Fluent reading in special primary education

The learning gains in reading of students in 57 classrooms in special primary education doubled as a result of implementing the Reading Impulse in Special Education (RISE) programme. Raising the scheduled reading time with 1.5 hr in all classrooms and implementing standards-based teaching characterised by “monitoring of pupil progress”, “reflection on own teaching”, and “setting targets” are the most important explanations for the improvement in pupils’ reading achievements.     

Going Dutch! A perspective on the Dutch system of special education

Abstract

The comparative study of education systems and processes is a greatly undervalued science. This report argues that there is much to be learned from the study of the Dutch system of special education in informing proposed developments in its UK counterpart. Despite inevitable cultural and evolutionary differences between the systems, careful study can potentially prevent the failings in one being replicated in the other. This is nowhere more relevant than in relation to the integration versus segregation debate. Though it is argued that Dutch constitutional law has severely handicapped developments in Dutch special education, particular practices such as the systematic approach to planning, the extensive use of negotiated contracts, the development of integrated support systems and the close association between research and provision seem to be most worthy of serious consideration within the context of a rapidly changing system of UK special education.     

The effect of reading recovery® on special education referrals and placements

This study examined the effect of Reading Recovery®, an early intervention program for first‐grade children, on the rates of referral and placement in special education in New York City. Study participants consisted of students who had a complete Reading Recovery (RR) program (RR‐discontinued and RR‐recommended) and a comparison group composed of children with literacy difficulties, who were initially performing at a slightly higher level than the Reading Recovery children. The results showed that children who received the Reading Recovery program were referred for testing and placed in special education at a statistically significant lower rate. Reading Recovery is associated with a 5% reduction in estimated referral rate and a 3% decrease in placement rate. Additionally, an examination of the classification labels of children placed in special education revealed that RR‐discontinued children were less likely to be classified as learning disabled than those in both the comparison group and the RR‐recommended group. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 39: 635–646, 2002.     

The effects of individual and group contingencies on reading performance of special education students

The effects of individual and group contingencies on the reading performance of 10 special education students were examined in a counterbalanced multiple-baseline design with experimental manipulations introduced at random. During the Baseline condition no consequences for accuracy in programmed reading were in effect. With the Group Contingency, pupils earned points based on accuracy and exchanged them for activity backup reinforcers based on the average performance of the group. During the Individual Contingency arrangement, the same point totals were awarded by yoking pupils to the group behavioral criteria. The results indicated superior accuracy (from 2 to 25%) with the Group Contingency by all 10 pupils. Student preferences as to the two contingency arrangements indicated a slight preference for the Group Contingency phase. A lack of negative peer comments was noted over the duration of the experiment. Results were also discussed in terms of ease of implementation of the group contingencies within an ongoing token economy in a classroom setting. Tentative reasons for the differing results of the present study and others were presented.     

Modelling inclusive special needs education: insights from Dutch secondary schools

Inclusive special needs education is prominent on the international education agenda. Research on the characteristics of inclusive education for students with special needs and schools providing this is scarce, however. Our aim in the present study was therefore to further theory-building with regard to inclusive special needs education. On the basis of the relevant literature, we identified three core aspects of inclusivity: the learning environment, the guidance provided by teachers and the general care structure. With the help of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses conducted on data obtained from school professionals in 79 secondary schools in the Netherlands, we were able to identify 12 underlying characteristics for a conceptual framework to further research on the inclusive nature of schools and education. Multilevel structural equation modelling of the judgments of school professionals at the level of the school also showed that the inclusive special needs education in at least secondary schools can be characterised by two main factors: (1) learning environment and (2) guidance and care. The analyses showed considerable agreement on the important aspects of inclusivity for schools and thus how differences between schools can be explained. The results further showed the work of the care coordinator – which includes cooperation with external partners and teachers with mentoring roles – to be the clearest indicator of the extent of the inclusive special needs education within schools. This finding is interpreted as suggesting that the recommended teaching practices and student care for adequate included special needs education have not yet been integrated into teachers’ thinking and acting. Follow-up research drawing upon the developed framework is therefore called for to not only more generally validate the framework but also determine if the situation in school has changed, now that the policy and practices for inclusive education have become more familiar.     

古代蒙学教育与当代学前教育之我见

近年来,随着国学的兴起,仿照古代各种蒙学教育机构和蒙学读物如《三字经》、《百家姓》、《千字文》、《弟子规》、《幼学琼林》等如雨后春笋般涌现出来。在教材上、教学模式上当代学前教育与古代蒙学教育相比有其不同处;在教育理念上却也有其相通之处。如何借鉴古代蒙学教育的教育模式、教育理念,如何使古代蒙学教材为我们当代学前教育所用,同时传承中国传统文化,成为许多教育者共同研讨的话题。     

Using Nearpod in elementary guided reading groups

A student teacher placed at a school with a high English Language Learner population used mini iPads, and an application called Nearpod, during guided reading instruction. Groups of students in a fourth grade classroom used this application. The students and the teacher were interviewed to determine the benefits and challenges of this approach. An analysis of data revealed that all of the students found this type of guided reading to be beneficial and motivating in learning the content presented through the application. Students also explained how they could transfer the knowledge gained into their independent work. The teacher discussed how it improved organization in a guided reading group, but how careful consideration and planning must be done to ensure the technology will work properly during guided reading. It is recommended that the Nearpod application be used in guided reading lessons because of its user-friendliness, ability to engage students, and monitor their progress.     

