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This research used quantitative and qualitative research methods to examine the experience, intentions and practice of pre-service primary students in order to determine the nature of student teachers’ paradigms of science. The research identified a dissonance between the students’ aspirational rhetoric and the actuality of the experiences they provide for learners. This research framed the discourse of teaching and learning in terms of objectivist and constructivist paradigms. It was argued that the objectivist paradigm of science teaching has historically been dominant in science classrooms; however, it is the constructivist paradigm which is linked to an effective pedagogy in science education. This research examined the students’ school qualifications in science, stated confidence levels in teaching the 5-14 science curriculum and the students’ views on how best to take forward teaching and learning in primary science. The students were fond to be poorly qualified in science; however, it was shown that this has not had any adverse effect upon the pre-service students’ self-rated confidence levels in teaching primary science. Confidence indices were found to be consistently high, albeit slightly lower with respect to Physics. This research has also shown that there is a consistent pattern of increasing confidence with progression through the BEd course, and consistently low levels of confidence with respect to the PGCE students. This study identified a dissonance between the pre-service students’ experience of science and how they propose to teach science. It was shown that the pre-service students’ experience was negatively orientated, and firmly rooted within the objectivist paradigm. However, it was found that the students’ stated intentions are framed in terms of the constructivist paradigm. The research also determined that the students are confident that they possess the professional skills necessary to take forward teaching and learning in primary science.

This study compared the progress in reading and spelling of 256 children in 11 classes in 9 English primary schools in Years 3 and 4, and a partially overlapping sample of 126 children who received additional help with literacy during one year. Teachers and teaching assistants used either Additional Literacy Support (ALS), a highly structured set of small group teaching materials devised by the English National Literacy Strategy, or a wide variety of other materials including other published intervention programmes, reading scheme based, computer based and individually designed interventions, or a combination of ALS and other interventions. The influence of a broad range of contextual factors were investigated, especially whether children's qualities, school factors such as SocioEconomic Status and class size, and delivery differences made significant differences to the outcomes of the different interventions. The study used a naturalistic quasi-experimental design, in which teachers were asked to record details of their children and interventions without altering their professional decisions, which has not been used before in investigating literacy difficulties in context. ALS was marginally more effective than other interventions in the majority of classes, but was clearly superior in value for money terms. Children's qualities did not appear to affect outcomes. Although children receiving additional help made better than average progress, below average children receiving only class teaching made more progress. Overall catchup was limited, especially in spelling. There appeared to be a larger influence of class teaching than expected. A tentative theory of how class teaching and additional interventions combine is suggested. The study considers how research of this type could be advanced, the need for further development of both class literacy teaching and additional interventions, and raises some questions about national policy towards literacy interventions.

The aim of this study was to investigate the nature and development of affective education in the Chinese context, the way it is translated into primary education, and how it is perceived by teachers and pupils in Taiwan and China. In this study, the term 'affective education' refers to all the planned or hidden curriculum provided to enhance pupil's affective development, based on which the empirical research was conducted focusing on teachers and pupils in year 5 and 6 in twelve primary schools in Taiwan and China (six in each country). The study comprised five stages. First, some psychological theories of affect were reviewed in an attempt to explore what the definition and the scope of affective development is, its implications for education, and some models of the place of affect in it; some Chinese literature was reviewed in terms of different approaches to affective education found in a Chinese context. This was followed by the examination of how 'affect is perceived in Confucianism, a key philosophical influence on the culture, and its impact on affective education in Chinese context. After that, the evolution and practice of moral education in both countries which was influenced by Confucian culture was considered, as well as school guidance systems which were introduced from the US, as these were seen to be the most obvious early manifestations of affective education in these two countries. It was then followed by the detailed introduction of the recent ongoing reforms in both countries, as they represent the latest evolution of affective education and the context in which this study is conducted. Finally, the current picture -of how affective education is delivered and perceived in twelve primary schools in both countries was investigated, and the data generated by this investigation was analysed. The main finding was that the significance of affective education is widely recognised by teachers and pupils and a variety of initiatives is conducted to deliver affective education in primary schools in both countries, additionally several difficulties that teachers encountered to deliver affective education were identified. Also great similarities of the current situations of how affective education is perceived and delivered in both countries. Given that only twelve schools were involved in this study, more research is needed to validate and extend the present findings, and to explore the topics that was not possible included in this study.

This study investigates the response of a class of 35 seven and eight year old children to ten picture books with difficult, traumatic subject matter. Two of the stories deal with areas of emotional loss, including the death of a grandfather; five stories take the area of the Holocaust as their central theme, and three are stories of earthquakes, with the consequent loss of life and destruction. My research findings contribute to the study of children’s literature in education by uniquely analysing and giving insight into especially young children’s responses to this particular genre of children’s literature. In this research programme, the children are invited to engage in reading and four designed activities emerged for response: the central importance of spoken language, the place of writing to capture meaning and significance, the value of drawing to enhance understanding and the place of imaginative role play as children worked on their impressions of events in the stories. My central research questions are: What is young children’s understanding of and response to texts and pictures in selected children’s picture books of trauma? In what ways might young children’s responses to these issues and their accompanying activities reshape their critical thinking? What have I, as the researcher, learnt about my role as a teacher through teaching traumatic issues? The study was conducted in Taiwan using participatory action research methods. My evidence shows that these children are capable of understanding complex and disturbing situations that underpin the picture book narratives. They used their social, interactive, verbal, emotional and imaginative skills to respond to the texts in powerful ways. The significance of the teacher’s role as a listener, questioner and learner was crucial in helping to motive and engage the children. The study’s findings are that picture books that deal with disturbing human issues can be introduced as part of a planned programme of Arts and Life education in Grades 1 to 6 of the primary school curriculum and that children as young as seven are capable of responding to them with maturity and sophistication.

