Some Aspects of Special Education in Singapore

The Special Educational provision in Singapore for children with disabilities has progressed considerably since the first voluntary group began in 1947.

By mid-1986, there were 12 special schools catering for some 2,000 pupils; intellectually disabled, educationally subnormal, hearing impaired, visually handicapped, cerebral palsied and multiple handicapped. All these schools are run by Voluntary Associations with Government support in terms of funds, buildings and some teachers.

However, an analysis of prevalence figures indicates a possible shortfall in the numbers of disabled children actually attending special schools, and an over-concentration of these schools in one part of Singapore which might deter some parents from sending their children to the appropriate special school.

One major improvement in the quality of Special Education has been the systematic training (since 1984) of the unqualified Association teachers at the Institute of Education on the Certificate in Special Education Programme.

However, there would still seem to be a need for more therapists and para-professionals to support the services offered in the special schools.     

Cognitive Style and Problem Behaviour in Boys Referred to Residential Special Schools

The paper considers aberrant behaviour in the context of cognitive style with reference to both diagnosis and treatment.

Aims.

The aims of the study were to investigate whether the style of pupils with behaviour problems was different from that of children with no reported problems, and also to consider how pupils of different style manifested their problem behaviours.

Sample.

The sample comprised 83 male pupils aged 10‐18 years from two residential special schools.

Method.

The sample were given the Cognitive Styles Analysis to assess their positions on the Wholist‐Analytic and Verbal‐Imagery style dimensions. The pupil records of the special school pupils who were at the extreme of the style dimensions were also examined.

Results.

When their style characteristics were contrasted with a Comparison Sample of 413 12‐16‐year‐old males attending 10 secondary schools, the special school pupils had a significantly higher proportion of both Wholists and Verbalisers, than the Comparison Group. Further, the inspection of the records indicated that the types of social behaviour and behaviour problems exhibited varied with style, and particularly on the Wholist‐Analytic dimension.

Conclusion.

The results were considered to have implications for the origins and treatment of problem behaviour.     

Reading and Writing the Small Print: the fate of new sponsored grant‐maintained schools

The 1993 Education Act introduced changes that encouraged the supply‐side of the quasi‐market of schools. As a result of that Act, since April 1994 it has been possible for groups of parents or independent sponsors to apply to the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in England or the Secretary of State for Wales to establish their own grant‐maintained schools.

This article traces the attempts of various potential sponsors to establish new schools within the state system. It is argued that the Funding Agency for Schools and the Department for Education and Employment have developed the detail of the new scheme in such a way as to make it almost impossible for potential sponsors to meet their requirements.

The implications of the policy and its implementation are discussed.     

The Accomplishment of Divergence

The situated development of South Asian communities in the UK has led to the growth of a number of schools in which ‘ethnic minority’ pupils form a majority. Such a situation throws into higher relief issues and concerns surrounding cultural transmission and encounter, and communicative competence.

This paper recounts some of the principal findings of research in which the teaching staff of a large 9‐13 middle school were interviewed individually regarding their perceptions of their South Asian pupils. The school has an almost wholly South Asian intake and is situated near the centre of a large northern city.

The teachers’ markedly deficit view of their charges is detailed and this is followed by an explanation of their constructions in microsociological terms. A model is presented which clarifies the processes by which close intercultural interaction seem to accomplish worlds as divergent.

The author teaches children with special educational needs at the school in which the study was undertaken.     

Is an intervention using computer software effective in literacy learning? A randomised controlled trial

Background: computer software is widely used to support literacy learning. There are few randomised trials to support its effectiveness. Therefore, there is an urgent need to rigorously evaluate computer software that supports literacy learning.

Methods: we undertook a pragmatic randomised controlled trial among pupils aged 11–12 within a single state comprehensive school in the North of England. The pupils were randomised to receive 10 hours of literacy learning delivered via laptop computers or to act as controls. Both groups received normal literacy learning. A pre‐test and two post‐tests were given in spelling and literacy. The main pre‐defined outcome was improvements in spelling scores.

Results: 155 pupils were randomly allocated, 77 to the ICT group and 78 to control. Four pupils left the school before post‐testing and 25 pupils did not have both pre‐ and post‐test data. Therefore, 63 and 67 pupils were included in the main analysis for the ICT and control groups respectively. After adjusting for pre‐test scores there was a slight increase in spelling scores, associated with the ICT intervention, but this was not statistically significant (0.954, 95% confidence interval (CI) – 1.83 to 3.74, p = 0.50). For reading scores there was a statistically significant decrease associated with the ICT intervention (?2.33, 95% CI ?0.96 to ?3.71, p = 0.001).

