Reviews the textbook content of the second edition of Taiwanese textbooks that resulted from the 1989-95 revision process. Reviews Taiwan' s national curriculum guide for social studies and basic guidelines for evaluating textbook content. Finds that the 1989-95 version addresses the presentation of local cultures but not controversial issues.…

Ninety-five teachers in Key Stage 1 in England and Wales completed a questionnaire and records of time spent on work over a period of 14 consecutive days, resulting in detailed records of 1,330 days of teachers' time. The data are analyzed in terms of overall time spent on work; time distribution; and time spent specifically on teaching,…

Noting that the number of Samoan children in New Zealand receiving early childhood education in their heritage language has been increasing rapidly, this study examined the way the transition to primary school was organized for Aoga Amata (early childhood centers) children. Participating in the interview study were 39 parents, 14 teachers, 14…

Analyzes interviews with primary school practitioners about the implementation of the English/Welsh National Curriculum. Finds long-term trends are influenced by a conflict between shortage of time and demands of good practices. Discusses changes from child-focused to standard curriculum, from local to standard assessment, and similar issues. (CFR)

Discusses a comparative study of elementary school teachers in England and France that preceded the implementation of the National Curriculum in English schools. Reports differences in teaching methods, classroom organization, and teacher student relationships between the two countries. Concludes that greater focus on professional autonomy by…

Contends that criticism of progressive pedagogical methods may be creating an ideologically neutral orthodoxy of primary school practice in Great Britain. Expresses caution about this development by defending principles underlying progressive education. Argues for the development of child-centered teaching methods within the National Curriculum.…

Surveyed 876 Japanese high school English teachers to determine their levels of approval of communicative, audiolingual, and traditional (yakudoku) activities and the strengths of various influences on their instructional practices in the context of Japan's new policies for the teaching of English. Data reveal the complexities of imposing broad…

Outlines the fundamental changes in initial teacher education in England and Wales in recent years, with particular reference to the Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE). Finds that a large proportion of secondary science teacher trainees had little or no knowledge of or experience with General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQ)…

Mailed surveys investigated modern foreign language inservice provisions offered by English and Welsh local education authorities since the introduction of the national curriculum, comparing this analysis with expressed inservice needs of secondary school department heads. Teachers' choice of inservice course content was primarily in response to…

This book is based on research focusing on "creative teaching" in the British National Curriculum. The aim has been to test and fill out the concept of creative teaching in a wider range of schools and with teachers working in markedly different circumstances than before the 1988 Education Reform Act, which established a National…

This report summarizes results from research aimed at improving the quality of information collected about school curriculum. The research sought to design and pilot a model for collecting benchmark data on school coursework. These more indepth data, such as course textbooks, assignments, exams, and teacher logs, can serve as anchors against which…

This study examined the hypothesis that academic achievement affects different components of self-concept. Also investigated was the possible influence of nationality in modifying the relationship between academic achievement and self-concept, by comparing Slovenian and French subjects. The findings of two-factor (academic achievement x…

In 1999, Scotland's "Higher Still" will incorporate all upper-secondary academic and vocational courses in a unified curriculum and assessment system for postcompulsory education. Higher Still's objectives, strategies, and "system architecture" are compared to those of Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, and…

Examined open-ended production tasks in higher level testing in French-as-a-second-language courses in the United Kingdom. The article studied the effect of teachers' linguistic background, training, experience, and ability on their marking of students' oral language tests; the reliability of marking criteria; and the validity of assessing…

Notes the remarkable success of the astronomy component of the National Curriculum in England and Wales. Presents findings of a survey of children's astronomical beliefs, which are consistent with constructivist theory, and proposes the value of children's astronomy learning. Argues that a 1995 revision in the National Curriculum, which would…