The perceptions held of the fundamental differences in the nature of boys and girls is an issue which has dominated educational discourse over recent years and thus, has shaped pedagogical approaches and policy. However, despite some calls to focus on how the social construction of masculinity affects boys’ responses to school based literacy there is still a pervasive discourse which focuses on neurological and hormonal differences. Furthermore, the waters seem muddied by a narrative of the disempowerment of boys as a consequence of the success of the feminist movement, the answer to which has often been a call to return to more traditional roles and social practices. The extent to which this popular discourse impacts on policy decisions made by educational leaders cannot be underestimated and is reflected in the many proposals for improving boys’ literacy results which are still often grounded in generalisations and stereotypes which place boys in one homogenous group who experience their identity in a single way. The current climate appears, therefore, to be one of mixed messages so that whilst scholars have pointed out the potential damage caused by solutions which reinforce socially constructed gender binaries, such approaches are still thriving. This study employs qualitative methods to explore, through interviews, the ways in which boys talk about how they construct their masculinity within the school environment and draws conclusions as to how this gendered identity impacts upon their perception of practices which shape the literate individual such as reading, creative writing and personal expressive response to texts. The findings contradict some commonly held beliefs that hegemonic constructions of masculinity often reject the academic practices associated with literacy. In particular, the data challenges the idea that many boys are reluctant to be seen as succeeding academically in favour of an anti-school culture. The results offer instead, a nuanced picture of how boys perceive the study of literacy and how some boys actively resist forms of masculinity which might prevent them from achieving at school and are able to balance the need to succeed in literacy with their status as ‘hegemonic’ boys socially.

September 2015 marked the start of a system-wide change to the SEND system. The Children and Families Act 2014 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years (CoP) (2015) have given greater emphasis to parental involvement in the decisions that involve their children and on the expectations of schools. Government research has predominately focussed on the experiences of parents, but the experiences of Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) in the new process has not yet been greatly explored. Therefore my research has aimed to explore the experiences of primary school SENCOs working with parents/carers through the new Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) process. The purpose of this research was to provide knowledge of the SENCO experience to a relatively new research area in order to increase the awareness and understanding of those who work with and support SENCOs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five, purposefully selected, primary SENCOs. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the data. Superordinate themes for each of the five SENCOs emerged from the interpretative analysis which led to four overarching themes across the whole sample. Three overarching themes were shared by all five SENCOs: ‘Inner turmoil of the SENCO’, ‘Feeling adrift, in need for an anchor’, and ‘Differing roles, intimacy and professionalism’, and the fourth over-arching theme was shared by three of the SENCOs: ‘Varying expectations of the SENCO role’. Potential implications of these findings for professionals working with SENCOs, such as Educational Psychologists (EPs) could be: offering supervision for SENCOs: personal and/or peer to provide support and guidance for SENCOs, psychological training to provide SENCOs with greater understanding of the reasons behind parents actions/behaviours and their own emotional responses, and EPs approach towards working with SENCOs on a day-to-day basis to reduce SENCOs’ feelings of isolation.

This case study carried out during 2007 – 2009 investigates how a Junior School has been able to give primary school children a voice through the provision of decision and democratic power-sharing opportunities in its inherent culture. An inclusive philosophical vision has been created within an educational and broad socio-cultural context where children’s contributions are deemed valid and important. A pedagogy has developed which provides experiences that enable children to practice and experiment with critical elements of consultation, participation, responsibility, emotional intelligence and transformational learning. It is proposed that pupils are able to develop confidence in preparing for their next phase of education and a world ‘not yet known’ (Lodge, 2000: 97). Data is drawn from three school based initiatives: School Council Initiative; Guardian Angel Initiative and the Master Class Mentor Initiative involving 16 children (15 aged 10 – 11 years and 1 aged 12 years), and 12 adults, and takes the form of individual and group interviews. The data analysis identified 4 emergent themes: confidence, trust, autonomous agency and transformation of self, and showed that there was a positive impact on the pupils through decision-making opportunities both on the school culture and the school community itself characterised by trust and the development of autonomy. The findings show that there is an ongoing dichotomy that exists between ‘giving children a say’ and empowering them through taking notice of their viewpoints and insights. If children obtain the trust from adults around them, they frequently rise to the challenge and will accept the responsibility offered to them, and in many cases surpass expectations. It is proposed that the findings of this study will be of relevance to a variety of professionals looking to refocus 21st century education and improve the contribution of children. A model and toolkit has been devised to support this approach.

No description available.

