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Middle Years of Schooling is generally accepted to cover the school years from 5 to 8, though this can vary slightly. These are the last years of Primary Education and the first years of Secondary Education. It is also a period in students lives when they undergo significant physical, emotional and even mental changes. many believe that developing and implementing specific programs and/or settings addressing these issues will benefit both students and their achievement.
While there is interest in different parts of the world both regarding research and implementation, this is patchy in the Australian setting. This is more evident in respect of separate schools than in the understanding of what is involved and application within nominated curriculum areas.
This page gives access to procedures and programs in each state & territory, research, policies, international groups, journals and other general information.
States & Territories
Australian Capital Territory
- Introduction to the Framework
The section covering Early Adolescence [which covers the Middle Years] can be found here. - Teaching and Learning in the Middle Years in
the ACT
Covers Parts 1 to 4, while Parts 5 to 7 are found here. From the ACT Department. Quite extensive. - No specific programs exist as at this date.
New South Wales
- Breaking Barriers To Ease a Tough Transition
A 2002Sydney Morning Herald article on the position of the NSW Department of Education & Training regarding middle schools. - Focus on The Middle Years of
Schooling
From the Strategic Initiatives Directorate, 2005. - Middle Years, Going to a Public School
‘This resource is being developed to support teachers and school communities as they engage with and implement middle years initiatives.’ The Middle Years Issues & Strategies form part of this. - Middle Years of Schooling [NSW]
Brief position statement, indicating ‘a slow but sure steady evolution towards acceptance of the model.’ Access the Middle Years Literature review Part 1 and Middle Years Literature review Part 2 here. Also in Word format. - Middle Years Schooling : Professional
Development
For School Teachers and the Education Community. Run by the University of Sydney. - Our Middle Years Learners - Engaged, Resilient,
Successful
‘An Education Strategy for Years 5 - 9 in NSW 2006-2009’. - Teaching in The Middle Years
Curriculum support materials from the Department of Education and Training. Includes Professional Learning, Supporting Parents, Peer Tutor Program and more.
Northern Territory
- Making the Most of the Middle Years
In two stages, of which this is the first. The Second Stage can be found here. - Middle Years [CEO]
Information from the Catholic Education Office regarding the introduction of Middle Schools. Select Curriculum, then Middle Years from the top menu. - Middle Years of Schooling [NT]
Home page for this area. - Middle Years Principles and Policies Framework
- Rosebery Schools
Includes a new middle school as part of the school group. There is also information about the new Centralian Middle School in Alice Springs.
Queensland
- Indigenous Perspectives in The Middle Phase of Learning
‘This page explains the role of Indigenous perspectives in the middle years curriculum and includes a range of support materials’. Resources are listed here and also in Word format here. - Middle Phase of Learning, The
The State School Action Plan. There are Tip Sheets for parents and students available on this page. - Reading and Reasoning in The Middle Years
Information about professional development activities on this aspect. - Teaching Writing, Guide for Years 4 - 7
Created in 2 2009, this is a sample of work being done specifically for middle years students.
South Australia
- Action Research in the Middle Years
‘Aboriginal Education Teachers in school and CPC sites have been involved in Action Research projects over the past few years. Reports of these projects can be found in two Aboriginal Education Unit publications : Cycles for Success & Partnerships for Success. - Middle Years 6-9
Covers curriculum framework, information about learners, what’s new, resources, more. - Middle Years [SA]
Brief description about curriculum design & policy. - SACSA Framework Middle Years
Access material from the menu at the left. Sections cover Learners & Learning, Essential Learnings, Implications and Enterprise and Vocational Education. You can also find Resources here.
Tasmania
- Middle Years Numeracy
Information on goals and programs from the 2006-7 Annual Report. Scroll down to these. - Middle Years of Schooling [Tas.]
Brief position statement, indicating ‘a slow but sure, steady evolution towards widespread acceptance of the model.’ - Some schools are more advanced, though the model is not always the same. Brooks High is one indicated as moving in this direction.
Victoria
- Building Breadth & Depth, Years 5-8
Home page for information including curriculum, MYPRAD and more. See also the Victorian Essential Learning Standards information for this area. - The Middle Years Pedagogy Research and Development
Project
MYPRAD. ‘A strategy for planning and implementing pedagogical change in the middle years of schooling.’ - MYPRAD to PoLT
‘To assist MYPRAD schools in updating their data collection processes to reflect the Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12, MYPRAD to PoLT data conversion tools have been developed.’ - Years 5 to 8
‘This period of schooling, referred to as the middle years, coincides with early adolescence. This is a time when many students are developing rapidly - physically, mentally and emotionally.’ Curriculum, assessment, transition, learning standards, student resources and more..
