Transcript Transition Issues

Primary to Post-Primary
Transition Issues
24th June 2008
Transition…
‘The transition is a change on a scale that makes
transfer from first to second level a significant life event’
(O’Brien, M., 2004).
It involves a triple transition
 From a familiar school environment to a new one
 From familiar friendships and peer groups to new peer
groupings
 The developmental move from childhood to adolescence
Moving Up -ESRI/NCCA 2004
ESRI/NCCA
Study of 900 pupils in First Year…
 Most
settle in by end of first week
 25% settle by end of first month
 1 in 6 take longer than that
 Difficulties
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Girls take longer than boys to settle
Students who are less self-confident and have a
more negative view of themselves
Ethnic minorities including Travellers
Post-primary schools
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Pre-entry contact
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Open day – 5th and 6th class pupils/parents
Visit primary feeder schools
Meeting between 6th class teacher and PP personnel
– students’ achievement, learning strengths and
material covered at primary level
Tests – before or after entry to identify students who
need learning support, to assign students to classes
Home school links – accessible information
Home School Community Liaison Co-ordinator
School Completion Programme – Transfer
programmes
Induction
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Positive school climate – encourage good
relationships among students and between
students and teachers
Induction day at the start of the school year
Role of class tutor/year head
Student mentor scheme
Clear and effective code of behaviour and anti
bullying policy
Extra curricular activities
%
Helping with settling in (students)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Older sib. Primary Extra- Induction Open day Visits to
friends curricular prog.
primary
Buddy
system
Class
tutor
Moving Up -ESRI/NCCA 2004
Teacher
Post-primary schools
 Differ
in how they structure the learning
process for first-year students
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Mixed ability groupings - students develop
during the year, promote positive attitudes more confident as learners
Streaming in a minority of schools – less
common than in the 1990s
• Labelling
• Teachers moving too quickly or too slowly when
covering subject material
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Opportunity to try out different subjects before
selecting ones for the Junior Cert (no negative
effect on students’ progress in reading and maths or
on how well they settle in)
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Delay subject selection until end of first year
Taster programmes
In 1/5 of schools students choose their
subjects before or immediately on entry
Minority of schools - no choice of subjects
Monitoring of student progress
More progress in reading and mathematics
where there is an emphasis on settling in
10% got learning support
Students with SEN - IEPs
Curriculum
 It
is important that subject teachers
understand the teaching and learning
approaches that characterise students’
experiences in primary schools
 When post-primary teachers are familiar
with the Primary School Curriculum they
can help students to make connections
with and build on the learning that has
taken place in primary school
Principles of Primary Curriculum
Integration
Childcentred
Problem
solving
Collaborative
Learning
Learning
through
Language
Enjoyment of
Learning
Use of
environment
Active
Participation
Guided
Discovery
Language
Gaeilge
English
Mathematics
Social, Environmental and Scientific Education
(SESE)
History
Geography
Science
Arts Education
Visual Arts
Music
Drama
Physical Education
Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE)
Religious Education
Post-Primary Fact Sheets
Transition – some issues
 Recurring event
 A complex stage for students
 Opportunities and challenges
 Needs good planning
Transition issues
Workshop
Workshop
 What
practices in your schools promote
positive experiences for all first year
students?
 Are there practices that could be
improved?
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Whole school
Subject departments
Individual teachers