Sounds of intent,phase 2: gauging the music development of children with complex needs

This article reports the latest phase of research in the Sounds of intent project, which is seeking, as a long‐term goal, to map musical development in children and young people with severe, or profound and multiple learning difficulties (SLD or PMLD). Previous exploratory work had resulted in a framework of six putative music‐developmental stages set across three domains of musical engagement: reactivity, proactivity and interactivity. This was intended as a first step in enabling teachers and therapists to gauge their pupils’ levels of musical development. The research described in this paper indicates that a moderately fine‐grained observation schedule (involving three sub‐levels per Sounds of intent developmental stage) may be sufficient to show longitudinal change in the observed musical engagement of pupils with PMLD, three groups of whom participated in a specially designed programme of musical activities over a six‐month period. However, mapping the individual’s levels of attainment onto their chronological ages indicates that, generally speaking, musical progress is likely to be made in tiny increments – notionally equivalent to around one Sounds of intent level during a child’s entire time in compulsory education (4–16 in the UK). This suggests that an even finer‐grained observation scheme may be of value to practitioners seeking to chart change in the longer term. It is proposed that this should be the subject of further research, and should comprise two components: level and frequency of engagement.     

The curriculum for children with severe and profound learning difficulties at Stephen Hawking School

The increasing number of children with profound and multiple learning difficulties means that many schools for children with severe learning difficulties are having to review the curriculum that they offer. In addition, these schools are continuing to question whether a subject‐based approach, in line with the National Curriculum, is the most appropriate way of meeting the educational needs of children working at the earliest stages of development. The staff at Stephen Hawking School, in east London, have been reviewing their curriculum over the past two years to try and meet the needs of their changing population, the needs of the National Curriculum and the suggestions and proposals in both the Rose and Cambridge reviews.     

The design and development of a dyscalculia checklist based on a focus group interview

This article aims to explore the symptoms and characteristics of dyscalculia. This is a qualitative study. Five experts in the field of special education took part in a focus group interview. Each expert had more than ten years of experience in their area of expertise. To determine the content validity of the protocol, three experts in special education, language and qualitative research evaluated each of the eight items. Cohen's kappa analysis was used to assess inter-rater reliability. The findings of this study indicate that 59 items have been developed, based on six constructs in the dyscalculia checklist. The six constructs were subitising, estimating, Arabic numerals, verbal numbers, arithmetic facts and calculating processes. Following the focus group interview, a new construct emerged: math anxiety. The study implies that teachers might utilise this checklist to carry out early detection of students with dyscalculia in primary schools. This will enable appropriate intervention, resulting in significant benefits for the Ministry of Education, for educators and teachers, and for the students themselves. Although this study was based in Malaysia, the results have wider implications because dyscalculia is present everywhere.     

A design-based trial of Lesson Study for assessment purposes: evaluating a new classroom based dynamic assessment approach

This paper is about a design-based research project which evaluated the novel use of Lesson Study for assessment (LSfA) purposes. It starts by explaining the principles and design of LSfA procedures based on a Lesson Study model and dynamic assessment principles. It outlines the training and support provided to six Lesson Study teams in three primary and three secondary schools, each involving two class teachers and the school’s SEN coordinator. The evaluation findings focused on the LSfA processes and procedures, for example, the outcomes of LSfA for teacher confidence and knowledge, assessment capabilities and continued benefits. The LSfA process was seen to involve processes such as honest and constructive observations, analysing lessons to see what to change and using knowledge about learning difficulties. Some of the context factors that supported and inhibited the process are also outlined. Analysis of the pre-post LSfA pupil assessments showed a decrease in identifying areas of pupil difficulties and an increased identification of enabling factors. This is interpreted as evidence for the LSfA having dynamic assessment potential. The paper concludes with an account of how the LSfA procedures were adapted in response to this evaluation and suggestions for future development and research.     

Collaboration and integration of services in Greek special schools: two different models of delivering school services

Multidisciplinary collaboration is considered to be very important for the education of pupils with special educational needs and particularly those pupils with the most severe disabilities. This research adopts a multiple case‐study design in order to understand collaboration and the integration of services and the effectiveness of these among pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) in Greece. The teams, choosing case studies in five special schools, considered 10 pupils and their parents. Reviews and analyses of the legislation; the use of diaries; participant observations and semi‐structured interviews were used for the collection of data. Two different models of service integration which provide different opportunities to the inclusion of pupils with PMLD were revealed since schools have different methods of integrating health and social professionals. In the first model, the school works with outside services, whereas in the second, services are within the school. In addition, roles and responsibilities differ within the different models. Service integration and collaboration were found to be more effective in schools where teachers and health and social professionals work under the same management. The study suggests the expansion of the second model of multidisciplinary collaboration with the integration in schools of health therapists, educational psychologists and social workers.     

