Contemporary Issues in Primary Education

This book was developed as part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the journal Education 3-13, which has always had primary education as its main focus. The journal has been published by Routledge since 2007 and is the most important academic publication in the field internationally. This book has been edited by a team of academics and senior practitioners, all of whom are members of the Board of the journal or the Association for the Study of Primary Education (which is the owning body of the journal). It will serve as an excellent resource to researchers and students of primary education. Topics include major contemporary issues such as key challenges in the field, learning and teaching, wellbeing, teachers' work and professionalism, and outdoor learning. The chapters in this book comprise articles published in Education 3-13 in the last ten years.

Mark Brundrett is Emeritus Professor of Education Research at Liverpool John Moores University and Editor of Education 3-13: International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education. Gary Beauchamp is Professor of Education at Cardiff School of Education and Social Policy at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Paul Latham is a former primary headteacher and LA Principal Adviser. He is now an international education consultant and Chair of the Association for the Study of Primary Education. Malini Mistry is Senior Lecturer in Education Studies (Primary and Early Years) in the School of Teacher Education at the University of Bedfordshire. Michelle Murray is Chief Executive Officer at the Education Learning Trust based in Gatley in Cheshire. Becky Taylor is Principal Research Fellow in the Centre for Teachers and Teaching Research at UCL Institute of Education. Peter Wood is a senior lecturer in Education in the School of Education at Liverpool John Moores University.

Introduction Section 1 Key challenges in primary education - Edited by Malini Mistry 1. Eliciting pupil perspectives in primary mathematics: possibilities and issues 2. Geography and creativity: developing joyful and imaginative learners 3. Enhancing primary science: an exploration of teachers' own ideas of solutions to challenges in inquiry- and context- based teaching 4. The primary physical education curriculum process: more complex that you might think!! 5. Reading children's literature Section 2 Learning and teaching - Edited by Gary Beauchamp and Michelle Murray 6. Childhood in crisis? Perceptions of 7- 11- year- olds on being a child and the implications for education's well- being agenda 7. Primary children's management of themselves and others in collaborative group work: 'Sometimes it takes patience ...' 8. Cooperative learning in elementary schools 9. The challenges of implementing group work in primary school classrooms and including pupils with special educational needs 10. Understanding and enhancing pupils' learning progress in schools in deprived communities Section 3 Social, emotional and wellbeing issues in primary education - Edited by Peter Wood 11. 'We are trying to make them good citizens': The utilisation of SEAL to develop 'appropriate' social, emotional and behavioural skills amongst pupils attending disadvantaged primary schools 12. Redefining the importance of children's voices in personal social emotional development curriculum using the Mosaic Approach 13. An empirical study comparing different art forms to develop social and personal skills in early years education 14. A language focused approach to supporting children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) 15. Teachers' responses to children in emotional distress: A study of co- regulation in the first year of primary school in Norway Section 4 Primary teachers' work and professionalism - Edited by Becky Taylor 16. The global search for better teaching: how should teachers think for themselves? 17. Why are there still so few men within Early Years in primary schools: views from male trainee teachers and male leaders? 18. Reconceptualising early years teacher training: policy, professionalism and integrity 19. Whole child, whole teacher: leadership for flourishing primary schools 20. What is the nature of the achievement gap, why does it persist and are government goals sufficient to create social justice in the education system? Section 5 Outdoor learning - Edited by Paul Latham 21. The nature of learning at forest school: practitioners' perspectives 22. Diverse aims, challenges and opportunities for assessing outdoor learning: a critical examination of three cases from practice 23. Falling into LINE: school strategies for overcoming challenges associated with learning in natural environments (LINE) 24. Everyday teaching and outdoor learning: developing an integrated approach to support school- based provision 25. The impact of residential experiences on pupils' cognitive and non- cognitive development in year six (10- 11 year olds) in England