Developing Reflective Writers in Primary Schools: Findings from partnership research

Abstract

Despite some reservations over the efficacy of practitioner research, there have been positive moves to engage teachers, as classroom researchers, in partnership with Institutes of Higher Education. In England the Teacher Training Agency (1996) has provided bursaries for teachers to undertake small-scale research and the Department for Education and Skills (2000/1) has encouraged the development of school-based inquiry through the Best Practice Scholarship scheme. This article describes work undertaken as part of a university-funded school partnership programme initiated to encourage collaborative research between teachers and tutors. In the Teaching Reading and Writing Links project (TRAWL)14 teachers, working as research partners in seven primary schools, explored ways of developing children as reflective writers. Some findings are illustrated and the impact of the partnership on pupils and teachers is examined.