Leena Robertson | Middlesex University (original) (raw)

Papers by Leena Robertson

Research paper thumbnail of Writing the Literature Review

Research paper thumbnail of Multilingual methodologies: capturing and representing bilingual children’s voices

Research paper thumbnail of Developing child-initiated pedagogies in England

Research paper thumbnail of The social basis for learning: considerations for the bilingual child

Research paper thumbnail of Early literacy and young emergent bilingual pupils: the exclusive nature of the national curriculum and the national literacy strategy

Research paper thumbnail of Teaching and learning in community language schools

Research paper thumbnail of Multilingual learning: stories from schools and communities in Britain

Research paper thumbnail of Translanguaging as a political act with Roma: carving a path between pluralism and collectivism for transformation

The Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, Apr 8, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Lapsilähtöinen pedagogiikka varhaiskasvattajien kanssa konstruoituna

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Oct 1, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnography of an early years teacher – working with young multilingual children and their families in a nursery class in London

Research paper thumbnail of Bilingual practitioners constructing mediation.“In a middle person I am a bridge.”

Research paper thumbnail of A young bilingual child starting school: learning in an English nursery class

The linguistic potential in the UK with over 360 home languages registered in London alone (Mutil... more The linguistic potential in the UK with over 360 home languages registered in London alone (Mutilingual Capital 2000) is significant. However the medium of instruction in most early years settings and schools is English (or Welsh in some schools in Wales) and opportunities for children to maintain and develop their knowledge and skills in their home languages rarely exist within mainstream education. During the late twentieth century, the main goal for educators was to view the use of children's home language as a 'bridge'to English language acquisition and there is still an assumption that English will take over the role of the mother tongue in early years settings. Drawing on data from 'a day in the life of a bilingual practitioner' project, we examine one child's early experiences in an English nursery setting. Examples of data from the filmed classroom practice during one day provide new insights about early bilingualism in English early years settings and the ways in which practitioners support learning during this crucial period of transition are considered. Finally, we question the imposition of a monolingual approach which means that English dominates both within and outside the setting and results in bilingual children 'losing' linguistic resources that could enhance their learning. We draw on research studies which argue for the support and development of children‘s home languages (Skutnabb-Kangas, 2000, Cummins, 2000, and Collier, 1995).

Research paper thumbnail of Symposium: towards democratically appropriate practices in early childhood education: researching child initiated pedagogies in Finland, Estonia, England and the US

Research paper thumbnail of Discourses/3. Kenya: Challenging Negative Perceptions around the ‘African Child’

International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Development, 2019

Contemporary childhood studies have portrayed the ‘African child’ as one who is vulnerable and di... more Contemporary childhood studies have portrayed the ‘African child’ as one who is vulnerable and disadvantaged. The developing world construct is a ‘western’ preconceived label, which shapes a universal deprived position for Africans. Nonetheless, this dichotomy is not representative of most African childhoods, which are comfortable and remain unveiled.

Research paper thumbnail of Parallel literacy classes and multilingual flexibility: learning to read in English, Urdu and classical Arabic in England

Research paper thumbnail of Multilingualism, language status, translanguaging. Home language use as a pedagogy for learning in school

Research paper thumbnail of Multilingual flexibility and literacy learning in an Urdu community school

This unique and visionary text is a compilation of fascinating studies conducted in a variety of ... more This unique and visionary text is a compilation of fascinating studies conducted in a variety of cross-cultural settings where children learn language and literacy with siblings, grandparents, peers and community members. Focusing on the knowledge and skills of children often invisible to educators, these illuminating studies highlight how children skilfully draw from their varied cultural and linguistic worlds to make sense of new experiences. The vastly experienced team of contributors provide powerful demonstrations of the generative activity of young children and their mediating partners - family members, peers, and community members - as they syncretise languages, literacies and cultural practices from varied contexts. Through studies grounded in home, school, community school, nursery and church settings, we see how children create for themselves radical forms of teaching and learning in ways that are not typically recognised, understood or valued in schools. This book will be invaluable reading for teachers, teacher educators, researchers and policy-makers who seek to understand the many pathways to literacy and use that knowledge to affect real change in schools.

Research paper thumbnail of Teaching for transformation, diversity and equality, in the teacher education system in England

Whilst each new National Curriculum for schools in England and the revised models of teacher trai... more Whilst each new National Curriculum for schools in England and the revised models of teacher training standards for those who want to qualify as teachers have made a claim (of sorts) of fostering democratic values and equality of opportunity, the current landscape of teacher education and schooling in England is such that it is difficult to prioritise these aims. The official government discourse and related statutory policy documents promote a view that a homogenised knowledge exists and ‘equality of opportunity’ can be achieved through individual teacher’s efforts. The governmental drives are privileged and prioritised through powerful inspection and surveillance regimes. The spaces of engaging with diversity and equality within both schools and teacher education are, therefore, limited and typically have to be struggled for. This is particularly important to note today when the government continues to legislate against diversity of thought, and reducing the role of universities i...

Research paper thumbnail of Theory of child-initiated education: the future and possibilities of child-initiated education

Research paper thumbnail of Developing child initiated pedagogies towards democracy and participatory practices in formal early years settings – the case of England

Whilst democracy and human rights are fundamental values that are promoted by the United Nation’s... more Whilst democracy and human rights are fundamental values that are promoted by the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, the European Union and the Constitution of the United States, there is an absence of research studies that examine what democratic and participatory practices might look like at the level of everyday practice in early years settings. Child initiated pedagogies young children’s collaboration with teachers and a genuine and shared exchange of ideas between children’s and adults’ world – relate to the broader, global educational goals and aims as well as typically local school policies.

