This article is based on the analysis of a fragment of conversation recorded in a year one classroom. It explores the ways in which young children use language to produce a meaningful world and highlights the importance of language in the presentation of social experience. It then draws upon this analysis to discuss how children learn to use…

Moral dilemmas are not confined to adults. They are also part and parcel of children's lives. The deputy director of the Schools Council Moral Education Project outlines the basis of the team's thinking and describes some of the materials being developed to help children make more considerate decisions. (Editor/RK)

This article compares everyday life in French and English Key Stage 1 classes. It draws on ethnographic research in both countries to compare the experience of school children in various situations, ranging from learning to active participation in the life of the class. It suggests that socialisation in French and English primary schools develops…