小学生学习适应性研究

研究发现，小学生总体学习适应水平比全国理论水平高得多。综合小学低，中，高年级适应不良率来看，小学中年级适应性最差。就学习适应性不良的学生来说，城乡之间无显差异，但性别方面有显差异。就学习适应优良的学生而言，城乡之间无显差异，而性别之间虽亦无显差异，但从各分项测验看，男生优良率明显低于女生。     

小学数学学习障碍的教学策略研究

数学学习障碍作为众多学习障碍中的类型之一,其成因复杂表现类型多样,而小学阶段又是学生学习数学最基础最重要的黄金时期,所以对此要求教师要针对小学数学学习障碍的不同的形成原因和不同表现形式,对有数学学习障碍的学生采取相应的教学手段和教学方法进行因材施教,从而达到教师的教学效果和学生学习效果达到最优化的目标。     

Primary special school teachers' knowledge and beliefs about supporting learning in numeracy

This paper presents findings from a qualitative study of a group of 12 teachers in primary special schools in Scotland for children with moderate learning difficulties. It sets out an analysis of classroom observations and interviews that explored teachers' knowledge and beliefs about teaching and learning in mathematics with children with moderate learning difficulties. The teachers were interviewed pre‐ and post‐intervention; this was a research‐based professional development programme in children's mathematical thinking (Cognitively Guided Instruction) which teachers then developed in their classrooms. The findings showed that prior to the professional development, the teachers had a limited knowledge of children's mathematical development with teaching frequently informed by intuitive beliefs and dated and sometimes discredited practices. Most teachers had low expectations of children with learning difficulties. Post‐intervention, the teachers reviewed this stance and affirmed that a deeper understanding of children's mathematical thinking provided a more secure knowledge base for instruction. They also recognised the extent to which learners were constrained by existing classroom practices. The paper argues for the commonality of this knowledge base and considers the problematic nature of viewing such knowledge as sector specific.     

Metacognitive skills in Belgian third grade children (age 8 to 9) with and without mathematical learning disabilities

This paper presents a study on mathematical problem solving in third-grade pupils. The relationship between mathematics, metacognition and intelligence was investigated in children with (n = 191) and without mathematical learning disabilities (n = 268). A significant relationship was found between prediction, evaluation, intelligence, procedural and mathematical fact retrieval skills in children without mathematical learning disabilities. In the children with mathematical learning disabilities a relationship was found between metacognitive and procedural skills. No such relationship was found between intelligence and metacognition or between metacognition and mathematical fact retrieval skills. In addition it was investigated if children with mathematical learning disabilities had less adequate metacognitive skills than peers without learning problems. At group level significant differences were found between both groups. However on analyzing these results further, it was found that four out of five children with combined mathematical learning disabilities, half of the children with procedural disabilities and only 5% of the children with a retrieval deficiency had low metacognitive skills. Furthermore, metacognitive problems were found in one out of five children without learning disabilities. Moreover, a majority of the children with mathematical learning disabilities and inadequate metacognitive skills had problems with prediction and evaluation skills. Most third graders with low metacognitive skills only appeared to have problems predicting the level of difficulty of tasks. Inaccurate evaluations were found on a more regular basis in children with mathematical learning disabilities and inadequate metacognitive skills as opposed to the sample of children with inadequate metacognitive skills but without learning difficulties, where their occurrence was rather a one off. The implications of this study for diagnosis and treatment will be discussed later in this paper.     

Social position of special needs pupils in the classroom: a comparison between German special schools for pupils with learning difficulties and integrated primary school classes

The rejection of pupils with behaviour problems is a serious problem for inclusive education schools. Sometimes parents prefer special schools because they do not want their children to become outsiders in integration classes. Are they right? The study presented here surveys children with behaviour problems in integrated primary school classes and in special education schools. The main focus is the extent to which behaviour problems influence social relations within the classes. The findings indicate that German pupils with behaviour problems are not well liked. The comparison of special education classes and integrated primary school classes also shows, however, that this is not solely a feature of integrated classes. Pupils with behaviour problems are disliked in both systems, and to a comparable degree. This means that there may be some good arguments for special schools. But both systems—special schools and integrated school classes—have outsiders. Especially parents of pupils with learning difficulties and behaviour problems should know that there is no difference here between special education classes and integrative primary school classes.     

Competence is in the Eye of the Beholder: Perceptions of intellectually disabled child witnesses

This study examines mock jurors’ perceptions of a young witness according to whether or not he was described as having an intellectual disability. Our study examined perceptions of a child witness younger (five or seven years) than previously studied. Mock jurors (n = 71) viewed a short video excerpt of a boy recalling a personally experienced event, and then rated him across nine domains of eyewitness ability. The boy was described as either having an intellectual disability or typically developing. Participants rated the child more negatively on dimensions relating to cognitive competence, but not trustworthiness, when he was presented as having an intellectual disability. Participants also watched the child answer a series of suggestive questions; when described as having an intellectual disability he was rated as less accurate in responding to these. The findings have implications for the involvement of children with intellectual disabilities within the legal system.     

