'Bully Dance': Animation as a Tool for Conflict Resolution

This paper presents the outcomes of a 4-hour activity day centred upon a short film entitled Bully Dance , a non-verbal animation featuring a unique soundtrack that focuses on identifying bullying behaviours and coping strategies, and understanding the role of the bystander. Participants were 34 year 6 children, aged 10/11 years old, from one primary school in a London Local Education Authority. The activity day consisted of an initial brainstorming session, with the whole class, entitled 'what is bullying?' followed by a viewing of the film. In groups of five or six, subsequent structured activities (brainstorming, poster making, letter writing, role-play, worksheets) were facilitated with the aim of stimulating discussion. Using the Children's Attitudes to Bullying scale, data were collected both before and after the activity day. Overall, the results suggested that children mostly expressed anti-bullying attitudes about bullying in schools; however, a minority reported pro-bullying attitudes. Anti-bullying attitudes did not significantly increase and, in the case of males, anti-bullying attitudes actually decreased. Females expressed higher anti-bullying attitudes than males, both before and after the activity day. The authors suggest that participating in the activity day may have had an impact upon knowledge and understanding of bullying, rather than attitudes as such. Furthermore, the results indicate that further consideration of the design and delivery of structured activities is required so that boys can be reached as effectively as girls can.     

Experiences of a gifted and talented enrichment cluster for pupils aged five to seven

There has been an increased commitment to gifted and talented education in the UK in recent years, with a national strategy of grant-funded programmes. However, research into the effective-ness of gifted programmes is relatively limited. This paper, written by Anne Morgan of the Centre for Education and Inclusion Research at Sheffield Hallam University, investigates parents', teachers' and children's experiences and views of the impact of an enrichment programme for gifted and talented pupils aged five to seven. Methods included a survey of mainstream teachers (n = 15), interviews with parents (n = 17) and activities with pupils (between 16 and 24 children). Results showed that children and parents rated the cluster highly, particularly the varied teaching styles and interaction with other gifted children. There were few concerns regarding withdrawal of children from school in order to attend. All parents felt that their children had benefited from attending and around half said there had been an impact on their social and academic development. Similarly, around half of mainstream teachers said that attending the cluster had benefited children socially and academically.     

Writing by academics: a transactional and systems approach to academic writing behaviours

The literature on academic writing in higher education contains a wealth of research and theory on students’ writing, but much less on academics’ writing. In performative higher education cultures, discussions of academics’ writing mainly concern outputs, rather than the process of producing them. This key component of academic work remains under-theorized, and the exact nature of the challenge of academic writing is understated at best and misunderstood at worst. This paper offers a new approach to academic writing, based on a transactional and a systems model, which aims to understand academic writing practices. This paper offers a new explanation of the challenge of academic writing, defining factors that enable and inhibit academics’ writing.     

Changes in perceptions of studying for the GCSE among Year 10 and Year 11 pupils

This research aimed to explore whether pupils’ perceptions of studying for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) altered during the two‐year period of study of this qualification. Six hundred and forty four pupils from eight schools in outer London completed a self‐report questionnaire on two occasions, once in Year 10 and once in Year 11, which elicited their responses to statements about studying. Overall, throughout the course pupils remained anxious about coursework, examinations and homework and the time required for them. There was little evidence that pupils developed an increased level of understanding about the demands of the GCSE or a wider range of study strategies to support effective learning. That the students in this research remained as uncertain about the demands of coursework and the quality of their work in Year 11 as Year 10 warrants attention from those who plan and deliver the GCSE.     

The differentiation of adaptive behaviours: evidence from high and low performers

Background: Professionals who use measures of adaptive behaviour when working with special populations may assume that adaptive behaviour is a consistent and linear construct at various ability levels and thus believe the construct of adaptive behaviour is the same for high and low performers. That is, highly adaptive people simply are assumed to have a higher level of adaptive behaviour than their less adaptive peers (i.e. individuals with special need, including intellectual disability). This study examines the viability of this assumption and poses an alternative hypothesis: adaptive behaviour is qualitatively different for high and low performers. Methods: Portions of the Adaptive Behaviour Assessment System-II’s standardisation sample were used to examine the structure of adaptive behaviour in high and low performers. Results. Results of factor analysis indicated that the amount of variance attributable to a general factor of adaptive behaviour declines at lower levels of adaptive ability, indicating that adaptive behaviours are not organised in the same manner across the spectrum of adaptive ability. Conclusions: Additionally, knowledge of an individual’s adaptive skills, not merely their general adaptive composite, seemingly is especially important when working with special needs children and youth who display deficits in adaptive behaviour.     