‘Trying,failing, succeeding,and trying again and again’: perspectives of teachers of pupils with severe profound multiple learning difficulties

This article explores the perspectives of seven teachers in England who teach pupils with severe profound and multiple learning difficulties about their learning to teach this group of students. Teachers’ views were captured through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous online communications. Four themes emerged from teachers’ perspectives about their own learning: learning through doing in the classroom, learning through self-inquiry and research, learning from and with others and more formal learning opportunities. A constructivist approach to teacher learning is affirmed as a helpful lens to further understand how teachers learn to teach pupils with complex learning profiles. The article supports teacher learning as a holistic process that takes place throughout teachers’ careers. It highlights the value teachers place on learning through doing in the classroom, learning through self-inquiry and research, learning from and with others, as well as formal learning.     

学习困难儿童阅读拼音过程的眼动特征

以拼音诗和拼音短文为实验材料,利用眼动方法,采集65名儿童阅读拼音材料时的眼动参数,分析学习困难儿童阅读拼音的眼动特征。结果发现:(1)学习困难儿童阅读拼音更为困难,每次注视范围小;(2)学习困难儿童阅读拼音的注视点持续时间长,眼跳距离小,丢失时间多。结果显示:学习困难儿童阅读拼音眼动模式差,眼动模式与理解拼音成绩关系密切。     

Changing students’ assessment preferences: The case of an assessment development center in a veterinary gross anatomy course

The present study explores the development of students’ assessment preferences by investigating how these preferences evolve after experiencing an assessment development center in a veterinary gross anatomy course. The sample in this study consists of 42 students in the second year of a Bachelor's degree in medical veterinary science, enrolled in a ‘gross anatomy course’. Data were collected in a pre-test–post-test design using the Assessment Preferences Inventory. The results indicates that students’ experience with an assessment and development centre can result in the development of students’ assessment preferences towards assessment formats testing more ‘higher order’ skills. Results of this explorative study should not be overstated, however, due to sample size and research design.     

Citizenship, Competence and Profound Disability

In this paper I argue that reflection on competence and enfranchisement in relation to profound disability forces re-examination of the grounds of citizenship, with implications for theories of distributive justice in education. The primary purpose is less to point up that some people are disenfranchised without injustice; it is more to advance the view that, since enfranchisement is not an option for some profoundly disabled people, we require a conception of citizenship that is more sensitive to their distinctive needs and interests.     

Meaning-led learning for pupils with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties

This paper proposes that learning and teaching for pupils with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties could be enhanced by a closer focus on emotional factors and on the careful identification of what is meaningful for them. Phil Goss, senior lecturer in counselling and psychotherapy at the University of Central Lancashire draws on understandings about emotional development gleaned from child psychiatry and psychotherapy to inform our awareness of the deep-seated factors that may influence the complex needs of these pupils. He describes a research study in which he analysed findings from interviews with parents and carers about their perceptions of what is meaningful for their children. These outcomes are elaborated using findings from a pilot study on one pupil in which perceptions about what is meaningful for him were used to inform the ongoing planning of his learning. Phil Goss then uses the implications of this study to argue for fuller and more systematic involvement by parents and carers in planning for pupils with severe, and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Finally he suggests ways in which access to learning could be rendered more fruitful by adopting a meaning-led approach.     

The development of the Danish Folkeskole,towards a school for all

ABSTRACT

The development of the Danish Folkeskole (the basic school for pupils aged six to 16) followed a reform passed in 1969 by the Danish Parliament which stated that all children with special needs should be able to receive instruction in a normal school environment. The results obtained over the past 20 years are encouraging. Only 0.5 per cent of all school children attend a special school and about 12 per cent of all pupils receive special educational support in ordinary classes. This article evaluates the reform which has taken place, analyses some of the underlying factors and looks at possible future developments.     

Developing and testing a framework for evaluating the quality of comprehensive family assessment in child welfare

Over the last decade, Comprehensive Family Assessment (CFA) has become a best practice in child welfare. Comprehensive Family Assessments go beyond risk assessment to develop a full picture of the child's and family's situation. When appropriately synthesized, assessment information can lead to a clear articulation of the patterns of child or family functioning which are related to child abuse and maltreatment or which can be strengthened to facilitate change. This study defines and provides concrete examples of dimensions of quality in child welfare assessment reports that are consistent with the CFA guidelines and best practices embraced by child welfare agencies, courts, and other key stakeholders. Leveraging a random assignment design, the study compares the quality of reports written by a caseworker alone versus those written by a caseworker paired with a licensed Integrated Assessment (IA) screener. Findings are discussed in the context of the dual professional model and factors contributing to the timely completion of high quality assessment reports.     

