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An Evolutionary Process
10 N ~ T ~ o~
Serving Education
An INTO Publication
Irish National Teachers' Organization
35 Pamell Square
Dublin 1
35 Cearn6g Phamell
Baile Atha CIiath 1
Telephone: 01-872-2533
Guthan: 01-872-2533
General Secretary
Senator Joe O'Toole
Ard Runai
An Seanad6ir Joe O'Toole
Cumann Muinteoiri Eireann
INTO 1996
CONTENTS
Forward
1
Chapterl
Introduction
1
Chapter 2
The Primary Curriculum in its Historical Context
6
Chapter 3
The Current Context
12
Chapter 4
Summary of Previous Research
20
Chapter 5
Results of the Survey
28
Chapter 6
Conclusions and Recommendations
53
Foreword
Ireland's evolving status within Europe continues to create new
demands on education. A broadly based curriculum which takes
account of an inclusive understanding of knowledge as well as recognising children's capacity to learn will best prepare them for life and for
work. Within this context too is the capacity to think critically, to
observe, to acquire language skills, to be flexible and adaptable. In
terrne nf variety of subject matter, the primary education curriculum is
already broad. The INTO, however, wishes to stress the centrality of the
Arts in education. It acknowledges that literacy and numeracy are
desirable goals and stresses teachers' commitment to the attainment of
these goals. In the view of the INTO subjects such as PE contribute to
the promotion of self esteem, mental well being, social skills and physical fitness in children. Throughout the curriculum the importance of
gender equality must be stressed.
However, curriculum can never be viewed as simply a list of subjects to
be taught and learnt in the classroom. It is a dynamic evolving process
that is influenced by teachers' expanding professional knowledge, skills
and expertise. It is also influenced by experience in school, the realities
of the classroom, the demands of society and in particular parents and
pupils.
As a consequence curriculum implementation can never be viewed as
static. Change is a integral part of the process creating the need to keep
developments under review. In the 1970s and 1980s the INTO undertook such research. This document is an addition to that work; a contribution to educational discussion and debate that is necessary to inform
change.
The INTO is proud to yet again be a catalyst for educational development and improvement.
The INTO wishes to thank the Education Committee and in particular
Pat Scanlan who conducted the initial research and analysis, and Joe
Travers for his contribution to Chapters Two and Three of the docuI
ment. A special word of thanks is due to Dr. Jim Bennet for his expert
contribution to the overall report, including, in particular, Chapters
Four, Five and Six.
A particular thanks to John Carr. This marks his final policy document
before moving to his new role as General Treasurer and Deputy General
Secretary. His guidance over the past seven years has given a coherent
and assertive professional direction to the INTO.
Senator foe OToole
General Secretanj
October 1996
11
CHAPTER
1
Introduction
The curriculum has always been the key to what occurs in schools. It is
an amalgam of many and varied influences, ideas and resources and
has become the instrument through which a vast range of knowledge,
values and skills are translated and communicated to the young. The
term curriculum is a relatively modem one dating back to the 1820s and
first reported in Scotland. Derived from the Latin word 'Currare' which
means 'to run', it was initially associated with the training and racing of
horses.' It is defined, according to the Shorter Oxford Dictionary as "a
course especially a regular course of study, as at a school or university".
However, a current review of literature reveals that the term curriculum
has embraced an all inclusive meaning which refers to the total programme of planned or unplanned learning experiences which children
have under the guidance of the teacher involving content, process and
outcomes.'
For generations the curriculum has developed slowly and imperceptibly as knowledge has changed, methodology advanced and the results
of experience illuminated into practice. It has, for too long, been treated
superficially as a list of subjects, a set of topics or areas to be taught. Too
often schools have been regarded as mere recipients of external policies
rather than as imaginative institutions of curricular innovation.
However, in recent years the curriculum in schools has undergone
transformation into an active rather than a passive form, has become
more explicit and its implementation has begun to occupy a more public profile. It is also, of course, subjected to more political scrutiny.'
In 1971, a new curriculum, Curaclam na Bunscoile, was officially introduced in Irish Primary Schools. It was intended to be child centred in all
its aspects and to cater for the full and harmonious development of the
child by recognising individual differences and catering for them. It
envisaged greater freedom for schools in adapting the curriculum best
suited to the needs of the children under their care.'
1
Progress towards change and innovation was slow initially but the
growing pressures on schools in response to demands for greater
accountability, increasing professionalism among teachers and
enhanced parental awareness of the value of education have resulted in
schools slowly and systematically redefining their curricular practices
and procedures with a view to making them more clearly justifiable.
This process involved schools making major decisions themselves, not
because conditions were unique, but because those who had to carry
out the work could only do so when they were able to shape it in such
a way that it became comprehensible, manageable and applicable to
them.
In an attempt to systematically monitor teachers' perceptions of the
1971 curriculum the INTO conducted two comprehensive surveys, one
in 1975 and the other in 1986. In designing the first curriculum survey
of teachers' perceptions of the 1971 curriculum and its operation, attitudes to the curriculum and its aspirations were canvassed extensively.
The analysis of the returns indicated a very high level of concurrence
and satisfaction with the five theoretical principles of the curriculum:
However, one of the principal weaknesses of the research was that it
failed to investigate the level of implementation of the various principles. In its second survey in 1986 the INTO rectified this situation by the
inclusion of questions which were designed to elicit the level of implementation as well as the level of support for each principle. In order to
continue the sequence of conducting a major curricular study once
every decade and as teachers are on the verge of embarking upon the
implementation of a revised primary school curriculum the INTO
decided in 1995, to conduct a similar study of teachers' attitudes to the
curriculum and its operation in primary schools. It was decided to replicate the study of 1986 and to highlight any shift in attitude or levels of
implementations. It was also decided to ascertain teachers' attitudes
towards a number of additional areas in primary education which are
relevant today. The results of the survey form part of this report.
Every curriculum statement carries within it a view of the child and of
the teacher who is charged with carrying it out. It is important on the
eve of the implementation of a revised curriculum, that teachers concern themselves not only with outlining what constitute understanding
2
but also how young children learn. It is arguable that what is taught and
hpW children are taught should be determined by how children learn.
This in turn profoundly affects what constitutes good teaching and a
congenial learning environment.
Good teaching and learning grow in a climate of reflection. However,
good teaching and learning are also dependent upon an adequate
understanding of how children learn and the communitarian bias of
their learning. Teaching, then, should always avoid emphasis on competitive individualism; it should never pander to egocentrism.'
Out of children's dialogue with the world - of which the teacher is part
- is created their understanding. Teachers occupy a crucial position in
this process of enabling children to move towards understanding. It is
they who mediate the world for their pupils, judiciously selecting its
constructive forces, facilitating children's encounters, always COI'.scious
of the children's existing knowledge and their capacity to learn through
communication. Moreover, teachers introduce children to and build
upon their understanding of the values of the affective world they
inhabit.
In order to assess children's alternative conceptions of the world, teachers also attempt to experience the world from the children's point of
view. Thus, as a result of the teachers' guidance and direction, children
and pupils strive towards fusing their horizons, negotiating an agreed
and truthful version of reality. This process of negotiation might be
identified as the movement towards what constitutes adult competence.
All curricular activities should be located within a tradition that values
art and spirituality, in which rationality has not descended into the narrow logic of scientific paradigm. Schools must always be allowed to
remain primarily caring communities, not extensions of the corporate
world. All persons involved in educating the young must be aware that
children grow up to be humans, not investments, and the quality of
their education will affect - for better or for worse - the humanitarian
process.
The philosophy of education which should underpin any curriculum
change implies a broad concept of understanding that goes beyond the
3
logic of ends and means. Instead, it is primarily about the kind of fully
:.realised human being that each child has the potential to become. Such
an approach to education can equip children for life, for citizenship of
the nation or of Europe and in the process, for work. It seeks to draw on
children's wealth of human resources so that their encounter with the
world is not that of awed bystanders or potential controllers. Such a
view implies nurturing in children the confidence, self-reliance, initiative, imagination, independence, spirituality and sense of responsibility
that will enable them engage with the world of which they are part, and
contribute towards shaping it. However, the tradition and historical
context into which children are born is not immutably given. The task
of education is to create the conditions within which children might
undertake the risky business of reconstituting those traditions.
Understanding, thus conceived, is not restricted to pre-defined modes.
It demands that children's relationship with tradition, community and
environment is dynamic and dialogical, sensitive and flexible.'
Education, then is rooted in children as human beings and in the communitarian and historical matrix of this being. It incorporates within
itself a knowledge which guides, a deliberating, refining, judgement
directed towards identifying good and appropriate action in the general conduct of life and affairs. It concerns itself with empowering children with a sense of what is feasible, what is possible, what is good.
This task, of its nature, and because of changing historical circumstances can never be complete. Teachers, as mediators of the world for
the child and as humans wholly identified with that world, are more
than manipulators of means, and their teaching goes far beyond mere
effectiveness or technique. Their professional experience, quality of
education, capacity for reflection, as well as their human attributes and
experience endow them with judgement and insight, and for this reason
their judgement takes precedence or priority. The professional standing
of teachers derives from the principle that their authority state is not
arbitrary or irrational but a recognition and a legitimation by the community of their good, reflective practice and knowledge. Moreover,
their authority can be seen to be true in principle and is further legitimated by the practices of the teaching profession as a body. The basis of
the teachers' relationship with parents, management and children,
therefore, is one that derives from trust in their desire to continue to
evolve good practice.'
4
Teachers themselves should actively seek to instil confidence in their
ability into the community, by their readiness to develop their professional role, their openness and willingness to communicate their knowledge and experience.
This report aims to contribute to that process and marks a further contribution to the ongoing professionalisation of the teaching profession.
References
Wiles, T. and Bondi, J.c. (1984). Curriculum Development, A Guide to
Practice, Ohio, Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company, p.5.
2
,
,
5
Note: Definitions of Curriculum as a planned activity are to be found
in Neagley R.L., and Evans, N. (1967). Handbook for Effective
Curricular Development, Englewood Cliffs, J.J., Prentice Hall, p.2.;
Inlow, G.M. The Emergent in Curriculum, New York, John Wiley, p.7;
Johnson, M. (Jr.), Definitions and Moels in Curriculum Theory,
Educational Theory 17, p.130; Pratt, D. (1980). Curriculum Design and
Development, London, Harcourt Brace Tovanovich Inc., pp.3-4.
Eggleston, J. (1980) School Based Curriculum Development in Britain,
London, Routledge and Kegan Paul. p.3.
Department of Education (1971). Primary School Curriculum, Part 1,
Dublin, Browne and Nolan, p.13.
lrish National Teachers' Organization, (1993). Among School Children,
The INTO Response to the Green Paper, Education for a Changing
World, Dublin, Author, pp.20-26.
Ibid., pp. 20-26.
,
Ibid., pp. 20-26.
5
CHAPTER
2
The Prin.;.ary Curriculum in its
Historical Context
Curriculum policy and practice in Irish primary schools can be divided
into a number of different periods. Each of these periods is grounded in
distinctive traditions, each imbued with its own ideology, values, attitudes to schooling, subject range, methodology and perspectives on the
role of the teacher.
The Beginning of the National School System: 1831-1869
The education system which was introduced into Ireland in 1831 by
Stanley had aims other than the promotion of literacy and numeracy.
The curriculum was embedded in the British political project of cultural assimilation and political socialisation. The instructional programme
was prescribed and in line with its aims excluded the Irish language,
history, music and poetry. A distinction was made between religious
instruction on the one hand and moral and literary education on the
other, and there was a relatively narrow subject range.' Subject content
was graded in specially selected, sanctioned textbooks, and these textbooks were the chief mediator of the curriculum. The pedagogical
approach advocated by the central training college and the school
inspectorate was the simultaneous or class instruction method.
Payment by Results, 1872-1899
A major change in curricular policy followed the recommendations of
the Powis Commission (1868-70). This led to the infamous payment by
results era of 1872 to 1899 which resulted in an almost total concentration on reading, writing and arithmetic. In a climate of concern about
low standards and teacher accountability, underpinned by the dominant utilitarian ideology, the 3R's being obligatory subjects for examination, constituted the main elements of curriculum content. Detailed
programmes were laid down for each grade in each subject, and no
allowance was made for local factors or children's interests. The dominant teaching styles were mechanical in nature and were characterised
by routine and repetition. Throughout this era, the system was rigid,
harsh and educationally crude. It ignored teaching skills and encour6
: aged cramming and rote learning.
The Revised Programme: 1900·1922
The next era was also characterised by a radical shift in curricular poli·
cy, following on the recommendations of the Belmore Commission,
1897·1898. This led to the Revised Programme of 1900 which allowed
children to be taught "not merely to take in knowledge from books but
to observe with intelligence the material world around them.'" This
extremely enlightened curriculum policy was influenced by the child·
centred philosophies of Froebel and Pestalozzi, and its aims were to
provide an all·round education while also equipping children to avail
of rurther 2 r1 ucation if the opportunity was afforded to them.
