Adaptation and co-construction: An investigation of Macau's small class teaching policy

This paper reports a case study of a six-phase research project commissioned by the Government of Macau Special Administrative Region to evaluate the effectiveness of its small class teaching policy in enhancing school development, curriculum management, teacher instructional practice and student learning. Three Macau primary schools with diverse backgrounds were investigated in depth. School principals and teachers were interviewed with a view to gauging the effectiveness of the implementation of the small class teaching policy. The parameters by which the schools adapted and co-constructed the small class teaching policy included the way in which the policy was interpreted, the way school-based curriculum and teacher professional development were managed, and the way in which classroom teaching, learning, and assessment strategies were used in class. Processes involved the interpretations and actions of different school actors in order to adapt and adjust the policy to suit their own school's needs. The paper closes with recommendations for the Macau Special Administrative Region Government to consider in the context of sustainable development of both the policy and the city. Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). All Rights Reserved.