Effective lesson planning is a real challenge for many beginning teachers. This paper presents a case study of one such teacher, and the author's efforts to support her in the planning process. Results show supporting the beginning teacher's planning by (a) providing access to resources such as web-sites and teaching handbooks, (b) modelling, and…

The purpose of this study was to investigate how five Year 7/8 teachers of additional languages in four primary/intermediate schools in New Zealand supported their students to develop their intercultural capability in the context of learning a language additional to the language of instruction. The teachers taught a range of languages (Chinese,…

The mathematics content knowledge of pre-service teachers is a growing area of inquiry. This topic requires further theoretical development due to the limited applicability of current cognitive and practice-oriented frameworks of mathematics content knowledge to beginning pre-service teachers. Foundation content knowledge is an integrated,…

Lefebvre's triadic conception of "spatial practice, representations of space and representational spaces" provides the theoretical framework of this article, which recognises a productive relationship between space and social relations. Its writing stems from a current and ongoing qualitative study of innovative teaching and learning…

Classroom experience is an important part of initial teacher education (ITE) and the teachers who work with student teachers in schools have a significant impact on learning in this context. While many studies have documented what the role of these teachers should be, it is also important to consider how the role is conceptualised by the teachers…

Current national and international research indicates the summer break can negatively affect students' reading achievement. To counter this effect, our primary school with a range of students worked in collaboration with our local public library to plan and implement a summer reading programme. The purpose of the programme was to increase…

Derived initially from a strategic analysis of children's methods of counting, the New Zealand Numeracy Projects used, as a starting point for the professional development of teachers, a strategy framework that traces children's development in number reasoning. A pilot study indicated the usefulness of professional development where teachers use…

In this article, I examine the practice of outsourcing physical education (PE) lessons to external sports organisations. I draw from ethnographic research conducted with two primary schools in New Zealand to illuminate how outsourcing interconnects with the privatisation of education. Using Foucault's notion of government, I demonstrate how…

Despite the Ministry of Education Statement of Intent 2014-2018 that the performance of the education system for priority students--Maori, Pasifika, students with special education needs and students from low socio-economic areas needs to improve rapidly these groups remain a concern in the New Zealand Education System. This article explores what…

In New Zealand (NZ) and Japan, despite comprehensive national health and physical education (HPE) curriculums in schools, there continues to be significant health issues for children. A qualitative interpretative descriptive research method was used to compare how primary school teachers taught HPE in both countries. In NZ, there is some freedom…

This paper reflects upon international arts education action and relative local in-action. The first half of the paper provides a brief narrative of the World Alliance for Arts Education's advocacy work and the development of the UNESCO Seoul Agenda: Goals for the development of arts education. The second half of the paper highlights a dance…

This paper engages with assessment practices in Aotearoa New Zealand. "Te Whariki," the internationally recognized early childhood curriculum framework, lies at the root of contemporary narrative assessment practices, and the concept of learning stories. We outline historical and societal underpinnings of these practices, and elevate the…

Students' negative experiences of science in the primary sector have commonly been blamed on poor teacher content knowledge. Yet, teacher beliefs have long been identified as strong influences on classroom practice. Understanding the nature of teacher beliefs and their influence on primary science teaching practice could usefully inform teacher…

Professional reading is a core source of input in teacher professional development. This article describes 47 primary school teachers' reports of their professional reading both in their schools and during the first year of a university TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other languages) in-service qualification. One third of these teachers…

Background: Given the persistent gap among majority and minority students in international measures of student outcomes, there is growing attention and research focused on teacher knowledge, learning and professional development. Culturally responsive practice has been posited as one way to ameliorate disparities in outcomes. Proponents of…