A much broader curriculum was advocated, and there was an emphasis
for the first time on early childhood education. The concern to make the
school a pleasant place was in line with the recommendation that learn·
ing should be linked to the child's experience. A change in the role of the
teacher was envisaged, there was total freedom in the choice of teach·
ing methods, with heuristic being advocated in preference to didactic
approaches, and it was permitted to adapt the programmes to suit local
circumstances. While some improvements were made as a result of the
adoption of the programme, there were problems with its implementa·
tion because of a lack of finance, prevailing attitudes, the lack of
resources, inadequate training and the top·down nature of the develop·
ment.'
Cultural Nationalism, 1922·1971
This era was also marked by radical change. Rooted in a strong ideolo·
gy of cultural nationalism and propelled by the achievement of political
independence curricular policy was intimately linked to cultural and
political objectives. The INTO, in reflecting the resurgence of national
identity, adopted a motion at its Annual Congress in 1920, calling for the
establishment of a special committee "in order to frame a programme or
series of programmes in accordance with Irish ideals and conditions,
due regard being given to local needs and views.'" The Report of the
National Programme Conference in 1922 recommended that the old syl·
labus be dispensed with, and that Irish be taught in every school for a
least one hour per day. Irish was to be the medium of instruction for all
subjects, except Mathematics and English, and the work of the Infant
7
Standards was to be entirely in Irish. Irish history was to be emphasised,
and the curriculum was reduced in subject range in order that these
changes might be facilitated.
There were problems with the programme almost immediately, and the
biggest difficulty was the fact that the majority of teachers did not possess the linguistic competence to teach it. A Second Programme
Conference was held in 1926, and there were an acceptance that a more
gradual approach was needed with regard to the revival of the Irish language.
The first Fianna Fail government came into power in 1932, and this
caused a renewed emphasis on the role of the national schools in the
teaching of Irish. A Revised Programme was issued in 1934 and it reintroduced the all-Irish day for Infants, English became optional for First
Class, the requirements in Mathematics were reduced, and Rural
Science was dropped as a compulsory subject. The 1934 programme
remained with only slight changes the curriculum for national schools
until 1971.5
The narrow focus of this curriculum was continuously challenged during this period. In 1941, the INTO published a report on the use of Irish
as a teaching medium, and it highlighted the fact that a majority of
teachers of Infants were opposed to using Irish as the sole medium of
instruction where English was the language of the home. This report
evoked considerable hostility from De Valera's government, but it did
not deter the INTO from producing a Plan for Education in 1947 in which
it advocated a return to a child-centred approach and called for the
inclusion of a much wider range of subjects.
The only curricular policy difference throughout this era was the publication of An Nai Scoil in 1951. This programme signalled a return to a
child-centred philosophy and it displayed a concern that school should
be a pleasant and stimulating experience for the children. In tone and
content, An Nai Scoil represents the link between the 1900 Programme
and the 1971 Primary School Curriculum.
A Council of Education was established in 1950 to review the primary
school curriculum, and it published its report in 1954. This report
8
~cknowledged
that the prevailing curriculum was too narrow, but it
merely recommended the inclusion of drawing, nature study and physical education as compulsory subjects in future school programmes.
The 'New' Curriculum: 1971The 1960s was an era of unprecedented economic and social change,
and cultural nationalism ceased to be the dominant ideology. Arising
from those changes and influence of reports such as Investment in
Education (1965) and the OECD Report. Curriculum Improvement and
Education Development (1966), together with the abolition of the Primary
Certificate Examination, the introduction of free post primary education
and the publication of the Plowden Report, the climate was ripe for a
radical reappraisal of the primary curriculum. The opportunity was
seized by the inspectorate and led to the publication of the Primary
School Curriculum in 1971. The main aims of primary education were
cast in terms of the child and not in cultural or nationalistic objectives.
The needs, potential, interests, cognitive and affective development of
the child were emphasised, and the range of subjects was broadened.
Teachers were given a wide measure of professional discretion vis-a-vis
the selection of content and teaching methods, and the adaptation of the
programme to local environmental circumstances was stressed.
All of this again amounted to a fundamental change of direction, but
there were difficulties in both the formulation and the implementation
of the curriculum. It proved to be quite difficult for teachers to get draft
copies of the programme, there was no discussion with the post-primary inspectorate or post primary schools, and no use was made of television to explain the radical changes in policy.6
Many of the studies of its implementation including the INTO surveys
of 1975 and 1986 pointed to factors which influenced and hindered the
process. In theory, teachers were free to choose from the suggested
guidelines the methodology and content best suited to the needs of the
children under their care, but in practice, there were many constraints
such as many principals being unfamiliar with the ideals and practicalities involved, in-service and resourcing were totally inadequate, classes of 45-50 pupils were commonplace and the inspectors continued to
evaluate teachers on classical instructional techniques. The lack of training for inspectors meant that some of them felt threatened by the per9
ceived diminution of their status to that of advisor, parents had different expectations with regard to what constituted a 'good' education, the
lack of alignment between primary and post primary curricula,
entrance examinations and the lack of structures for staff meetings and
staff consultation.
Not surprisingly, curriculum implementation was slow, but throughout
the late 1970s and 1980s, significant developments occurred which were
conducive to curriculum innovation at school based level. The practice
of appointing the most senior member of staff to the principalships
became less prevalent. More teachers, whose preservice and teaching
experience were influenced by the 1971 Primary School Curriculum were
being appointed as principals. New schools were being established and
enthusiastic teachers were beginning to influence the introduction of
curriculum innovations at school based level. Large classes were beginning to disappear, albeit slowly, and educational materials were being
provided in schools, mainly through the voluntary efforts of parents.
Many parents had come to identify with the principles of the curriculum and the original scepticism of some teachers had begun to abate following research analysis which indicated that overall standards were
improving.5taff meetings had become part of school structures and
there was more participation by teachers in decision-making. Newly
appointed inspectors were committed to developing their advisory role
and School Plans were beginning to emerge.
The spirit and tone of the 1971 Primary School Curriculum have changed
the whole atmosphere of Irish primary schools. Schools have become
much more pleasant and inviting environments for children to learn in,
and the quality of relationship between pupil and teacher is of a much
more beneficial kind than in earlier decades. The principles and aims of
the curriculum have earned widespread support and endorsement in
all surveys and reports.
A measure of the Primary School Curriculum's unique importance lies in
the fact that as we approach the next era of curriculum change, it will
not be a radical shift. Rather, it will represent a development of what is
best in the Primary School Curriculum, a revising, a refining and an
updating, but solidly embedded in the philosophy, principles and spirit of the 1971 curriculum. This evolutionary approach marks a first ever
10
in the history of the Irish primary school curriculum.
References
Powis Commission, (1832) pp.27-27, in A History of Irish Catholicism,
Catholic Education, p.6.
2
Department of Education, (1954). Report of the Council of Education,
Dublin, Stationery Office, p.60.
J
Coolahan, J. (1981). Irish Education: Its History and Structure, Dublin,
Institute of Public Administration.
O'Connell, T.J. (1968). History of the Irish National Teachers'
Organization (1868-1968), Dublin, INTO, p.334.
5
Hyland, A. and MiIne, K. (1992). Irish Education Documents, Volume
IT, Dublin, Church of Ireland College of Education, p.113.
"
Coolahan, J. (1989). National Schools 1960-1985, pp.68-69, in Mulcahy,
D.J. and O'Sullivan, D. (eds.), Irish Educational Policy: Process and
Substance, Dublin, LP.A.
11
CHAPTER
3
The Current Context
The 1980s was a period of economic recession characterised by stringent
public service cutbacks. At primary level, these were epitomised by the
infamous Circular 20/87, demanding huge increases in the pupil/
teacher ratio. The response to this involved a partnership of teachers
and parents and an eventual watering down of the terms of the circular.
It led to calls for a review of the primary education system from which
came subsequently demands for a review of the curriculum. However,
the idea of reviewing the Primary Curriculum had been around for
some time. The Government's Action Plan for Education, 1984-87 envisaged that responsibility for recommending curricular changes would
pass to the Curriculum and Examinations Board. It clearly indicated
that work "regarding the interpretation, implementation, evaluation
and development of certain aspects of the curriculum"! would continue
to be the responsibility not of schools, but the inspectorate. Calls for a
more explicit statement of the curriculum emerged in the Curriculum
and Examinations Board's discussion document Primary Education
(1985). Responding to submissions from a number of individuals and
institutions it suggested that "sequenced objectives should be formulated for a development programme in different aspects of the
Curriculum".' The INTO, in its Response to the Primary Education document, expressed serious reservations about a number of aspects of the
paper including the broadening of the existing curriculum to include
new subject areas, the development of national curricular objectives and
the implications of the proposed system for assessment.
From the low point of conflict and confrontation which dominated the
mid-eighties emerged new approaches to the review and design of public policy. The Report of the Review Body on the Primary Curriculum' and
the Report of the Primary Education Review Body' represented the views of
teachers, parents, management authorities, inspectors and representatives of the main educational bodies. The reports marked the most comprehensive analysis of the curriculum and of the general system since
the granting of national independence.
12
The circumstances surrounding these reviews caused serious concern to
:teachers. There was an atmosphere of retrenchment and regression.
Efficiency, cost effectiveness, competitiveness and productivity,
accountability, value for money, and an undue emphasis on basic skills
were dominating educational thinking in many countries. Closely
aligned with this 'back to basics' philosophy was a growing emphasis
on the assessment of performance involving performance indicators,
pupil assessment records and teacher appraisal procedures.
A two way power shift began to dominate the international education
agenda, involving a concentration of curriculum policy and control at
central level and a corresponding devolution of responsibility for delivery towards the periphery - the school. Accountability became the
mechanism by which both forces were to converge. Powerful undercurrents also emerged as a result of the proposed devolvement of curriculum functions and authority to outside curricular agencies. It was not
always clear at the time whose agenda was being served. In Ireland, the
Curriculum and Examinations Board, originally established to review
second level curricula and thus mainly comprising second level representatives began to focus on the primary school curriculum. A Primary
Committee was established in 1984 with responsibility for issuing a discussion paper. It called for a review of the primary school curriculum.During this period when a shift in control was being effected it
became increasingly difficult to identify precisely those who were making inordinate demands for curricular change and reform.
Reflecting international trends, the Minister for Education announced
in 1987 that the aims and objectives of the primary school curriculum
should be analysed with particular reference to the basic subjects of
Irish, English and Mathematics, and how their outcomes could be evaluated. The Minister's announcement aroused much public interest.
Daniel Murphy expressed grave reservations as to the validity of the
principles underlying the 1971 Curriculum on the grounds of their
philosophical, psychological and pedagogical inadequacy.' His views,
while vigorously challenged by Padraic Hogan, gave rise to serious concern among teachers.' Murphy also called for a reappraisal of approaches to language and mathematics teaching because of what he described
as evidence of declining standards. Assessment was becoming a public
debating issue following the publication of the Curriculum and
13
Examinations Board's document on Assessment. At the first annual delegates meeting of the National Parents' Council in 1987, a resolution
was adopted calling for assessment of pupils at the end of third class
and at the end of sixth class.'
Members of the Review Body on the Primary Curriculum, however,
extended their restricted brief and decided to review all aspects of the
curriculum. The Report published in 1990 endorsed the underlying philosophy and principles of the 1971 curriculum concluding that
Curriculum
"requires revision and reformulation in its aims, scope and content, in the manner in which it is implemented and in the way
pupil progress is assessed and recorded, and the way the overall
effectiveness of the system is evaluated".'
The Report rejected the introduction of a modern European language,
defined integration as a pedagogic principle and expanded on the principle of discovery learning giving particular emphasis to the value of
guided and directed discovery and active learning. It also urged greater
emphasis on Assessment, Science and Health Education. Further consideration will be given to this report in Chapter Four.
This Report led to the establishment of the National Council for
Curriculum and Assessment Primary committees in November 1991.
This body again is representative of the education partners, has worked
up to the present on revising the curriculum. Although not a statutory
body it carries much influence and is an authoritative voice on curriculum matters.
The need for teacher vigilance became evident once again with the publication in 1992 of the Government Green Paper, Education for a Changing
World. This document drew much criticism from teachers and other
educational commentators for its lack of balance.' In it the aims of primary education as recommended by the Primary Curriculum Review
Body were revised and reduced, de-emphasising the cultural and interdependence aspects. The areas addressed included literacy and numeracy, science, a modern European language, physical education, religious
education and assessment.
14
Unprecedented debate, deliberation and discussion followed the publication of the Green Paper which led to the establishment of the National
Education Convention. JU The Report of the Convention helped to restore
balance and confidence and influenced the subsequent White Paper,
Charting our Education Future (1995)." Chiefly because the primary curriculum was itself the subject of intense deliberation by the NCCA committees, both the Report of the National Education Convention and the
White Paper, did not treat it as a major discussion issue and largely followed the format of the Green Paper, with the important exception of a
conHT"","pnt to the centrality of the arts. Measures to promote more
structured d,sessment of pupil progress were given added emphasis.