Peer assessment for learning from a social perspective: The influence of interpersonal variables and structural features

This paper reports a systematic literature review examining empirical studies on the effects of peer assessment for learning. Peer assessment is fundamentally a social process whose core activity is feedback given to and received from others, aimed at enhancing the performance of each individual group member and/or the group as a whole. This makes peer assessment an interpersonal and interactional process. Using this social perspective in order to study learning effects, we focus on the impact of the structural arrangement of peer assessment on learning, and the influence of interpersonal variables.The literature search, focusing on empirical studies measuring learning outcomes in a peer assessment setting, resulted in 15 studies conducted since 1990 dealing with effects (performance or perceived learning gains) of peer assessment. Our analysis reveals that, although peer assessment is a social process, interpersonal variables have hardly been studied; more specifically, they were measured in only 4 out of 15 studies. Moreover, they are not used to explain learning gains resulting from peer assessment. Finally, comparing the studies with respect to structural features reveals that, although the differences between the studies are significant, there seems to be no relation with the occurrence of learning benefits. The results of this review seem to indicate that research on peer assessment from a social perspective is still in its infancy and deserves more attention.     

Early identification of primary school students with learning difficulties in Hong Kong: the development of a checklist

Early identification of children experiencing difficulties in learning is essential for timely and effective intervention. The aim of this study was to develop a screening instrument for identifying students with learning difficulties at the end of the first term of Primary 1 in Hong Kong. This paper describes the development and validation of a 27‐item checklist on 594 students. Validity testing performed included content and expert, contrasted group, concurrent and predictive validity; all were found to be satisfactory. In addition, test–re‐test reliability was assessed to be good. The checklist can be administered in 10 minutes for each student based on everyday observations of the student; no specific testing of the students would be required. A longer version with 97 items was also made available for teachers to conduct a more comprehensive evaluation of a child’s performance.     

Professional development of teachers—A prerequisite for AfL to be successfully implemented in the classroom

A prerequisite for AfL to be successfully implemented in the classroom is the teachers’ assessment practice. In many contexts, including the Norwegian, AfL has not been successfully dealt with during initial teacher education, and there is a need for qualified teachers to engage in professional development in AfL.This article first discusses different perspectives of professional development, not all of which lead to change of attitudes and beliefs resulting in changed practice. Difficulties in implementing AfL beyond the individual teacher and reach the full teaching staff is presented through experiences from a Norwegian research and development project. The next project to be briefly discussed focuses on engaging teachers in developing their own criteria for good classroom assessment.Finally the paper proposes that a major obstacle to teachers’ professional development in AfL is the competence of teacher educators in AfL. Do those who are to guide and support professional development in schools hold the essential knowledge and competence themselves?The conclusive argument is that for AfL to be common assessment practice in schools there is a need for development processes at various levels of the education system.     

The role of relationships and emotions in student perceptions of learning and assessment

The paper addresses the way in which participants in a qualitative study drew upon accounts of relationships and emotions in sharing their perceptions of assessment. By first exploring ideas about emotions and relationships in learning and assessment through the literature and subsequently discussing an interpretation of participant narratives, the author suggests that emotions and relationships surrounding past learning and assessment contexts can influence current perceptions of assessment and learning in powerful ways. The study also reveals how students value opportunities to express their beliefs, feelings and emotions during the assessment process. They also expect teachers to balance objectivity in assessment with empathy for those parts of themselves shared in the process. The conclusion is drawn that there are important implications for learning in the emotional response of students to assessment and in the nature of teaching and learning relationships that are worthy of further investigation.     

The conceptualisation of a modified formative assessment model for non‐verbal students with autism and severe learning difficulties

The popularity of formative assessment has increased since the publication of work by Black and Wiliam in 1998. Even though it is a useful teaching tool, in most cases it has only been possible to use it for students with high levels of cognitive and communicative ability. The aim of this article is to propose a modified, personalisable model of formative assessment for non‐verbal students with autism and severe learning difficulties. Five students with autism and severe learning difficulties participated in systematic video observations over a period of eight weeks, during which student behaviour and attainment were recorded. The behaviour checklist gave an accurate representation of the students' level of engagement and predicted attainment, but differences in passive learning objectives (those requiring passive co‐operation) and active ones (those requiring active contribution) were noted. The introduction of engaging resources improved engagement, but tangible rewards had a negative effect on attainment. Praise had a positive effect on engagement and attainment.     

Supporting computer-mediated learning: A case study in online staff development and classroom learning environment assessment

The rapid growth of online learning has led to the development of staff inservice evaluation models that are geared towards improving degree programs. Based on best practices in student online assessment, the Online Faculty Development and Classroom Learning Environment Assessment course was designed to serve the dual purpose of staff development and classroom learning environment assessment. Results of analyses showed that the course maximised the potential of online staff development for encouraging staff to reflect on Curriculum and Teaching Capacities (CTC). Implications are discussed in terms of emphasising the process of online CTC learning and incorporating perspectives to capture a comprehensive view of staff teaching attitudes and their association with student perceptions of the classroom learning environment.