DISCIPLINE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIAN PRIMARY-SCHOOLS

Teachers' views on discipline in primary schools in metropolitan Adela ide, South Australia, were investigated using a survey instrument deve loped for the Elton Enquiry into school discipline in England and Wale s. Results of the survey suggest that primary and junior primary teach ers experience frequent but minor discipline problems in their classes and in the school yard, but that they cope with these problems reason ably well. Data are presented summarising and comparing primary and ju nior primary teachers' most common discipline problems, which are the most difficult to handle, teachers' perceptions of the seriousness of these problems, and their suggestions to improve their capacity to dea l with these problems. Differences between public and teacher percepti ons of discipline problems in government primary schools are exposed. The implications of several findings for teacher training and developm ent are briefly discussed.