The INTO Response to the Green Paper, Among School Children was an
important document in the critical period between the Green and White
paper." It was an analytical and constructive critique of primary education. It pointed out the Green Paper's lack of sensitivity to the values
informing educational practice, the omission of areas like the Arts and
library services, the inadequate attention to funding, resources, costing
and budgetary strategy, its imbalanced nature emphasising technocratic and utilitarian values at the expense of cultural goals, ambiguities in
the content of school plans and annual school reports, divergence
between stated aims and proposed policies, contradictions between
broadening the curriculum and narrow proposals, the absence of structures and processes to help deliver and support changes, the inappropriateness of the proposed role of the principal, the lack of an underlying philosophy and many soft focussed proposals. Many of these concerns have been addressed but many more are still in the balance as we
approach the implementation phase of new curricular policy.
The Report on the National Education Convention (1994) devoted a chapter
to the resourcing and implementation of educational change.
Traditionally there has been a conception that once policy had been
devised and disseminated to schools, that it automatically filtered
through to create changes in classroom practices. However, as the
Convention Report significantly recognises that the reality is somewhat
different:
"Most individuals have an in-built reluctance to change estab15
lished attitudes, habits and practices, unless they are convinced
of the reasons and value for so doing. Accordingly, it is incumbent on proposers of change not to be preoccupied with the firstorder of change of setting out objectives and lines of policy at the
expense of attending to the second-order of change, which
involves the patterns, practices and attitudes of the individuals
expected to take practical action"."
It is, therefore, of paramount importance that a partnership approach
remains in place in devising pilot projects, support structures and systems, adequate teacher development initiatives, opportunities for collaboration and networking, and a mechanism for policy to evolve
through reflections on experiences as the curriculum is enacted in actual classrooms by actual teachers.
The partnership approach evident in the formulation of recent curricular policy is reflected in the wider sphere of national agreements
between government and key social partners. The involvement of the
INTO in these agreements beginning with the Programme for National
Recovery in 1987, has led to a myriad of small but enlightened improvements which influence the daily enactment of the curriculum. Through
the Programme for National Recovery, the Programme for Economic
and Social Progress, and the Programme for Competitiveness and Work
long overdue improvements are beginning to give the skeleton of Irish
primary education some flesh. These include gradual lowering of the
pupil/ teacher ratio, increased capitation grants, some concessionary
posts, more remedial and resource teachers, the initiation of the home
school/ community liaison scheme, the visiting teacher service, Early
Start preschool system, Breaking the Cycle of Poverty initiatives, the
psychological service for schools and classroom assistants.
These developments, all in their infancy serve to underline the glaring
needs of a system starved of resources for so long. Future improvements will depend to a large degree on how well these support systems
are resourced and developed.
As needs emerge and schools become more open to change, the curriculum has become the focus of a power play by various interest
groups seeking the inclusion of new subject areas into its domain. This
16
:,issue needs to be resolved through conununHy deliberation allowing
curriculum content to evolve with changing needs while maintaining
curriculum breadth, balance, relevance, coherence, continuity and
depth. Curriculum overload is a real danger in this regard. Science,
Relationshlp and Sexuality Education, Health Education and the Stay
Safe Programme represent newly sanctioned content while other areas
seeking more formalised treatment within the curriculum, include
Peace Education, Education for MuTual Understanding, Heritage
Studies, Media Education, Development Education, Information
Technology, European Languages and Drugs Awareness Progranunes.
Suggestions to deal with this problem include better prioritising of content within existing subject areas, cross curricular themes, perspectives,
project work and imaginative use of the pedagogic principle of integration. If curriculum overload is to be avoided School Plans will need to
be specific about what schools can realistically cover and what they cannot.
The importance of developing collaborative cultures in our schools has
been a recurrent theme of recent educational literature. However, collaboration cannot flourish unless there is something substantial to collaborate about. Thls necessitates maintaining and safeguarding a large
degree of professional discretion and freedom in curriculum decision
making at local school level. Deskilling and downgrading professional
decision making to the level of technician may satisfy certain political
agendas of accountability and efficiency but it would rip the heart and
soul out of schools and debase the robust phllosophy of education that
should inspire practice. Time for curriculum focussed team work is an
issue which needs to be resolved and any attempt to impose a restrictive, tightly prescribed behavioural objectives driven, content laden curriculum will be vigorously opposed.
Many schools lack basic facilities for full curriculum implementation.
There are large discrepancies between schools in relation to facilities for
physical education and access to technology such as computers and
videos. The trend towards integration of children with special needs,
often unsupported, unplanned and unresourced have increased the
challenge to teachers as has the expansion of special education services
to children with severe and profound mental handicap. Problems with
17
regard to adequate finance, issues associated with urban and rural disadvantage and serious discipline problems mark the reality for many
schools striving for fuller implementation of the curriculum. The difficulties must be recognised and resolved as part of any curriculum
renewal programme.
The last decade has seen teachers taking a much more active role in the
shaping of curricula at national level and in devising and delivering
inservice courses. Years of reflective practice have yielded a reservoir of
talent. The restructured system of posts of responsibility arising out of
the recent Programme for Competitiveness and Work package provides
an opportunity for the creation of more curriculum focussed posts
where teachers can lead staff development which is intrinsically linked
to curriculum development. The development of the School Plan is seen
as a vehicle for teacher development, staff collaboration and curriculum
deliberation.
Despite a democratisation of the curriculum formulation process, there
is still a tendency to develop curricula independent of the realities of
implementation. This denies the process much of the knowledge it
needs to be relevant and realistic. For curriculum reform to be effective,
the constraints, demands, opportunities, norms, values and beliefs in
each school must provide the context for curriculum development.
Curriculum development should not be viewed in terms of a simplistic
design and implement model. It is problematic, uncertain and requires
practical reasoning based on the trial and judgement of the feasibility of
curriculum ideas. Anything else will have at best a tangential influence
on practice.
References
Government of Ireland, (1984). Programme for Action in Education
1984-1987, Dublin, Government Publications Office, p.16.
,
Primary Education (1985). A Curriculum and Examinations Board
Discussion Paper, p.10.
Department of Education (1990). Report of tile Review Body on the
18
Primary Curriculum, Dublin, The Department of Education.
3 Department of Education (1990). Report of the Review Body on the
Primary Curriculum, Dublin, The Department of Education.
;
Murphy, D. (1986). The Dilemmas of Primary Curriculum Reform, in
Oideas 29, Dublin, Government Publications Office, pp.7-24.
Hogan, P. (1986). 'Progressivism' and the Primary School Curriculum,
in Oideas 29, Dublin, Government Publications Office, pp.25-40.
,
Irish Independent, June 17, 1987.
Department of Education (1990). Report of the Review Body on the
Primanj Curriculum, Dublin, The Department of Education.
" Government of Ireland. (1992). Education for a Changing World, Green
Paper on Education, Dublin, Government Publications Office.
'" Report on the National Education Convention (1994). Dublin,
National Education Secretariat.
11
Government of Ireland. (1995). Charting our Education Future, White
Paper on Education, Dublin, Government Publications Office.
" l.N.T.O. (1993). Among School Children, Dublin, Author.
" Report on the National Education Convention (1994). Dublin,
National Education Secretariat, p.137.
19
CHArTER
4
Su:n-a.xnary of Previous Research
As a means of emphasising that the changes which were proposed in
the 1971 Primary School Curriculum were neither 'final nor definitive',
its authors stated that research and regular evaluation would be necessary if the curriculum was to keep pace with changing conditions.' The
reasons why this did not occur to any significant extent are beyond the
scope of this report, and it is intended to refer briefly to those studies
which were undertaken, and to provide a summary of their main findmgs.
During the 1970s, attitudinal studies were published by the Conference
of Convent Primary Schools (1975), the INTO (1975), and the
Educational Research Centre (1977). These reports showed that considerable goodwill existed among teachers with regard to the principles
which underpinned the 1971 Primary School Curriculum. There was an
overwhelming endorsement of child-centred education, the notion of an
integrated curriculum, and the efficacy of activity / discovery methods.
One of the principal weaknesses of the attitudinal research of the 1970s
was that it made no attempt to discover whether this positive response
was translated into classroom practice. In the INTO's 1986 survey, it was
decided, therefore, that this lacuna in the research should be eliminated,
and to achieve this, questions on teachers' commitment to the five principles were again included but built into the questionnaire were other
questions covering areas such as classroom organisation, teaching
methods and textbooks. It was considered that on this occasion, the
responses to the questionnaire might show if any disparity existed
between what teachers professed about the philosophy of the curriculum and the reality of classroom and methodological practice.
The contradiction which emerged was a vindication of the design of the
questionnaire and an important measure of validation. It was significant, too, in that it highlighted the constraints, under which teachers
operated in trying to implement a curriculum which they saw as valuable and effective. The most obvious of these constraints were the inadequacy of in-service education, large class sizes, a lack of resources, sub-
20
, standard school buildings and classrooms and the pressures of second"level entry and expectation.
Among the disparities between beliefs and practices highlighted by the
1986 survey were:
a low level of implementation of the Art and Crafts, Music and
Physical Education programmes which was less than satisfactory.
This along with a high level of reliance on the classroom as the physical environment for learning indicated a practice at variance with a
commitment to the principle of full and harmonious development of
the child;
the survey indicated a very high level of support for the principle
that due allowance be made for individual difference but the comparatively low level of group and individual teaching, the inadequacy of recording pupils' progress other than in English and
Mathematics, and the over-reliance on textbooks and workbooks,
indicated a failure to translate a commitment to this principle into
practice.
the belief expressed by the respondents (81%) that activity and discovery methods should be used as frequently as possible is at considerable variance with the fact that a majority (60%) indicated a
preference for didactic or instruction based methods of teaching.
This along with the amount of time spent on whole class teaching,
the infrequency of educational walks or use of other resources outside the school and the fact that less than one third of pupils experienced simple scientific experiments highlighted a further discrepancy between curriculum aspiration and the reality of practice.
a similar lack of correspondence is obvious and for the same reasons
between a belief that learning should be based on the environment
and what the survey showed was the current practice.
However, the greatest difference between support for a curriculum
principle and the reality of its implementation was found in relation to
the question of integration. In 1975, 85,8% of teachers supported the
principle that an integrated curriculum was more meaningful than
21
, teaching subjects separately but in 1986, only 55% agreed with the state" ment that all aspects of the curriculum should be integrated. Even
allowing for the fact that the statement in the 1986 survey - all aspects
of the curriculum should be integrated - is much more specific, this represents a considerable fall in the level of commitment to the principle.
However, even in the context of 55% of correspondents expressing support for it, the responses which revealed the extent to which teachers
integrated the curriculum even on a single subject basis showed a further disparity between the philosophy which they believed should
underpin the curriculum and the reality of day to day practice. Only in
the more obvious correlations of Environmental Studies/Art,
Religion/ Art, Art/Maths and PE/Maths did teachers indicate even a
modest incidence of integration in their classroom practice, and of these
only the first elicited a positive response of over 50%. Furthermore,
these indications of pedagogic practice showed a marked correspondence with the response to the statement "subject-based teaching was
the most effective teaching approach" with which only 31.2% disagreed.
When interpreting the findings of the survey it was impossible to ignore
these disparities between the support which teachers gave to the five
principles underpinning the curriculum and the reality of their day to
day practice. The original Report of the Education Committee (1986)
drew attention to this and commented on it, but by the time the report
was prepared and ready for publication, it had been overtaken by political events. In particular, the issuing of circular 20/87 plunged the INTO
into a campaign of industrial action.
In the context of the polarised atmosphere of an industrial dispute the
Central Executive Committee decided that the interests of teachers and
curriculum reform would not be well served by the publishing of findings that deserved calm and considered reflection. Furthermore the
announcement by the Minister for Education of a major review of the
primary curriculum during the course of the campaign against the cuts
in education underpinned the need for calm and the necessity to avoid
polarised positions in the debate.
A more balanced and mature reflection was required and the INTO set
about reviewing its position in the context of enlightened practice. An
22
•
•
: abridged report of the 1986 survey was presented to the 1987 Education
'Conference and an indepth analysis of curriculum was undertaken
based upon the theories of Pia get, Bruner and Vygotsky. This review
was completed in a short time with a view to influencing impending
curriculum reform. The INTO, in its submission to the Review Body on
the Primary Curriculum affirmed the value of discovery and activity
learning in the child's development and endorsed the concept of directed and guided discovery, thus reflecting a social constructivist view of
knowledge which sees children as active agents in their own learning
either achieved alone or in joint reference with the more mature and
expert adult. Practising teachers have always held the view that the
chIldren \;~<) are unable to perform tasks, memorise data, solve problems or recall experiences when left to their own devices often succeed
when they are helped by more experienced adults. Children's capacity
to learn through skilful teaching has also been a fundamental tenet of
Irish teachers. Thus teachers use a variety of techniques including activity based learning and directed and guided discovery methods.
