Improving Science and Literacy Learning for English Language Learners: Evidence from a Pre-service Teacher Preparation Intervention

This paper present findings from a pre-service teacher development project that prepared novice teachers to promote English language and literacy development with inquiry-based science through a modified elementary science methods course and professional development for cooperating teachers. To study the project’s impact on student learning, we administered a pre and post assessment to students (N = 191) of nine first year elementary teachers (grades 3 through 6) who experienced the intervention and who taught a common science unit. Preliminary results indicate that (1) student learning improved across all categories (science concepts, writing, and vocabulary)—although the effect varied by category, and (2) English Language Learner (ELL) learning gains were on par with non-ELLs, with differences across proficiency levels for vocabulary gain scores. These results warrant further analyses to understand the extent to which the intervention improved teacher practice and student learning. This study confirms the findings of previous research that the integration of science language and literacy practices can improve ELL achievement in science concepts, writing and vocabulary. In addition, the study indicates that it is possible to begin to link the practices taught in pre-service teacher preparation to novice teacher practice and student learning outcomes.     

EDUCATIONAL ORIENTATIONS OF THE AGED: AN ATTITUDINAL INQUIRY

This study examines various attitudinal components of the educational orientations of the aged. An index was developed to measure: (1) perceived ability to learn, (2) interest in education (as a concept), (3) perception of educational needs, (4) desired availability of. educational opportunities, and (5) use of free time. Locus of control was also examined in relation to these perspectives. Six significant relationships were found to exist between these components. Barriers to educational involvement are examined and discussed in relation to the attitudinal dimensions. Findings of the study do not support a number of the commonly held stereotypes about older adults and their learning interests. Barriers rather than attitudes may be a greater factor in determining participation in educational activities.     

Young Children's Understanding of "Remember" and "Forget"

3 studies examined young children's understanding that if one "remembers" or "forgot," one must have known at a prior time. In Study 1,4-year-olds but not 3-year-olds understood the prior knowledge component of "forgot"; both groups understood that a character with prior knowledge was "gonna remember." Study 2 controlled for the possibility that good performance on "remember" might be due to a simple association of remembering with knowledge. A significant number of 4-year-olds but not 3-year-olds understood that when 2 characters currently knew, the one with prior knowledge remembered, and that when neither character currently knew, the one with prior knowledge forgot. Study 3 made prior knowledge more salient by making the remembered or forgotten item visible to the subjects throughout. 4-year-olds performed near ceiling on both verbs, whereas 3-year-olds' performance did not differ from chance. The results are discussed in relation to children's developing understanding of the mind.     

A survey of ethical decision making among practicing school psychologists

This study investigated a sample of practicing school psychologists' preferred resolutions to a series of ethical dilemmas and their primary reason(s) for arriving at these resolutions. Results indicated a general lack of consistency in both actions taken to resolve ethical dilemmas and reasons chosen to support such actions, regardless of respondents' sex, years of experience, self-reported hours of ethics training, frequency of encountering similar problems, perceived seriousness of the problem, or confidence in decision making. The results are discussed in light of similar findings from other areas of professional psychology and their implications for better preservice training in ethical decision making.     

Teachers' approaches to teaching and responses to student evaluation in a problem‐based medical program

Teachers' approaches to teaching may influence the way they interpret and respond to student evaluations. In this article we explore the relationship between teachers' approaches to teaching and responses to qualitative student feedback in a problem‐based medical program. We asked all lecturers and theme session presenters in 2003 who had received student feedback comments in the past 2 years (N=121) to complete anonymously the Approaches to Teaching inventory (16 items) and an Approach to Feedback Inventory (14 items). Results were that most teachers report making changes to their teaching in response to students' suggestions at least sometimes. The types of change(s) teachers make are consistent with their approach. Teachers strong on a conceptual‐change student‐focussed (CCSF) approach are more responsive to feedback and positive about strategies for improving their teaching. To encourage teachers to use student feedback as a guide to improving their teaching, institutions may need to provide a systematic program of teacher education that focuses on teachers' conceptions, approaches and supports observation of exemplary practice.     

Unlocking education through relationship building: Identity and agency in English educational institutions during Covid-19

This paper reports on a longitudinal study in the North of England with 13 educators in schools, colleges and universities during two lockdowns. The project was designed to ‘unlock’ education by providing spaces to co-create new ways of thinking about education in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Focus groups were conducted with school and college teachers as well as university staff at the end of the first and second English lockdowns, in summer 2020 and spring 2021. An initial analysis identified issues with expectations and communication between educators and executive management as well as a lack of agency of educators, and how participants framed them as impacting on their identity as educators. Therefore, the framework of tactics of intersubjectivity was adopted to explore how educators discursively positioned themselves and others through constructions of similarity and difference, realness and power, and how their professional identities were affected by the experience of working through the pandemic and by those around them. Whilst educators took opportunities to authenticate their identity and reimagine education, their agency was undermined by top-down governing involving little successful communication, leading to denaturalising and illegitimising experiences for educators. Executive management were perceived as lacking engagement with staff and understanding of the implications of their decisions on them. The findings call for relationship building and recognition of educators' voice.     

Stability of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children For A Sample Of At-Risk Preschool Children

This study examined the stability of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) for a sample of at-risk preschool children. Over a 9-month time interval, the stability coefficients (corrected for restriction in range) for the global scales of the K-ABC ranged from .78 to .88. The stability coefficients (corrected for restriction in range) for the K-ABC subtests ranged from .65 to .79. It was concluded that scores on the K-ABC for at-risk preschool children display adequate stability, but that the Simultaneous scale appears to be more amenable to change than either the Sequential or Achievement scales.