ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the application of a relatively neglected aspect of Alfred Schutz's work, the concept of multiple realities, in relation to some of the teaching-learning processes in infants' classrooms. Instead of remaining 'a black box' opaque and virtually ignored by researchers, the classroom became the focus of activity, a focus which seems likely to be retained by many of the educational researchers of the 'eighties. The chapter represents two new directions in primary education. First, it is part of the attempt being made to reformulate 'progressive education' on a more adequate intellectual basis after the powerful attacks of its critics. Secondly, it represents a small but important research tradition which involves teachers examining their practice critically and systematically. The chapter explains the observation schedules used by the ORACLE research team to focus on those aspects of classroom life which they hypothesized to be significant in determining teaching styles.