Arising from its reflections on the 1986 results of its survey on the curriculum the INTO concluded that knowledge tends to differentiate as it
becomes more complex. That is not to suggest that each subject domain
is a discrete area of the curriculum. It is important to note that
thinking skills which are developed through specific content situations
will perforce be remembered, understood and more importantly be
accessible mainly in relation to that context. It was significant, therefore,
despite the fact that support was somewhat low amongst teachers for
integrating all aspects of the curriculum that integration be supported
as a pedagogic principle with links being established between various
areas and aspects of the curriculum through cross curricular thematic
approaches, thereby reflecting practice in the majority of primary
schools.
The findings of the INTO's 1986 survey were corroborated to a very
large extent by a Department of Education report on the implementation of the principles of the Primary School Curriculum. The two most
successfully implemented principles were 'that the curriculum should
cater for the full and harmonious development of the child' and 'that
due allowance should be made for individual differences.' The implementation of activity/discovery methods was limited, with a higher
23
: level of implementation being found in Junior Classes than in Senior
, Classes, It was suggested with particular reference to the teaching of
Mathematics in Senior Classes that activity/discovery methods were
not perceived by teachers as being time efficient
The results of this report showed that apart from in the area of Social
and Environmental Studies, learning is not based extensively on the
environment The teachers' evaluation of their own performance with
regard to this aspect of the curriculum reported higher levels of implementation than the inspectors who stated that implementation of this
principle was rather low, Teachers of Junior Classes attached greater
importance to the local environment than did teachers of Senior Classes,
and it was suggested by the inspectors that Senior Class teachers' preference for a didactic approach may have been in response to the need to
prepare pupils for post primary entrance examinations,
There was also a substantial difference of opinion among teachers and
inspectors with regard to the extent to which integration was used as a
methodological device. At a very basic level, it appeared that the two
groups were using different definitions of the concept, with teachers
defining integration in terms of a cross-subject approach, and the
inspectors generally perceiving integration as being thematic. In their
summing up, the inspectors pointed to the overwhelming support
which existed for the principles underlying the Primary School
Curriculum, but they pointed to the need for a major injection of
resources, for in-service education and for further studies to reconcile
conflicting pressures if fuller implementation was to occur. 2
The long-awaited review of the Primary School Curriculum finally commenced in October 1987, with the establishment of the Primary
Curriculum Review Body. The Review Body, on which the INTO had
four members, reported in May 1990, and in endorsing the principles
underlying the Primary School Curriculum, redefined and reformul"ted each one in order to overcome some of the confusion which had
arisen with regard to their interpretation and implications.
The Review Body supported the concept of a curriculum which catered
for full and harmonious development, and it recommended that the
curriculum be organised in such a way as to promote all aspects of the
24
: children's development, while at the same time allowing for priorities
within the curriculum. The principle of due allowance for individual
differences was also supported, but the Review Body recommended
that consideration should be given to the various ways in which this
principle might be implemented. One of the most frequently quoted
sections of the Primary School Curriculum was the extract which
extolled the value of activity / discovery methods:
Children now play a much more active role in their own education, ...
The basic skills are acquired not so much through class teaching as
through individual and group activity, each child progressing at his
own natural rate, each at the different stages of his advancement
being allowed full scope to express his own personality and experience the joy of discovery.'
Critics of this principle continued to allege that free discovery was the
sole mode of learning advocated in the Primary School Curriculum, but
John Carr, Education Officer of the INTO, has argued consistently that
the critics chose to ignore another major statement in the Primary
School Curriculum:
While the principles of investigation, observation and discovery
should be applied to as many situations as possible, the potential
and scope of the methods employed will depend greatly on intelligent guidance by the teacher. He will advise, direct and help his
pupils along the road to discovery when he considers such assistance necessary.'
He challenged those who alleged that primary teachers are enslaved by
a theory of free discovery and activity, and he quoted from the INTO
submission to the Primary Curriculum Body which stated categorically
that "the guiding axiom should be one of directed discovery. The
teacher should guide the child to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for development".
The Review Body accepted this position, and recommended that a distinction be drawn between free and directed discovery methods. It suggested that the value of discovery methods depended on the type of
learning objective, the age and background of the pupils, the pedagog-
25
: ic preferences of the teacher and constraints in the classroom, and it rec·ommended that teachers should be urged to adopt a diversity of teaching styles. In the INTO's opinion, this recommendation was simply a
reflection of the enlightened practice which was and is occurring in the
majority of schools. It further argued that practice in Irish primary
schools is dominated by the view that the acquisition of knowledge is
as a result of the child's constructive activity which is achieved either
through discovery and activity methods or is achieved cooperatively
through the joint interaction of the child and teacher, a view shared by
Vygotsky and Bruner.'
The concept of integration was redefined, and the Review Body argued
that integration should be thought of as a pedagogic principle by means
of which links were established between areas and aspects of the curriculum. It accepted the validity of the argument that greater differentiation between subjects occurred as the children got older in line with
stages of development in their thinking.
The Review Body recommended that the concept of environmentally
based learning be broadened to include the cultural and historical environment, and it stated that this principle was related to the long established practice of explaining the unknown and unfamiliar in terms of
experiences and encounters that are already part of the child's experiences.
The view was taken by the Review Body that there was a need to
remove the constraints which had adversely affected the implementation of the curriculum, and it recommended structured and systematic
in-service provision to improve the dissemination of the curriculum, an
improvement in resource provision, an overall reduction in class size,
and the discontinuation of examinations for entrance to post primary
schools."
In 1991, the Minister for Education invited the NCCA to conduct a continuing review of the primary curriculum, and its proposals are due for
publication in early 1997. In these circumstances, the Education
Committee of the INTO considered that it was opportune for a study of
members' attitudes to the primary curriculum to be undertaken. The
Central Executive Committee of the INTO accepted this proposal, and a
26
survey was conducted between 25 November 1995 and 15 December
, 1995.
,
References
Department of Education, Primary School Curriculum, Part 1
(Dublin: Browne and Nolan, 1971), p.20.
•
2
Department of Education, "The Implementation of the Principles of
the Primary School Curriculum", pp.60-66.
3
Department of Education, Primary School Curriculum, p.16.
4
Department of Education, Primary School Curriculum, Part 11,
p.134.
5
John Carr, "Implications of the Review Body", 22 February 1991.
,
Review Body on the Primary Curriculum, (1990). Report of the
Review Body on the Primary Curriculum (Dublin: NCCA/
Department of Education), pp.13-20 .
•
27
CHAPTER
5
Results of th.e Survey
Terms of Reference:
1. That a study be undertaken which included a survey by question-
naire of teachers' attitudes to the curriculum and its operation.
2. That the survey should endeavour to provide data comparable to the
data of the 1975 and 1986 INTO surveys.
3. That the survey would be of a structured sample of one thousand
teachers.
The Questionnaire
Of the 1,000 questionnaires issued, 540 were completed and returned by
15 December 1995. There were forty separate items to be addressed,
with some of the items being divided into sub-sections. Background
information with regard to teaching experience, school size, present
duties and classes taught was requested from each respondent, and
their attitudes to a number of philosophical, curricular and methodological issues were sought.
Presentation of Data
For reasons of explication and clarity, it is intended at the outset to present the teachers' attitudes to the principles underlying the curriculum,
and to comment on any significant differences between the responses in
1995 to those which were obtained in 1975 and 1986. One of the difficulties involved in the analysis of the principles which underpin the
Primary School Curriculum is that the divide among them is clearer in
theory than it is in practice. For example, an exercise such as bringing
pupils on a walk around the environs of the school obviously constitutes an example of environmentally based learning, but it is also an
activity / discovery method, and it may be a means of integrating different aspects of the curriculum, It will give the pupils first hand knowledge of their own environment and this is a vital element in their full
and harmonious development. The divisions and categorisations which
28
are being utilised are for the purposes of analysis, because it is recognised that in practice, many of these elements are inextricably linked.
1. The curriculum should cater for the full and harmonious development of the child
Respondents were asked to respond to two key statements with regard
to this principle. The first statement - "Scholastic attainment is the most
important educational development" was used in the 1986 and 1995
surveys, and it therefore provides immediate data on teacher attitudes
over a twenty year period.
•
Scholastic attainment is
the most important
educational development
Agree
Disagree
Uncertain
1975
5.6%
88.9%
5.4%
1986
8.8%
79.2%
12.0%
1995
8.0%
77%
11.9%
It is clear that in the period 1986 to 1995, teachers' attitudes on this par-
ticular issue have remained very consistent. The disparity between 1995
and 1975 may be due in part to the wording of the 1975 statement which
read as follows: scholastic attainment is more important than social and
emotional development.
Full and harmonious development
Agree
Disagree
Uncertain
97.6%
0.4%
1.1%
The support for this principle is practically identical to the 1986 survey,
but it is important to ascertain exactly what is meant by this principle
and how it is implemented in practice. The Primary Curriculum Review
29
Body stated that the phrase, 'full and harmonious development',
implied a broadly based and balanced curriculum, and with this clartlication in mind, it is intended to examine the opportunities which pupils
are given to develop cognitively, socially, aesthetically, creatively, emotionally and physically. The evidence on the implementation of the 'full
and harmonious principle' suggests that the greatest success is being
achieved in relation to cognitive and social development, while there is
less perceived success in relation to aesthetic, creative and physical
development.' Only 51% of schools had a structured oral language
development programme in the children's home language. This may be
a legacy of the era when it was important to teach children to be literate
and numerate but not articulate. It is an area where in-service is urgently required because there is little point in emphasising the importance
of oral language development, and then not giving specific guidance to
teachers with regard to the manner in which it should be developed.
The role which the teacher's own example can play in inculcating in the
pupils a love for literature is exemplified by the fact that almost 30% of
teachers read stories each day to the children, 41% read stories at least
once a week, more than 20% of teachers read novels to their pupils in
instalments and only a tiny minority (4%) never read a story to their
pupils.
Listening to stories being read is one element in the children's education. Being able to dramatise is a complementary element, but only 11%
of teachers ask children to dramatise stories or to engage in mimes at
least once per day. The figures for engaging in dramatic activity on a
weekly basis are 39%, monthly 27%, yearly 9.6%, and 10% of teachers
state that they never ask children to mime or to dramatise stories. Irish
was the subject area in which dramas and mimes were most frequently
enacted (67%), and this is a reflection on the drama element in the
Buntus and in Modh an Aoibhnis.
PE and the Arts make an enormous contribution to children's full and
harmonious development, and it is intended at the outset to examine
the extent to which pupils encounter these areas of experience.
30
Frequency of teaching music
•
At least once a day
16.1%
At least twice a week
37.2%
At least once a week
22.8%
At least once a month
9.1%
Never
9.8%
By ~'HU;"Ung these figures, it can be seen that 76% of the pupils are
taught music at least once a week. The elements of the music programme which they encounter are song singing (81%), listening to
music (58%), ear training (51%), sight training (39%) and playing musical instruments (32%). The situation with regard to the 10% of teachers
who stated that they never taught music will be addressed at a later
stage because this is an area in which teaching is often delegated to
another colleague or to a specialist teacher.
Frequency of teaching PE
.
•
At least twice a week
27.0%
At least once a week
54.8%
At least once a month
7.6%
Never
6.0%
Practically 82% of the pupils are taught PE at least once a week, and the
numbers of pupils who encounter little or no PE has fallen from 20% in
1985 to 14% in 1995. The elements of the PE programme which are
taught to the pupils are games (87.2%), free movement (71.7%), dance
(41.7%), and educational gymnastics (40%). With regard to resources
and facilities for the teaching of the programme, 60% of schools have a
PE hall, 72% have a suitably surfaced school yard, 60% have access to a
playing field, 21% have a general purposes room, and 51% of teachers
were satisfied that there was adequate equipment in their schools for
the teaching of PE.
31
Frequency of teaching Health Ed
At least twice a week
4.4%
At least once a week
16.7%
At least once a month
65.5%
The most commonly taught elements were personal hygiene (83%),
safety (83%), and nutrition (77.2%). Sex education was taught by only
16.9% of the respondents, but the Stay Safe programme was taught by
almost 50% of those surveyed, and two thirds of the teachers expressed
their satisfaction with the programme.
If the situation regarding PE and HE has improved, it is difficult to
interpret the responses to the queries with regard to the visual arts. For
example, only 21% of teachers said that they followed a school based
developmental programme in teaching visual arts, and this represents a
decrease from a figure of 38% in 1986. However, if one examines the
number of separate items in this question, with concepts such as schoolbased and development being referred to jointly, it is possible that a less
ambiguously worded question might have yielded a more intelligible
response. With regard to the teaching of a visual arts programme,
almost one third of the respondents include art appreciation as part of
the programme, and 44% use visual aids to help children to experience
works of art.
