Deploying communication skills

Encouraging discerning research involvement by schools

Whilst making explicit the challenges faced by schools through the questions, this paper also recognises the challenges faced by researchers. In this context the paper’s first goal is to increase the likelihood of schools participating in research on a sustained basis by helping them raise their expectations of what is possible. We also seek to help them understand what is involved so that they can plan for effective participation.

Learning to Listen

Aim: To modify the structured teaching programme,"Learning to Listen" (devised for a special school) for use in mainstream nursery classes, to monitor the effects of the programme in improving the listening skills of young children and to examine the support, training and professional development implications for teachers using the programme.

Visual awareness strategy

Aim: To improve childrens' confidence and engage disaffected pupils (boys in particular) through the teaching of a Visual Awareness Strategy (VAST), as a third visual tool with which to express themselves across the curriculum and to instruct teachers in VAST strategies and Action Research Methods to enhance their own teaching through the use of a visual awareness strategy across the curriculum.