Conclusions: we found no evidence of a statistically significant benefit on spelling outcomes using a computer program for literacy learning. For reading there seemed to be a reduction in reading scores associated with the use of the program. All new literacy software needs to be tested in a rigorous trial before it is used routinely in schools.     

Interaction in distance education — a case study: Teaching biology at two rural schools

There are many instances where distance education for children is in a state of upheaval and change. This is particularly true of Australia and, as earlier reports indicate, of Canada. Central planners often have abandoned the old ‘correspondence schools’ and established ‘open access’ centres; central schools have been de‐centralised; correspondence stuthes are offered to children in city schools; isolated children attend ‘classes’ vastly different from their old ‘School of the Air’ classes; etc. Some of these changes are the marks of progress; the quality of other changes is debatable.

This account is that of one country teacher operating in northern South Australia where distance education has now changed to be offered, Statewide, by a series of open access schools and has also been regionalised to be offered at the initiative of Education Department Regional Centres with a broad responsibility for education of children in their region. The article makes no pretence to being considered as ‘international research literature’ — some will question whether or not it is even distance education. It is being published at my request.

The teacher functions in an areaof small country towns 50 km apart and with 500 or so people. Not too much further north, into sparsely‐watered country, the towns are likely to have 50 or so people and are up to 500 km apart!

What the paper does highlight is that there are professional people ‘out there’ who see themselves as having a stake in distance education. Central administrators and those who regard themselves as scholars in distance education are only a part of the personnel in distance education.

Ed.     

Erasmus Thematic Networks and the European dimension of Engineering Education

Some of the most important challenges for engineering schools at the beginning of the 21st century are summarised as well as the role of ERASMUS Thematic Networks (TN) in this scenario.

Though focus is mainly given to the European environment, the changes which are interesting Engineering Education appear to involve also the non-European sphere and therefore, this set of papers on the main outcomes of E4 Thematic Network (2000–2004) has been conceived, not only as an useful instrument of dissemination, but also an open window on Europe.

In this introductory paper key characteristics of successful TNs are outlined, as resulting from the experience of TN E4, Enhancing Engineering Education in Europe, which has terminated its life end of September 2004. The new TN project, denominated TREE, for Teaching and Research in Engineering in Europe, is briefly presented.

On the other hand, in the following 5 sections some of the main activities developed within E4 are presented touching topics related to accreditation, quality assurance, students involvement in Engineering Education, ICT and new learning methods and curriculum development.     

The Internet: an aid to student research or a source of frustration?

The Internet is a powerful resource for research providing limitless access to information. This article considers an application in the undergraduate Bachelor of Education in Design and Technology course (B. Ed. [Hons] D&T ).

This four year course prepares students for the teaching of Design and Technology in secondary schools, focusing on the development of skills in design and problem solving. A project based approach is used within the course to encourage individual research activity and promote a student centred learning experience. As well as books and video resources, the students have access to the Internet through a network of Windows NT workstations. The potential for exploration via the Internet has been readily exploited by students and this article reviews the use made of this facility by students and their impressions of its value

Providing Internet access posed many technical and managerial challenges, some of which are considered in the article. The experience gained in its use has provided some interesting insights into other issues surrounding Internet access.

Student response to the Internet as a tool, experience of searches and some of their concerns about their experience in accessing Internet along with the perceived benefits are discussed in the article     

The Professional Development of Adult Educators: Some Structural and Methodological Considerations

The case is stated for a scheme of professional training for adult educators, which should at once be

_____ comprehensive and unified;

_____ able to take into account the particular possibilities of individual adult educators; and

_____ easily adjustable to the particular needs within the community.

Such a scheme can only be realized through the application of a modular structure. A scheme like this is being developed at Gwent College of Higher Education for a professional training programme which will give a Certificate in Continuing Education, conferring full teacher status in adult and further education. This development is used to illustrate the points the author wants to make. The development of a programme on such a scheme raises considerable structural and methodological problems, which are discussed and compared with what is done elsewhere.     

Collaborative classroom practice for inclusion: perspectives of classroom teachers and learning support/resource teachers

Collaborative practice is integral to effective inclusion. Within schools, teacher collaboration can foster communities of practice through a series of professional relationships that enhance the educational experience and learning outcomes of pupils with special educational needs (SEN). In Ireland, Learning Support Teachers (LSTs) and Resource Teachers (RTs) provide additional support to the increasing numbers of children with SEN in mainstream classrooms. Working alongside Classroom Teachers (CTs), this tripartite of teaching expertise represents an opportunity for whole-school and classroom-based approaches to successful collaborative, inclusive practice.

This article describes the perceptions and experiences of collaborative practice between primary CTs, RTs and LSTs in a cohort of primary schools in the West of Ireland. Using a mixed methods approach, the study sought to establish the nature and extent of collaboration amongst these teachers and to identify the benefits and barriers to implementation.