The elements of art and crafts which were taught to the pupils were needle craft (32%), weaving (21%), pottery (19%) and other unspecified
crafts (37%). The amount of money per pupil per annum spent on art
and craft ranged from less than £5 to £20 plus, with 55% spending up to
a £5, 23% spend £5 to £10, 6.6% spend £10 to 20 and 7.6% spend more
than £20 plus.
Music, PE and Arts and Crafts are the three areas where teaching duties
are most often shared or delegated to another colleague or to specialist
teachers from outside tl"-e school. 21.7% of teachers teach some aspect of
the curriculum to classes other than their own on a regular basis while
66.5% do not teach any class other than their own. The figures for
shared or delegated teaching duties are as follows:
32
Teachers teaching other aspects of curriculum to classes other than their own
Yes
Gaeilge
1.7%
English
Maths
4.0%
3.0%
Art/Crafts
Environmental Studies
7.4%
2.8%
History
Geography
Music
2.4%
1.3%
14.6%
6.6%
PE
Religion
Health Education
1.7%
1.3%
With regard to the areas of experience which are associated most closely
with cognitive development, it appears from this survey that Gaeilge,
English, and Mathematics are rarely taught by anyone other than the
class teacher. It is arguable that the main reasons for this relates to competence,
confidence and expertise, and that most teachers do not see any necessity or value in having these areas of experience taught by a colleague.
"!
An option which some schools have adopted with regard to the implementation of the principle of full and harmonious development is to
employ specialist teachers to teach particular aspects of the curriculum.
Specialist Teachers
PE
Health Education
Art and Crafts
Religion
Music
Dance
Speech and Drama
Continental Lang.
During School
Hours
Outside School
Hours
22.4%
6.9%
1.4%
0.0%
3.7%
2.5%
0.9%
1.1%
16.7%
11.3%
14.3%
9.1%
15.0%
14.6%
4.6%
16.7%
33
, The most significant area of difference between the surveys of 1986 and
"1995 is the increase in the number of classes being taught by specialist
teqchers and the decrease in those being taught by other teachers, In
1986,33% of respondents taught classes other than their own, and overall, 56% of teachers taught some class other than their own, Music was
taught by 44% of teachers to classes other than their own, 28% taught
Art and Craft to other classes, and 20% taught PE to other classes.
The increase in specialist PE teachers is from 9% to 22.4%, and although
this may be due to the many coaching schemes which are available
throughout the country. The practice of employing specialist teachers
during school hours raises the question of how they are to be paid, and
who is responsible for children who do not wish to avail of these lessons
and/ or cannot afford to pay? There are also implications in terms of
social equity, and it may be possible that in the event of the teachers in
a school not possessing sufficient expertise in a particular area of the
curriculum, that it is only in the more advantaged areas that full and
harmonious development can be implemented because in these areas,
the parents can afford to pay for specialist tuition.
2. In implementing the curriculum due allowance should be made
for individual differences
Agree
93.2%
Disagree
Uncertain
2.2%
2.6%
The level of agreement with this principle shows a very slight decrease
from the 1986 figure when 95,8% of respondents agreed with it. With
regard to the implementation of this principle, the difficulties of interpretation are not as difficult as the previous question because certain
inferences can be drawn from the responses which were given with
regard to classroom organisation and the proportions of time spent on
different modes of teaching.
34
Grouping
Yes
No
Irish
30.7%
54.8%
English
70.0%
23.1%
Mathematics
70.0%
23.3%
Social and Env. Studies
12.9%
71.9%
PE/HE
20.0%
65.3%
Arts and Crafts
32.4%
54.3%
The responses to this question illustrate the extent to which practical
exigencies can impinge on the implementation of a principle. With average class sizes still in a range from the high twenties to the mid-thirties,
it is very difficult to deliver all aspects of the curriculum and to cater
adequately for individual differences at the same time. Many teachers
therefore appear to have arrived at a compromise whereby grouping
occurs in English and Mathematics to some extent, and Irish and Art to
a lesser extent, while the other curricular areas are taught for the most
part on a whole class basis.
The question of how groups are drawn up is also of interest because this
gives a pointer to teachers' attitudes to individual differences among
pupils . .
Basis on which groups are organised
Mixed ability
18.7%
Ability
42.2%
Interest
1.1%
Standard/Grade
10.4%
Randomly
1.9%
Behaviour /Personality
0.6%
Gender
0.0%
It is necessary to interpret these responses with a certain amount of cau-
tion because it could be argued that the most common form of group35
,ing, ability grouping, is actually a recognition of the extent to which
'children are similar rather than different whereas mixed ability grouping may be a greater reflection of catering for individual differences
because pupils cannot be treated on the basis of roughly similar abilities. The effect which the existence of multi-grade classes has on classroom organisation is reflected in the figure of 10.4% of teachers who
accept the automatic division which is brought about by virtue of having to teach multi-grade classes. In terms of attitudes to the most effective form of grouping, 44.4% of respondents thought that ability grouping was the most effective overall.
The proportions of time spent on class teaching, group teaching and
individual teaching give an indication of the extent to which individual
differences among children are catered for.
025%
Approx. Percentages spent at
different modes of teaching
26%50%
51%75%
75%100%
Class Teaching
9.3
21.9
35.9
23.3
Group Teaching
41.9
29.0
8.3
2.8
Individual Teaching
71.5
7.6
3.3
2.2
Given the almost unanimous support for recognising individual differences when implementing the curriculum, there appears to be a number of anomalies in the responses to the question which deals with proportions of time spent on the different modes of teaching. Practically
one quarter of teachers spent between 76 and 100%, and almost 60 per
cent of the respondents between 51 and 100% of their time on whole
class teaching. In the 1986 survey, 62.7% of teachers devoted 51 to 100%
of their time on whole class teaching.
At the other end of the spectrum, 2.2% of teachers devoted from three
quarters to all of their time on individual tuition. It is not clear from the
returns whether these teachers were remedial or special class teachers
because almost 5% of the sample were involved in remedial teaching
and 4% were special class teachers. 71.5% of teachers devoted one quarter or less of their time to individual teaching, and while this may
appear to be a very large proportion of the overall respondents, it rep36
resents a substantial decrease from the 1986 figure when almost 90% of
respondents stated that they spent one quarter or less time on individual teaching.
Group teaching represents the compromise position between whole
class and individual teaching, but 41.9% of teachers spent one quarter
or less time on group teaching, and only 2.8% spent three quarters or
more time on group teaching. The figures at the two ends of this spectrum are very similar to the 1986 survey.
Analysis of classroom materials represents another means of examining
provision for individual differences, and there are two specific questions with regard to reading material.
Different textbooks in
the home language in
use simultaneously in
class
1
2
22% 29%
4
5
6
15% 8%
4%
4%
3
It is possible that these responses may mean that pupils are using the
>
,
,
same textbook, but are on different pages. However, if these responses
mean that 22% of children are reading the same page at the same time,
it suggests that varying reading abilities are not catered for.
Another means of catering for individual differences is by the use of
library books, paired reading and supplementary reading material.
Use of ancillary material as part of
programme
Yes
No
Library books
87.2%
4%
Paired reading
27.8%
25.9%
Supplementary reading material
55.2%
10.2%
37
This presents a far more hopeful perspective because access to a library
~ves the pupils the opportunity to proceed at their own pace, and to
develop their own interests.
In view of the pressure of large classes, inadequate resources and minimal back-up for teachers, it is unrealistic to expect a widespread use of
individual teaching, and it is arguable that teachers' record keeping of
pupils' social and personal development and their progress in the various subjects is a more valid measure of the manner in which individual
differences among pupils are recognised. With regard to personal and
social development, 42.6% of teachers keep records on individual
pupils, and the greatest proportion of these records are based on teachers' personal observation of their pupils.
Records of individual pupil
progress
.
Yes
No
Gaeilge
58%
29.3%
English
87.4%
9.3%
Maths
84.1%
10.4%
Art/Crafts
17.2%
59.3%
Envir. Studies
23.5%
54.1%
History
32.6%
39.0%
Geography
33.0%
38.3%
Music
15.5%
58.0%
PE
15.1%
59.1%
7.2%
60.5%
14.4%
60.0%
Health Ed.
Religion
Language and Mathematics are the principal cognitional media which
make further learning possible, and it is significant that there is such a
widespread prevalence of record· keeping on individual pupil's
progress in English and Mathematics.' Indeed, a significant number of
teachers agree with the proposal that all children should attain nationally defined minimum standards in reading and maths. (51.3% in
favour, 33.5% against and 13% uncertain).
38
The number of teachers who keep records on individual pupil's
progress in Irish has remained roughly the same since the previous survey (58% in 1995 and 56.1% in 1986), but there has been a significant
increase in record keeping in English (87.4% in 1995 and 78.2% in 1986)
and Mathematics (84.1% in 1995 and 77.6% in 1986). The sources for
these records were standardised tests (57.6%), non-standardised tests
(54.4%), observation (51.3%), and it is obvious from these figures that
many teachers use a variety of sources for their records on pupil
progress.
•
In the 1986 report, while accepting that record keeping is easier in
Mathematics and English than in some of the other areas, the comment
was made that a commitment to full and harmonious development
should have meant that pupil records were kept in all areas of the curriculum.' In this survey, there is no overall pattern in regard to increases or decreases in other areas of curriculum.' There are slight increases
in record keeping in Art and Crafts (17.2% in 1995 and 16.7% in 1986),
in Environmental Studies (23.5% in 1995 and 20.8% in 1986), in History
(32.6% in 1995 and 29.7% in 1986), in Geography (33.0% by comparison
with 29.5%), and in PE (15.1% in 1995 and 13.2% in 1986). There are
decreases in record keeping in Music (15.5% and 17.9%) and Religion
(14.4% in 1995 and 25.5% in 1986).
The frequency with which pupil records are updated is another element
in catering for individual differences, and the number of teachers who
update their records regularly is noteworthy.
Frequency of records being updated
At least once a day
2.4%
At least once a week
22.8%
At least once a month
23.1%
At least once a term
31.1%
At least once a year
14.2%
Among the factors which may have contributed to a general increase in
record-keeping are teachers' recognition of the importance of catering
39
, for individual differences among pupils, demands from parents for spe"cific information, the need for remedial teachers to be provided with
specific information on pupil progress, and the relaying of information
to postprimary schools. A climate in which transparency and accountability have become progressively more important may also be a factor,
and in this regard, the proposal that, precise, detailed specific objectives
for each aspect of the curriculum should be defined by the Minister for
Education and all children assessed at the end of First and Fifth class
was not received favourably by many of the respondents (63% opposed
and 19% in favour). It is arguable that such a policy runs counter to the
principle of individual difference, and ultimately would be nothing
more than a self fulfilling prophecy in which the able children would do
well and their less able colleagues would fare badly.
The support which schools give to pupils with special needs is an obvious example of catering for individual differences, but within the context of this questionnaire, pupils' special needs were defined as those
who were given remedial tuition, either as part of a team teaching
model or by withdrawal from their classes or particular lessons. 62% of
schools had whole school policies with regard to the remediation of
learning difficulties, and 63% of the respondents had pupils who
attended remedial classes. 43% of the pupils were withdrawn during
English 23% were withdrawn during Maths and 17% were withdrawn
during Irish class.
If mainstream schools are to cater adequately for children with special
needs who have been integrated into their schools, it is essential that
children and teachers are given extra support. In this regard, 24% of
schools now receive visits from peripatetic teachers, and 7% of schools
employ classroom assistants other than as part of a FAS scheme. This
figure for the number of classroom assistants is appallingly low, and it
is not enough to argue that 43.5% of schools employ classroom assistants as part of a FAS scheme because there is no guarantee of continuity with regard to the overall FAS programme, nor is there continuity
within the programme as a result of personnel changing each year. The
overall perspective on catering for individual differences is that most
teachers are in favour of the principle, but there are still many practical
constraints with regard to its implementation.
40
3. Activity and Discovery Methods should be used
The distinction made by the Primary Curriculum Review Body between
directed discovery and discovery methods has already been referred to,
and this survey provides an opportunity to analyse teachers' attitudes
to activity I discovery methods. 81% of teachers agreed with the statement that activity and discovery methods should be used as frequently
as possible. Ironically, the same number of teachers agreed with this
statement in the 1986 survey. The response in 1975 to the much more
emphatic statement - "Children learn best by discovery" was 70% of
teachers agreed, 12% disagreed and 18% were uncertain.
•
Being in favour in principle of activity I discovery methods is no guarantee that these methods will be used in practice, and the results of the
survey show that 65.5% of teachers prefer instruction based (didactic)
methods, 28% said that they preferred heuristic (discovery methods)
and 8.7% used a combination of both approaches. By comparison with
the 1986 survey, this represents an increase of 5% of teachers expressing
a preference for didactic methods, and a decrease of 8% with regard to
those teachers who preferred heuristic methods. The 1986 questionnaire
did not give an opportunity for respondents to state that they used a
combination of both approaches.
