Teaching in Primary Schools in China and India: Contexts of learning (Routledge Research in International and Comparative Education)

This book compares primary education in urban and rural China and India. It focuses on how the sociocultural context including educational policy, educators and parents’ beliefs, and the conditions under which teaching and learning occur shape classroom pedagogy and determine children’s attainment. This in-depth, authentic, comparative analysis of the two largest educational systems in the world is a must-read for scholars interested in the teaching and learning in these two rapidly developing Asian cultures. A common set of questions has been addressed in diverse contexts. The empirical work on which this book is based is most impressive – videotaping of mathematics and language lessons, interviews with parents and educators questionnaires with parents, teachers and children and tests of children’s mathematics attainment – and this done in 3 locations in China, 3 in India and 12 schools in total. Front Cover Teaching in Primary Schools in China and India Copyright Page Contents List of figures List of tables List of photos List of boxes Acknowledgements About the authors 1. Introduction 2. The national context: Educational policy and implementation 3. The local contexts 4. The classroom context: Teaching and learning mathematics 5. The classroom context: Teaching and learning language 6. Policy-makers’, school principals’ and teachers’ views on teaching and learning 7. Parents’ and students’ views on schooling and achievement 8. Teaching and learning in Chinese and Indian primary schools Appendix A: Observation protocols Appendix B: Mathematics tests used in China and India Appendix C: Excerpts from Chinese mathematics lesson transcripts Appendix D: Guidelines for interviews of principal, teacher and education policy-makers Appendix E: Parent questionnaires and interviews Appendix F: Children’s attributions questionnaire Notes References Index Introduction -- The National Context: Educational Policy And Implementation -- The Local Contexts -- The Classroom Context: Teaching And Learning Mathematics -- The Classroom Context: Teaching And Learning Language -- Policy-makers', Principals' And Teachers' Views On Teaching And Learning -- Parents' And Students' Views On Schooling And Achievement -- Teaching And Learning In Chinese And Indian Primary Schools. Nirmala Rao, Emma Pearson And Kai-ming Cheng With Margaret Taplin Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book compares primary education in urban and rural China and India, focusing on how the sociocultural context such as policy, educators' and parents' beliefs, and teaching and learning conditions shape classroom pedagogy and achievement.