Boys as writers: perspectives on the learning and teaching of writing in three primary schools

Boys' attitude to writing is widely perceived as an issue in English primary and secondary schools. Prior research has identified a link between negative attitudes to writing and lower achievement and raised the issue of the stereotyping of boys as underachievers in literacy. The study reported here suggests that if we are to understand the problems associated with the underachievement of boys, we should take into account boys' perspectives on their experiences as literacy learners. In this study, boys aged 8–11 drawn from three London schools in the UK, were interviewed in small groups annually over 3 years of their primary schooling. The boys' teachers were also interviewed separately. These interviews generated insights into the teachers' views of the boys and the boys' views of themselves as literacy learners, especially as writers. The data indicated the boys were highly sensitive to the social situation in the classroom. The boys responded best to their literacy learning when their teachers treated them as individuals, valued their ideas and incorporated strategies for developing learner agency into their daily classroom practice. This article concludes that a teaching approach that includes consulting children about what helps or hinders their learning and a fresh teacher focus on gender issues would increase gender awareness.     

中小学生自我监控学习能力的发展及影响因素研究

本研究拟探讨不同地区、不同民族、不同年龄中小学生自我监控学习能力的发展特点及其影响因素。研究选取昆明地区和德宏州小学五年级到高中二年级的汉族、傣族、景颇族学生，通过量表、问卷和访谈方式了解学生自我监控学习能力的发展状况，通过相关分析、方差分析法探讨与智力、非智力因素、认知风格间的关系。结果发现不同地区、不同民族间学生自我监控学习能力差异并不明显；学生的年龄、智力、非智力因素与自我监控学习能力间有显相关；学生的认知风格对自我监控学习能力有一定影响，影响的强度和维度因年级的不同而有所不同。     

Teachers' work in reading literacy across the curriculum in the senior phase of learning

Teaching students to read is one of the main aims of education systems around the world. For a significant number of adolescents, however, formal schooling has failed to deliver adequate reading proficiency. This article reports on a study of teachers' responses to a reading intervention programme for adolescents implemented in a senior secondary college in Australia in 2006. It engages with the question: in what ways does the reading intervention affect senior secondary teachers' knowledge of reading literacy and their motivation to provide reading literacy support to students in content area subjects? Data were collected from 20 semi-structured interviews with 15 teachers over a six-month period. The findings suggest that, despite the success of the intervention for the students, in this particular senior school context the teachers were largely resistant to expectations that they engage with the process of teaching reading in all senior phases of learning curriculum areas.     

The National Behaviour and Attendance Review (NBAR) in Wales: findings on school behaviour from the professional perspective

This paper presents the methodology and some of the findings on school behaviour obtained for the National Behaviour and Attendance Review (NBAR) in Wales. This work was undertaken over two years between 2006 and 2008. The Report was widely circulated in Wales to schools, local authorities, health and social service departments, as well as a wide range of professional and voluntary organisations in the autumn of 2008. The Review was written, led and chaired by the author. The Report was presented to the Minister for Children, Lifelong Learning and Skills and the Welsh Assembly Government, who subsequently endorsed the full Report on a cross-party basis. Thereafter, an Implementation Group was established to carry forward the 92 recommendations on attendance, behaviour, parenting, multi-agency working and children and young people. The methodology included both qualitative and quantitative approaches. This paper, however, focuses upon the findings obtained from the professional focus groups located throughout Wales during both Stage One and Stage Two of the review process. The evidence is discussed in context and both the core and supporting recommendations formulated from this approach are presented in the text.     

Including migrant worker children in the learning and social context of the rural primary school

Many of the larger towns and cities within the UK have long experienced a cosmopolitan mix of cultures, resulting in ethnically and linguistically diverse schools. However, the wider expansion of the European Union in 2004 has brought about significant changes and challenges for many schools, particularly for those in more rural areas. This article arises out of a 3-year qualitative study (January 2008–December 2010), which focused on identifying the experiences of stake-holders (children and parents of Eastern European heritage and their teachers), where migrant children enter primary schools which have previously had limited exposure to cultural and linguistic diversity. Although many migrant children settle successfully and progress within the UK education system, much can be done in terms of educational policy and practice to ensure that these learners are appropriately supported. This article examines some of the factors impacting upon migrant children's learning and well-being, and offers guidance to practitioners as how to develop inclusive and individualised learning and social contexts for these learners.     

The attitudes of the pupils towards modern languages in the primary school (MLPS) in Scotland

This article considers the attitudes of pupils aged 9–11 years in Scotland towards their learning of a foreign language in primary school. It also considers their perception of difficulty, what they tell us causes them difficulty, their language preferences and the reasons for these. The article identifies any significant differences between boys and girls in these areas.     