Western Australia
- Future Placement of Year 7 Students …
In Western Australian Public Schools : A Study. Document that also canvasses the Middle Schools option. - Middle Schooling Association WA
- Middle Talk
‘The discussion list of the Middle Schooling Association of Western Australia’.
Research
- Beyond the Middle
Years
‘Beyond the Middle : A Report about Literacy and Numeracy Development of a Target Group Students in the Middle Years of Schooling, provides a useful national coverage of approaches assisting the literacy and numeracy development of Australian students in Years 5 to 10.’ Volume 1 and the Appendices are available as PDF downloads. -
Counting On 2007 : A Program for Middle Years Students who have Experienced Difficulty with Mathematics
‘The Counting On 2007 project was designed to support the professional development of teachers in identifying and addressing the learning needs of middle years students in mathematics.’. -
Creating Resilient Learners
‘Resilience refers to the ability to overcome adversity and obstacles. Resilient learners are therefore able to persist with problems and have a higher tolerance for not knowing. The middle years of school, especially the transition between primary and secondary school, is a critical time for the promotion of resilience in students. This paper outlines some thoughts on the characteristics of resilient learners during the transition period’. - Developing Lifelong Learners In the Middle Years of Schooling
‘A report about the practices, processes, strategies and structures that best promote “lifelong learning” and the development of “lifelong learners” in the middle years of schooling’ MCEEDYA. - Enhancing Learning in the Middle Years
An Examination of key elements of effective structures & approaches. ‘This paper [by Dr Julia Atkin] contains reflections on the essential elements that have been developed in Australia and internationally to enhance learning in the middle years of schooling. Principles of effective learning that underpin these developments are identified, implementation for development described and potential positives and negatives identified.’ - Integrated Curriculum in the Middle School
An ERIC/CUE Digest on this topic. - Learning to Read, Reading to Learning Research Report
‘Aimed to measure the impact of the particular approach to scaffolding the literacy development of underachieving adolescents in the middle years of schooling’. - Making Assessment Authentic
Questions and Challenges for Middle Years Research and Practice. Online article by Phil Cormack, University of South Australia. - Middle School Education …
The Critical Link in Dropout Prevention. An ERIC/CUE Digest on this topic. - Middle Schooling for the Middle Years
‘Discussion paper for the Australian Education Union by Rod Chadbourne, Edith Cowan University. The report critiques and questions some of the assumptions about middle schooling.’ - Middle School Configuration
Organisational structures covering a variety of groupings, their advantages and disadvantages, research behind them, middle years student characteristics and an overall summary. - Model Programs for Middle School Teacher Preparation
Brief summary as part of the ERIC Digests. References provided. -
On Target
‘Web-Based resource collections of information in middle level education by topic’. - Research Pointers to Practice
A review of research to inform middle years mathematics teaching and learning. ‘A review produced with funding from the Australian Government in association with the Quality Mathematics in the Middle Years conference in Perth [April 2005]’. - School Innovation : Pathway to the
Knowledge Society
Chapter 5 of a publication [Peter W. Hill, Anthony D. Mackay, V. Jean Russell and Vic Zbar]. It covers the Middle Years. - Student Achievement and the Middle School Concept
Research summary from 2006 providing information, references and recommended resources. PDF version for download. - Supporting and Nurturing Students and Teachers in Grades 3-6
Article from Phi Delta Kappan’s Kappan magazine. -
Taking the Tide at the Flood : Transforming Education in the Middle Years
A presentation at The Middle Years of Schooling Conference, Melbourne, 1999. - Teaching and Learning in Middle Schooling, A Review of the Literature
‘A summary of a review of literature carried out in 2007 for the Ministry of Education [New Zealand] by Steven Dinham and Ken Rowe of the Australian Council for Educational Research.’ Download the Full Report [PDF] or Full Report [Word]. - Transition from Middle School to High School
Research summary from 2006 providing information, references and recommended resources. PDF version for download. -
Towards an Understanding of Holistic Education in The Middle Years of Education
Article from the Journal of Research in International Education, December 2006. You need to gain access to read this. Try your institution for possible access. - Transition to Middle School
Brief summary as part of the ERIC Digests. References provided. -
Web Exclusive Publications
A number of documents are provided which can be read online, or downloaded as PDF documents. Many also have links to authors and to further sources of information on the given topic. - What the Research Says Or Doesn’t Say
About K-8 versus middle school grade configurations. Article with extensive bibliography.
Other Information
General Information
- Middle School
Information compiled at Wikipedia. Covers pedagogy and looks at implementation and use around the world. - Middle Years of Schooling
Annotated listing of texts and reports from the Australian Curriculum Studies Association. Fee-based. - Middle Years of Schooling Association
‘MYSA is an Australia-wide organisation dedicated exclusively to the education, development and growth of young adolescents.’ Newsletters [including an archive] can be accessed here.