Spelling development throughout the elementary grades: The Dutch case

The purpose of the present study was to explore Dutch spelling development throughout the elementary grades. Two issues were considered (a) dimensional structure over time, and (b) rate of change. Whether the rate of change differs depending on gender, ethnicity, or word reading skill was examined in particular. A pseudolongitudinal dataset with the responses of more than 1300 children to five different sets of 120 spelling items was analyzed. Factor analyses showed that spelling ability can be conceived as a unidimensional ability for grades 2 through 6. This result was then confirmed by the results of analyses from the perspective of Item Response Theory although the children showed a tendency to master specific types of spelling problems during different – partially overlapping – periods in their development. Structural analyses further showed the children's spelling ability to systematically increase from the beginning of second grade through to the end of sixth grade. Whereas word reading skill level was an important predictor of spelling growth, gender and ethnicity did not have a significant influence.     

创新教育模式初探

培养和造就创新人才是社会发展的需要，也是时代的呼唤。探讨创新教育模式，实施教学创新，培养新型高层次人才是高校体制创新的核心；面向社会，面向市场，重构人才培养体系和人才培养模式是高等教育改革和发展的落脚点。只有加快发展高等教育，促进教育与经济的结合，才能推动知识经济和社会的可持续发展。     

Self-concept differences in student teachers in primary,elementary, secondary,and special education

Self-concept, intelligence and academic achievement were examined in students preparing to teach in primary, elementary, secondary, and special education (N = 267). The measures were the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, a group intelligence test, and school grades. Differences in self-concept, but not in intelligence and academic achievement, were found among groups of student teachers. Secondary education majors reported a more positive self-concept than primary or elementary, with special education majors reporting the least positive self-concept of all.     

An elementary survey of the reading process

This article is a study of the social construction of school desegregation in Los Angeles, California. Particular emphasis is placed on how magnet schools were presented to area residents in the local press over a period of 3 decades. I use quantitative and qualitative techniques with 355 newspaper articles. I find that magnet schools were originally discussed as part of a larger desegregation program, but that references to desegregation declined steadily. Magnet schools are now discussed as providers of academic excellence, and desegregation issues are largely ignored. This follows the current trend in political and academic circles, in which the rhetoric surrounding education is increasingly focused on standards and accountability rather than equality and access.     

在阅读教学中落实素质教育

教师如能充分挖掘教材的内在魁力,发挥语学科的认知、情意、审美、思维等功能,那么学生的思想道德、化科学、个性心理,审美情感等方面素质必将得到同步和谐的发展。灵活驾驭教材,实行因材施教可做如下尝试;选准突破口,诱发求知欲,把好语言关,激发审美感;找出引爆点,发展新思维;寻找贴近面,陶冶好情操。     

新课程下的识字教学探究

全面领会《语课程标准》关于低年级识字教学的阐述，深入理解人教版低年级课标教材识字部分的编写特点，把握识字教学中情趣性、自主性、创造性、生活性原则，并探究积极有效的识字教学规律，努力实现识字教学的高效性。     

英国基础教育的发展及其启示

本文从学校教育体制、管理体制、课程设置及教学等方面对英国基础教育的发展概况进行简要分析,在此基础上提出我国政府要扩大校长的办学自主权,进一步完善和改进校长负责制,进一步加大义务教育的投入。同时认为要用“扬弃”的眼光看待英国的基础教育,要继续发挥我国基础教育在“双基”方面的优势,在能力、个性的发展和知识技能的掌握中,去寻求一个二者理想的结合点。     

Self-reported adverse childhood experiences and quality of life among children in the two last grades of Dutch elementary education

BackgroundAdverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) may have a life-long impact on mental health and are related to physical disease, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. Research on ACEs suffers from recall bias when performed with adults.ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence of ACEs and the interrelationships between ACEs as reported by children, and to determine the impact on their self-reported quality of life (QoL). Children’s opinions on the ACE-Questionnaire were also obtained.MethodA cross-sectional study was conducted with a child version of the ACE-Questionnaire. This questionnaire assesses parental separation or divorce, physical and emotional child abuse and neglect, sexual violence, domestic violence, household substance abuse, psychological issues or suicide, and incarceration of a household member. QoL was measured with the Kidscreen-10.Participants and settingThe questionnaire was completed by 644 children at a mean age of 11 years (range 9–13 years), in the two last grades of regular elementary schools, recruited throughout the Netherlands.ResultsData were weighted by ethnicity to obtain a representative sample of children in Dutch elementary education. Of all children, 45.3% had one or more out of ten ACEs. Child maltreatment was experienced by 26.4%. ACEs often co-occurred. A higher number of ACEs correlated with a lower mean level of QoL (p < 0.001). Mean QoL was 8.5 points lower (Cohen’s d = 0.8) in children who experienced child maltreatment. Children’s opinions on the questionnaire were positive in 82.4%.ConclusionPrevention of ACEs, professional training and trauma-focus in schools are urgently needed.