Arguably, the classroom teacher is an important factor, if not the most important factor, in helping students with dyslexia to read and write well, yet there is little known about whether teachers perceive that they have the knowledge and confidence to teach these students. The present study was a national online survey of schools in Aotearoa New…

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…

In 2000, teaching about culturally diverse dances from contextual perspectives became an expectation for New Zealand schools with the inaugural The Arts in the New Zealand Curriculum. Responding to the new curriculum the author, as dance lecturer for K-12 generalist teachers attending a seven day in-service dance and drama education course, faced…

Using rehearsals and in-the-moment coaching is being explored in mathematics teacher education courses at two New Zealand universities. This paper describes the perceptions of students, gathered using questionnaires, from two classes at our institution using different approaches for incorporating rehearsals and coaching. Students believed…

Several researchers (East, 2007, 2008; Villers, Tolosa & East, 2010) have identified a shortage of language teachers in New Zealand as a main limitation in the enactment of a learning area devoted to the learning of additional languages in the New Zealand curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2007). Thus it is important to consider the range of…

Researchers have identified the importance of understanding language teacher identity in order to understand more about language teacher education (Johnson, Pawan, & Mahan-Taylor, 2005; Varghese, Morgan, Johnston, & Johnson, 2005). This paper reports on themes from semistructured interviews conducted individually with six inservice…

Unprecedented numbers of primary teachers in New Zealand are currently involved in professional learning activities, with practice, in essence, the major focal point. In recent years, however, an increasing trend has emerged for primary teachers to undertake a degree qualification. Although study towards formal tertiary qualifications is…

This paper provides an overview of how teacher education is currently structured in New Zealand. This overview is set in a historical, cultural, political and professional context with a brief examination of aspects of these influences on the structure. Two very recent policy documents are discussed to exemplify current directions in New Zealand…

PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) was inaugurated in 2001 as a follow-up to International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's 1991 Reading Literacy Study. Conducted every five years, PIRLS assesses the reading achievement of young students in their fourth year of schooling--an important transition…

The way in which behaviour is perceived and managed by teachers can influence the classroom environment. The current study examined teachers' perceptions of the cause of school behavioural problems and the effectiveness of positive behavioural interventions. It also examined the level of formal training participants have received in behaviour…

Background/Context: Previous research shows that class teachers often have little training to teach students with English as an additional language (EAL), so they may often operate on a trial-and-error basis, become frustrated easily, feel negative, and have little confidence in their ability to be successful with EAL students. In addition,…

Portfolios have a long tradition in teacher education and now these are available in electronic form. At the same time, there are increasing demands for primary teachers to be technologically capable and confident in classrooms. When teacher educators wish to respond through the introduction of new technologies such as e-portfolios, there are…

Bandura's concept of self-efficacy has been the focus of numerous research studies related to teacher self-efficacy. Most studies have investigated Bandura's first three sources of self-efficacy beliefs: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, and social persuasion--with much less emphasis placed on Bandura's fourth source, the role of…

Currently, in New Zealand, unprecedented numbers of teachers are involved in professional development activities, with, in essence, practice as the major focal point. In recent years, however, an increasing trend for primary teachers to undertake academic study towards a degree qualification has emerged. Although study towards a degree…

A survey of 781 elementary school teacher trainees at the University of Waikato (New Zealand) was undertaken to examine students' language background and indicators of language knowledge and language awareness, including: fluency in a language other than English; students' perceptions of their own second language fluency; exposure to foreign and…