Evaluating the provision of flexible learning for children at risk of primary school dropout in Malawi

Communities in Malawi selected 15 children deemed “at-risk” – predominantly orphans – in Class 6 of each of 20 intervention schools to receive learning materials, support from the community and a school “buddy.” An experimental evaluation found that dropout was reduced by 45% across intervention schools compared to 20 control schools. The program had spillover effects, indirectly reducing dropout among older pupils in the class not deemed at-risk. These findings imply that age, and not orphanhood, was the main indicator of dropout risk and that when targeting criteria are considered carefully, flexible learning programs can reduce dropout substantially among vulnerable children.     

Turning the tide: creating Professional Learning Communities (PLC) to improve teaching practice and learning in South African public schools

Abstract

Poor learner performance in South African schools raises concerns related to lack of commitment and accountability from school leaders and teachers with no common vision to promote a culture of high learner performance. This paper provides a literature overview of research available on the impact of professional learning communities (PLC) on effective teaching and practices to promote higher levels of learning amongst students; the nature of PLCs; their essential characteristics, developmental stages and challenges; and an assessment of the benefits of PLC in schools and the challenges of PLC from other researchers’ observations. PLCs are necessary to encourage collaborative teamwork on essential outcomes and intervention activities in learning. Finally, I conclude by exploring how South African schools can benefit from the practices of professional learning communities which endeavour to improve teaching practices and poor learner achievement.     

Diagnosing ADHD in Danish primary school children: a case study of the institutional categorization of emotional and behavioural difficulties

This study of institutional categorization reports an investigation of the practices, procedures and assumptions of psychiatric staff members when diagnosing ADHD. The main data upon which the study is based consist of transcribed audio recordings of meetings in the psychiatric clinic. Here children referred from primary schools on the suspicion of ADHD are attended to. The tools and procedures for gathering information are shown to produce decontextualized and individualizing representations of children’s conduct. The evaluation against a number of norms is found to be central. Finally, the discussions at the central team conferences are shown to reveal the use of hypothesis testing structured around a number of dichotomies, where isolated aspects of the child’s life are considered against each other as the source of the difficulties. Together, these practices have cumulative and profound consequences for how children’s problems come to be understood as caused by a neurological condition.     

Learning from learning logs: A case study of metacognition in the primary school classroom

Structured thinking activities (STAs) are pedagogical tools used to support metacognition in classrooms. Despite their popularity, little is known about how pupils use STAs as platforms to think about and manage their own thinking (i.e. as metacognitive tools). This case study investigated pupils’ use of STAs in relation to metacognition throughout a school year. We focus on two 8-year-old pupils, Amy and Laura, as they completed two specific STAs through weekly class meets and termly achievement logs. Data were triangulated through participant observation, qualitative interviews and analysis of written texts. We found clear differences between Laura's and Amy's written STAs, however observation and interviews revealed that engagement with STAs was similar beyond that suggested by the written evidence alone. Whereas Amy used easily spelt ‘stock’ responses, Laura used ‘bare minimum’ responses to meet teacher expectations. As such, neither Amy nor Laura used STAs as metacognitive tools, however in negotiating STAs, both exhibited strategic regulatory skills indicative of metacognition. Whilst our findings highlight that pupils may still be developing explicit metacognitive knowledge necessary to take full advantage of STAs, we highlight the clear value of persistent approaches to using STAs as tools to support developing metacognition, particularly in association with teacher–pupil interactions.     

我国智力残疾儿童随班就读研究的现状与反思

运用文献研究法,从研究者来源和研究内容两个维度对近二十年我国智力残疾儿童随班就读研究的现状进行梳理与分析.结果表明:研究者地域分布不均,东、中、西部差异较大;研究者单位分布不均,单位间合作少、学段分布不平衡;研究内容分布不均,教学和心理健康研究多、行为和支持研究少;研究内容呈现出阶段性,由关注安置模式转向关注教育教学质量.     

小学课堂教学中运用小组合作式学习的策略研究

目前,很多国家在课堂教学中普遍采用小组合作学习的教学模式,其原因在于这种模式可以对学生的自主学习起到很好的推动作用,同时也可以让学生在合作学习中对情感认知等方面有所提升,可以看作是一种比较新颖的教学模式,同时也可以是策略体系中的一种。笔者就小组学习如何实施,才可以在小学课堂教学中有效的发挥其独特的作用进行系统的分析和研究。     

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.     

当代认知心理学的"学习观"及教学启示

认知心理学是当代心理学发展的主流，对教育产生了巨大的影响。认知心理学学习观主要有：学习是个体主动构建的过程，学习者已有的知识经验是学习的充分条件，对信息的认知加工和相应的策略是学习的必要条件，元认知对认知过程的意识和调控影响学习的顺利进行，动机指导着个体的学习。据此，现代教学实践应改变传统的学生观，教学过程中要加强学生的研究、学生学习策略和元认知能力的培养，教学评价也应注意学生学习过程的评价。