Research Interests

The development of language and literacy, and processes of education, socialisation and culture, the design of effective instruction and educational programmes for culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
Biography

Stuart is Professor of Education at the University of Auckland and Director of the Woolf Fisher Research Centre (established 1998). The Centre has a national and international reputation for excellence in research on teaching, learning and development in culturally and linguistically diverse communities. He has research and teaching interests in developmental and educational psychology with a focus on the development of language and literacy, and processes of education, socialisation and culture. Publications include books on reading and instruction (Being Skilled: The Socialisation of Learning to Read- Methuen 1987) and emergent literacy (Patterns of Emergent Literacy: Processes of Development and Transition- Oxford University Press, 1995); and papers and presentations on many aspects of teaching, learning and development in family and school settings. His most recent book, (Meeting of Minds - Learning Media 2002), develops theory about and extensive examples of effective literacy instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse children. Current research is focused on properties of quality teaching of literacy and language in the context of research-based interventions with urban schools. He has been Head of the School of Education at the University of Auckland, and Director of the University of Auckland at Manukau programme. He was a member of the New Zealand government appointed Literacy Task Force and was chair of the New Zealand Literacy Experts Group.
 

Most recent publications

• Phillips, G., McNaughton, S. & MacDonald, G. (2004). Managing the mismatch: Enhancing early literacy progress for children with diverse language and cultural identities in mainstream urban schools in New Zealand. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96, 2. 309-323.
• MCNAUGHTON, S. 'Considering culture in research-based interventions to support literacy.', In:David Dickinson and Susan Neuman(ed.), Handbook of Early Literacy Research, Vol. 2., New York, The Guilford Press, p.-, 2005
• MCNAUGHTON, S., KEEGAN, P.J., MACDONALD, S. 'The Socialisation of Language and Literacy Development', In: Low, J. Jose, P.(ed.), Lifespan Development: The New Zealand Context., Auckland, Pearson Education New Zealand, p.78-88, 2005