Moving from the Primary Classroom

First published in 1983, Moving from the Primary Classroom is concerned with what happens to pupils when they change teachers in the primary school and when they move to the secondary or middle school. Although most children are well prepared for the organizational changes, they will face after transfer, the researchers found that major difficulties were encountered when pupils adjusted to the new teaching styles associated with specialist subjects. As pupils move up the primary school, and after transfer, there appears to be a decrease in individualization of the learning process in favour of whole-class teaching and group work. This poses particular problems for pupils who find the work either too difficult or not sufficiently challenging. The disparity in the varying rates at which children complete their work sometimes causes acute problems which are fully documented. This book will be of interest to students of education, pedagogy as well as teachers.