Bystanders in Schools: What Do They Do and What Do They Think? Factors Influencing the Behaviour of English Students as Bystanders

This article reports on the English data from an international research project. Students' reports of being bullied are detailed but the main emphasis is on the role of the bystander, that is, what students did when they witnessed bullying in school and the reasons they gave for their actions. The study found that there were differences between students, in particular between primary and secondary phase students, and schools, in these areas. The responses are explored and the characteristics of those who intervened or did not. The implications for research and practice are debated.     

Implementing a culturally attuned functional behavioural assessment to understand and address challenging behaviours demonstrated by students from diverse backgrounds

As the US student population continues to become increasingly diverse, educators have encountered difficulties in distinguishing between cultural differences and genuine disability indicators. This concern is clearly evident in assisting students from diverse backgrounds who demonstrate chronic challenging behaviours. Past practices (e.g. disciplinary office referrals, out-of-school suspensions, expulsion) have contributed to the likelihood of students from diverse backgrounds being misidentified as having an emotional or behavioural disorder. However, by tailoring the functional behavioural assessment (FBA), educators better differentiate cultural factors from disability characteristics and better understand the students’ needs. This paper will discuss the significance in meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse student population, provide an overview of the FBA process and present considerations in creating a culturally attuned FBA.     

What makes learners anxious while speaking English: a comparative study of the perceptions held by university students and teachers in China

This study investigates the reasons leading to Chinese students’ foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA). China is a nation with the largest number of English as a foreign language learners in the world, but most of them have learnt “mute English” when it comes to expressing themselves orally in English. FLSA may be an important factor leading to their unsatisfactory learning achievements. However, it has not been adequately addressed in the educational settings of China. This study endeavours to make a contribution in this aspect. With two cross-validated methods (questionnaire survey and focused interview), this study drew comprehensive data from 332 participants at two universities in China and found 14 major reasons of Chinese students’ FLSA. It also compared students’ and teachers’ views about these reasons and reported the significant differences emerged. It further argued that understanding the reasons is an important step in reducing FLSA and hence enhancing learning effectiveness.     

Interpersonal Behaviour in Counseling: Client and Counselor Expectations and Experiences Related to Their Evaluation of Session

Expectations and experiences of the interpersonal behaviour between the counselor and the client were investigated in an exploratory study, and related to the evaluation of career counseling sessions with adolescents in a secondary school context in Sweden. The relationship was measured by using the Structural Analysis of Social Behaviour model (SASB). In general, positive evaluation as judged by the clients was found to be related to the clients having more positive expectations and experience of their own and counselors affiliative behaviour. No positive associations between own expected and experienced behaviour and evaluation were found as judged by the counselors. Affiliative behaviour was found to be the most important dimension in predicting evaluation of sessions in a positive way for the clients.     

英汉姓氏文化对比分析

探讨了英语姓氏和汉语姓氏各自的文化特点及其背后的文化差异,以帮助人们更好地理解英语姓氏和汉语姓氏的内涵。     

中西方英文个人陈述的对比研究——从体裁分析看文化差异

尽管个人陈述在学生申请留学的过程中扮演着重要角色,却很少受到关注。为探讨中西方英文个人陈述的差异,运用体裁分析理论,对中国学生和英语本族语学生的英文个人陈述进行对比分析,发现两者在语步结构和语言特征两方面存在有明显的文化差异。旨在帮助中国学生进一步了解个人陈述的体裁特征,写出更加地道的英文个人陈述。     

英汉礼貌现象的语用对比研究

后奥运时代的中国必将迎来更多的外国游客,在交际过程中如何才能做到有礼貌,对一向以礼仪之邦闻名的中华民族提出了一个不大不小的挑战。中西方世界对礼貌现象的不同解读,造就了英汉两种语言在礼貌表达方式上的差别,从而使得交际过程中频繁出现语用失误,甚至影响到交际过程的顺利进行。文章通过对英汉两种文化中的礼貌现象和礼貌用语进行细致的对比研究,试图揭示其深层次的原因,以期为交际活动的顺畅进行提供指导。     

英汉颜色词的文化内涵及其文化差异

由于文化内容、文化传统和文化心理有差别,很多英汉颜色词的文化内涵差异很大,容易造成理解和表达上的错误。本文对英汉颜色词的文化内涵及差异进行了探讨,旨在增强人们对不同文化的了解,促进和加强各国人民之间文化的交流与融合。     

中西隐喻的文化含义之比较

每个民族都有自己的文化.隐喻,作为语言的一种重要表达方式,更是反映民族文化的一面镜子.从认知语言学及语用学角度,对中外隐喻在建构上与表意上的重合之处、差异之处及空缺之处作一系统的比较,并探讨其内在的原因,可以拓宽我们的发展思路,增进互相了解.     

