As South Africa transitioned from apartheid to democracy, changes in the political landscape, as well as educational agendas and discourse on both a national and international level, shaped successive waves of curriculum reform over a relatively short period of time. Using South Africa as a germane example of how curriculum and pedagogy can…

This second edition of "Learning in the Early Years 3-7" has been written to help early years practitioners understand and implement the U.K.'s new curriculum guidance document "The Foundation Stage". The author explains how to meet the requirements of the new Foundation Stage document and how these relate to the U.K.'s…

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 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…

This article explores how England's National Curriculum history might be taught to pupils with severe learning difficulties (SLD). The article suggests one possible conceptual framework for the teaching of history, examines some tensions inherent in attempting to teach history to SLD pupils, and describes two examples of good practice in this…

This paper reviews changes to the key stage 3 curriculum at a leading comprehensive school. The nature and practical concerns of the changes are described. These move beyond a fresh approach to content; they include issues about engaging students actively in learning for the future, planning around the school's distinctive ethos and expertise in…

This article draws upon a Department for Education and Skills (DfES) commissioned telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of schools to investigate the challenges faced by those seeking the successful implementation of the Foundation Stage (FS) (for 3--5-year-olds) in reception classes. Its focuses on head teachers' and reception…

Standards in literacy and mathematics have risen substantially in primary schools in England in recent years. In 2002, 75% of pupils achieved the expected standard for their age in English and 73% did so in mathematics. This booklet is intended to stimulate discussion about the next steps needed to sustain those improvements and to raise standards…

Some of the projects designed to increase girls' uptake of physics are surveyed and some aspects of teaching physics in a girl-friendly way are presented. Possible reasons for the underrepresentation of girls in high school physics are discussed. The Girls into Science and Technology (GIST) and the Girls' Education in Mathematics, Science and…

This article uses a science learning activity to demonstrate how Key Stage 3 of the British National Curriculum in science can be made accessible to students with special educational needs. It explains 11 steps of instructional development that help in identifying differentiated learning objectives and allow for appropriate assessments. (DB)

This second report of the National Council is an outgrowth of a conference conducted as an inservice program for members of the Council's parent organization, the National Association of Secondary School Principals. The report contains four papers which examine problems, issues, and perspectives about the improvement of American secondary…

This article identifies the value of studying history for pupils with severe learning difficulties, and links the study of history with stages of Great Britain's National Curriculum. The article then examines the use of video material of the pupil at school over a number of years as a means of introducing personal historical activity. (JDD)

This book contains materials to help teachers and practitioners in England to teach writing in the Reception Year of the Foundation Stage and through Key Stage 1. It emphasizes the importance of shared writing and teaching from the objectives in the National Literacy Strategy Framework for Teaching and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority…

Under the National Curriculum in the United Kingdom, children with learning difficulties will need to use transfer skills for various cross-curricular themes. To promote transfer, the use of cognitive strategies is recommended, including perceived similarity, analysis of the learning context, expert scaffolding, and detailed planning of practice…

A consortium working group was formed to examine statements of attainment in Great Britain's National Curriculum and make recommendations on curriculum organization and delivery for students with learning difficulties attending special schools. The consortium recommended teaching science through guided play and such science-focused topics as…