Collaborative Philosophical Enquiry for School Children

Two measures were used to investigate the socioemotional effects of collaborative philosophical enquiry on children aged 11 at pre–test in five experimental and three control primary (elementary) school mainstream classes. Experimental teachers received initial and follow-up professional development. In a pre–post controlled design, experimental pupils used collaborative enquiry for one hour each week over a seven-month inter-test period. Control pupils followed a normal curriculum. On a test of self-esteem as a learner, experimental pupils ( n = 119) gained significantly while controls ( n = 52) did not. There was evidence of significant reduction in dependency and anxiety and of greater self-confidence. Girls tended to gain more than boys. These results were fairly consistent across schools/classes. On a scale for teacher observation of pupil social skills in problematic situations, a random sample of experimental pupils ( n = 25) gained no more than controls ( n = 22) overall. However, these results showed considerable variation across schools/classes. Implications for future research, practice and policy are addressed.