set 2011: no. 3

Language and its development is a topic of perennial interest, and particularly so in relation to schooling. After all, it is supposed to be what distinguishes us from animals. Universal and compulsory education systems were established towards the end of the 19th century. At that time psychologists were in the  process of establishing themselves as scientists, and psychology became the area of academic study which was called on to explain the processes of education. Psychologists… Read more

This article draws on several reviews that have documented known challenges for students when learning to use graphs in science contexts. It then illustrates these challenges with examples drawn from the New Zealand Council for Educational Research’s recently developed test series, Science: Thinking with Evidence. Learning to think with graphically presented evidence is an important aspect of preparing our students to be citizens in societies where science impacts on our lives in multiple… Read more

The growing diversity of students in mainstream schools in Aotearoa New Zealand is challenging for educators and policy makers alike. Educational researchers in the 21st century have shown that listening to what students have to say about what works best for them is more important than ever. This article discusses the narratives of schooling experiences of two generations of Pasifika students, comparing the experiences of Pasifika students from Auckland secondary schools involved in the Te… Read more

Media headlines ensure that we are constantly reminded of the presence of bullying in our schools. This article draws on responses to a national survey on barriers to student learning. The strategies that primary and secondary schools that responded are implementing to address bullying are discussed in relation to the approach known as “health promoting schools”—an approach that is internationally recognised for its effectiveness in addressing mental health issues in schools.

This project explored how ICTs in primary classrooms can enhance the teaching and learning of the practical and theoretical aspects of science. By building on teacher and Years 7/8 student prior knowledge and experiences with ICTs, the authors investigated how ICT use can structure activities that would offer enhanced opportunities for students to actively participate in science. The project generated examples of how ICTs can support ways of exploring and communicating science, and… Read more

In January 2005, during my induction into Te Kotahitanga, I was challenged to consider my role, as a non-Māori teacher, in addressing the disparities that exist for Māori within our education system. Thus began my learning about, and through, a culturally responsive pedagogy of relations.

This article explores how two pairs of secondary content teachers drew on their knowledge of language and second-language acquisition to plan and implement a language-focused lesson sequence in their subject areas. The mathematics and social studies teachers were surprised at the extent to which this language-focused approach engaged their students and developed their cognitive academic language ability in the respective topics.

Many 5- and 6-year-old students in low socioeconomic schools have difficulty expressing ideas fluently and coherently in English, which impacts on their ability to participate fully in the classroom and to make the transition to literacy. The classroom has the greatest potential, outside of home and family, to provide the quality and quantity of interaction and expression these children need to expand their English language resources to support their ongoing learning. This article reports on… Read more

After three years of schooling, some primary students are behind expected levels for spelling achievement. This study investigated students’ own explanations of their developing understandings about spelling in the context of classroom writing. Participants were two groups of Year 4 students, one achieving below and one achieving at the expected level in spelling and writing. While the average achievers successfully combined strategies, those below average tended to use one strategy at a… Read more

Test scores reduce complex phenomena, such as achievement in mathematics or ability to comprehend a written text, to numbers. If a test has done a good job of testing what it was designed to assess, then test results can be useful, especially when we want to do things like track progress and make comparisons. However, it is important to understand that test scores are not error free. This Assessment News article is the first of two that provide a “quick guide” to some sources of error that… Read more