In what ways do Jewish and Muslim faith schools in Britain play a role in promoting and contributing to community cohesion? What 21st-century skills around intercultural understanding do they foster? This book examines the nuances of faith in school settings and draws on a case study of Jewish and Muslim faith schools. The authors show how these…

While the present individualistic and religio-culturally pluralistic scene requires RE teachers to re-evaluate their educational orientation, research shows that they find it difficult. How do RE teachers carry out their task when dealing with an individualistic, pluralistic population? It is argued that communication in the RE classroom is not…

Teaching the Torah in liberal settings demands a set of skills and a sophisticated knowledge of the Bible. It presupposes an open approach to the text that posits multiple interpretations, and demands close reading and explication of the text as in a literary-critical approach. In this article, the author describes the knowledge and beliefs of six…

This study is part of a research project concerning perceptions of competence among RE student teachers at different stages of their pedagogical studies. This article focuses on the perceptions of RE teachers' competence at the beginning of their training. According to the qualitative data the RE student teachers discerned various areas of…

This article describes the impact of sustained professional development programs in two Jewish congregational schools. This research suggests that contrary to common assumptions, part-time teachers in Jewish congregational schools will invest time in professional development when it is of high quality, interactive and engaging and based at their…

This paper explores what foundational concepts pre-service primary teachers are employing when they teach religious education. The study measured the attitudes to science and its relationship to religion of 92 pre-service primary teachers. Analysis of extended interviews with eight of the pre-service primary teachers illustrated how specific…

A questionnaire to assess views about spiritual development was completed by 112 of the 174 head teachers of church primary schools in Wales. The findings indicated that despite the seemingly ambiguous nature of the term "spiritual development", head teachers had clear views about its meaning. While most head teachers emphasised the need…

Summarizes findings from the "National Study Regarding At-Risk Students." Discusses the role of Catholic religious educators and pastoral ministers working in rural areas. Suggests that they seek individual ministry opportunities, target the individual rather than the group, see religious education through the lens of the family, and develop…

There are concerns about the quality of religious education teaching in England and a national framework for religious education has been developed to give the subject a firmer basis. This basis comprises knowledge, skills and understanding that involves thinking about and with reasons. Teachers of young children cannot be experts in all subjects.…

Presents findings from a 1988 survey of first year Catholic school teachers in the Omaha archdiocese. Considers teacher characteristics, teachers' preparation to teach religion and model religious values, problems in the transition from college to teaching, and the need for staff development. Discusses implications of the findings. (PAA)

Contends that the use of commercial published curricula, particularly textbooks and teacher's guides, is widespread in U.S. church-sponsored programs of religious education. Reports on case studies of five church-school teachers on their curriculum development and lesson-planning procedures. (CFR)

Presents results of a study of 16 to 18 year olds measuring attitude toward Christianity and interest in science. Finds significant negative correlation between the two. Cites key factors explaining this negative relationship as the perception of Christianity as necessarily involving creationism and of science as attaining to absolute truth or…

Discusses a study of why 3,183 secondary school students and their families chose either single-sex or coeducational independent schools. Considers the personal, demographic, and educational characteristics of the students and their families and the students' gender. Reports that family traditions for private schooling and religious orientation…

Conducts an ethnographic study, collecting life stories from people with mental retardation living at London's L' Arche community (a center of group homes with disabled and nondisabled residents). Uses Robert Cole's methodology of interpretive narrative, and explains the procedure. Argues that these life stories provide insight that can help…

Reviews findings from the Assessment of Catholic Religious Education Surveys regarding students' perceptions about the schools (whether public or private) which they attend full time. Reports more positive attitudes about teachers and courses, but more negativity about discipline among students attending Catholic schools. (DMM)