The Polish school education system makes a distinction between two types of assessment: (1) Intra-school or internal assessment; and (2) External assessment. The idea of introducing external examinations into the Polish school education system emerged in 1992. This was directly inspired by study visits to the United Kingdom and the Netherlands…

This book has a two-fold purpose: to provide lively whole class activities for teaching the Key Stage 2 sentence level objectives in England's National Literacy Strategy"Framework for Teaching"; and to explain and illustrate the varied forms which shared writing can take as a powerful medium for teaching writing. It is designed to help…

This booklet contains lists of words and ideas to help in the teaching of the "Key Stage 2" spelling objectives set out in England's National Literacy Strategy Framework for Teaching. In the booklet, a page is devoted to each individual objective, although there are obvious links between objectives, particularly those covering prefixes,…

The importance of appropriate communication, language and literacy learning in the early years cannot be overestimated. Children who enter school with well-developed communication and literacy skills have a considerable advantage over those who have yet to start. In England, children enter Reception classes at different points throughout the…

Describes development of New Zealand's national early childhood curriculum guidelines, called by the Maori phrase for "woven mat." Examines the government's changing role in early childhood education, the curriculum development process, and sources and principles of the curriculum. Details the curriculum's specific aims for children.…

Maintains that cultural literacy's emphasis on "what" students should know must be shifted to a concern for "how" they come to know. Describes various theories of reading and the role of the teacher and practical illustrations of them. Criticizes notions of core curricula while suggesting reasons for considering them. (HB)

Examines the impact at the primary level of efforts to introduce a national curriculum in Great Britain. Contends that the biggest obstacle is confusion about the definition and implementation of an integrated curriculum approach. Warns that effective cross-curricular programs already in operation may be replaced with highly differentiated and…

The New Zealand Curriculum Stocktake, undertaken between 2000 and 2003, signalled a more coherent and fluid approach to curriculum processes, and support for school-based decision-making around curriculum design and implementation. The subsequent "Curriculum Marautanga Project" (Ministry of Education, 2004) promised a "reframing,…

The successful study of history requires many things, but few would contest that an understanding of time is one of them. Quite what we mean by "an understanding of time" needs clarification, however. Chronological understanding is one feature. But it is not simply an ability to place events in order that drives our teaching (although…

This document is designed for use by teaching assistants running intervention sessions associated with the Early Literacy Support (ELS) Programme of the National Literacy Strategy. It is the essential guide to running the sessions each day, and includes details of resources and preparation for each session as well as a full script. The document…

This paper examines the issue of national curriculum standards within the context of social studies education. The paper explores both the recent "conservative-liberal" consensus in favor of (at least) the idea(l) of national curriculum standards and the nascent opposition movements to national curriculum standards growing within both…

These medium-term plans have been produced to support, but not prescribe, teachers' planning. They exemplify ways in which England's National Literacy Strategy (NLS) Framework objectives (and the Early Learning Goals) can be clustered. The Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 medium term plans cluster the NLS text, sentence and word level objectives into…

This book contains materials to support the introduction of Early Literacy Support (ELS) in Year 1 schools in England. The 60 sessions outlined in the book are designed to revisit key objectives from the National Literacy Strategy Framework. The ELS program involves comprehension training for Year 1 teachers and teaching assistants. The training…

In revising their kindergarten curriculum, Japanese educators have adapted Western ideas of creativity and expression. Explains that this is especially visible in the goal of "expression" in the current kindergarten curriculum. Provides details on the new curriculum's aims, specifically in relation to the use of Japanese paper and…

In this discussion on the feasibility of establishing a "National" curriculum for physical education, it is pointed out that it would first be necessary to reach an agreement on the overall goals or objectives of physical education. Consensus would have to be obtained on the primary focus of such a curriculum and a realistic set of desired…