselves as coherent males in each classroom interaction. The masculine social imaginary is made real through these subjective moments of self-making. This research focuses on the strategies engaged in by boys, in an English primary school classroom, in their accomplishment of masculine identities~ how they are secured in relation to both girls and other boys~ and how particular masculine forms achieve and maintain hegemony. The research looks at the relationship between objective and subjective senses of identity; the cultural resources available to boys in their identity work; the ways different cultural resources (capital) accrue value in the context of the school; how these differently valued resources contribute to the production of masculine hierarchies; and pedagogic structures and practices interact with the boys' identity work to construct different relationships with the official curriculum. Working through a concept of reflexive relativity, this thesis regards the data collected through observation and elicitation exercises, as narrative productions. The research text itself is a narrative production - a rendering of a theory of masculine behaviour; and as constituting a series of dialogues between the research and different research subjectivities.

This study explores the qualitative difference in performance between those who are more successful and those who are less successful in simple arithmetic. In the event that children are unable to retrieve a basic number combination the study identifies that there is a spectrum of performance between children who mainly use procedures, such as count-all in addition and take-away in subtraction, to those who handle simple arithmetic in a much more flexible way. Two independent studies are described The first contrasts the performances of children in simple arithmetic. It considers teacher selected pupils of different ability from within each year group from 7+ to 12+. It takes a series of snapshots of different groups of children and considers their responses to a series of simple number combinations. This first experiment shows qualitatively different thinking in which the less successful children are seen to focus more on the use of procedures and in the development of competence in utilising them. The more successful appear to have developed a flexible mode of thinking which is not only capable of stimulating their selection of more efficient procedures but, the procedures they select are then used in an efficient and competent way. However, the use of procedures amongst the more successful is seen to be only one of two alternative approaches that they use. The other approach involves the flexible use of mathematical objects, numbers, that are derived from encapsulated processes. The below-average children demonstrate little evidence of the flexible use of encapsulated processes. It is the ability of the more able children to demonstrate flexibility through the use of efficient procedures and/or the use of encapsulated processes that stimulates the development of the theory of procepts. This theory utilises the duality which is ambiguously inherent in arithmetical symbolism to establish a framework from which we may identify the notion of proceptual thinking. The second study considers the development of a group of children over a period of nearly a year. This study relates to aspects of the numerical component of the standardised tests in mathematics which form part of the National Curriculum. It provides the data which gives support to the theory and provides evidence to confirm the snap shots taken of children at the age of 7+ and 8+. It indicates that children who possess procedural competence may achieve the same level of attainment as those who display proceptual flexibility at one level of difficulty but they may not possess the appropriate mental tools to cope with the next. The evidence of the study supports the hypothesis that there is a qualitative difference in children's arithmetical thinking.

The subject of this thesis is the influence of encounter on the religious understanding of a group of primary age children in inner city Leicester. The research focuses on a minority of non-Muslim children in a predominantly Muslim area, and is informed by small discussion groups in which the children were free to explore and share their own ideas. The study begins by presenting a view of children as active in the construction of their own lives. The young participants' contributions to the discussions are related to other theoretical positions on children's religion and a cognitive and language-based approach is advocated. A progressive, developmental model of children's religious thinking is rejected in favour of a model that allows multi-directional movement to and fro between different faith styles in response to a number of contextual factors. Detailed textual analysis of the transcribed conversations reveals the inffuences of social encounter on the children's understanding. It also recognises the creativity of the children's religious thinking when their perspectives are brought into dialogical relationship with the viewpoints of others. As they assimilate words and discourses from their wider environment, the children adapt them and employ them for their own ends. Their social context of religious plurality supplies a bank of understandings and associations. From this they select and negotiate meanings to suit the requirements of the immediate communicative context of the discussions. The outcome of the process is the children's ongoing theological engagement with questions of religious identity and belief

