The construction of ‘academic language’ in German classrooms: Communicative practices and linguistic norms in ‘morning circles’

Ecletic Method for Arabic Learning in Islamic School of Indonesia

“…Both Islamic boarding school and Islamic school, actually, agree on that Arabic language is a unity, but techniques of learn may be different. The important one is that they should be done in balance and consistently (Kern, Lingnau, & Paul, 2015;Khayyat, Lam, & Suen, 2014).…”

Creating the Recognition of Heterogeneity in Circle Rituals: An Ethnographic Study in a German Primary School

“…Most academic discussions regarding circle time have been primarily focused on its functional and instrumental dimensions, examining value transmission as well as social and cognitive development (Lown, 2002;Mosley, 1993;Tew, 1998). Research has revealed that circle time is an effective way to improve student engagement, social interaction between teacher and student, and speech ability (Emilson & Johansson, 2013;Kern et al, 2015;Mosley, 1993;Moss & Wilson, 1998;Tew, 1998;Yifat & Zadunaisky-Ehrlich, 2008). However, such approaches have only highlighted certain aspects of homogeneity and harmony in circle time without examining the complexities of what happens "in the middle."…”

“…Current research has only sporadically considered both the process and the experience of individuals during circle time (Leach & Lewis, 2013). Research shows that children and young people generally have genuine, legitimate rights (e.g., the right to self-expression) in the circle; however, there is also strong tension between the teacher's power and the students' voice (Kern et al, 2015), which requires a "research-informed debate" (Leach & Lewis, 2013, p. 51). Viewed in this context, the present discussion focuses on the bodily performance, where tension and heterogeneity emerge "in the middle of" the circle: that is, the dynamic and diverse dimensions of the circle.…”

“…It has been argued that gathering groups of children, regardless of age, into a well-structured and purposeful circle enables teachers to deliver their curriculum in a way that encourages personal, social, and emotional development while motivating children to understand universal moral values and practice their problem-solving skills (Mosley, 2005). In a modern society, where the voice of students is being increasingly seen as important (Kern et al, 2015;Leach & Lewis, 2013), the implementation of circle time is believed to be an efficient means for creating egalitarianism, democracy, and solidarity in schools (Heinzel, 2001;Purmann, 2001).…”

“…Accordingly, it easily leads to the undesirable effect that people, particularly untrained teachers, merely regard circle time "as a medium for behavior control" (Cefai et al, 2014, p. 117). Based on more recent academic discussion, the focus now has shifted to analyzing what happens "in the middle" of the circle process (Kern et al, 2015). The major assumption of such language-embedded approach is that the acquisition and conveyance of academic knowledge is determined by the development of cognitive and systematic language.…”