Expressing identity: the role of dialogue in teaching citizenship through art

Images and Identity (2008–2010, http://www.image-identity.eu/) was a Comenius funded project in which six European Union countries explored the cross-curricular links between Citizenship and Art Education with both primary and secondary age pupils. The aim of the project was to enhance and develop a sense of the pupils’ identity as European citizens using digital media as a means of expression and communication. As the project developed, it became evident that the role of talk and collaboration was a key element of supporting the pupils’ understanding of their European identity. This article explores that particular dimension in relation to the work carried out with two classes of culturally diverse 9 and 10 year olds in two inner-city primary schools in London, UK. As Zander argues, when working on an artistic production, a creative community is established whereby pupils develop a shared meaning through dialogue which in turn becomes an inherent part of the understanding of their own creative output. In this study, such a creative community was established and this supported the pupils’ emerging understanding of the EU and their own identity within it.     

‘I wonder if they are going up or down’: children's co-constructive talk across the primary years

This article reports a research project, where two pairs of children were recorded in discussion, first in Year One and then five years later in Year Six. A unique opportunity meant that the children engaged in the same task at the beginning and end of their Primary School education. The research analyses the talk on three levels, considering the language that they use, the way that they manage their talk together, and the broader themes that they bring to their discussion. The findings suggest that their language changes subtly over time, with their earlier discussions more imaginative and fluid.     

The Role of Children's Phonological and Semantic Knowledge in Learning to Read Words

The effect of phonology and semantics on word learning in 5- and 6-year-old children was explored. In Experiment 1, children learned to read words varying in spelling-sound consistency and imageability. Consistency affected performance on early trials, whereas imageability affected performance on later trials. Individual differences among children in phonemic awareness on the trained words were related to learning, and knowledge of a word's meaning predicted how well it was learned. In Experiment 2, phonological and semantic knowledge of nonwords was manipulated prior to word learning. Familiarization with a word's pronunciation facilitated word learning, but there was no additional benefit from being taught to associate a meaning with a nonword.

     

Characteristics of support for beginning teachers: evidence from the new Teacher Induction Scheme in Scotland

The Teacher Induction Scheme, introduced in Scotland in August 2002, guarantees beginning teachers a year’s structured support from a more experienced colleague, a reduced timetable and opportunities for professional development. This article places the Scheme in the wider context of recent policy developments in Scotland and reports on research carried out into the early implementation of the Scheme. The personal and professional characteristics sought by the probationers in their supporters and suggested by the supporters themselves are analysed both in terms of the literature on mentoring and of the guidelines accompanying the Scheme. The structures set up in schools to support beginning teachers are also described. The implications of the data are discussed and proposals made for the development of a more extended model of mentoring in Scotland than the one currently in operation.     

Can high-intensity interval training improve physical and mental health outcomes? A meta-review of 33 systematic reviews across the lifespan

ABSTRACT

High-intensity-interval-training (HIIT) has been suggested to have beneficial effects in multiple populations across individual systematic reviews, although there is a lack of clarity in the totality of the evidence whether HIIT is effective and safe across different populations and outcomes. The aim of this meta-review was to establish the benefits, safety and adherence of HIIT interventions across all populations from systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Major databases were searched for systematic reviews (with/without meta-analyses) of randomised & non-randomised trials that compared HIIT to a control. Thirty-three systematic reviews (including 25 meta-analyses) were retrieved encompassing healthy subjects and people with physical health complications. Evidence suggested HIIT improved cardiorespiratory fitness, anthropometric measures, blood glucose and glycaemic control, arterial compliance and vascular function, cardiac function, heart rate, some inflammatory markers, exercise capacity and muscle mass, versus non-active controls. Compared to active controls, HIIT improved cardiorespiratory fitness, some inflammatory markers and muscle structure. Improvements in anxiety and depression were seen compared to pre-training. Additionally, no acute injuries were reported, and mean adherence rates surpassed 80% in most systematic reviews. Thus, HIIT is associated with multiple benefits. Further large-scale high-quality studies are needed to reaffirm and expand these findings.

Abbreviations: ACSM: American College of Sports Medicine; BMI: Body Mass Index; BNP: Brain Natriuretic Peptide; BP: Blood Pressure; CAD: Coronary Artery Disease; CHD: Coronary Heart Disease; COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; CRP: c- reactive Protein; CVD: Cardiovascular Disease; DBP: Diastolic Blood Pressure; ES: Effect Size; FAS: Reduced Fatty Acid Synthase; FATP-1: Reduced Fatty Acid Transport Protein 1; FMD: Flow Mediated Dilation; Hs-CRP: High-sensitivity c- reactive Protein; HDL: High Density Lipoprotein; HIIT: High-Intensity Interval Training; HOMA: Homoeostatic Model Assessment; HR: Heart Rate; HTx: Heart Transplant Recipients; IL-6: Interleukin-6; LDL: Low Density Lipoprotein; LV: Left Ventricular; LVEF: Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction; MD: Mean Difference; MetS: Metabolic Syndrome; MPO: Myeloperoxidase; MICT: Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training; NO: Nitric Oxide; NRCT: Non-Randomised Controlled Trial; PA: Physical Activity; PAI-1: Plasminogen-activator-inhibitor-1; QoL: Quality of Life; RCT: Randomised Controlled Trial; RoB: Risk of Bias; RPP: Rate Pressure Product; RT: Resistance Training; SBP: Systolic Blood Pressure; SD: Standardised Difference; SMD: Standardised Mean Difference; TAU: Treatment-As-Usual; T2DM: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; TC: Total Cholesterol; TG: Triglycerides; TNF-alfa: Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha; UMD: Unstandardised Mean Difference; WC: Waist Circumference; WHR: Waist-to-Hip Ratio; WMD: Weighted Mean Difference

Key points:

• HIIT may improve cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiovascular function, anthropometric variables, exercise capacity, muscular structure and function, and anxiety and depression severity in healthy individuals and those with physical health disorders.

• Additionally, HIIT appears to be safe and does not seem to be associated with acute injuries or serious cardiovascular events.