There is concern around children’s lack of knowledge and understanding of food sources and production, and more broadly around their apparent disconnection from nature. Spending time in the outdoors has been shown to yield a range of benefits, although the mechanisms underpinning these are not well understood. Studies have suggested, however, that there has been a decline in time spent outdoors by children. The introduction of the ‘Curriculum for Excellence’ guidelines in Scotland was heralded as an opportunity to address this decline. Although the guidelines advocate the use of outdoor environments, little research has been conducted, and little guidance is available, on how teachers can and do use outdoor learning in relation to the guidelines, particularly beyond ‘adventure’ activities. Farms are utilised as an educational resource around the world. This research explored the use of educational farm visits, as an example of outdoor learning, in the context of Curriculum for Excellence. A qualitatively driven, mixed methods study, comprising survey and case study methodologies, was undertaken. A questionnaire for teachers informed subsequent interviews with teachers and farmers, and ‘group discussions’ with primary school pupils. The study found that teachers can link farm visits and associated topics with the Curriculum for Excellence guidelines in a range of ways, covering all curriculum areas. There was a tendency however for farm visits to be associated with food and farming topics at Primary 2-3 (age 6-7), rather than used more widely. Issues to consider in the planning and conduct of farm visits were identified, and barriers and motivations for teachers, and for farmers volunteering to host visits, were explored. As well as practical examples of the use of farm visiting, this research offers a perspective on some of the theoretical literature which seeks to explain the benefits of spending time outdoors. Furthermore, five main recommendations for farm visiting in the context of Curriculum for Excellence are given. These relate to the type of visit appropriate to different age groups, opportunities for teachers to become more familiar with what farms visits can offer, and raising awareness of the organisations and networks which can support volunteer farmers to host visits.

This study aimed to evaluate the use of the DIR/Floortime intervention in a specialist school setting. The participants were 8 primary school children, aged 3-8 years old and 16 teaching and support staff trained in DIR/Floortime. The study adopted a mixed methods design. Quantitative measures included the Functional, Emotional Assessment Scale (FEAS) (Greenspan et al., .2001), and a measure of ‘Teacher Competency’ designed by the author of this study. Qualitative data was collected via a focus group and analysed via Thematic Analysis. Findings demonstrated significant gains in social and emotional functional behaviours for children with ASD within a specialist school setting. No significant relationship was found between teacher competency in delivering the intervention and children’s gains in social and emotional functioning. Teacher /support staff views on delivering the DIR/Floortime intervention are discussed.

Fostering religious commitment in schools and considering children’s cultural diversity arguably enhances pupils’ tolerance and integration, which may have the potential to reduce racism and discrimination. Faith schools are religiously and culturally diverse institutions and typically appreciated for their core values, good behaviour and academic standards. However, their impact on school culture and ethos is under explored. Although, the role of faith has gained attention both in policy and practice, relatively little is known about its impact in the context of primary education. As such, this research explores the complex influence of faith on school culture and ethos. In addition, critical analysis is undertaken to investigate the impact of faith on pupils’ behaviour and understanding in school. The main research aims are to: explore the multiple ways in which faith is manifested in two schools, determine the influence of faith on school culture and ethos, and establish the impact of faith on pupils’ behaviours and understanding in school. This research takes an ethnographic approach to explore how faith is manifested in two primary schools in the North West of England. The ethnography enabled a deeper immersion in to the school culture as data were generated through observations, interviews, focus groups and documentary analysis in two schools: A denomination school, Church of England, and a community school with an Islamic ethos. The research was conducted in the North West of England which has many diverse faith-based schools. Critical Race and Feminist Theories were used as lenses of analysis to examine faith in school. Critical Race Theory is a framework employed to examine the role of race and power in education. This research provides rich ethnographic description and analysis of faith as understood, practiced and experienced in the two schools. The findings reveal two major themes, first, a mismatch between school policy/values and its practice. Second, a lack of integration of staff and children into the school. Despite schools’ efforts to embrace diversity and encourage integration, schools policies were found to be empty rhetoric with regards to fostering religious commitment and cultural diversity. Exploring the issue of recognising cultural diversity within schools, findings indicated that both schools did not acknowledge or teach other cultural traditions, therefore, impacting on issues of integration. Poor behaviour, bullying and racism amongst children were major issues at both schools. Data analysis suggests the source of misbehaviour was due to the lack of emphasis placed on teaching about different religions, insufficient knowledge of cultural traditions and lack of visits to places of worship. This research concludes that there is a need for schools to develop awareness of religions and cultural diversity; thereby, encouraging integration, community cohesion and respect for similarities and differences.

