This article reports on how an action research strategy was used to increase children's uptake of feedback during peer assessment in primary school writing. Several different strategies were used in the study that had been successful in increasing students' uptake of peer feedback in contexts such as higher education. In order to evaluate how…

The association between human speech, language and communication (SLC) and participation in music is manifest in music education and psychology literature in a number of ways. Research studies into young children's SLC are numerous and policy focus on this area of children's learning and development and their later literacy has been intense. By…

Peer assessment is where students assess the quality of a peer's work. Studies have demonstrated its positive impact on learning yet most of these are in higher education. This study used training to improve the quality of written feedback in a year six primary school classroom. Action Research was selected as a research strategy given the need to…

Research shows that the beliefs individuals hold about knowledge and knowing (epistemic beliefs) influence learning approaches and outcomes. However, little is known about the nature of children's epistemic beliefs and how best to measure these. In this pilot study, 11 Australian children (in Grade 4 or Grade 6) were asked to "draw, write and…

Thirty 6-year-olds from two public schools located in a small provincial town in Greece were used as a sample in an explorative study into the mental models young children hold concerning forest destruction and waste. The study also explored how these mental models might be interrelated either within each issue or between issues. The analysis of…

In a climate where, it is claimed, children now spend very little time out of doors because adults fear for their safety and impose a "zero risk childhood" on them, Forest School aims to offer learners the opportunity to take "supported risks". This study investigated perceptions of risk associated with the outdoors, held by…

ABSTRACT In New Zealand schools, the focus continues to be on improving the reading achievement of all students situated across a range of socio-economic groups. This is particularly so for our young adolescent students, where research investigations have indicated some concerning trends which influence reading development for this age group. This…

The steepest decline in achievement in New Zealand primary schools occurs in Years 7 and 8, with the greatest decline in the subject area of mathematics. The cohort that achieves at the lowest level in New Zealand schools is Pasifika. This study considers the views of those stakeholders involved in the teaching of these children. It seeks to…

Parental engagement is shown to have a significant effect on educational outcomes, especially at primary school level. It can take a variety of forms including helping children with homework and attending parents' evenings. Evidence suggests that parents with lower socio-economic status (SES) are less likely to engage in their children's education…

The present study investigated 15 Year 4-6 classrooms in two multicultural schools in New Zealand to understand what opportunities students had to draw on their diverse experiences of texts. A mixed-methods approach was taken, including classroom observations and student interviews. Results suggested that lessons were characterised by a consistent…

International interest in developing mass sports participation through systems of school and community sports development has become a growing field of public leisure policy interest. This research paper considers the policy change from School Sport Partnerships to the new 2012 School Games model of networked partnerships to establish…

The powerful learning that occurs outdoors has been well documented in this journal, as has an array of barriers teachers typically face in providing outdoor learning experiences. This paper draws on findings from a collaborative, practice-based research project examining the reconceptualisation of outdoor education in two Year 4 classes in a…

This paper draws on data from the "Raising Pupil Attainment in Key Stage 1 in Stoke-on-Trent" research project. The particular focus is on how teachers, head teachers and teaching assistants (n?=?59) articulate pupils' learning success in five highly achieving schools in deprived communities. Six key themes are highlighted which are…

This paper reviews the nature of possibility thinking (PT) (transformation from what is to what might be, in everyday contexts for children and teachers) and reports on how PT manifested in two English primary schools engaged in social change. It identifies shared characteristics across the schools as well as unique ways in which PT manifested.…

This paper describes and analyses the assessment process in a Swedish year five classroom, involving pupils aged 11 to 12 years. The paper is based on classroom observations and interviews, which were analysed to explore the assessment process in daily classroom practice, and investigates how the assessment process was understood by pupils and the…