Teaching our Traveller children to read: an action research project

In both Ireland and the UK, Traveller children reportedly suffer the lowest rates of educational attainment of any group. This study aimed to promote evidence‐based practice in the teaching of reading to Traveller children and thereby to raise their levels of achievement. This involved teachers delivering an evidence‐based intervention over a specified time frame (three months) and collecting pre‐ and post‐intervention data. The project involved 11 teachers in ten settings. There were seven primary and two secondary schools and one Youthreach project involved in the study. Participants were in the age range 6–17 years. Research findings indicated that participants made very significant gains in reading, and their rates of progress compared well with best international standards. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

A need to belong? The prevalence of experiences of belonging and exclusion in school among minority ethnic children living in the ‘White hinterlands’

Based on a survey of 711 children in Northern Ireland, this paper explores a range of aspects of experiences of belonging and exclusion in relation to school among three main minority ethnic groups: Irish Traveller, Chinese/Asian and European Migrant children. The study examines variations between each group and how they compare to the White settled population. The findings indicate that all three groups experience lower levels of belonging and higher levels of exclusion compared to their White, settled Northern Irish peers. The experiences of Irish Traveller children were the most negative. The article adds to the dearth of data on minority ethnic children living in mainly white regions in the UK and Ireland. It argues for the need to move beyond achievement gaps in assessing minority ethnic children's differential experiences in education and highlights the potential of belongingness as a concept for the further study of differential patterns of need and processes of inclusion.     

School books or wedding dresses? Examining the cultural dissonance experienced by young Gypsy/Traveller women in secondary education

Although considerable attention has been given to issues impacting on the educational experiences of Gypsy/Traveller learners in the UK, most of the literature is oriented towards ethnicity rather than gender. This paper illuminates the experiences of young Gypsy/Traveller women who are engaging with secondary education, and functioning in a dual cultural framework, in a time of increased gender equality. The intersectionality of culture, class and religion frequently conflicts with the notions of gender equality and education, requiring young women to make difficult choices. It is suggested there is an urgent need to problematise and deconstruct stereotypes typically held about Gypsy/Traveller girls, as not all young women feel disengaged, restricted, excluded and in conflict. While some young women, as is their right, wish to conform to cultural-gendered norms, this study has revealed some strong, resilient women who critically challenge values and norms within their community, which negate their right to a full education, to bring about positive change.     

Promoting the social inclusion and academic progress of Gypsy,Roma and Traveller children: a secondary school case study

The aim of this study was to identify support strategies used to promote “social inclusion” and “academic progress” of Key Stage 3 and 4 Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) pupils. The study used an interpretivist approach, incorporating an embedded single case study with several participant groups, namely GRT pupils, GRT parents, school staff and supporting professionals. The data were collected using interviews, focus groups and questionnaires and were analysed using explanation building – a pattern matching technique which uses theoretical propositions (generated from existing research) to guide analysis and organise data. The study identified one consistent strategy (focussed staff support) to promote both the social inclusion and the academic progress of GRT pupils, and several additional strategies to address each of these areas. The focussed staff support consisted of a dedicated staff member employed to support GRT pupils and families, and act as a consultant for other members of school staff.     

实施有效的市场营销策略是旅行社经营成败的关键

旅行社应根据自身的实力和水平，选择合适的目标市场，根据目标市场的特点，推出有特色的旅游产品，制定恰当的产品价格，采取适当的营销策略和营销工具，扩大销售，争取较大的市场份额。     

“作家”身份危机:论卡尔维诺的元小说《寒冬夜行人》

后现代主义小说家卡尔维诺终身致力于小说写作新道路的探索。在元小说《寒冬夜行人》中,他认真思考了小说写作中的诸多问题,充分意识到小说写作的艰难。这正是卡尔维诺的“作家”身份发生危机的重要标识。     

Changing English in a Changing World

This paper first investigates the phenomenon of changing English in our global village and the possible reasons for the changes,and then tries to discuss how people can understand this kind of change in terms of English is regarded as lingua franca nowadays.Finally,the implications and suggestions are drawn in terms of how people should have appropriate attitudes towards those changes.     

丰子恺与重庆

抗日战争时期丰子恺在重庆生活与工作,其文化活动及文学创作是他人生和创作道路的重要阶段,同时也为抗战文艺运动和重庆文学的发展作出了重要贡献,是抗日战争文学乃至整个中国现代文学的重要组成部分。     

改变方向

“No! ”I stated without apology, “I’m not giving you one red cent.”The beggar flipped me off with a stream of profanity.     

“换小孩”引发的英语标识风波

2008年8月，一场“换小孩”的英语标识风波，在祖国宝岛台湾闹得沸沸扬扬。当月4日，台北一家大报在头版位置发表文章，详细报道数条地铁线里给婴儿换尿布的台子，“错误”使用了Baby Changing这样的英文标识。文章说，“双铁”翻译“出包”（笔者注：     

Mentoring and the Changing Paradigm

This study examined mentoring and organizational socialization among law faculty at American Bar Association (ABA) approved law schools. Data obtained from respondents (n = 298) captured the types of mentoring (formal or informal) occurring in law schools and faculty perceptions of the effectiveness of each type of mentoring. Comparative analysis was used to examine mentoring as an antecedent of organizational socialization by comparing senior mentored faculty to senior non‐mentored faculty, junior formally mentored faculty to junior faculty with more informal types of mentoring, male to female faculty, and majority to non‐majority faculty. Results indicated that senior mentored faculty had higher mean scores than senior non‐mentored faculty on two of the six organizational socialization subscales. However, organizational socialization differences were not significant for other comparisons. The findings regarding mentoring are discussed within the context of diversity and suggestions for future research are provided.     

Challenges and a Changing Role

Eight participants at the annual NCSE conference held at Bristol in April took part in a taped discussion about the changing role of teachers in special education. an edited version of their discussion appears below
What are the new challenges you now face in special education and what problems arise in meeting these demands?     

陋俗流变与移风易俗——《中国陋俗批判》一书的序言

由于风俗的稳定性特征,有些风俗可能要落后于时代.这种落后于新颖、审美的方向转变;另一方面,与旧思想紧密相连的弊习陋俗在某些时间里时代的社会风俗被视为陋俗.它有碍于社会进步与发展,有碍于人的身心健康的社会风俗也可称为陋俗.我国历史文化悠久,生活习俗丰富,其中有些需要提倡,有些需要改造.《中国陋俗批判》一书所述及的陋俗,随着中国社会的发展与进步,很多早已不复存在或已近于消亡,这是中国社会不断向文明健康方向发展的必然.然而我们还应看到,当今社会,人们的生活一方面出现了向健康、娱乐、也有抬头之势,批判与克服之是一个长期的历史任务.     

忧患·变通·和谐——《周易》的人文意识与人文理想

自孔子视《周易》为“迁善改过”之书，从人道教训和生活智慧的层面解释卦、爻之义始，历代易学家，尤其是儒家学者，均把彰示其人文关怀视为研究《周易》的目的之一。这种人文关怀，表现为方方面面，兹就其中较为重要者略述如下：忧患意识《易经》作为一部形成于殷周之际的占筮之书，其目的是为了引导人们防患于未然，化险为夷，趋吉避凶。因而，在其卦爻辞中，包含了较为深沉的忧患意识。成书于战国时期的《易传》把这种意识概括为“明于忧患与故”。其曰：“《易》之为书也不可远，为道也屡迁。变动不居，周流六虚，上下无常，刚柔相易，…