Research estimates that around ten per cent of children in the UK between 5 and 16 years of age are diagnosed with a mental health disorder (MHD) (Green et al., 2005). The review of the literature suggests that teachers are not receiving specific training about child mental health (CMH) and lack confidence in their ability to respond to children’s mental health needs effectively (Trudgen and Lawn, 2011; Rothi, Leavey and Best, 2008). The reduced capacity of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and increasing focus on early intervention has shifted government attention from clinical to community settings, such as schools (Stallard et al., 2012). Therefore, teachers are identified as ideally placed to promote CMH from an early stage and identify and respond appropriately to early indications of mental health issues (MHIs) (DfE, 2014b). This mixed methods study aimed to extend the research literature by exploring primary school teachers’ (PSTs’) current understanding of child mental health issues (CMHIs); their awareness and previous use of MH resources; and their perceptions of how they could best be supported to develop their knowledge. A questionnaire and semi-structured interview were designed to collect quantitative and qualitative data, which were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the majority of PSTs had not received specific training about CMH and reported general uncertainty and confusion about the concept. The PSTs’ awareness and previous use of professional agencies were higher than their awareness and previous use of digital and literary resources. They requested opportunities for context-specific learning and ‘expert’ support, similar to mentoring and coaching models, in order to learn about CMH. The strengths, limitations and implications for educational psychology are discussed.

Exploratory and explanatory research was conducted into the impact of a model of person centred reviewing. In the existing literature, although children and young people who take part in person centred processes typically describe a positive experience, the overall evidence base for the effectiveness of the approach in education is not robust. Using a qualitative methodology, interview data from five SEN Coordinators working in local authority primary schools, which were part of a project piloting the use of a model of person centred reviews, was analysed using critical realist grounded theory. The primary aim of the study was to explore the impact that adopting a person centred review process had in schools that were part of the pilot project. This includes the potential impact on children, teachers, parents and the whole school. The secondary aim was to explore how any changes have come about. Two research questions were derived from these aims. The primary, exploratory research question was: “What changes have come about in primary schools that have been running person centred annual reviews as part of the local pilot project, according to SENCos who have been leading them?” The secondary, explanatory research question was: “How, according to SENCos who have been leading person centred reviews, have these changes come about?” The theory developed from the data proposes that the local model person centred reviews can have a transformative impact on SEN provision in primary schools with a supportive ethos. More specifically, the grounded theory identifies causal factors which give rise to particular effects. It suggests that in bringing people together, making them feel they are on the same side and enabling reciprocal listening in a structure which supports honesty, positivity and constructiveness, the model of person centred reviewing being studied has an impact on everyone who takes part. The theory proposes that, while the model is not without risks, children who take part develop their skills and their self-determination. Similarly, it proposes that relationships improve for children, parents and school staff, alongside developing teamwork and a feeling of being part of a “caring community”. It also proposes that SEN systems and practice can improve in a number of ways. The theory has implications for local practice around person centred reviews, as well as at the national level, given the priority given to the approach in recent government guidance.

An exploration of schooling practices over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries reveals a number of ‘fixed characteristics.’ These continue to have a principle role in the organisation of schooling today and are underpinned by assumptions stemming from traditional psychological theory. Most prominent is the transmission-receiver model associated with behaviourism. This provides a simplistic view of the learning process, locating performance in the individual child or teacher. In this work, learning is re-conceptualised as experience and in doing so, any understanding is rendered much more complex than previously acknowledged. It becomes a wider phenomenon, distributed across agent, activity and world. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of human development is used to elucidate this notion. To enrich the analytical power of this model, additional perspectives have been integrated to further explore the complex web of proximal, distal and environmental influences serving to shape children’s quotidian learning experiences and development; specifically, notions of metacognition and self-efficacy, Vygotskian psychology and the community of practice literature. In unison, these theoretical lenses seek to provide an explanation for learning on multiple levels: the role of the learner, the intricate mechanisms of the learning process itself and the wider conditions that surround learning. Immersed in the primary school context, the researcher adopted the dual role of researcher and teaching assistant, carrying out ethnographic research over two school terms. Following the day-to-day lives of eight children in Year 6, the research records a multiplicity of factors impacting upon their learning experiences at school. The children’s time in Year 6 is presented in story form and structured using the theories noted above. The research illuminates that the constellation of factors operating in the child’s world is unique to him or her. These combine in idiosyncratic and non-predictable ways with the child’s own repertoire of characteristics, resulting in a different learning trajectory for every child. However, analysis indicates that relationships and participation play a fundamental role in all learning journeys. Recommendations for managing children’s experiences based on this understanding are discussed.