AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ATTITUDES OF TEACHERS AT KEY STAGE-2 TO SPEAKING AND LISTENING IN THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM IN WALES

The attitudes of teachers in Wales to speaking and listening in the Na tional Curriculum, both as a profile component in English and as a req uirement across the curriculum, were tested using a Likert-type attitu de scale. A 10%, sample of the whole of Wales was involved, specifical ly teachers of key stage 2. The results show the differences in attitu des between the teachers according to age, years in teaching and train ing. A factor analysis revealed almost universal agreement that speaki ng and listening help children to learn. This is discussed in relation to a group of statements concerning classroom practices in speaking a nd listening.