International Groups
- Association for Middle Level Education
‘AMLE has been a voice for those committed to the educational and developmental needs of young adolescents. AMLE is the only national education association dedicated exclusively to those in the middle level grades.’ US based. Publications, research, professional development and preparation, news and more.
Previously known and listed as the National Middle School Association. - Edutopia Middle School Group
‘Teaching middle school is not for the faint of heart. But if you’re to do it, you know there’s nothing else quite like it. Join us in discussing what works - and what doesn’t’. - European League for Middle Level Education
-
Middle Level iNSIDER
‘Full of middle level specific content including useful articles, education news, book excerpts, free resources, videos, and much more’ You need to sign up to receive the newsletter but this is Free. - MiddleWeb
‘Provides a wealth of resources for schools, districts, educators, parents, and public school advocates working to raise achievement for all students in the middle grades.’ [US] Their Resources page has worthwhile links. - National Middle Schools’ Forum
‘Represents the interests and aspirations of middle school headteachers, staff, pupils and governors. As The Voice of Middle Schools we have contacts with many national bodies.’ Articles, research, International links, good practice, forums, resources and considerably more. [UK] - Some UK Middle Schools to be Cut
BBC report on Suffolk County plans to cut many middle schools by 2011.
Journals
- Australian Journal of Middle Schooling
Accessible for all members of the Association. Copies of issues can be purchased from MYSA. May be accessible through other institutions. - Literacy Learning : the Middle Years
Online articles. Archive from 2001. Australian Literacy Educators’ Association. - Meridian
‘Meridian is an electronic journal dedicated to research and practice of computer technology in middle school classrooms. Published twice yearly.’ [US] - Middle School Journal
‘Articles that promote middle level education and contribute to an understanding of the educational and developmental needs of youth between the ages of 10 and 15.’ [US] - Primary and Middle Years Educator
Australian Curriculum Studies Association. Access via the ‘Publications’ link. -
Research in Middle Level Education Online
‘An international peer-reviewed research journal published by the Association for Middle Level Education. The journal publishes quantitative and qualitative studies, case studies, action research studies, research syntheses, integrative reviews, and interpretations of research literature’. Abstracts and full PDF versions of articles available. -
Today’s Middle Level Educator
Podcasts [pod journal ?]. ‘A podcast series produced by the Association for Middle Level Education, is the place to hear conversations, interviews, and commentaries from middle level practitioners, leaders, and experts. Listen online or subscribe to the podcast’.
Policy & Policy Positions
- Australian Secondary Principals Association
Available online and as a Word download. - Principles of Middle Schooling
From the Australian Curriculum Studies Association. Access via the ‘Policies & Papers’ link.
Resources
- Access Middle School
‘Developed by an educator for educators. Once you use this site you will notice that much of its contents is also of interest to parents, students and anyone interested in learning and education. Much of the material selected for inclusion into the site was found on the internet.’ - Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers
Resources specifically for the Middle Years. - Creatively Teaching Science In the Middle Years&
‘The handbook evolved from a Science Teachers’ Focus Group conducted at Ballarat High School in Victoria.’ - Effective Middle Schooling
A manual that should be of help, by Julie Boyd. Australian. - Middle Years Programme Curriculum
By the International Baccalaureate. Covers all learning areas. - Middle Years Resources
Resources listed by Curriculum Support, Department of Education & Training, NSW. - Middle Schooling
Annotated links by an Australian teacher. Covers background and usable resources. - MyRead, Strategies for Teaching Reading in the Middle Years
‘MyRead supports teachers of underperforming students in the middle years [Years 4 - 9].’ Information and resources. Australian government. - Rubric for Evaluating Curriculum
‘The rubric examines different aspects of a given curriculum and can be used to evaluate the extent to which it conforms with best practice in the middle years’. - School Improvement Assessment
Comprehensive process that looks at strengths, areas requiring improvement, directions for school improvement and options for staff development. From the US, and Fee-based, but may be worth considering. -
Teaching with Digital Curriculum Resources
‘Education Services Australia develops and licenses digital curriculum resources to support teaching and learning’ Using the nlinks on the left menu, you will find many which are suitable for use with students in the Middle Years. - The Rite Journey
‘The Rite Journey targets Year 9 students, the age that most teachers recognise as “the year of disengagement”. The Rite Journey reinvents the traditional process of a Rite of Passage to assist in transforming the adolescent from dependency to responsibility’. - Turning Points
‘Helps middle schools create challenging, caring and equitable learning communities that meet the needs of young adolescents as they reach the “turning point” between childhood and adulthood.’ US, Fee-based.