In addition to a query with regard to preferred teaching methods,
respondents were also asked to indicate the proportions time which
they spent on the various approaches.
Approximate Percentage of Time spent on Didactic and
Heuristic Approaches
0-25%
26-50%
51-75%
76-100%
Didactic
6.8%
21.5%
46.6%
21%
Heuristic
38.0%
35.0%
11.9%
2.2%
1986
0-25%
26-50%
51-75%
76-100%
Didactic
6.2%
26.3%
48%
19.7%
Heuristic
42.2%
43.7%
11.6%
2.5%
1995
41
There is no major change in pattern between the two surveys, and this
i~ arguably a reflection of the fact that teachers do not think in terms of
exclusive alternatives but apply the method which is more suited to the
particular circumstances.
Learning, in certain areas of the curriculum, is enhanced if the children
have an opportunity to encounter concepts concretely before they are
expected to master abstractions. For example, there were two specific
questions asked with regard to the use of concrete apparatus and their
teaching of Mathematics.
Use of non-standard apparatus
(other than rulers) in teaching!
learning Mathematics
Yes
No
60%
35%
Use of structural materials, e.g.
Dienes Blocks or Cuisenaire Rods
for teaching Mathematics
Yes
No
50.8%
44.6%
It is noticeable that a significant minority of teachers do not use concrete
apparatus for the teaching of Mathematics. This may be a question of
the what class they are teaching,. Even in the case of pupils in senior
classes, there are children whose understanding of Mathematics would
be enhanced if they encountered concrete materials.
Elements of social and environmental studies have traditionally been
taught by the use of activity methods, with science being a particular
case in point. The numbers of respondents teaching elementary science
have increased from 46% in 1986 to 54% in this survey. 41% of the
respondents said that their pupils conducted simple scientific experiments, but only 15% of teachers had an investigation table in their classrooms. The number of nature tables in classrooms declined from 87% in
1986 to 73% in the present survey, and it is possible that the increase in
the teaching of elementary science may have been at the expense of
nature study.
It is arguable that it is not a question of didactic methods or directed discovery methods, but that it is important to use the methods which are
most appropriate in the particular circumstance, with the particular
42
topic, the age of the children, their developmental stage, the availability of resources and class size all having a bearing on the decision.
4. Environment Based Learning
The authors of the Primary School Curriculum argued that the child's
own environment "provided the most congenial ground in which the
seeds of knowledge may be sown and its organic growth fostered".' In
the 1986 survey, 80% of the respondents agreed with the statement that
learning should be based on the environment, but in the present survey,
support for this statement has declined to 62%. This represents an
appreciable change in attitude to the use of the environment as a learning use, and it may be an indication of greater access to broadcast material on television and/or radio, and the use of prerecorded material.
There were three question which sought information with regard to the
use of such material, and the responses were as follows:
Use of TV or Radio Broadcast Material
At least once a day
At lease once a week
3.0%
24.1%
At lease once a month
At least once a term
At least once a year
Never
19.1%
17.0%
8.3%
24.6%
The most significant figure in the above table is the 24.6% of teachers
who never use broadcast material. The comparable figure for 1986 was
59%.
Use of prerecorded or commercial material
At least once a year
4.0%
15.9%
17.4%
12.1%
5.0%
Never
40.9%
At least once a day
At lease once a week
At lease once a month
At least once a term
43
Aspects of curriculum in which such materials are used
Gaeilge
16.7%
English
48.3%
Maths
18.9%
Envir. Studies
46.1%
Art/Crafts
8.9%
History
25.5%
Geography
25.1%
Music
31.1%
PE
13.1%
Religion
25.1%
Health Ed.
10.4%
This is a significant use of broadcast and commercial material, and it
illustrates the impact which the reduction in relative terms of the price
of televisions and video recorders has had on practice in schools.
Nevertheless, in keeping with the spirit of the advertisement which said
that there is no substitute for the real thing, it is also important to ascertain the extent to which the children's own environment was used as a
learning resource.
Nature walks and school tours are well-established means of giving
pupils practical experiences of their own environment, and three questions sought to elicit information about the frequency of nature walks,
visits to the theatre and art exhibitions.
Frequency of Educational Walks
in the Environs of the School
At least once a week
2.6%
At least once a month
8.7%
At least once a term
33.9%
At least once a year
32.6%
Never
20%
44
The figure of 20% of respondents who never bring their pupils on walks
around the school environs represents a slight increase from the 1986
survey when 19% of respondents said that they never brought their
classes on a walk in the school environs.
Visits to theatre or visit of a theatre
in education company to the school
At least once a month
0.4%
At least once a term
7.4%
At least once a year
50.4%
Never
37.4%
Encounters with live theatre have increased appreciably, because in
1985 the number of teachers who never brought their classes to theatre
or brought a drama in education group to their schools was 56%.
Visits to Art Gallery or
exhibition during the year
•
Yes
No
15.3%
80%
A minority of teachers (15%) brought children to an art gallery or art
exhibition during the course of the year, but this may have more to do
with lack of easy access to art galleries rather than any resistance among
teachers to the concept of enabling children to experience high quality
art.
The overall pattern with regard to envirorunentally based learning is
that there is a reduction of 18% in the number of teachers who agree that
learning should be based on the envirorunent, but this may simply be a
reflection of far greater use being made of broadcast and pre-recorded
material.
5. All aspects of the curriculum should be integrated
Between 1975 and 1986, there was a 33% decline in support among
45
,teachers for integration as a curricular principle, and in the 1986 survey,
'it was suggested that there was a need for integration to receive extensive treatment in in-service education. The present survey shows that
there has been a further 5% decline in support, and at this juncture, 50%
of teachers agree with the statement that all aspects of the curriculum
should be integrated. In response to a related statement in the survey in
which it is suggested that subject based teaching is the most effective
teaching approach, 34% agreed, 37% disagreed and 26.5% of teachers
were uncertain. A possible interpretation of these responses is that some
aspects of the curriculum are more efficiently taught by means of a subject based approach, and some aspects especially at the earlier stages of
the children's education are better served by an integrated approach. It
is not a question of thinking in polarities, but of using the approach
which is better suited to the particular circumstances. It is arguable that
many teachers disagree with the concept of a curriculum in which all
aspects are integrated. They have no problem with the use of integration as a methodological device to show links between various aspects
of learning, but they have an antipathy to attempts to draw artificial
links between subjects. The validity of this assertion is demonstrated by
the fact that 88% of respondents stated that they taught aspects of the
curriculum on an integrated basis.
Aspects of the Curriculum taught on an integrated basis
Ire.
Eng.
18%
Eng
M.
10%
32%
Ma
Art
20%
53%
32%
Env
16%
45%
2% 38% Env
His
8%
25%
4% 23% 13% His
Geo
7%
18%
3% 19% 20% 14% Geo
Mu
27%
23%
10% 12% 16% 9%
PE
19%
16%
13%
RE
8%
HE
8%
Art
5% Mu.
4%
9% 1%
1% 17%
28%
3% 42%
2% 13%
6% 28% 8% RE
23%
3% 16% 21% 2%
46
2%
PE
5% 14% 13% HE
These responses show that teachers integrate aspects of the curriculum
where it makes pedagogical sense to do so, and they apply a similar
rationale to subject based teaching.
•
,
One of the reasons which was put forward by the Inspectors in 1985 and
by the 1986 INTO survey was that an undue dependence on textbooks
militated against the possibility of integration occurring because the
textbooks were written for specific subjects, and rarely took cognisance
of opportunities for integration. With specific reference to textbooks,
69% of teachers disagreed with the statement that the textbook is the
most important teaching aid, 18% agreed and 12% were uncertain.
Disagreement with something is not necessarily synonymous with
applying this principle in practice, and there are very many pressing
practical reasons such as large classes, a lack of teacher expertise in a
particular subject and the need to keep groups busy while teaching a
specific group which can justify the use of textbooks / workbooks even
if one might not do this if optimal conditions existed.
Aspects of
Curriculum for
which pupils have
textbooks! workbooks (1995)
Textbook
Workbook
Both
Gaeilge
18.1%
3.7%
55.2%
English Reading
19.8%
1.3%
66.5%
Maths
45%
10%
30%
Art/Crafts
2.4%
3.1%
5.4%
Envir. Studies
23.1%
10.8%
4.4%
History
37.6%
3.5%
11.3%
Geography
30%
5.0%
13.3%
Music
9.6%
11.7%
1.9%
PE
0.4%
1.7%
0.0%
57.6%
8.7%
7.0%
1.5%
4.2%
0.2%
Religion
H.Ed.
47
These responses do not betoken undue dependence on textbooks
because Irish and English are the only areas of the curriculum for which
over 50% of teachers use textbooks and workbooks. An examination of
the responses to the 1996 survey will show that the use of textbooks is
down in practically every aspect of the curriculum, and in some
instances, dramatically so.
Aspects of Curriculum
for which pupils have
textbooks! workbooks (1986)
Gaeilge
English Reading
Maths
Art/Crafts
Envir. Studies
History
Geography
Music
PE
Religion
Textbook
Workbook
79.8%
97.0%
78.8%
0.6%
19.1%
47.3%
48.2%
4.3%
65.3%
79.2%
53.9%
4.6%
11.8%
6.0%
12.2%
7.6%
0.5%
40.8%
0.3%
73.1%
Planning determined by
sequencing in textbooks
Yes
No
Leitheoireacht Ghaeilge
68%
94%
51%
4%
30%
4%
18%
41%
67%
English Reading
Maths
Art/Crafts
Envir. Studies
History
38%
48%
15%
5%
72%
5%
Geography
Music
PE
Religion
H.Ed.
48
14%
23%
29%
53%
57%
12%
42%
The position with regard to the use of textbooks appears to be that
teachers use them for pedagogic and/ or organisational reasons, but a
picture of undue dependence on textbooks and/or workbooks is not
emerging from this survey. Where textbooks are in use, it can be said
however that they have considerable influence on the sequence in
which topics are taught. This seems to be a perfectly tenable position
because of the fact that many of the reading texts use frequency lists,
and they may be structured in terms of events during the school year.
Other Elements of the Survey
Information on School Planning
•
•
In view of the fact that considerable latitude is given in the Primary
School Curriculum with regard to choice of content, it is imperative that
planning occurs at individual school level to ensure that the curriculum
which is offered is broad, balanced, and relevant to the children's needs
and abilities. In 1986, 58% of schools had a school plan. There are now
school plans in 83% of schools, an indication of the commitment given
by staffs of schools because of necessity much of this work is done after
school hours. In 70% of schools, the plans were drawn up by members
of the teaching staff, and in 9% of schools, the school plan was devised
by the principal only.
Formal staff meetings provide the means for collaborative planning to
occur and for priorities to be addressed. Between the period 1986 and
1995, the number of schools which never hold staff meetings has
declined from 18% to 9%.
•
Frequency of Staff Meetings
At least once a week
3.1%
At least once a month
15.9%
At least once a term
41.5%
At least once a year
27.6%
Never
9.3%
49
In addition to formal staff meetings, there are the informal meetings
when teachers of parallel classes meet to prepare jointly for the following week or where teachers meet with the colleague who taught their
class during the previous year. When drawing up their programme for
the new school year, 65.5% of teachers consulted with the teacher who
taught the class during the previous year, and 42.8% of teachers consulted other colleagues before they prepared their annual scheme of
work.
Respondents were asked what influenced them significantly during the
preparation of their annual scheme work.
Influences
Very
Signif.
Curriculum
handbooks
Signif.
A little
12.1%
32%
35.7%
12.1%
Textbooks
37%
50.6%
6.7%
1.5%
Views of
Inspectors
4.0%
20.6%
44.1%
23.7%
Views of other
teachers
10.4%
26.3%
37.4%
8.3%
School Plan
16.5%
40.7%
20.2%
14.0%
Views of
Principal
10.0%
30.2%
29.6%
16.1%
Resources
24.1%
41.5%
23.3%
3.95
Outcomes of
Ed. Research
5.4%
21.9%
47.0%
15.5%
Problems of
transfer to
next class
7.0%
14.6%
18.3%
38.5%
Problems of
transfer to
next school
7.6%
25.3%
33%
22.8%
50
Not at all
:, It is somewhat anomalous that the school plan is only third in order of
priority when the significant and very significant influences are combined because there has been a very considerable increase in the number of schools which have school plans, and if the plan has less influence
than textbooks and resources, one wonders what exactly they contain
and if they are more symbolic than practical? Paradoxically in view of
the fact that the responses to a previous question appeared to indicate a
diminution in the influence of textbooks as a teaching tool, these
responses point to the continuing precedence of textbooks over all other
influences as a means of planning the annual scheme of work. It is clear
that even in an educational system which views curriculum reform as
something which should be undertaken every quarter of a century, textbooks and the availability of other resources continue to be a powerful
mechanism for change.
