ABSTRACT
The chapter begins with an examination of the concept of pedagogy, which is a term that is still unfamiliar in the British context. The first section considers its meaning, the relationship between the teacher and the learner that it describes and the implications for our understanding of teachers’ identity and professionalism. In the second section of the chapter, the characteristics of teaching and learning in the primary school classroom are discussed and an overview is given of changes in policy that have had an impact on pedagogy. This section also refers to some of the major research projects that have studied primary classroom practice since the Plowden Report and considers the challenge for the teacher who needs to balance competing demands for learner-centred and subject-based teaching. Finally, the potential offered by a focus on learning processes through interventions such as Thinking Skills, Learning to Learn and Assessment for Learning to support teachers in adopting an ‘inquiry stance’ and taking control of their pedagogical practice is evaluated.