The findings suggest that whilst teachers are increasingly aware of the value of collaboration, its implementation is largely aspirational, with a series of challenges relating to time constraints, ad hoc planning and limited professional development opportunities most commonly identified as constraints to a consistent approach. The article considers the consequences of this shortfall and options for improved engagement between teachers are identified.     

The Effectiveness of Cooperative and Individualistic Approaches in Teaching Mathematics and English

This paper reports an experimental study into the effects of cooperative and individualistic approaches in teaching Mathematics and English. The study was conducted at a Vacation Learning Camp (VLC) which was held for two weeks in one of the secondary schools in Singapore. This VLC was targeted at Secondary One pupils who were classified as below average based on general ability streaming.

The individualistic teaching approach was assumed to contribute to individual efforts while the cooperative teaching approach was expected to produce cooperativeness among the subjects. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in performances in the main effects classified as the treatment groups and the sex groups in both Mathematics and English; in Mathematics, the individualistic teaching approach was more effective for the male pupils whereas the cooperative teaching approach was more effective with females. However, in English, the results were reversed.

The female pupils in the cooperative group seemed to have improved in their attitude towards learning Mathematics whereas the male pupils in the individualistic group seemed to have a more positive attitude towards learning English.     

Partnership with Schools: a case study of a geography field course

British teacher education institutions are being encouraged by the Department of Education and Science to develop a partnership with schools by involving teachers in the design of courses and in selecting, teaching, supervising and assessing students. However, as partnership is a two‐way process, there should be reciprocal action with tutors helping teachers in school activities.

This case study describes a programme of work devised for a geography field course in which a group of PGCE students teach 120 third form pupils from a local comprehensive school. The evaluation provides evidence that the exercise, apart from being an enjoyable and stimulating experience, fulfils DES expectations of the value of genuine partnership to all concerned—tutor and students, teachers and pupils. The author is indebted to the geography staff at Ulverston Victoria High School for their help in organising this course.     

Historical and Sociological Perspectives of the Contemporary Kindergarten in the USA

Kindergarten education in the US has a rich heritage. The roots date back to the influence of Froebel with an emphasis on play and to Susan Blow and her concern for the whole child. Comenius regarded early childhood and kindergarten as an inseparable part of education and society as a whole rather than a separate entity. His belief parallels the contemporary approach to kindergarten, as it is increasingly being viewed on a continuum in the educational process.

Significant societal and educational changes in the US during the last two decades have influenced kindergarten education for five‐year‐olds. The American family structure has been effected by the increased divorce rate, the economy, and the increase in two‐employed parents.

Education changes include a shift to an emphasis on standardised testing at all levels, accountability, and the incorporation of four‐year‐olds in public schools. The result has been a ‘spiraling down’ of academic expectations.

In addition, schools are responding to the needs of demographic shifts in the nature of the population. Increasing numbers of children have multicultural backgrounds and English in their second language.

These societal and educational changes have precipitated the movement to the all day kindergarten. As more and more schools offer an all day experience to kindergarten children, numerous issues surface that challenge the original purpose of kindergarten. Entrance age, screening practices, retention, commercial books and materials are all influencing the nature of the all day kindergarten.

The current focus in the US on developmental appropriate practice places the emphasis on child‐centred programs that utilise hands‐ on learning and attention to the development of the whole child. A strong parent education and involvement component, a rich environment, and a qualified teacher are components of a quality kindergarten program. These issues and trends will be discussed within the context of the historical perspective of kindergarten education. The results of a current and thorough literature review will be shared with participants.     

Vers l'intégration de la théorie et de la pratique dans la formation initiale et continue des enseignants du second degré

The article examines issues pertaining to the training of the ‘second degree’ in France—i.e. those who teach Secondary pupils aged 11 to 18. The different categories of suck teachers, and the different forms of training received, are identified, and the article focuses specifically on the situation of lycée (upper‐Secondary) teachers. Historically, the element of pedagogy has been undervalued in this area.

In‐service education is very important. Many courses are provided, although Secondary teachers do not have statutory rights to INSET release.

Recent examination of training for this sector has revealed a number of weaknesses, among them a tendency to compartmentalisation and the fact that university trainers themselves lack pedagogic background. The de Peretti Report is referred to.

The article concludes with a close examination of aspects of the theory‐practice issue, based on the writer's extensive experience.     

Values Education: a fresh look at procedural neutrality

The need for education in moral values is increasingly being recognised today, but how is it to be conducted in schools? In particular we consider the appropriateness or otherwise of a teacher assuming the role of a neutral chairperson in discussion.