ContentsAcknowledgmentsList of figures and tablesList of terms and abbreviations1. Introduction1.1 Writing conventions2. Background information3. Statistics related to the primary EFL classroom3.1 Pupils’ computer use at home3.2 Pupils’ internet use at home3.3 Teachers’ computer use at school3.4 Pupils’ computer use at school3.5 Teachers’ internet use at school3.6 Pupils’ internet use at school3.7 Implications for supplementing textbooks3.7.1 Computer and internet infrastructure3.7.2 Teachers’ IT skills3.7.3 Teachers’ methodological skills3.7.4 Summary4. Choosing and using educational software4.1 Why use computers in the EFL classroom?4.2 What computers are not4.3 What computers are4.4 Types of software: correct vs. create5. Choosing a computer-based task5.1 Task support offered by open-ended software5.1.1 Self-directed learning and differentiation5.1.2 User-friendliness5.1.3 Cooperation and job allocation5.2 Task constraints imposed by computer hardware5.2.1 Computer equipment5.2.2 Location and time6. The case for using multimedia applications6.1 What is multimedia?6.2 Learning software vs. multimedia authoring programs (MAP): consumption vs. production6.2.1 Presentation of content6.2.2 Access to content6.3 Usability6.3.1 Usability vs. Utility6.3.2 Finding a high-usability program6.4 Summary7. The task: producing a talking book8. Multimedia authoring programs for publishing talking books8.1 Microsoft Office PowerPoint8.1.1 Other uses to PowerPoint8.2 Windows Movie Maker8.3 Microsoft Photo Story 3 for Windows8.4 Producing a talking book with Photo Story8.4.1 Preliminary considerations8.4.2 Staging8.4.3 Storyboard8.4.4 Work at the computer8.5 Other proprietary multimedia authoring programs9. The case for free software9.1 Quality of free software9.2 Security of free software9.3 Service for free software9.4 Finding the right software9.5 Scratch10. Conclusions10.1 The case against web-based activities10.2 Dealing with the limited number of computers at schools10.3 From textbooks to notebooks10.4 From procuring to leasingReferencesAppendix 1: Interview questionsAppendix 2: Resource CD

The study investigated the perceptions of children and parents relating to the Forest School initiative. The aims of the research were to explore children’s and parents’ perceptions of Forest School and consider the potential influence Forest School can have on children’s learning and development. The study explored these views within a setting that had implemented the Forest School initiative at a whole primary school level for a number of years. A qualitative approach was taken and the study used thematic analysis of key concepts and codes. Emerging themes were drawn from children’s and parents’ comments and main themes were identified. The study found that children were able to communicate the fun, excitement and enjoyment they had experienced when talking about Forest School as an initiative. Children conveyed a caring attitude and respect for nature and the outdoor environment and that it was important for them to look after their surroundings. Parents expressed that they valued the initiative and that supporting their children’s education at home was important. However, they felt that children took the Forest School initiative for granted and perhaps saw it as a privilege. In relation to children’s learning, a key theme was children’s apparent enthusiasm and desire to learn. The Forest School experience enabled children to develop and reinforce a multitude of key skills. With regard to children’s development, references were made to a growing sense of awareness and maturity. Concepts of trust and responsibility were conveyed with some reference to a growing sense of freedom being afforded to children as they get older. Further research could seek to establish which professionals are aware of the existence of Forest School and gain their perceptions of its potential benefits. Also, further exploration focusing on the difference in Forest School experiences between the Foundation Phase and Key Stage 2 could provide interesting results. This takes into account the perceived impact the Forest School initiative appears to have contributed to, in relation to the children’s and parents’ perspectives and the context of this study.

Whilst outcomes for Children Looked After have extensively been discussed (Millward, Kennedy, Towlson, & Minnis, 2006; Rees, 2012), and the importance of school in the lives of these children acknowledged (Greig et al., 2008), less attention has been paid to the views and experiences of teachers of Children Looked After (Goddard, 2000). It is accepted that Emotional Labour (Hochschild, 1983) is commonplace in the teaching profession (Isenbarger & Zembylas, 2006) but no research has investigated how, and to what extent, teachers experience Emotional Labour during interactions with Children Looked After. The literature review explores research relating to outcomes for Children Looked After and the role of adults in supporting this group of children. The concept of emotion in the teaching profession, teachers’ experiences of emotional management and conceptualisations of Emotional Labour theory are also explored. Fourteen Key Stage Two teachers of Children Looked After participated in the current study by completing semi-structured interviews with a researcher. Results indicate that participants experience Emotional Labour during interactions with Children Looked After and that this may be mediated, to a degree, by factors including role constructions, perceptions of support and self-perceived role facilitators such as perceptions of a professional duty. Findings are discussed in relation to the need for Educational Psychologists to understand better the impact of Emotional Labour on teachers of Children Looked After. Correspondingly, the provision of supervision and systems level support for teachers of this group of children are explored.

