Reviews

Handbook of Primary English inInitial Teacher Education TeresaCremin and Henrietta Dombey (Eds.).(2007) Leicester and Sheffield: NATE,UKLA. ISBN: 987-1-897638-37-1, 246pp.

This book contains 15 substantivechapters as well as an excellent ‘Intro-duction and Information’ section cover-ing a range of topics that are critical andcentral components of an effectiveteacher education programme in Pri-mary English. The book has emergedfrom work done for a commission fromthe English Subject Resource network,funded by the Training and Develop-ment Agency for Schools to a consor-tium from UKLA, NATE (NationalAssociation of Teachers of English)and Canterbury Christ Church Univer-sity and complements a website createdby the same team (http://www.ite.org.uk). Both the book and website areaimed at teacher educators working onInitial Teacher Education (ITE) pro-grammes that prepare student teachers,both undergraduate and postgraduate,to teach children in the 3–11 age range.In particular, it is aimed at newlyappointed staff members. Perhaps thisexplains the fact that some chapters ofthe book appear, at least in my view, tobe overly concerned with the specificsof curriculum objectives rather thanwith the broader context of teachingstudent teachers how to teach Englishto primary school pupils.

In a thought-provoking introduction,written by Teresa Cremin and HenriettaDombey, the complexity of the task ofliteracy education for students in ITE isdiscussed and debated. The voices ofthese distinguished writers, recognisedauthorities in the field of literacy, bring anadded dimension to the book. They high-light the contested nature of the subjectmatter, literacy, and locate it within thebroader context of English and the rangeof pedagogic approaches that can be used.The specific context is that in England andWales, the policy position has, in thewords of the editors, ‘‘leaned towardsprescription and accountability’’, and theintroduction of the National LiteracyStrategy has added another layer ofcomplexity to the work in ITE.

The editors and the chapter authorsguide novice teacher educators to pub-lications that will help student teachersdevelop an informed understanding ofthe relationship between policy, re-search and practice. This is a key

principle, one that is strongly evi-denced throughout the book; that stu-dent teachers be introduced to thesedebates. The implication, which giventhe book’s origins within the TeacherDevelopment Agency is never madeexplicit, is that the pace and nature ofthe changes in recent education policyin England and Wales make it veryimportant for teacher educators to findtime and space for such debates withinteacher education programmes.

The book chapters cover all aspects ofthe teaching of English for primaryschool pupils. Together they form agood overview of the key issues anddebates. However, each chapter canalso stand alone as a reference pointfor the teaching of that particular aspectof Primary English. The chapters areaccessible and offer both theoreticaland practical help to those new toworking in initial teacher education,particularly when read in conjunctionwith the relevant website material.They are organised in a way thatreflects the reality of the teaching ofEnglish in primary schools, which addsto the user-friendly nature of the book.The first two chapters address orallanguage, reading and writing at KeyStage 1. In treating reading and writingwithin a single chapter on Literacy inthe Early Years, the authors emphasisethe integrated nature of literacy devel-opment at that stage. Oral language,reading and writing at Key Stage 2 arecovered across three separate chapters.The remaining 10 chapters addressaspects of the teaching of English thatare relevant to both stages; children’sliterature, drama, the role of technol-ogy, home and community links withschool, language diversity, Special Edu-cation Needs (including gifted andtalented pupils), assessment and therelationship between popular cultureand the literacy development of pupilsin the 21st century. This is a verycomprehensive book; yet I was disap-pointed that, while poetry is mentionedin a number of chapters, it did not merita separate chapter of its own.

It is a complex task to unpack anddistinguish the issues surrounding lit-eracy teaching and learning as part ofclassroom practice from those that needto be addressed within courses forstudent teachers of literacy. Studentteachers need practical strategies thatenable their pupils to develop rich andmeaningful literacy skills and practices;the challenge for teacher educators is toensure that in the eyes of students,these strategies are not reduced to a set

of ‘fun activities’. The degree to whichthis dilemma is addressed varies acrossthe chapters. Some authors choose toforeground specific curriculum objec-tives and others foreground the moregeneral and theoretical aspects of lit-eracy education. This perhaps alsoreflects different authors’ views aboutwhat can be achieved within the timeframe of an initial teacher educationprogramme. Eve Bearne concludeschapter five with the following advice:‘‘In terms of their own learning, studentteachers have possible lifetimes asteachers; they don’t have to think thattheir own education courses are theironly chance to develop their expertiseas teachers of writing’’. These, onecould add, are wise words for teachersof any aspect of literacy.

Chapter 16 of the handbook providesinformation about suitable resources,listing government organisations, pro-fessional associations, national organi-sations that support the teaching ofEnglish, library and trade organisa-tions, websites with teaching resourcesfor English and media links. For any-body new to teacher education as wellas more established professionals thischapter is invaluable.

I have to confess that although Ifound this book informative and enga-ging to read, I did not find it acomfortable book to hold in my hand.It is quite heavy and some of the textappears rather crowded on to the page.As someone who likes to feel comfor-table with a book I found this the leastsatisfying aspect of the publication.

Despite this, I would recommend thisbook to anyone newly appointed in thefield of English or Literacy in an InitialTeacher Education programme andwould go further and suggest that itwould also be of interest to the studentteachers and those working with themin other areas. It is critically importantthat people appointed to work withstudent teachers on specific areas of asubject maintain an awareness of whereand how their area links with others.Only then can they help students tobring the essential element of coherenceto their teaching. Some argue that thisdistinguishes the teaching of English atprimary and secondary levels. As such,this book offers the potential to punchabove its weight by providing a valuableresource for novice teacher educatorsworking in English. But also for thoseworking in other areas.

Siobhan McGovernSt Patrick’s College, Dublin

Literacy 2010 1

r UKLA 2010. Published by Blackwell Publishing, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA.

Literacy