This is reflected in the attitudes to the current curriculum with 20% of
teachers saying that it was satisfactory, 54% say that it is adequate and
20% consider it to be unsatisfactory. The curriculum as taught is different to the curriculum as written, and teachers have chosen textbooks
which have enabled them to address some of the perceived deficiencies
in the present curriculum. For example, for some time past, anecdotal
evidence has suggested that there has been very considerable dissatisfaction with the Buntus, and publishers have responded to teacher dissatisfaction by producing a variety of different workbooks and other
resources for the teaching of Comhra Gaeilge. Similarly, the textbooks in
History and Geography sought to adopt the approach which professional historians and geographers used, but a certain amount of resistance from teachers has resulted in a return to the approach of a previous era with a greater emphasis on factual information. It is evident
therefore that although the Primary School Curriculum has been in
place since 1971, things have not remained static, but that change has
been effected by the simple expedient of changing textbooks and workbooks to meet different circumstances and demands.
The final question sought to ascertain which areas of the curriculum
were most in need of reform.
51
Subjects in which changes
are needed
Respondents who say that
change is needed
Gaeilge
78.3%
English
16.5%
Maths
30.2%
Art/Crafts
14.6%
Environmental Studies
13.9%
History
12.7%
Geography
11.3%
Music
18.7%
PE
15.9%
Religion
20.4%
Health Ed.
8.7%
The main area of concern is Gaeilge with practically four out of every
five teachers stating that change is urgently required. There is a reasonable level of satisfaction with the other areas of the curriculum, and this
points to the need for a gradual approach to change. Wholesale change
in the content of specific subjects or in the overall number of subjects to
be taught is neither required nor desirable at this juncture, but it is
important that the primary school curriculum be reviewed more frequently so that change can be on a structured rather than on an ad-hoc
basis.
References
Department of Education, "The Implementation of the Principles of
the Primary School Curriculum", p.61.
2
English is being taken as the first language and Irish as the second
language because of the small percentage of responses from
Gaeltacht and All Irish Schools (6 per cent of total).
J
INTO, Primary Curriculum and Related Matters, p.37.
4
Dept of Education, Primary School Curriculum, p.20.
52
CHAPTER
6
Conclusions and RecoInmendations
At the outset, it is important to note that the overall support for the principles which underpin the Primary School Curriculum remains very
high among teachers. For example, support for full and harmonious
development remains overwhelming and is practically identical to that
which obtained in 1986. There are however some contradictions
between support for the principle and reality in the classroom. For
example, the role which language plays in the child's development is
still being underemphasised, and there is a need for the new curriculum
guidelines to give practical guidance with regard to the manner in
which children's language development can be nurtured and enhanced.
The situation with regard to the teaching of the visual arts and music
remains a source of concern, and it appears that the talents of teaching
staffs are not being utilised to the fullest extent because the number of
teachers teaching classes other than their own has decreased from 55%
in 1986 to 22% in this survey. There has however, been a significant
increase in the number of specialist PE teachers (from 9% in 1986 to 22%
in 1995), and it is not clear whether this can be ascribed to a lack of
expertise within schools or is a reflection of an increasingly litigious
society where a teacher's competence to teach the subject could be
queried in a court of law in the event of an accident occurring to one of
the pupils.
As a final comment on the implementation of this principle, it appears
increasingly difficult to expect one teacher to deliver adequately to his
or her pupils each area of experience. There is a need to examine the
case for increasing the level of specialisation within the larger schools,
and for employing peripatetic teachers in the smaller schools so that
teachers who have particular talents in Art and Crafts, PE and Music
can empower teachers through school based incareer development
opportunities to teach these subjects, thus enabling pupils to encounter
a broadly balanced curriculum which promotes all aspects of their
development. In any event, there is an urgent need to provide relevant
in-service education so that teachers' expertise in each curricular area
may be enhanced.
53
Support for the concept of making due allowance for individual difference remains very high, but there is a number of anomalies between this
expressed support for the principle and the reality of classroom practice. The incidence of whole class teaching has decreased slightly on the
1986 survey, with almost 60% of teachers devoting between 51 and
100% of their time to whole class teaching. In view of the continuation
of unacceptably large classes, inadequate resources and minimal backup for teachers, the keeping of records on all aspects of the individual
pupil's development may be a more valid measure of making provision
for individual difference, and in this regard, there is an increase of 9%
(from 34% to 43%) in the number of teachers who keep records of
pupils' social and personal development. This process could be assisted
by the devising of a standard pupil profile record cards. However, the
most obvious initiative which would improve provision for individual
difference is a reduction in class size. There is also an urgent need for
research to be undertaken into the most effective teaching/learning
strategies and classroom management techniques.
In light of the distinction made by the Primary Curriculum between discovery and directed discovery, this survey provides an opportunity to
analyse current attitudes to activity/discovery methods. The numbers
in favour of activity/discovery methods were the same as those which
obtained in 1986, (81%) and this gives further credence to the INTO's
view that clarification was needed with regard to the principle, but that
classroom practice was a pragmatic blend of the most suitable combination of methods, given the set of circumstances which obtained such
as the topic, the age of the children, the availability of resources and
class size.
Support for the concept of environment based learning has declined
from 80% in 1986 to 62% in the present survey, and it is difficult to
ascribe this decrease to any particular reason apart from the greater use
of broadcast and commercial material. This change in attitude to environment based learning has obvious implications for the teaching of the
new Social, Environmental and Scientific Education programme, and it
points to the need for arc extensive in-service programme so that the
various teaching methodologies can be addressed.
There has been a continued decline in support for the principle that all
54
aspects of the curriculum should be integrated (55% in 1986 and 50% in
1995), but 88% of respondents teach elements of the curriculum on an
integrated basis. These findings suggest that many teachers have an
antipathy to the doctrinaire perspective which ordains that all aspects of
the curriculum should be integrated, but they have no difficulty with
integration when it makes pedagogical sense to do so.
There is still very considerable goodwill among teachers for the childcentred philosophy of the Primary School Curriculum. The survey
results point to the necessity for the changes in the forthcoming new
curriculum to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary because of the
continued support which exists among teachers for the principles
underpinning the present primary school curriculum.
It is also necessary to address in a creative fashion the demands which
our changed situation vis-a vis our European neighbours and the explosion of knowledge create. This involves looking at the primary school
curriculum not just with regard to content, but also in terms of the skills
which children will require and can be applied across the curriculum.
Into this category come skills such as critical thinking, observation, language, adaptability and the ability to meet the demands of informa' ion
technology. It must also be recognised that primary teachers are generalists not specialists, and the content of revised syllabi should reflect
this fact. There are always dangers inherent in having programmes of
study drawn up by experts in their own fields who fail to realise that the
most innovative programme in the world has no value if it is beyond
the competence of the ordinary teacher to teach it. It would be singularly unfortunate if an Irish equivalent of Sir Ron Dearing had to be
brought to bear in a few years time as a result of unrealistic demands
being made in the new programmes. Now is the time to decide which
are the essential components of each area of experience, and how each
area fits into the general scheme of things. Curricula should provide
practical guidelines, and they should not be so idealistic as to be confused with aspirations. With demands being made for extra different
subjects to be taught, the time is now opportune to decide what accommodations have to be made to enable this to occur, and if this is not
done, the only other alternative is the totally unrealistic expedient of
extending the school day each time a new subject area is adopted. There
is a limit to what young children are able to comprehend in any given
55
day or week.
Structures must also be put in place so that teachers can be re-educated
to meet new challenges, and so that teachers' knowledge and skills will
not lag behind curricular innovation and changing needs. The time is
opportune for strategic planning to be undertaken so that curriculum
change can be addressed in a coherent fashion, and not be the subject of
transient fashions. For once and for all, the concept of a final curriculum
change should be abandoned, and instead, the aspiration should be to
create structures which recognise change as something which is
inevitable and must be addressed by all of the reference groups which
have been entrusted with ensuring that the children of Ireland are
equipped with the values, skills and knowledge to cope with the
demands of the next millennium.
56
IRISH NATIONAL TEACHERS' ORGANIZATION
EDUCATION COMMITTEE
QUESTIONNAIRE
PRIMARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM
SECTION A: BACKGROUND OF TEACHER
Principal
Assistant
0
0
1. Description of Teacher
Please ./ the appropriate box
Female
Male
0
0
No. of years teaching
0-5
6·10
11-15
0
0
0
16·25 26+
0
0
2. Description of School
1-3
Size 01 school (number of teachers)
4-6
0
0
Sex type of school
mixed
0
18+
0
0
0
town 0
0
0
urban
Suburban
Location
9-12 13-18
7-8
rural
0
girls
boys
jun. mixed
+ girls
0
0
infants~un.
full stream
(inl. - 6th)
Type of school
0
0
0
middle/senior
0
0
All Irish Ga!!tacht
All Irish Gaeltachl
Ordinary
Special
0
0
0
0
3. Current Duties
(a) Teaching at Present
jun.
sen.
inl.
inl.
0
0
',t
2nd
3,d
4th
5th
6th
0
0
0
0
0
0
(indicate mulUgrades by./ appropriate boxes)
"Walking'
Principal
Special
0
0
Remedial
0
Teaching
Principal
Resource
0
0
(b) In which of the following groups of
classesfgrades have you spent most of your
leaching career?
infants
o
Home Liaison
Other (please
specify)
0
junior
o
0
middle
o
senior
o
SECTION B: CURRICULUM
1. (a) Do you divide your pupils into groups for
YES/NO
leaching these aspects of the curriculum?
Irish
English
Mathematics
Soe & Env Studies
0
0
0
P.E./H.E.
Arts & Crafts
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
(b) If YES, on what basis or basis do you usually
divide them?
(1 )
(5)
(6)
mixed ability
ability
interest
standard/grade
randomly
behaviour/personality
(7)
gender
(2)
(3)
(4)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
(c) Which basis ((1) to (7)} do you consider
to be most effective overall?
2. Approximately what percentage of your teaching
time is spent on average
Class teaching
group teaching
individual teaching
3. How often do you take your class for educational
walks in the environs of the school? (.f one
box only)
0-25%
0
0
0
26-50%
51-75%
75-100%
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
alleast once a week:
at least once a month:
at least once a term:
at least once a year:
never:
4. Do the children in your class use nonstandard
measuring apparatus (Le. other than rulers, graded
measures etc.) in learning mathematics?
YES/NO
0
0
5. Do you use structural materials e.g. Dienes
Blocks or Cuisenaire Rods, for teaching
mathematics?
YES/NO
6. Do you teach on the basis of ability
grouping in mathematics?
YES/NO
7. Do you follow a school based development programme
YES/NO
in teaching visual arts?
0
0
0
0
0
0
8. Do you teach:
YES/NO
needle craft
0 0
weaving
0 0
pottery
0 0
other crafts
0 0
(please specify)
9. (a) Have you brought your class 10 visit
an art gallery or exhibition in the past year?
YES/NO
0
(b) If YES, how oflen? (.I one box only)
0
0
0
0
alleasl once a month
at least once a term
at least once a year
never
YES/NO
(c) Do you include art appreciation as part
0
of your programme in the arts?
0
at least once a day
at Jeast once a week
at least once a term
at least once a year
10. How often do you ask the children in your class to engage
in mime or dramatise stories?
never
(b) If YES, in which of the following subject areas?
Eng.
Soc. & Env. Studies
o
o
OPE/HE
11. How often have you brought your class
12. (a) How much is spent per child per annum on art
and craft materials for pupils in your class?
(b) Indicate the source of the above funding.
%Dept. of Educ.
0
% Direct parental contribution
% Board of Management (Capitation)
13. (a) Do you keep individual records of
the progress of children in your class
in the following curricular areas?
up to £5
£5 - £10
£10 - £20
£20 plus
o
o
0
0
0
0
0
0
o Religion
OA+C
at least once a month
at least once a term
at least once a year
never
on visits to the theatre or has any
theatre-in-education company visited
your school
o
o
0
YES/NO
(d) Do you use visual aids to help children
experience works of art?
o If.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
% Local Funding
Don't know
YES/NO
Gaeilge
English
Maths
Art/Crafts
Envir. Studies
History
Geography
Music
P.E.
H.Ed.
Religion
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
,
(b) If YES, are the records based on:
standardised tests
non·standardised tests
observation
other
(c)
How often do you update these records?
al least ooce a day
al least once a week
at least once a month
at least once a term
at least once a year
0
personal observation
psychological assessment
standardised tests
other
(c) How often do you up-date these records?
at least once a month
at least once a term
at least once a year
16. (a) Do you include elementary science in your
environmental studies programme
0
0
0
0
0
YES/NO
0
(b) If YES, are most of the items on the table
changed on a regular basis?
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
alleast once a day
at least once a week
15. (a) Do you have a nature table in your classroom?
0
0
YES/NO
14. (a) Do you keep individual records of
the social and personal development
of all the children in your class?
(b) If YES, are the records based on:
0
0
0
YES/NO
0
0
YES/NO
0
0
(b) Do the children conduct simple
scientific experiments in class?