Advocacy of such a stance is especially associated with Lawrence Stenhouse who saw neutrality as a procedural device in order to empower students’ own involvement. We point out many of the insights of Stenhouse's approach, but also some of its disadvantages which subtly encourage a popularist form of relativism.

We suggest the substitution of procedural neutrality with a different approach, that of critical affirmation. Here the teacher advocates a stance alongside everyone else. This, however, is done in a way that affirms pupils, and their right to personal views, whilst subjecting all views, including the teacher's own, to a close scrutiny, especially regarding implications for the views of others.     

THE UNITED KINGDOMS’ HIGHER EDUCATION INTO THE 1990's

The birthrate in the United Kingdom has fallen in every year since 1964. This has produced a big decline in primary school rolls and is beginning to affect secondary schools. From 1982, it will produce a decline in the number of 18‐year‐olds, from which the majority of the entrants to higher education traditionally come. How should the higher education system be developed in the face of this prospect? A discussion document, issued in February 1978 by the Department of Education and Science and the Scottish Education Department, considers the implications of these demographic trends for the current pattern of higher education and how that pattern might change over the next 15 years.

The paper also explores the range of possible policies for dealing with this problem.

The main elements of this document are outlined below.     

Developing a Microteaching Studio for Student Teachers of Home Economics

St Angela's College of Education for Home Economics is an associate College of the National University of Ireland, with a small annual intake (28 students) for a four‐year B.Ed. degree.

A consequence of the College's association with NUI was the introduction of microteaching as part of the Education component of the degree. In order to meet fully the requirements of such a programme, the College undertook the development of a microteaching studio, specifically focused upon the teaching of Home Economics.

In this brief article, the authors explain the thinking and planning that went into the installation of the studio.     

Writing for Change: Developing Class One textbooks and readers in Andhra Pradesh,Southern India

Ongoing work in Andhra Pradesh Primary Education Project (APPEP) (Southern India) has resulted in the production of a new Class 1 textbook, teacher textbook and eight supplementary readers. These important and innovative new classroom materials have been produced as a result of training and workshops involving resource persons from the Telugu Academy, Telugu University, State Centre for Educational Research and Training and lecturers in District Institutes of Education and Training. Additionally, for the first time, primary school teachers were co‐opted on an equal basis to work on the materials.

The textbook, which constitutes the only learning material in Class One, is designed to teach children to read and write in Telugu. Previous research showed that children at the end of Class 2 were mostly unable to identify letters or words out of the context and order in which they appeared in the textbook. The current state textbook was basically a writing primer, teaching writing in alphabetic order with reading rarely going beyond single words or sentences.

The new textbook incorporates the necessary ‘reading context’ using rhymes, short stories and dialogue to encourage shared reading with the teacher before individual letters are learned. The order of introduction of the letters for writing has been based on research showing generalisable shapes in letters; alphabetic order is learned as a separate item. The pictures in the book were designed to promote discussion and develop prediction and an understanding of story structure. The content was matched to the child's developmental and psychological needs.

The teacher textbook incorporates ideas for extending learning into activities and exercises and consists of the children's textbook interleaved with teacher guidance. The evaluation shows that this teacher guidance has been used and valued by the teachers.

The eight supplementary readers are at four levels. Level One is for shared reading with the teacher and includes folk stories, songs and a story about a family. Level Two are picture books with simple captions and sentences using only the letters and words already learned by the child. Level Three progresses to more extensive stories including some information based stories. Level Four revisits Level One for independent reading of the same books.

The books have been trialled in 50 sample schools matched on a number of variables to 50 control schools. A pre‐reading test was administered to all children and a post‐reading test measured learning gains. Case studies of the books in use in classrooms were also undertaken. The evaluation to date shows significant learning gains amongst the children in the sample schools, a high degree of teacher satisfaction and interest and approval from parents and children. A resource team including teachers has been trained for further renewal of textbooks throughout the primary years.

This work has been funded by the Overseas Development Administration and they will fund the provision of eight supplementary readers in all Class One in schools throughout the state in 1996. After revision the textbook will be implemented by the Government of Andhra Pradesh.     

Teacher Education in Israel: the present situation

After presenting the essential principles relevant to the education of teachers, according to which the Israeli educational system is organised, the article examines teacher education patterns in the various institutions in Israel. These are divided into institutions for the education of teachers in nursery schools and elementary schools run by the State, and schools of education in the universities which train teachers for secondary schools.

Ideological concepts divide the institutions of both kinds into those that train teachers for religious and non‐religious nursery schools and elementary schools.

The teacher training institutions in Israel (together with the whole educational system) have been immersed, during recent years, in a process of reform which reflects the changes that Israeli society has undergone since the establishment of the State.