Microspecial: A Pack of Life Skills Resources

Bob Hogg, head of Faircross School, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, reviews a pack for teaching life skills to pupils with moderate learning difficulties.     

Self-Injurious Behaviour: A Unitary Phenomenon or a Set of Diverse Behaviours?

The author is head of the department for children with specific behaviour and communication difficulties, Whitefield School, London Borough of Waltham Forest. He is course tutor on the M.Sc. course in special education (autism) jointly run by the school and the Cranfield Institute of Technology. This account of an original research project is based on his thesis for the M.Ed. degree in special education at Manchester University.     

Connectedness: Developing a Shared Construction of Affect and Cognition in Children with Autism

Dave Sherratt and Gill Donald teach children with autism at Mowbray School, North Yorkshire. Dave Sherratt also teaches at the University of Birmingham and is honorary research fellow at the University College of York St John. Gill Donald is also a specialist speech and language therapist for Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust. In this article, Dave Sherratt and Gill Donald outline an approach to teaching children who are on the autistic spectrum. They describe the social construction of understanding in normally developing children and suggest ways in which this differs in children with autism. These children may have difficulties in attributing relevance to the aspects of experience that are regarded as significant by most learners. The authors suggest that this may account for the poverty in social engagement or connectedness commonly observed in children with autism. Illustrating their propositions with vivid examples from practice, Dave Sherratt and Gill Donald go on to describe ten teaching structures promoting progress from early social engagement; through a shared understanding of objects and observable processes; to a shared understanding of symbolic representation in play, ideas and language. These structures, rooted in a fascinating evocation of theory, will help practitioners striving to develop a shared understanding of self, others and the environment in children with autistic spectrum disorders.     

Developing communities of learners

This article describes some of the findings of an evaluation of a ‘cross- curricular’ digital media arts project for Year 8 students at Lister Community School in the London Borough of Newham. The project was designed to provide opportunities for a thematic curriculum in which quality learning encompassing both independent and collaborative learning was central. The project was also aimed at fostering a range of knowledge, skills and attitudes around students' personal and social development. The findings of the evaluation suggest that the project was successful in a number of ways: in enhancing students' personal and social development; in developing a community of learners in which learning was shared between teachers and students; in developing students' confidence and skills in their own learning; and in providing models of a more integrated and thematic curriculum.     

AD/HD: Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or attention seeking? Ways of distinguishing two common childhood problems

Nigel Mellor recently retired from his work with the educational psychology service in North Tyneside. In this article, he proposes that attention-seeking behaviour may lead to major difficulties at home and school and indicates the ways in which recent research is beginning to clarify the area. Attention deficit disorders also cause great concern. However, the extremely widespread range of attention-seeking behaviours may easily lead to their being confused with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). Nigel Mellor explores ways to distinguish these two behaviour problems. This, he argues, may help target interventions more efficiently. However, a great deal of further research is called for.     

The effectiveness and rationale of the 'nurture group' approach to helping children with emotional and behavioural difficulties remain within mainstream education

Researchers, policy makers and practitioners continue to be interested in the impact of nurture groups on the inclusion of young children with emotional and behavioural difficulties in mainstream schools. Nurture groups were originally established in schools in the London Borough of Enfield in the 1980s and it is now possible to review evidence of their effectiveness in both the short and long term. In this article, Tina O'lConnor, teacher at Oakthorpe Primary School, London Borough of Enfield, and John Colwell, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at De Montfort University, compare scores on the Developmental Diagnostic Profile for a sample of pupils on entry to a nurture group; on exit; and after at least two years of mainstream reintegration. Their work reveals evidence of improvements in both the short and long term. In discussing their findings, the authors call for more in-depth, longitudinal research into nurture groups and the development and impact of whole school nurturing approaches.     

A Study of Gender Differential Linguistic Interaction in the Adult Classroom

This article attempts to determine whether men dominate the language in the mixed‐gender adult classroom. Form‐based and activity‐based research methods were used with a group of adults on a training project at Cranford Community School in the London Borough of Hounslow. The findings were related to some of the relevant literature on the linguistic domination of boys in the school classroom and an attempt was made to establish whether men use the same devices to control the language in adult learning situations.     

Drama, narrative and early learning

Melanie Peter is a lecturer in early childhood studies and special needs at Suffolk College, Ipswich, and a freelance consultant in arts education and inclusive/special education. Her recent research has focused on the value of pretence, particularly for children with autistic spectrum disorders. In this article, based on a paper given to the conference 'Innovation, Research and Good Practice in the Education of Pupils with Severe, Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities' at the University of London in April 2002, she presents an approach to developing drama with severely socially challenged children, underpinned by a rationale founded in the importance of early experiences of make–believe and narrative. In drama, children at early stages of learning can begin to explore and understand social narratives from the inside – a vital route to developing social competence. Melanie Peter concludes that while play–drama intervention is aimed especially at children with autistic spectrum disorders, it can also benefit a wider range of children with severe and complex learning needs and help them to participate more effectively in a social world.     

The 'Geography' of Classroom Learning

Too little attention may have been paid in the past to the importance of classroom layout in reducing or increasing children's learning difficulties. Although the approach described by Deborah Lucas, educational psychologist, London borough of Croydon, and Gary Thomas, senior lecturer, Oxford Polytechnic, is not a panacea for learning difficulties, both authors believe matching classroom 'geography' to teaching aims and styles may prevent certain difficulties from arising.     