This research aimed to establish the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention facilitated by a trainee educational psychologist and a class teacher, with a class of Year Four children. The study took a pragmatist approach to research, whereby a mixed method approach was considered the best way to address the study’s research questions. The Year Four children in a mainstream primary school participated in a six week mindfulness-based intervention, with activities from ‘60 Mindful Minutes’ (The Nurture Group Network, 2014). Quantitative data were collected and analysed in relation to the children’s social and emotional well-being, levels of mindfulness, and observable behaviour (peer relationship difficulties, prosocial behaviour, conduct problems and hyperactivity and inattention) at four time-points. Qualitative data was collected at follow-up: the class teacher was interviewed and the children were asked to provide written feedback. Both the quantitative and qualitative data indicated that the children became more “mindful” after completing the intervention. Additionally, positive effects for their social and emotional well-being were found. The intervention was well-accepted by the children and their class teacher, and evidence was found at follow-up for the maintenance of mindfulness practices. The findings provide positive implications for practice, in regards to educational settings and educational psychologists.

It has been recognised for many years that children learn from direct experiences with their surrounding environments (Weinstein and David, 1987). Considering children spend the majority of their early lives occupying school buildings, the quality of this built environment is important as it is thought to have an impact on their learning, social development and well-being. The architectural design of school environments, procured over the past 15 years has been constantly evolving with the need for new and improved school buildings coupled with significant changes in education over the past few decades. In the UK, during the 2000s, there was significant investment in the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, with a desire to achieve high quality inspirational environments that enhance learning (DfES, 2003c), where design quality was considered an important factor to address issues of sustainability, flexibility and adaptability (DfES, 2002b). As such, there has been significant research undertaken into school design, which has found that certain elements of the environment may have an impact on learning and achievement. However, a change in government in 2010 led to the existing school building programmes at the time being axed and the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) being introduced in 2011, with baseline design guidelines and the aim to make school construction more cost-effective (National Audit Office, 2017). During the economic downturn, it became apparent that some elements of school design were being omitted to reduce building costs. Considering the current situation, this poses the question: what impact does the latest wave of school buildings have on the users and their experiences in these new settings? Optimising the design of school buildings remains important, and in order to achieve this, we need to examine some of our existing and recently constructed school buildings. This thesis reviews the current situation by investigating the impact of ‘new’ primary school buildings on children’s experiences and their daily lives at school, conducting a post-occupancy investigation of four case study schools. The qualitative research targeted the end-users, the children themselves, by exploring their views on their schools. The research also highlights the potential of participatory techniques through use of creative methods, providing an understanding of primary school buildings through the children’s eyes, giving them a voice within the research. The findings identify that, from the children’s perspective, new primary schools are to an extent, providing sufficient spaces in which to learn. However, it remains that there are some environmental issues which are affecting children. The importance of the holistic school environment has been highlighted as well as desirable spaces and places for children at school, with an emphasis on outdoor spaces and the natural environment. By providing insights into their daily experiences, the findings suggest that such spaces ought to be considered higher priority in the design process. The research aims to set a precedent for architects and designers, providing an insight into four post-occupancy case studies, whilst looking forward to integrating participatory techniques in future school evaluation and design. By enriching existing knowledge in the area of school environments, it provides fresh information that will continue to aid the future design of schools by architects, which ultimately, has the potential to have a positive impact on development and well-being.

One of the key recommendations of the Williams review of primary mathematics (2008) was for every school to have a primary mathematics specialist teacher (MaST) with ‘deep mathematical subject and pedagogical knowledge’ (Williams, 2008 p. 7). This knowledge would act as a ‘nucleus’ (p.1) for the whole school, with MaSTs supporting the teaching and learning of mathematics across the primary phase. As yet there is no model for the knowledge of these specialist teachers. This study aimed to examine the nature of this knowledge conceived of by a small sample of MaSTs, by conducting interviews as they undertook the role, and after developing it over two years and completing the Masters level training programme. The interviewer identified with the MaSTs the knowledge they conceived that they drew on in their teaching of one aspect of the mathematics curriculum and which they identified as deep subject knowledge. There were common features in this knowledge, which are argued to be indicative of the knowledge of the specialist teachers more generally. These features related to knowledge of progression across the primary phase. The MaSTs perceived that they gained new knowledge of mathematics and pedagogy which enabled them to support other staff but also impacted on their own teaching. The research found only a partial relationship between the current models which articulate the knowledge of primary classroom teachers of mathematics (Rowland et al 2009; Ball et al 2008; Ma, 1999) and the knowledge which MaSTs conceived that they drew on, and identified as deep. The research examined the relationship between the perceived knowledge of these teachers as specialists and class teachers, finding examples of case and strategic knowledge (Shulman, 1986). The MaSTs identified their new knowledge as distinct from that gained by classroom experience and valued the Masters aspects of their training programme.