The Catholic school advantage and common school effect examined: a comparison between Muslim immigrant and native pupils in Flanders

This study investigates the impact of Catholic schooling on academic achievement of native Belgian and Muslim immigrant pupils. The distinctive characteristics of Catholic schools in Belgium (Flanders) form an exceptionally suitable context to study this. Multilevel latent growth curve analyses are conducted with data from approximately 5,000 pupils across 200 primary schools. No support was found for the Catholic school advantage hypothesis as the overall achievement growth for math and reading was not significantly better in Catholic schools than in public schools. Likewise, no evidence was found for the so-called “common school effect” hypothesis: The learning growth of Muslim pupils was not significantly better in Catholic schools. In fact, the initial achievement gap was found to be higher in Catholic schools than in public schools. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Responses to bullying and use of social support among pupils with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in mainstream schools: a qualitative study

Increasing numbers of pupils with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are attending mainstream schools. However, the available evidence suggests that they face a number of barriers that may prevent them from making the most of their education. In particular, recent research has suggested that they are more likely to be bullied, and typically report receiving more inconsistent social support than children with other or no special educational needs. In light of this, the aims of the current study were to identify the role social support plays in determining pupils' response to bullying and to identify barriers to the development and utilisation of social support when bullying occurs. Thirty‐six participants with ASD (age range 11–16 years), drawn from 12 secondary mainstream schools in the north‐west of England, were interviewed as part of a larger study examining inclusive education for this particular group of learners. Data were transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis, and a theoretical framework for understanding the responses to bullying and use of social support among pupils with ASD was subsequently developed. Key themes in the framework included the role played by potential advocates and their perceived efficacy in providing support, pupils' relationship histories and a lack of trust in other people. These findings are discussed in relation to the growing literature on inclusive education for pupils with ASD.     

颜色语素在英汉成语中文化蕴涵的差异

由颜色语素构成的成语在英汉成语中广泛使用,形象生动,语言洗炼,富于哲理。要正确使用这些成语就必须了解他们各自独特的文化内涵。通过对英汉颜色语素的对比分析揭示颜色语素在中西文化里所折射出的不同的文化内涵,对正确使用成语进行成功的言语交际有着重要意义。     

隐喻概念的文化差异与英语教学

隐喻的主要表现形式还是语言,英汉两种语言作为不同文化的载体,反映了人们不同的思维和行为方式,不同的文化模式。由于两种思维和文化模式的不同,在隐喻的生成和理解上都存在着不可忽视的一些差异。隐喻是语言的普遍现象,它普遍地运用于语言中,而不同语言文化背景中隐喻运用有所差异,即普遍性中存在着差异性,本文从此角度出发来探讨隐喻的运用,并且探讨其对英语教学带来的启示。     

Differences of Mentoring Experiences across Grade Span among Principals,Mentors, and Mentees

The purpose of this mixed research study was to examine mentoring experiences specific to grade span through the perspective of principals, mentors, and mentees. An instrument containing items on demographics, administrative support, and mentoring program components was administered to first-year teachers (n?=?998), mentors (n?=?791), and principals (n?=?73). Mentors’ attitudes towards mentoring were statistically significantly more positive than were the mentees’ attitudes, although, on average, the attitudes for both groups were positive. A statistically significant difference in attitudes emerged as a function of grade span, with elementary school mentees reporting the highest levels of motivation to be mentored and the greatest desire to observe veteran teachers. Qualitative analyses revealed that mentoring includes specific format, better matches, increased time for mentoring, observation opportunities, and better training for mentors. Implications are discussed.     

从中、英、日姓名看文化差异

一个民族的性和名隐含着丰富的文化信息。由于中、英、日三国不同的文化背景，性和名隐含的文化信息不尽相同。本文旨在对中国、英国、日本在姓名结构形式、取名叫性的渊源、含义及取名的禁忌作一比较，从中浅祈文化差异。