The emphasis on subject knowledge in primary curricula is a world-wide phenomena; yet what exactly constitutes a subject and its practice remains controversial. The articles in this collection have been selected to enable the reader to critically examine aspects of subject knowledge in the primary curriculum and relate these to views about learning and the implications which these views have upon teaching strategies. A wide range of perspectives is covered within the reader. "Subject Learning in the Primary Curriculum" is organized into five parts. Part One examines the general aims of primary education in order to give background for a more detailed exploration of curriculum development. Parts Two, Three and Four examines the core subjects of English, science and math while bearing in mind the full range of views about the purpose of education and the nature of knowledge. Part Five introduces key debates about approaches to knowledge and raises issues about the future organization of the curriculum.

Introduction Patricia Murphy Part 1. Curriculum Influences 1.1 Introduction Patricia Murphy 1.2 The aims of primary education in member states of the Council of Europe Norman Thomas 1.3 Knowledge for the masses: World models and National Curricula 1920 - 1986 Aaron Benavot, Yun-Kyung Cha, David H. Kamens, John Meyer, and Suk-ying Wong 1.4 Education, Majorism and the Curriculum of the Dead Stephen Ball 1.5 Analysing views of practice Robin Alexander Part 2. English: Literacy practices in the primary classroom 2.1 Introduction Jill Bourne 2.2 The schooling of Literacy Joanna C. Street and Brian V. Street 2.3 What counts as reading in this class: Children's views of reading Eve Gregory 2.4 Disciplining English: The construction of a national subject Jill Bourne and Deborah Cameron 2.5 Young children's writing: from spoken to written genre rances Christie 2.6 Planning for writing across the curriculum Beverly Derewianka Part 3. Science: views of the domain and learning 3.1 Introduction Patricia Murphy 3.2 Constructivism and quality in science education Joan Solomon 3.3 Young people's understanding of science concepts Rosalind Driver, John Leach, Philip Scott, and Colin Wood-Robinson 3.4 Procedural and conceptual knowledge in science Richard Gott, Sandra Duggan, Robin Millar and Fred Lubben 3.5 Learning about physics through peer interaction Christine Howe Part 4. Mathematics - teaching strategies, perspectives on numeracy 4.1 Introduction Michelle Selinger 4.2 Scaffolding in maths, science and technology Mike Askew, John Bliss and Sheila Macrae 4.3 A proposed framework for examining basic number sense Alistaim McIntosh, Barbara J. Reys, and Robert E. Reys 4.4 Learning through problem-solving: A constructivist approach to second grade mathematics Paul Cobb, Terry Wood, and Erna Yackel 4.5 Telling and asking Eric Love and John Mason Part 5. Approaches to knowledge in the future curriculum? 5.1 Introduction Patricia Murphy 5.2 Expert knowledge Robert Glaser 5.3 The thinking curriculum John Nisbet 5.4 Situated cognition John Seely Brown, Allan Collins, and Paul Duguid