The Influence of Female Lead Characters in Political TV Shows: Links to Political Engagement

This study examined political television dramas with lead female characters, proposing a model that links viewing of these shows with political engagement. A survey revealed that regular viewers of Madam Secretary, The Good Wife, or Scandal reported feeling transported by these programs’ narratives and parasocial relationships with the main characters (i.e., women in positions of political leadership). These responses were also related to increases in political interest and self-efficacy, with interest predicting real-world political participation. The findings illustrate that these political dramas have prosocial implications, including the non-stereotypical representation of women as well as increased political engagement among viewers.     

Provision for Children with Speech and Language Difficulties in Tanzania

Knowledge about paediatric speech and language difficulties, training for and contact with children with such problems and views on service developments were explored using a written questionnaire, completed by 84 Tanzanian health and education professionals. Additionally, two sets of interviews were carried out, one with a subset of questionnaire respondents and another with a group of 14 health/education planners and administrators. Results showed that whilst only 41 % of respondents had received training about speech and language difficulties, 68% considered themselves to be responsible for assisting children with such problems. Levels of knowledge were significantly higher in the special education group, but were not significantly related to training, exposure to speech and language therapists, or professional responsibility. However, knowledge levels were significantly related to daily contact with children with speech and language difficulties. No evidence of research or planning for children with such difficulties was discovered. Views on service provision favoured educational over health‐based provision. Qualitative information on attitudes and beliefs about speech and language difficulties did not contradict previous data on disabilities. The implications for Tanzania and other similar countries are discussed. Improvements to the questionnaire are discussed. More data are needed in order to facilitate appropriate service development.     

Early career challenges in secondary school music teaching

The article reports an Economic and Social Research Council‐funded study of the early career experiences of secondary school music teachers in England, set within a wider national picture of decreasing age‐related pupil engagement with school music, career perceptions of music teaching, variable patterns of teacher recruitment and possible mismatches between the musical biographies of young people and intending music teachers. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from a short‐term longitudinal survey (first questionnaire: n = 74, second questionnaire: n = 29), supplemented by case studies (n = 6) and open‐ended, written questions (n = 20). Analyses suggest that only a half of the newly qualified participants chose to teach full‐time in a mainstream, state‐funded school music classroom. Of these, the majority were faced with a range of early career challenges stemming from curricular, extra‐curricular and non‐curricular school expectations. These included the need to balance their existing musical performer identity with that of being a new teacher.