文章基本信息

标题：Cornish, Linley. (2006). Reaching EFA* through multi-grade teaching: Issues contexts and Practices.
作者：Boylan, Colin
期刊名称：Education in Rural Australia
印刷版ISSN：1036-0026
出版年度：2008
期号：January
语种：English
出版社：Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia Inc. (SPERA)
摘要：This book consists of 18 chapter drawn from the Second International Multigrade Teaching Conference: Turning Biases into Benefits that was held in September 2004. Readers to Education in Rural Australia will be familiar with the research and writings of Linley Cornish as she has a long term interest in multigrade teaching. The acronym EFA from the book's title represents Education for All and this theme permeates this book. Chapter 1 What is Multi-grade Teaching? provides a good analytical framework that guides the reader through the variety of terminology used when describing classrooms in which children from diverse backgrounds, ages, ability levels and school years are found. In the following chapter the philosophical differences between Multi-age and Multi grade Teachings are thoroughly explored. For the pre-service teacher education students these two chapters will be extremely valuable as they become familiar with the typical arrangements that are found in most small rural and remote schools in Australia. In Chapter 3 the link to lace based education in which situated teaching and learning happens is emphasised by Pat Pridmore using the concept of context as the focus for her discussions. In the middle sections of this book, a variety of authors from many developing countries located in both the Pacific rim as well as in African and Asian communities report of practices, policies (or the lack of), and equity issue of access, participation and gender as they impact on multigrade teaching and learning. In the concluding chapter the authors summarise many of the emerging challenges in multi-grade education using three organising principles: 1) the need to develop and strengthen partnerships between all the key stakeholders engaged in providing education. It was reported that by Pridmore that 1/3 of all classes world wide are multi-grade and that in many places it is non government organisations (NGOs) that are the principle providers of education in the communities; 2) the need for the inclusion of specific pre-service teacher education courses on multigrade education as an important way forward for addressing the concern of teachers who find themselves working in multi-graded classroom. In it worthwhile to note that 75% of the 24 countries at this Conference in 2004 reported that their countries did not have any formal courses in multigrade teaching in their pre-service programmes; and, 3) there is a dearth of formal policy and support for multigrade classrooms and the teachers operating within these contexts from those countries attending the Conference. The authors conclude by stating that there needs to be policies that focus on: i) improving teacher training and its allied support; ii) providing flexible learning materials; iii) strategies to allow for curriculum adaptation; and, iv) flexibility in the design and use of school buildings.
关键词：Books

Cornish, Linley. (2006). Reaching EFA* through multi-grade teaching: Issues contexts and Practices.

Boylan, Colin

Cornish, Linley. (2006). Reaching EFA* through multi-grade teaching: Issues contexts and Practices. Kardoorair Press Inc. PO Box 478 Armidale, NSW 2350 ISBN 0-908244-69-X, 296 pages. Paperback, $30-00 (direct order from http://www.kardoorair.com.au)

This book consists of 18 chapter drawn from the Second International Multigrade Teaching Conference: Turning Biases into Benefits that was held in September 2004. Readers to Education in Rural Australia will be familiar with the research and writings of Linley Cornish as she has a long term interest in multigrade teaching. The acronym EFA from the book's title represents Education for All and this theme permeates this book. Chapter 1 What is Multi-grade Teaching? provides a good analytical framework that guides the reader through the variety of terminology used when describing classrooms in which children from diverse backgrounds, ages, ability levels and school years are found. In the following chapter the philosophical differences between Multi-age and Multi grade Teachings are thoroughly explored. For the pre-service teacher education students these two chapters will be extremely valuable as they become familiar with the typical arrangements that are found in most small rural and remote schools in Australia. In Chapter 3 the link to lace based education in which situated teaching and learning happens is emphasised by Pat Pridmore using the concept of context as the focus for her discussions. In the middle sections of this book, a variety of authors from many developing countries located in both the Pacific rim as well as in African and Asian communities report of practices, policies (or the lack of), and equity issue of access, participation and gender as they impact on multigrade teaching and learning. In the concluding chapter the authors summarise many of the emerging challenges in multi-grade education using three organising principles: 1) the need to develop and strengthen partnerships between all the key stakeholders engaged in providing education. It was reported that by Pridmore that 1/3 of all classes world wide are multi-grade and that in many places it is non government organisations (NGOs) that are the principle providers of education in the communities; 2) the need for the inclusion of specific pre-service teacher education courses on multigrade education as an important way forward for addressing the concern of teachers who find themselves working in multi-graded classroom. In it worthwhile to note that 75% of the 24 countries at this Conference in 2004 reported that their countries did not have any formal courses in multigrade teaching in their pre-service programmes; and, 3) there is a dearth of formal policy and support for multigrade classrooms and the teachers operating within these contexts from those countries attending the Conference. The authors conclude by stating that there needs to be policies that focus on: i) improving teacher training and its allied support; ii) providing flexible learning materials; iii) strategies to allow for curriculum adaptation; and, iv) flexibility in the design and use of school buildings.

This book provides an excellent contribution to the literature on multi-grade education. The book is highly recommended as an addition to the reading for pre-service teacher education students, university lecturers, policy makers within education systems and the broader educational community.

Colin Boylan

School of Education, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga