Ultra-orthodox Jewish teachers' self-efficacy and willingness for inclusion of pupils with special needs

The main aim of the present study was to investigate the attitudes of boys' teachers (N = 68), and girls' teachers (N = 68), in the independent educational system of the ultra-orthodox (Haredi) community, towards inclusion of pupils with special needs in regular classrooms. Forty of the subjects lived and taught in two major cities in which reside, beside other citizens, the majority of the Haredi community in Israel, and 73 of them lived in a small town in which reside only the Haredi community. Results show that willingness to include pupils with special needs in their class of teachers in the cities is significantly more positive than their counterparts in the small town. In addition, within those cities the willingness to include of the boys' teachers is more positive towards inclusion of mildly disabled children, while the willingness to include of girls' teachers is more positive towards inclusion of severely disabled pupils. Findings indicate also that the Haredi teachers, males and females alike, have a different perception of disability as compared to the common spread of the professional perception of this term. Results indicate the effects of a major change in the state's educational policy on its independent minorities' educators.     

Reducing exclusions whilst developing effective intervention and inclusion for pupils with behaviour difficulties

abstract

This article draws upon a recent evaluation study of developments in behaviour/discipline systems in an inner-city secondary school over a period of 5 years (including a 3 year O°action research' cycle). The methodology involved the collection and analysis of data from a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches with reference to other school performance indicators. Elements of the study are discussed in order to help bridge the theory/practice divide and to share practical research findings with other schools.     

Environmental Literacy: Towards a shared understanding for science teachers

This article describes an enquiry into education for environmental literacy by a group of secondary school science teachers in the UK as part of a professional development programme. Using participatory action research approaches, the teachers explored ways of maintaining and enhancing the integrity of their subject discipline yet contributing to education for sustainable development. A knowledge- and skills-based model, with a hierarchical structure, was postulated to explain how science education could provide important elements to an overall environmental literacy for their students. Other educational qualities were identified as being essential and the pedagogical implications were explored giving examples of how these might be developed as specific methodologies. The final evaluation of the learning experience by the teachers showed that they found that the approach used here helped them to address their needs, particularly with regard to analysis of pedagogy.     

Cooperative group,risk‐taking and inclusion of pupils with learning disabilities in physical education

The aim of this research was to study the impact of cooperative learning on changes in cooperative behaviours and acceptance amongst pupils with learning disabilities related to risk‐taking. One hundred and sixty‐eight French first year middle school pupils participated in this study. Thirty‐six pupils with learning disabilities were mainstreamed in six ordinary classes during seven two‐hour gymnastic lessons. Three classes practised under low risk conditions and three classes performed under high risk conditions. The helping behaviours of the SEGPA pupils were observed and the acceptance of pupils was measured thanks to a sociometric questionnaire during the first and last lessons. The results showed that risk‐taking affected the helping behaviours and the acceptance of pupils with learning disabilities. These results lead us to think about the factors that could have an impact on the influence of cooperative learning structures when mainstreaming pupils with learning disabilities in physical education.     

Towards inclusion: provision for diversity in the transition to school

Policies of inclusion challenge the construct of readiness and require schools to prepare for the diversity of children as they transition to school. However, there is limited empirical evidence concerning how this challenge is met. This paper presents two Australian studies that investigate inclusive practices in the transition to school. Study 1 examined the predictors of child outcomes across a sample of 1831 children in 39 schools. The results indicate that both quantity and quality of programme provision influenced outcomes and that programme effects were particularly potent for children with diverse abilities and backgrounds. Study 2 focuses on pedagogy in three of the schools to highlight how this provision can be achieved. Results show that provisions were reactive, that saliency of children's needs directed school practices and that professional knowledge impacted on measures of quality. Inclusive processes accounting for both child progress and broader family and teaching influences are necessary for improved transition to school.     

Designed by the pupils,for the pupils: an autism‐friendly school

There is growing interest in promoting autism‐friendly environments, especially in a school setting. Findings to date have generally advocated an accepted reductionist or generalist approach when providing an autism‐friendly built environment. However, previous studies, while very well intentioned, have rarely involved those with autism spectrum condition (ASC) to comment on and then instruct designers on what, for them, constitutes an autism‐friendly learning environment. If going to be truly inclusive, the authors contend that those who are most knowledgeable about ASC, those with ASC, should, whenever possible, be given the opportunity to comment on the design of our shared built environment. Hence this article first introduces some of the challenges faced by those with ASC in trying to cope with their surroundings, before proceeding to outline the development of a simple school design ‘jigsaw’ kit that helped pupils with ASC to communicate ideas for their perfect school. Used in four design workshops, secondary school aged pupils (aged 13 to 18) with ASC imparted their likes, dislikes and what was most important to them within the school environment. This facilitated comparison with current autism‐friendly guidelines and provides a valuable insight into the mind of the secondary pupil with ASC. It is hoped that by increasing awareness and then including those with ASC in describing what might constitute an autism‐friendly learning environment, it will help facilitate greater inclusion of the child with ASC into mainstream education and society at large.     

Using a readiness scale for reintegrating pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties from a Nurture Group into their mainstream classroom — a pilot study

The development of a Nurture Group can help a whole school to become 'a more inclusive, nurturing establishment', according to Rebecca Doyle. In this article she describes the evolution of a detailed Reintegration Readiness Scale, building on Nurture Group principles and practices. Two case studies illustrate the kinds of progress that can be made by individual pupils. This article goes on to note the benefits that nurturing approaches can bring to the whole school community and to indicate further developments for the future. Rebecca Doyle runs the Nurture Group at Canterbury Infant School in Thetford and used a DfEE-funded Best Practice Research Scholarship to develop the approaches she details in this practical and thought-provoking report.     

Towards teaching science for social responsibility: An examination of flaws in science,technology and society

In this paper we continue our search for a socially responsible science education by an examination of the trends in the Science, Technology and Society movement. These trends reflect differing ideological perspectives and result in courses which serve different ends. We identify two major flaws in the movement that inhibits the realization of a schooling in science dedicated to democracy. We propose skills necessary for citizens to participate in debate over issues surrounding the impact of science and technology on society and a teaching stategy to help develop them. Specializations: social responsibility and the curriculum, ideology and comparative science education.     

Reviewing evidence‐based practice for pupils with dyslexia and literacy difficulties

There is now a strong evidence base from theory and research providing a ‘template’ to inform practice at Wave 2, guiding the design and implementation of time‐limited effective early intervention programmes for pupils identified as ‘at risk’ of reading difficulties following initial literacy instruction (Rose, 2009). In contrast, there is currently an absence of evidence to guide the more fine‐grained selection and design of specific interventions (Wave 3) for those nonresponders to otherwise effective reading intervention. In this paper, we first outline our current understanding of the characteristics of effective early intervention programmes, and of the pupils who do not respond. Three theoretically motivated single‐case studies from developmental theory and processing models of skilled performance are then considered as a source of evidence providing useful insights into the type of assessment needed to inform the planning of highly individualised intervention programmes for pupils with severe and persisting literacy difficulties.     

论我国民办高校核心竞争力战略中政府的责任

我国民办高校核心竞争力的培育面临着许多因政府制度安排的缺失而形成的障碍,因此,分析并明确民办高校核心竞争力战略中政府的责任有着显然的意义。尽快建立财政资助制度、逐步构建合理的评估体系、不断加强教育管理,正是这一责任中最为核心和迫切的内容。     

Education without a shared language: dynamics of inclusion and exclusion in Norwegian introductory classes for newly arrived minority language students

Based upon fieldwork in two upper secondary schools in Norway, this article offers an analysis of inclusion and exclusion processes for newly arrived minority language students. Minority language students are defined by policy as students who have a different mother tongue than the Norwegian and Sami languages, and students who are newly arrived in Norway are considered especially at risk for marginalisation. This article explores processes of inclusion and exclusion in two schools with segregated classes for this group, called introductory classes. The analytical framework is Niklas Luhmann’s theory of autopoietic social systems, where inclusion is defined as the requirements for participation set by a system, and exclusion accordingly as being unable to meet these requirements. The article displays different constellations of inclusions and exclusions for newly arrived students in the educational system: in school organisations, organisation-based interactions and informal networks of students. It will be showed that introductory classes erect several barriers towards newly arrived students’ inclusion, especially towards those students who are placed at the basic level of the schools’ hierarchy of performances. As a consequence of multiple educational exclusions, informal networks emerge as alternative socialities that include and exclude students on the basis of mother tongue.     

RESEARCH SECTION: The self‐esteem of pupils in schools for pupils with social,emotional and behavioural difficulties: myth and reality

The self‐esteem of pupils has long been regarded as a key variable affecting both pupils' learning and behaviour, although the relationship between the two may not be as strong as many in education have always assumed. In this article, Jeremy Swinson, an educational psychologist and honorary lecturer in educational psychology at Liverpool John Moores University, reports the findings from a study in two parts. Firstly, an examination was made of 35 Statements written by officers from seven different education authorities in the north‐west of England for pupils attending two independent schools that specialise in working with pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD). It was found that, of the 35 Statements examined, 34 included self‐esteem as one area of special need. The second phase of the study examined the self‐esteem of 60 pupils in four specialist schools for pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The results showed that the average scores for self‐esteem for both the primary and secondary sample were very similar to the scores obtained by previous researchers in mainstream schools. However, it was apparent that more pupils than expected appeared to have either very low or very high self‐esteem. In terms of locus of control, it was found that a large number of secondary pupils had a high score although this was not found to be the case for the primary pupils in the sample. Jeremy Swinson discusses these results and presents his analysis of their implications for teachers, educational psychologists and education officers.     

Pause, prompt and praise – peer tutored reading for pupils with learning difficulties

Eila Burns undertook the enquiry that is the subject of this article while studying for her MEd degree at the University of Birmingham. She is now a lecturer in teacher education at Jyvaskyla University of Applied Sciences in Finland. The project she describes here aimed to assess the effectiveness of peer tutoring and the advantages of the structured 'pause, prompt and praise' reading method in improving reading skills among pupils working in Key Stage 4. Action research was undertaken in a secondary level special school catering for pupils with moderate learning difficulties (MLD) in order to explore the benefits of establishing such interventions within special school environment.
The pause, prompt and praise reading sessions were conducted at the beginning of lessons, employing same-age peer tutors and using subject-based texts. The findings reveal that, after a slow start, the tutees' rates of self-correction began to rise, indicating improvements in reading skills. Eila Burns also reports growing skills and confidence in the tutors, suggesting benefits for all involved in the peer tutoring process. She describes, in detail, interesting differences between outcomes for the different tutor-tutee pairings in her work and proposes a number of ways in which her small-scale enquiry could be taken forward. The implications of this study are, however, very encouraging for practitioners considering the use of peer tutoring in their own environments.     

Assessment matters—Maximizing campus responsibility for the writing assessment process

The Writing Across the Curriculum movement sensitized institutions to the need for institutionwide commitment to improving student writing. At the University of South Florida, a widely used rubric has offered a powerful method for moving from spoken commitment to real change.     

Setting or mixed ability? Teachers’ views of the organisation of pupils for learning

This paper examines how staff in schools formulate decisions about pupil organisation. A small sample of primary and secondary schools from across Scotland was involved in the study.
In 1996 Her Majesty's Inspectors published a report entitled Achievement for All (SOEID, 1996) which, it was envisaged, would form the basis of school evaluations into the effectiveness of classroom organisation. This report, and in particular the six principles on which it suggested effective organisational arrangements should rest, formed the organising framework for the study.
The study had three main aims:

• 1. 

  to ascertain the extent to which the principles outlined in the HMI report had been used by school staff when making decisions about which form of organisation to use