What is collaboration and how can collaboration skills be developed in primary education? Collaboration is defined as an “Active engagement and interaction among group members to achieve a common goal.” Although this definition does in fact share features with previous formulations, for example interaction and common goals. (Dillenbourg et al. 1996; Krischner et al. 2009).Collaboration within learning has become popular in the 21 st century due to the need for society to work together have increased (Austin, 2000), even though it is a trend that has increased in the 21 st century, Lloyd and Beard (1995) suggest that working in collaboration with others is no a new idea in education, so teachers should be incorporating it into their teaching. Collaboration is about being part of a team, Donaldson incorporates collaboration in the Good teaching and learning encourages collaboration section of the new curriculum which states “ the ability to function effectively as a member of ...
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Should public funding be spent on reducing class sizes? Class sizes is “PTRs (Pupil to teacher ratio) are calculated by dividing the number of pupils on a school’s roll by the full-time qualified staff, not including short-term cover or staff that have been absent for a term or more”. Blatchford (2007). Class sizes is big topic of discussion at the moment within education because a lot of people within the education sector believe that class sizes has an effect on the learning of pupils. It is believed that smaller classes lead to better academic performance which is why the Welsh government are funding for smaller class sizes, a new policy Is being introduced in Wales to spend £36 Million to reduce class sizes as Kirsty Williams states that there will be 80 new teachers in schools that need extra support. (Welsh Government, 2019), however it is also argued that funding smaller class sizes is a waste of money and should be spent on better quality of teachers as Dobbelsteen (2002) pu...
The value of Welsh language in Primary education All schools in Wales must teach welsh in the curriculum as it is compulsory. Welsh is one of the oldest languages in Europe apart from Latin and Greek. Welsh was the language of the law along with Latin (King Hywel Dda880 - 950). The Welsh language is potentially up to 4,000 years old and up to 1850, 90% of the population spoke Welsh, however since the last count only 23% of the population now speak Welsh. (Jacob, 2017). Throughout a child’s education, they can learn Welsh and become fluent in the language. (Baker, 2004) expresses how education is important for children learning languages as it is a ‘major plank of language revitalisation’. (Hodges, 2012) expresses how Welsh medium education is not just learning the language, its educating for Cultural, Educational, Economic and personal reasons. In 1993 there was a Welsh language legislation act put into place for enhancing welsh language in Wales thro ugh education, “An Act...