Research paper thumbnail of Writing the Literature Review

Research paper thumbnail of Multilingual methodologies: capturing and representing bilingual children’s voices

Research paper thumbnail of Developing child-initiated pedagogies in England

Research paper thumbnail of The social basis for learning: considerations for the bilingual child

Research paper thumbnail of Early literacy and young emergent bilingual pupils: the exclusive nature of the national curriculum and the national literacy strategy

Research paper thumbnail of Teaching and learning in community language schools

Research paper thumbnail of Multilingual learning: stories from schools and communities in Britain

Research paper thumbnail of Translanguaging as a political act with Roma: carving a path between pluralism and collectivism for transformation

The Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, Apr 8, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Lapsilähtöinen pedagogiikka varhaiskasvattajien kanssa konstruoituna

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Oct 1, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnography of an early years teacher – working with young multilingual children and their families in a nursery class in London

Research paper thumbnail of Bilingual practitioners constructing mediation.“In a middle person I am a bridge.”

Research paper thumbnail of A young bilingual child starting school: learning in an English nursery class

The linguistic potential in the UK with over 360 home languages registered in London alone (Mutil... more The linguistic potential in the UK with over 360 home languages registered in London alone (Mutilingual Capital 2000) is significant. However the medium of instruction in most early years settings and schools is English (or Welsh in some schools in Wales) and opportunities for children to maintain and develop their knowledge and skills in their home languages rarely exist within mainstream education. During the late twentieth century, the main goal for educators was to view the use of children's home language as a 'bridge'to English language acquisition and there is still an assumption that English will take over the role of the mother tongue in early years settings. Drawing on data from 'a day in the life of a bilingual practitioner' project, we examine one child's early experiences in an English nursery setting. Examples of data from the filmed classroom practice during one day provide new insights about early bilingualism in English early years settings and the ways in which practitioners support learning during this crucial period of transition are considered. Finally, we question the imposition of a monolingual approach which means that English dominates both within and outside the setting and results in bilingual children 'losing' linguistic resources that could enhance their learning. We draw on research studies which argue for the support and development of children‘s home languages (Skutnabb-Kangas, 2000, Cummins, 2000, and Collier, 1995).

Research paper thumbnail of Symposium: towards democratically appropriate practices in early childhood education: researching child initiated pedagogies in Finland, Estonia, England and the US

Research paper thumbnail of Discourses/3. Kenya: Challenging Negative Perceptions around the ‘African Child’

International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Development, 2019

Contemporary childhood studies have portrayed the ‘African child’ as one who is vulnerable and di... more Contemporary childhood studies have portrayed the ‘African child’ as one who is vulnerable and disadvantaged. The developing world construct is a ‘western’ preconceived label, which shapes a universal deprived position for Africans. Nonetheless, this dichotomy is not representative of most African childhoods, which are comfortable and remain unveiled.

Research paper thumbnail of Parallel literacy classes and multilingual flexibility: learning to read in English, Urdu and classical Arabic in England

Research paper thumbnail of Multilingualism, language status, translanguaging. Home language use as a pedagogy for learning in school

Research paper thumbnail of Multilingual flexibility and literacy learning in an Urdu community school

This unique and visionary text is a compilation of fascinating studies conducted in a variety of ... more This unique and visionary text is a compilation of fascinating studies conducted in a variety of cross-cultural settings where children learn language and literacy with siblings, grandparents, peers and community members. Focusing on the knowledge and skills of children often invisible to educators, these illuminating studies highlight how children skilfully draw from their varied cultural and linguistic worlds to make sense of new experiences. The vastly experienced team of contributors provide powerful demonstrations of the generative activity of young children and their mediating partners - family members, peers, and community members - as they syncretise languages, literacies and cultural practices from varied contexts. Through studies grounded in home, school, community school, nursery and church settings, we see how children create for themselves radical forms of teaching and learning in ways that are not typically recognised, understood or valued in schools. This book will be invaluable reading for teachers, teacher educators, researchers and policy-makers who seek to understand the many pathways to literacy and use that knowledge to affect real change in schools.

Research paper thumbnail of Teaching for transformation, diversity and equality, in the teacher education system in England

Whilst each new National Curriculum for schools in England and the revised models of teacher trai... more Whilst each new National Curriculum for schools in England and the revised models of teacher training standards for those who want to qualify as teachers have made a claim (of sorts) of fostering democratic values and equality of opportunity, the current landscape of teacher education and schooling in England is such that it is difficult to prioritise these aims. The official government discourse and related statutory policy documents promote a view that a homogenised knowledge exists and ‘equality of opportunity’ can be achieved through individual teacher’s efforts. The governmental drives are privileged and prioritised through powerful inspection and surveillance regimes. The spaces of engaging with diversity and equality within both schools and teacher education are, therefore, limited and typically have to be struggled for. This is particularly important to note today when the government continues to legislate against diversity of thought, and reducing the role of universities i...

Research paper thumbnail of Theory of child-initiated education: the future and possibilities of child-initiated education

Research paper thumbnail of Developing child initiated pedagogies towards democracy and participatory practices in formal early years settings – the case of England

Whilst democracy and human rights are fundamental values that are promoted by the United Nation’s... more Whilst democracy and human rights are fundamental values that are promoted by the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, the European Union and the Constitution of the United States, there is an absence of research studies that examine what democratic and participatory practices might look like at the level of everyday practice in early years settings. Child initiated pedagogies young children’s collaboration with teachers and a genuine and shared exchange of ideas between children’s and adults’ world – relate to the broader, global educational goals and aims as well as typically local school policies.