Although required to use the National Preschool Curriculum for the five- to six-year-old age group, preschools in Malaysia can add to this curriculum to suit their individual purposes. Thus, preschools with religious emphasis are common in Malaysia. Parents send their children to the religiously affiliated preschools in the hope of inculcating…

Two heads of department in contrasting schools explain why they do not use Level Descriptions at all, other than at the very end of Key Stage 3. Influenced by "assessment for learning" principles, Sally Burnham and Geraint Brown develop a case for using assessment to help pupils grow in understanding of how the discipline of history…

This paper discusses the role of assessment in educational accountability in England. A national curriculum was introduced in England and Wales in 1988, and national assessment against the national curriculum was introduced progressively from 1990. Students are assessed at the end of the key stages (at ages 7, 11, and 14) using a combination of…

This paper reports on a research study that describes the actions of students and teachers when addressing socio-scientific issues and provides some practical advice for handling learning activities. The study involved four classes of 14-year-old students who participated in small group discussions designed to elicit their opinions about the…

Japan's educational system, in particular its K-12 schools, remains one of the very best in the world. This digest provides an overview of the following topics: (1) Japanese educational achievements; (2) the structure of K-12 education in Japan; (3) the K-12 curriculum, with an emphasis on social studies education; (4) educational reform in Japan;…

This booklet explains the goals of Easter Schools, part of England's National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Easter Schools should be planned to cover four half-days and include four literacy and four mathematics lessons each covering the equivalent of at least an hour. The booklet addresses the following issues: why funding has been made…

Developed for use in small groups, this unit focuses on developing the writing skills pupils need if they are to progress from Level 3 to Level 4 of England's National Curriculum. It is meant to supplement, but not to replace, the English curriculum for Year 7 pupils. The unit builds on the successful approaches of the National Literacy Strategy…

Adapted for whole class use, this unit focuses on developing the writing skills pupils need if they are to progress from Level 3 to Level 4 of England's National Curriculum. It is meant to supplement, but not to replace, the English curriculum for Year 7 pupils. The unit builds on the successful approaches of the National Literacy Strategy in…

This study investigated English teachers' beliefs about how recent legislated changes had affected aspects of their working lives and the extent to which centrally determined objectives were already incorporated into schools' programs of development. Data were collected in the 1991-92 and 1995-96 school years. In the first phase, interviews with…

Proposes that once the elements of procedural understanding have been explicitly defined, appropriate teaching strategies can then be used to enable student understanding. Argues that explicitly teaching these concepts may add rigor to GNVQ assignments. (DDR)

Explored the impact of regular reading of selected children's books in Slovenian preschools on the development of language competencies among 4- to 6-year-olds. Found significant differences in receptive language, expressive language, and storytelling between children exposed to 2 selected books per week over 2 months and those exposed only to the…

Provides an overview of the principles and framework of Te Whaariki, the New Zealand early childhood curriculum, and of subsequent assessment and evaluation research. Presents the framework of "Learning and Teaching Stories," a user-friendly approach to assessment and self-evaluation, used in action research in three regions of New…

Argues against the development of national tests, standards, and curriculum. Proposes that standardized tests be replaced with assessment procedures that are compatible with a process-oriented curriculum. (MG)

Findings are reported from a study by Her Majesty's Inspectorate in Great Britain, which concluded that providers of services for special needs students are not prepared for implementing the National Curriculum, local management of schools, and other challenges. The study's findings concerning special education in ordinary and special schools,…

Summaries of the interim report of the working groups for mathematics and science are presented. Describes the list of attainment targets for science 5 to 16, assessment proposals, the attainment targets for technology 5 to 11, and a timetable. (YP)