Section archive - Theories & Approaches

In this review, the author focuses on the inclusion criteria for the selection of studies in the National Early Literacy Panel report. The author argues that the interpretation of early literacy is overly narrow and ignores the important role of background knowledge and conceptual development. The author suggests that code-based skills do not sufficiently account for early literacy development. Rather, content-rich settings in which skills are learned through meaningful activity help children acquire the broad array of knowledge, skills, and dispositions that build a foundation for literacy learning.

This article provides an account of the processes leading to the report Transforming teacher education. Redefined professionals for 21st century schools. This paper traces the rationale for the International Alliance of Leading Education Institutes (IA), identification of institutional members, and the intended goals and objectives of the IA. The article also identifies the challenges of consolidating the vast amount of information across different contexts, languages and cultures, Finally, the key assertions in the IA report, including implications for coverage of initial teacher education, induction and professional development, and successful school, university and community partnerships, are highlighted.

This article reports on the research project 'Shifting conceptualisations of knowledge and learning in the integration of the new New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) in initial and continuing teacher education'. The project maps the learning processes of practitioner-researchers in their initiatives in the integration of the new NZC in their teacher education practices. This research focuses on teacher educators' narratives and strategies used to negotiate their theories/practices and subjectivities within the complexities and constraints of their own narratives, institutions and communities.

In this paper, the author focuses on Emmanuel Levinas’s classroom practices and everyday interactions with students rather than on his philosophical writings.