Child-centred practice in Irish Infant classrooms - a case of imaginary play?

This paper begins by outlining and discussing the fundamental elements of the process, child-centred model of curriculum, which has informed the two most recent Irish primary school curricula Curaclam na Bunscoile (1971 to 1999) and the Primary School Curriculum (1999 to date). The specific ways in which both Irish curricula embrace child-centred philosophy and practice are outlined. A clear picture emerges of the child-centred, activitybased classroom practice currently envisaged for Irish Infant classrooms. In the context of a 'fidelity-type' study of curriculum implementation, which aimed to gauge the extent to which the child-centred curriculum guidelines are being implemented in classroom practice, the paper goes on to present the results of a nationwide questionnaire survey of Irish Infant teachers. The views, attitudes, and methodological practices of the teachers are analysed and discussed. The results of the survey would appear to indicate that most teachers are implementing a traditional, teacher-centred rather than activity-based, childcentred pedagogy in their classrooms. The paper concludes with a discussion of the factors, which appear to be preventing a more faithful implementation of the child-centred curriculum approach in Irish Infant classrooms.