YES/NO
(c) Do you have an investigation table
YES/NO
in your classroom?
(d) If yes, are most of the items on the table
changed on a regular basis?
t 7. (a) Do you teach aspects of the curriculum
on an integrated basis
(b) If YES, indicate which aspects of the
curriculum you teach on an integrated
basis by,f the box which inter connects
the aspects.
0
0
0
0
YES/NO
0
0
YES/NO
0
0
English
Maths
Art/Craft
Env. Studies
History
Geography
Music
PE
Religion
Health Ed.
Gaeilge
0
English
0
0
Maths
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Art/Craft
Env. Stud.
0
History
0
0 Geography
0
0 0
Music
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
P.E.
0
0
Religion
0
18. (a) Which approach to teaching do you prefer to use?
0
0
Instruction based (didactic)
activity based (heuristic or discovery)
(b) What percentage of your leaching approximately is:
0-25%
instruction based
(didactic)
activity based
(heuristic or discovery)
o
o
19. (a) How often do you teach music:
76·100%
26-SQC,f.
o
o
o
at least once a day
at least twice a week
at least once a week
at least once a month
never
(b) If you teach music, does you music teaching include:
If NEVER, how often does another teacher teach
music to your class? (.... one box only)
0
0
0
0
0
YES/NO
listening to music regularly
ear training
sight training
singing
playing musical instruments
(c)
o
o
o
o
o
0
0
at least twice a week
at least once a week
at least once a month
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
YESINO
(d) If another teacher teaches music to your class, does it include:
0
listening to music regularly
ear training
0
sight training
0
singing
0 0
playing musical instruments 0
0
o
o
o
20. (a) What facilities does your school have for the
teaching of P.E?
YES/NO
P.E.Hall
0
0
suitably surlaced school yardO 0
YES/NO
G.P. Room
playing field
other, please specify
(b) Do you have adequate equipment in your
school to teach P.E?
(c) How often do you teach P.E?
(d)
at least twice a week
at least once a week
at least once a month
never
0
0
0
0
0
YES/NO
If you teach P.E. does your teaching include
dance
educational gymnastics
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
If NEVER, how often does another teacher
teach you class P.E. (.I one box only)
(f)
0
0
0
YES/NO
0
games
free movement
(e)
0
0
0
at least twice a week
alleast once a week
at least once a month
If another teacher teaches PE does
it include:
YES/NO
games
free movement
dance
educational gymnastics
21. (a) How often do you teach Health
Education? (.I one box only)
0
0
0
0
at least twice a week
at least once a week
at least once a month
(b) Does your Health Education programme
include any of the following areas?
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
personal hygiene
nutrition
substance abuse
sex education
personal development 0
safety
other, please specify
22. (a) Do you teach the Stay Safe
Programme?
(b) If YES, do you find the programme
0
YES/NO
0
satisfactory?
adequate
unsatisfactory?
0
0
0
0
23. (a) Do you teach any aspect of the curriculum
to a class other than your own on a
regular basis?
(b) If YES, please indicate which aspects.
YES/NO
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Gaeilge
English
Maths
Art/Crafts
Envir. Studies
History
Geography
Music
P.E.
Religion
H.Ed.
other, please specify
(c) (i)
YES/NO
Does any other teacner on the staff of
your school teach any other aspect of
the curriculum to your class?
0
0
Gaeilge
English
0
Maths
0
Art/Crafts
0
Envir. Studies
0
0
History
Geography
0
Music
0
P.E.
0
0
Religion
0
H.Ed.
other, please specify
(ii) If YES, which aspects
24.
Does your school employ specialist
teachers to teach any of the following
aspects of the curriculum?
During School Hours
YES/NO
PE
H.Ed.
AlCrafts
Religion
Music
Dance
Speech/Drama
Continental Lang.
Other, please specify
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
25. (a) Does your school employ classroom
assistants as part of a Fas Scheme?
(b) If YES, do they engage in any of
the following duties?
0
Outside School Hours
YESINO
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
YES/NO
preparation/tidying up of classrooms
assistance with clothing, hygiene etc.
assisting in short visits,walks etc.
assisting during breaks, lunch breaks
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
,
,
assembly and dismissal
accompanying individuals on small progs.
U
U
temporarily withdrawn from class
generally appropriate duties under
0
0
the direction of the principal
helping with school meals
other, please specify
0
0
0
0
26. (a) Does your school employ classroom
YES/NO
0
assistants, other, than as part of a
Fas Scheme?
0
(b) [f YES, please specify duties
27. (a) Does your school receive visits from
YES/NO
0
visiting leachers?
0
(b) If yes, please specify areas of speciality
(c) If YES, how often do you receive visits?
at least twice a week
at least once a week
at least once a month
YES/NO
28. (a) Do children from your class attend
remedial classes?
(b) If YES, during which of the following
periods do they attend? (.r as appropriate)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Gaeilge
English
Maths
ArUCrafts
Envir. Studies
History
Geography
Music
P.E.
Religion
H.Ed.
other, please specify
(c) Does your school have a whole school policy
on the rernedialion of learning difficulties?
YES/NO
0
0
,
,
29.
Do you follow a structured programme
YES/NO
0
in oral language development in the
children's home language?
0
30. (a) Excluding books used by children on a
remedial reading programme, how many different
reading textbooks in the home language
are in use simultaneously in your class?
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
YES/NO
(b) Do you use any of the following as part
01 your reading programme?
library books
paired reading
shared novel (each pupil having a
copy of novellteacher reading novel
0
0
0
0
to class in instalimenls)
0
0
0
0
other supplementary reading material
31.
never
0
0
0
0
at least once a week
at least once a month
at least once a term
never
0
0
0
0
at least once a day
alleast once a week
at least once a !ann
Do you read stories to your class: (.I one box only)
32. <al Do the children write their own poetry
in class other than as part of the
programme in religious education?
YES/NO
(b) Do the children recite their own poetry etc?
0
33.
In which of the following aspects of the
curriculum does your class have a textbook
and/or a workbook
0
textbook workbook Text & Workbook
23
312
Gaeilge
104
English
114
9
395
260
58
177
Maths
1
Art & Crafts
13
20
29
Envir. Studies 133
73
History
218
20
68
Geography
179
29
80
54
71
10
Music
PE
Religion
H.Ed.
2
302
8
10
67
24
other, please specify
0
58
1
34.
Is your weekly or fortnightly scheme in the
following aspects of the curriculum determined
primarily by the sequence of material in the
YES/NO
leitheoireacht Ghaeilge 0
English Reading
0
textbook?
Maths
Art/Craft
Envir. Studies
History
Geography
Music
P.E.
Religion
H.Ed.
other, please specify
35. (a) How often do you have regular staff
meetings on curricular matters?
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
at least once a week
at least once a month
at least once a term
at least once a year
never
(b) Has your school devised
YES/NO
0
a school plan?
(c) 11 YES, who devised it?
0
0
0
teaching staff
principal only
other, please specify
36. (a) In planning your annual scheme of work
YES/NO
0
for your class do you consu!l with the
teacher (if any) who taught the class
0
immediately prior to you?
(b) Do you prepare your annual scheme of work
YES/NO
0
for your class in consultation with other
teachers in your school?
37.
0
Do the following influence signfficantly
your annual scheme of work:
very
significantly
significantly
a little
not at all
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
curriculum handbooks
textbooks
views of inspectors
views of other teachers
school plan
views of principal
resources
outcomes of ed. research
problems of transfer to next class
problems of transfer to next school
other, please specify:
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
38. (a) How often do you use television or radio
broadcast material to assist with
your teaching?
at least once a day
alleast once a week
at least once a month
at least once a term
at least once a year
never
at least once
at least once
at least once
at least once
at least once
never
(b) How often do you use pre recorded or
commercial material to assist with your
reading?
a day
a week
a month
a term
a year
Gaeilge
English
Maths
Art/Crafts
Envir. Studies
History
Geography
Music
(C) In which of the following aspects of
the curriculum do you use such materials?
PE
Religion
H.Ed.
39. (a) Do you agree with the following
statements?
disagree
uncertain
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
(4) Subject based teaching
is the most effective
teaching approach.
0
0
0
(5) All children should attain
nationally defined minimum
standards in reading and maths.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
agree
(1) Scholastic attainment
is the most important
educational development.
(2) Leaming should be based
on the environment.
(3) The curriculum should
cater for the full and
harmonious development
of the child.
(6) Precise detailed specific objectives
for each aspect of the
curriculum should be
defined by the Minister for Education
and assessed at the end of first
and fifth class.
(7) All aspects of the
curriculum should be
integrated.
~
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
,
,
(8) Activity and discovery
based learning methods
should be used as
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
frequently as possible.
(9) The textbook is the most
important teaching aid.
(10) In implementing the
curriculum due allowance
should be made for
individual differences.
(b) List by number in your order of preference the
1st
2nd
five most important statements above.
3,d
4th
5th
40. (a) Do you find the current curriculum
(b) In what subject, if any, would you
like to see changes?
satisfactory?
adequate
unsatisfactory
Gaeilge
English
Maths
Art/Crafts
Envir. Studies
History
Geography
Music
P.E.
Religion
H.Ed.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
other, please specify
(c) What changes, if any, would you
like to see?
Thank you for taking the time to complete the questionnaire.
Please return it in the enclosed postage paid envelope,
by Friday 15 December
LIST OF
INTO
PUBLICATIONS
Among School Children (1993)
£3.00
£2.00
Professionalism in the 1990's (1992)
The Professional Development of Teachers
- Issues in Inservice Education (1993)
£3.00
£3.00
A Career in Teaching (1994)
£3.00
A Teaching Council (1994)
£2.00
Accommodating Difference (1993)
Meeting the Needs of Chlldren with Social and
£2.00
Emotional Problems - Guidelines for Teachers (1995)
Poverty and Educational Disadvantage
£3.00
- Breaking the Cycle (1995)
The Educational Needs of Disadvantage Children (1979)
£1.00
(Photocopy)
£2.00
Educational Disadvantage - Report of a Seminar (1984)
£3.00
Remedial Education - A Review (1994)
Travellers in Education (1992)
(photocopy) £1.00
£3.00
Educational Provision for Young Offenders (1995)
Enhancing Self Esteem (1995)
£2.00
The Position of Irish in the Colleges of Education (1985)
£1.00
Early Chlldhood Education - Report of a Seminar (1983)
£1.00
Developments in Early Childhood Education (1982)
£1.00
Cooperative Teaching in Shared Areas
Classrooms (1984)
(Photocopy) £1.00
A proposal for Growth
£2.00
- The Administration of National Schools (1980)
Education for the Physically Handicapped
- Report of a Seminar (1981)
£1.00
The Irish Language in Primary Education (1985)
(photocopy) £1.00
Role of the Principal Teacher (1991)
£2.00
School Planning (1990)
£2.00
Discipline in the Primary School Incorporating
£3.00
Aspects of Bullying in School (1993)
FOC
Your Child in the Primary School- (1993/94/95)
FOC
Will you apply for a Principalship (1989)
Fairplay for Girls and Boys in Primary Schools (1989)
FOC
Fair Play for Girls and Boys - Sport in National Schools (1993)
FOC
English in the Curriculum (1991)
£2.00
Mathematics in the Primary School (1990)
£2.00
Primary Science Education in Ireland (1992)
£2.00
Foreign Language Teaching in Primary Schools (1991)
£2·00
Social and Environmental Studies (1992)
£2.00
Health Education in the Primary School (1992)
£2.00
The Place of Religious Education
£2.00
in the National School System (1991)
The Arts in Educatioil (1985)
(photocopy) £1.00
School Texts (1985)
(photocopy) £1.00
Preservice Education (1985)
(photocopy) £1.00
Cumann Muinteoiri Eireann agus an Ghaeilge (1985)
£1.00
Assessment in the Primary School (1986)
£1.00
Assessment (1989)
£1.00
£2.00
Working Towards a Gender Balance in Textbooks (1993)
Primary Curriculum and Related Matters
- Report of a Conference (1988)
(Photocopy) £1.00
INTO Rules and Constitution (1993)
FOC
INTO Guidelines for compiling a Safety Statement (1993)
£2.00
Be Active - Get Involved (1992)
FOC
Into the Future - Participation and Change (1991)
(photocopy) £2.00
A Decade of Progress (1991)
£2.00
Meeting the Needs of Children with
Social & Emotional Problems (1995)
£2.00
Promoting School Attendance (1995)
£2.00
Educating Teachers - Reform & Renewal (1995)
£3.00
Early Childhood Education (1995)
£3.00
Report of the National Principals' Forum 1995 (1995)
£2.00
Providing Education for Pupils with
Severe and Profound Handicap (1996)
£2.00
The INTO and the 1946 Teachers' Strike (1996)
£2.00
Report of the National Principals' Forum 1996 (1996)
£2.00
Effective School Organisation (1996)
£3.00