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Research With A Primary Focus

3. HELPING STUDENT TEACHERS READ RESEARCH REPORTS CRITICALLY

All research deserves scrutiny and critical reading.  It is important to make student teachers aware of the different types of research, how each should be conducted and what each can tell us.  A useful activity for your student teachers might be to read two contrasting research articles on the same topic and ask questions of them - to offer a critique of each as far as they can, identifying its strengths, uses and weaknesses.  You may need to guide this by suggesting some key questions, for example, about the type of research, the sample size, the theoretical perspectives that underlie the work, the types of language used in describing the research - and what that might signify - and any generalisations made by the researchers. Margaret Clark's book listed below offers useful guidance on reading research critically.
 

Reference

Clark, M.  (2005) (2nd edition) Understanding Research in Early Education: the relevance for the future of lessons from the past London: Routledge



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Contents

Introduction

  1. Research that has informed your practice
  2. Relevant research about the learning and teaching of literacy
  3. Helping student teachers read research reports critically
  4. Carrying out research yourself

 

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