Strengthening ‘the foundations’ of the primary school curriculum

The low status of the foundation subjects (e.g. Music and Physical Education (PE)) in English primary schools is well documented. Using PE as an illustrative example, a thematic analysis of 51 PE trainee students’ assignments, based on their perceptions of a two-week experience in a primary school, highlighted a number of areas of concern (e.g. limited/inadequate preparation; insufficient teacher knowledge/confidence; variable/limited subject leadership and non-qualified teachers delivering the curriculum). The possibility of teachers, coaches and other external specialists learning collaboratively with and from each other within a community of practice/learning is proposed as one way of strengthening the foundation subjects within the primary school curriculum.     

Vocational and counselling prospects,and practices for the mentally handicapped

The paper considers some of the current prospects and practices related to vocational programs and counselling for the mentally handicapped. Issues of concern are explored, including program emphasis and content, the role and training of the counsellor, as well as other professional and non-professional participants in the process of preparing the retarded for satisfactory adult adjustment to employment and community living.     

No ‘self’ left behind? Part-time distance learning university graduates: social class,graduate identity and employability

Higher education (HE) is regarded as a pathway to upward social mobility for those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Social mobility is itself seen as important both for individual and national prosperity and is a key driver of government funding for HE. While access to HE has substantially increased over the past number of years, the evidence suggests that social inequalities continue to be reproduced, with working-class students more frequently accessing lower status institutions and courses. This in turn can impact negatively on their labour market outcomes. This paper offers a critical appraisal on the employability discourse. Drawing on a survey of 268 distance graduates from an Irish university, together with 5 individual interviews, findings indicate that distance graduates are likely to be from lower socio-economic backgrounds and have delayed participation in university education for reasons relating to social class. Although mostly in employment, they are motivated to participate in HE by their concerns regarding their long-term employability. The literature identifies that our employability is something we negotiate with others. This paper posits that, for distance graduates, in addition to this process of convincing others, the graduate must also convince themselves of the value of their own achievement. Transitioning to graduate employment, and developing a graduate identity, can therefore be a slow internal and external process of negotiation.     

The sexual abuse of young people with disabilities: Treatment considerations

Research has indicated that sexual abuse of individuals with disabilities is frequently repeated and chronic, and often results in significant harm to the victim. Furthermore, while abusers are most often family members or acquaintances, many offenses are committed by paid service providers and occur in disability service settings. Findings indicate that victims with disabilities often experience difficulty in obtaining treatment services that are accessible and appropriately adapted to their needs. Based on the necessity of appropriate treatment, considerations and strategies are discussed for therapy adaptations to meet the special needs of sexually abused young people with developmental disabilities.     

Adjustment outcomes of developmental placement: A longitudinal study

Over the years, educators and psychologists have recommended delaying school entry and have developed alternative interventions for young children identified as unready for school. These developmental placement interventions, including readiness kindergartens and pre‐first classes, were developed to avoid both academic and social‐emotional problems in schools. However, the efficacy of these programs has not been proven. This study examined school adjustment outcomes and emotional and learning difficulties, both short‐term and longitudinally, for students who participated in readiness kindergartens and pre‐first classes, as well as for control groups of students. Significant differences were noted in retention rates, dropout rates, and special education placement rates. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Empire Redefined: Part 2

Dutch empires in publishing and territorial colonization are examined and compared during the 19th and 20th centuries for their relevancy to today. As decolonization took hold around the world, the Dutch divested geopolitical control of their colonies. At the same time, science publishing emerged from a precarious financial footing to one of solid revenue, profit, and unrestrained growth. Part 2 continues the story of two Dutch legacies and their impact on our current times.     

Counselling women: Information from diverse ethnic cultures

The bulk of the literature on counselling women relates to the North American context. Recognizing the inherent limitation and bias in this relatively narrow perspective, the paper was an attempt to expand the boundaries of our knowledge on issues in counselling women beyond the North American scene.Paper presented at the Eleventh International Round Table for the Advancement of Counselling, Aarhus, Denmark, August 1984. I would like to thank my colleagues who authored portions of this paper, as will be duly noted. For information about particular aspects of the paper, readers are encouraged to write to the individual authors.