The thesis reports and analyses findings from an investigation into Cypriot teachers' perceptions of national policy for curriculum reform in primary schools, with special reference to teaching and assessment in Mathematics. Questionnaires were sent to three samples of teachers: a 10% sample of Cypriot teachers randomly selected from the total population (n=257); all teachers in five primary schools (n=51); all beginning teachers (n=123). The latter sample was compared with a sample of English beginning teachers. A response rate of 70% was obtained and statistical analysis was carried out by SPSS-X. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 teachers, mainly as a form of triangulation. There were seven main findings. First, curricular purposes concerning pupils' ability to solve investigations, and to gain mathematical knowledge were seen as equally important; and ability to talk about Mathematics the least important. Second, formative purposes of assessment were accorded most, and summative purposes least importance. Third, teachers agreed with active pedagogy and with the application of mathematics to other subjects. Fourth, they conceptualised assessment as natural part of teaching but paradoxically favoured formally structured techniques of assessment. Fifth, classroom organisation rarely met policy requirements for a balance of whole class, group and individual activities. Sixth, cluster analysis revealed the absence of a collective professional view of the process of curriculum change. Seventh, statistically significant differences in perceptions were associated with characteristics of the class taught but there was no whole school effect. Other influences on perceptions were professional and political. Implications for the implementation of curriculum policy in Cyprus are discussed drawing on the theories of Nias and Fullan. It is argued that a revised policy, emphasising teacher participation and school-based development is needed and this would require a new conception of teacher professionalism. A heuristic model of curriculum change and a short term strategy for curriculum change are outlined.

Video conferencing is a relatively new technology for primary schools in England and it is normally used as a tool for distance learning. This thesis is a phenomenological case study that describes a course of mathematical enrichment sessions delivered through the medium of video conferencing to a group of 36 able children across six primary schools. The sessions are delivered by me, which gives the study a reflective and reflexive aspect since I have a dual role as both the teacher and the researcher. As well describing the experiences of the children, there is a focus on the teaching strategies that are used in this virtual environment and how they evolve over time. The thesis is structured around a framework of teaching strategies consisting of four categories; cognitive, compensation, metacognitive and affective strategies. The project makes use of video recordings, children’s diaries, a personal log, lesson plans and interview transcripts and the methods used include visual discourse analysis and Bloom’s method of stimulated recall. Successful and effective are the terms used for describing the outcome of a video conference in relation to technology and pedagogy respectively. This study shows that the evolution of teaching strategies is centred around creating routines to address the uncertainty of the virtual environment rather than focusing directly on pedagogy. The three major findings of this study are: 1. Site facilitators are not an essential requirement for ensuring the smooth running of a video conference. This study has shown that the participants themselves are able to take on any required responsibilities in this area if the number at each endpoint is relatively small (i.e. between four and eight participants). 2. Remote behaviour management and monitoring strategies are an important aspect of the video conferencing tool-kit for teachers. This study has demonstrated the importance of screen layouts in facilitating the use of such strategies. 3. The production features associated with children’s educational television programmes may be able to inform effective pedagogy for teaching and learning through video conferencing. In particular, this study has highlighted the potential of using theme tunes as auditory anchors to emphasise key points during a video conference. By the end of this study, it will be argued that the children enjoyed taking part and they became more independent as learners. Furthermore, it will be shown that if the teaching strategies are appropriate and if the mathematical content is enriching and open-ended, then video conferencing can create valuable learning opportunities for children that are not readily available in the traditional classroom environment.

Educators' concerns about drama as pedagogy have been expressed widely in the literature, yet research has been modest. This thesis recognises this gap. A qualitative case study was employed to carry out an in-depth inquiry into classroom teachers' employment of drama. In a belief that primary teachers have their particular needs, this study was orientated to the attempt to identify their challenges and understand their conflicts .resulting from treating drama as methodology across the curriculum. Two contextual analyses suggest that teachers who are used to practising in authoritarian and teacher-centred schooling in which drama is regarded as insignificant can be pedagogically and artistically challenged while using drama as an educational tool in view of its child-centred, dialogic, and knowledge-constructed orientation. In agreement with the theoretical framework generated from the review concerning teachers' qualifications and challenges related to drama integration, empirical evidence suggests that the occurrences of teachers' challenges are associated with their perception, practice, and identity. Results also show that teachers modified their prior concepts of drama and pedagogy . towards those required in drama integration. The teachers' development, which emerged from their dealing with challenges, indicates that there was a pedagogic shift in practice.