An analysis of the discourses on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in US special education textbooks,with implications for inclusive education

The purpose of this paper is to examine the discourses on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) found in textbooks used in pre-service special education programmes in the USA. Five textbooks are examined with the intent of discovering how ADHD is portrayed to future teachers. A discourse analysis framework is utilised, revealing five categories that structure the discourses of textbooks: definition, causes, symptoms, characteristics, and treatment. Examples of each are provided, followed by a critical analysis of the underlying meanings and assumptions. The analysis reveals an overwhelmingly medicalised narrative in which children diagnosed with ADHD are presented as inherently dysfunctional and devoid of positive characteristics. Two implications of this analysis are suggested: (1) teachers are likely to limit their pedagogical responses to these children in favour of relying upon medical knowledge and (2) teachers are apt to construct policy that is inconsistent with the goal of inclusive education to embrace diversity in the classroom. Lastly, the importance of exposing pre-service teachers to an alternative discourse on ADHD is discussed.     

Beliefs and Attitudes of Primary School Teachers in Mumbai,India Towards Children Who Stutter

Beliefs and attitudes of teachers in Mumbai, India, towards children who stutter were investigated using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Questionnaires were completed by 58 teachers, four of whom were subsequently interviewed. Results from the questionnaires showed that teachers believed that a child’s environment influenced stuttering and that children who stuttered had the potential to overcome the condition. They did not agree that children who stuttered were quiet and shy. Two global themes emerged from the interviews. These were teachers’ philosophies about stuttering, and their perceived roles in supporting children who stutter. All teachers reported limited experience of children who stutter, but their responses indicated a desire to do their best to support such children in the classroom. Stuttering was, however, considered to be less important to teachers’ working lives than dyslexia.     

Opinions of Teachers and School Administrators about Organizational Citizenship Behaviors and Disability Services

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine primary school administrators’ and teachers’ views about the organisational citizenship behaviours in their schools. Qualitative research method was employed. The participants consisted of 15 teachers and 5 school administrators working in primary schools in North Cyprus, which were selected through maximum sampling method. Content analysis was done to analyse the data. The findings indicate that the majority of teachers report that the number of teachers who are eager to help is unsatisfactory, and that the participants do not have positive opinions about the reactions they face when they encounter a problem in school. Attention was paid to issues pertaining to disabled students. Since disabled students need extra attention and care, teachers and school administrators expressed the view that to interact with disabled students, organisational citizenship behaviour is necessary. Results further show that organisational citizens are eager to guide, to make extra effort and to empower themselves in order to be more useful and efficient. This study recommends that organising in-service training to improve organisational citizenship behaviour may be effective in improving schools and contribute to the awareness of the importance of the organisational citizenship in terms of disabled students.     

Participation and rights of children with Specific Needs of Educational Support in Castilla y León (Spain): bridging the gap between policies and practices

ABSTRACT

The administration of the Spanish State is based on a decentralised model consisting of 17 autonomous regions. Castilla y León represents the largest region in Spain and the third largest in the European Union. Our analysis of both national and regional (Castilla y León) legislation on the rights of children and youth with Specific Needs of Educational Support (SNES) to participate in education suggests that the relevant legislation incorporates the minimum standards proposed by various international organisations (UNCRC, UNCRPD). Nevertheless, socio-educational organisations and researchers report limitations and setbacks to the participation of children and young people in Castilla y León, which especially impact on children with SNES: no representation on Primary and Special Education School Boards, socio-economic segregation at some schools, and scarce social participation with disadvantages for girls and other vulnerable groups. In view of these challenges, we set out to ascertain the impact of legislation on the rights of children, by listening to the voices of children with SNES. Our research, a replication of a British project, is adapted to our region. We expect to perform comparative analyses, to learn from other examples of good practice, and to offer innovative proposals for international implementation and dissemination.     

The Provision for Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) and Citizenship in School-based Elements of Primary Initial Teacher Education

This small-scale research study looks at the PSHE/Citizenship framework and the opportunities for student teachers to understand and experience within school the relationship between values, personal and social development and learning. A questionnaire was given to two sets of student teachers on their final school-based placements. The research suggests that there needs to be greater recognition of the centrality of multi-cultural awareness and understanding within the political literacy section of the PSHE/Citizenship framework. This is the counterpart to a previous study of the opportunities for values education within the university-based elements of Primary Initial Teacher Education ( Mead, 2003 ).     

Teaching Grammar and Testing Grammar in the English Primary School: The Impact on Teachers and their Teaching of the Grammar Element of the Statutory Test in Spelling,Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG)

The research examined the impact on teachers of the grammar element of a new statutory test in Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) in primary schools in England. The research aimed to evaluate the nature and the extent of changes to the teaching of grammar and to wider literacy teaching since the introduction of the test in 2013. The research explored teachers’ responses to teaching grammar to a statutory test format, and how teachers implemented rapid curriculum change in their classrooms. The research sought to learn the perspectives of teachers as they adjusted to new English assessments and new expectations for children’s language in the primary school. This paper draws on teacher interviews (n = 16) and an online survey of teaching staff (n = 170). Teachers discuss their knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of grammar at their own level, and their skills for teaching pupils; they also discuss their observations of how pupils have responded to explicit grammar teaching and the grammar test. The data give some insights into the processes for teachers of applying new requirements for teaching and testing grammar, and how teachers strive to make grammar accessible to children. The findings discussed in this paper are: (1) since the introduction of the statutory SPaG test in primary schools, time spent teaching decontextualised and contextualised grammar has increased significantly; (2) grammar is now taught explicitly and formally as a classroom literacy routine; (3) the test format influences grammar teaching content and approaches; (4) teachers observe that pupils enjoy learning grammar and taking the test; (5) teachers disagree about the extent to which explicit grammar teaching and testing have a positive impact on pupils’ language and literacy skills; (6) teachers feel more confident about teaching grammar.