A Reading Project in Barking

Ordinary class teachers have been enabled to gain special skills to help children with reading difficulties. Geoff Trickey, principal educational psychologist, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, and Lisa Crispin, research psychologist, University College, London, report     

图片交换沟通系统对自闭症儿童干预有效性研究综述

众多自闭谱系障碍个体在沟通方面面临不同程度的困难,功能性语言的缺失是其中的突出问题,这严重阻碍了自闭症儿童的发展和社会融入。图片交换沟通系统通过逐步递进的六个阶段,改善儿童的沟通能力。随着图片交换沟通系统的广泛使用,众多研究者开始关注该方法的有效性。研究表明,图片交换沟通系统可以作为改善自闭症儿童功能性沟通能力的有效方法,虽然其同言语产生关系的研究尚未取得一致性结论,但它并不会阻碍言语的产生。     

Using Social Stories to Enhance Behaviour in Children with Autistic Spectrum Difficulties

This paper describes teachers, parents and educational psychologists working together to meet the needs of children and young people with autistic spectrum difficulties in mainstream and special schools. It examines the impact on children's social behaviour of a two-session workshop for groups of parents/carers, teachers and learning support assistants about 'Social Stories' (Gray, 1994). It highlights the contribution that Social Stories can make to the management of a wide range of social behaviours, including inappropriate sexual behaviour, unsafe behaviour and obsessional behaviour. Issues raised by the use of Social Stories and their benefits for children with autistic spectrum difficulties are considered. The paper concludes by describing the developing diversity in the use of Social Stories and invites those working in the field to contribute to the body of information about their strengths and limitations.     

Macbeth: a poetry workshop on stage at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Keith Park, advisory teacher for Sense in the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham, has written a series of articles focused on the relationship between communication and access to literature for pupils with learning difficulties. In this article, he turns his attention to poetry. He explores the notion that all of us, to some extent, respond to great works of literature affectively. He describes his use of works by T. S. Eliot, James Joyce and Shakespeare in interactive and experiential sessions with pupils with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties. In closing this article, Keith Park provides a case study in assessment by evaluating the responses of one student and showing how the Shakespeare workshop enabled her to become an active learner.     

自闭症儿童心理理论的研究现状及展望

自闲症儿童心理理论的研究目前主要集中在三个方面：自闭症儿童心理理论的发展特点;自闲症儿童心理理论发展的影响因素;与其他心理现象关系的研究。纵观自闭症儿童心理理论的研究,其局限表现在三个方面;研究过程受语言水平的限制;研究主要集中在自闭症儿童的知识性心理状态方面;研究方法太单调。自闭症儿童心理理论的研究应该注意;提高研究的生态效度;注重自闭症儿童心理理论的毕生研究;注重与其他心理现象关系的研究;注重影响自闲症儿童心理发展的因素以及教育措施的研究。     

自闭症儿童装扮游戏能力的研究进展

20世纪80年代以来,国内外的学者在自闭症儿童的装扮游戏能力的研究方面取得 了很多有价值的成果.在分析了最新的研究成果之后,本文得出结论:装扮游戏能力缺陷 是自闭症儿童特有的障碍之一;心理表征及元表征缺陷、执行功能缺陷在一定程度上解释 了造成自闭症儿童装扮游戏困难的原因.此外,本文还介绍了针对自闭症儿童在装扮游戏 方面的评估以及干预措施.     

A Classroom on the Wards

Joy E. Cock, a member of the Hospital and Home Teaching Service, London Borough of Newham, describes her work as a teacher in a local hospital school, building on the children's hospital experiences to enrich their education     

A comparison of Saudi and Canadian children's knowledge of the causes of learning difficulties

In this comparative study, students from inclusive schools in Canada and Saudi Arabia shared their beliefs about factors associated with learning difficulties. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with 36 Canadian and 62 Saudi elementary students in Grades 5 and 6. Thematic analysis uncovered six themes: lack of knowledge, achievement or academic skills; cognitive and social‐emotional barriers; lack of attention and/or motivation and behavioural issues; home and parental concerns; teacher‐related issues; and physical/sensory disabilities and innate conditions. Although participants from both countries had a general understanding of the factors associated with learning difficulties, Canadian students showed a deeper understanding of cognitive and social‐emotional factors associated with learning difficulties. Educational and research implications are discussed.     

Integrating studients with special educational needs into mainstream schools in OECD countries

After graduating from the University of London in psychology, Peter Evans completed his Ph.D. in the field of special education. He directed a research project, funded by the Department of Education and Science, on curriculum development for pupils with moderate learning difficulties. Subsequently he became responsible for programmes on special education at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris. Peter Evans has published many books and scientific papers in the area of learning difficulties. Recent books includeIntegrating students with special needs into mainstream schools (1995) andOur children at risk (1995).     

The computer in the classroom: a medium for enhancing social interaction with young people with autistic spectrum disorders?

Angela Jacklin is a senior lecturer in education and director of student support at the University of Sussex. William Farr is a teacher at a primary school in Sussex, and a former MA student at Sussex University. In the project reported in this article, they worked together to consider how valuable the computer may be as a medium to enhance social interaction with pupils with autistic spectrum disorders. The research took place in a special school for pupils with severe learning difficulties in the South East of England and involved 12 children from the school's unit for pupils with autism. From this initial group, three pupils were selected for more focused study. Using a mix of qualitative data gathering and analysis stragegies, the research highlighted the importance of social interaction a round the computer and indicated that the computer could be a useful tool for enhancing social interaction. This was found to relate in part to the adult's ability to follow the child's lead, as well as the complex intermingling of events known as 'tricky mixes'. Where this happened, use of the computer appeared to result in more sustained and more positive interactions for young people with autistic spectrum disorders.     

Eczema and the Schoolchild

Teachers in ordinary schools need to realise that eczema is not contagious and to accept it in the same way as they accept children with flat feet, writes Shirley Street, who teaches at Westbourne Junior School, London Borough of Sutton