Islamic parents’ attitudes and beliefs towards school-based sexual and reproductive health education programmes in Oman

School-based comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) programmes play an important role in reducing young people’s sexual risk behaviour and promoting health and well-being. There is limited evidence regarding the attitudes and beliefs of parents towards the implementation of school-based CSE programmes in Islamic cultural settings, including Oman, which this mixed-method study set out to explore. A convenience sample of 250 parents, with equal numbers of mothers and fathers of children aged 12–14 years (grades 7–9) at two urban public pre-secondary schools in Saham, completed a paper-based self-administered questionnaire in Arabic. We found most parents (72.8%) supported school-based CSE programmes that conformed to Islamic requirements of pre-marital sexual abstinence, but there was some opposition. Almost all parents supported comprehensive age-appropriate CSE being taught to students aged 10–15 years, including topics perceived as controversial in Omani culture, except for birth control and safer sex. Most parents considered themselves, school teachers and school nurses to be important sources of CSE. The study findings which suggest strong parental support for CSE programmes can facilitate education policy, CSE curriculum decision-makers and school healthcare-providers in Oman, other Middle Eastern countries, and countries with Muslim immigrant populations.     

A message to special education from mothers of disabled children

A conference, organised by the National Womens Advisory Council for women who had given birth to a disabled child, was attended by 150 participants from throughout Australia. The major issues and recommendations relevant to special education are presented in this paper. Issues included the need for accurate and honest information, particularly at birth or diagnosis, as well as the importance of sensitivity, and of skill in counselling, in all professional and community workers at all times. More comprehensive provisions in pre‐school, school and continuing educational services were requested and Governments were asked to look carefully at many problem areas, such as adequate financial support, accessible and cheap transport and the need to establish a ministry for the disabled. Everyone concerned with educational services should become advocates for the disabled and their families, particularly to improve community attitudes towards and services for the disabled.     

Language ability and verbal and nonverbal executive functioning in deaf students communicating in spoken English

The internal use of language during problem solving is considered to play a key role in executive functioning. This role provides a means for self-reflection and self-questioning during the formation of rules and plans and a capacity to control and monitor behavior during problem-solving activity. Given that increasingly sophisticated language is required for effective executive functioning as an individual matures, it is likely that students with poor language abilities will have difficulties performing complex problem-solving tasks. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between language ability and verbal and nonverbal executive functioning in a group of deaf students who communicate using spoken English, as measured by their performance on two standardized tests of executive function: the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) 20 Questions Test and the D-KEFS Tower Test. Expressive language ability accounted for more than 40% of variability in performance on the D-KEFS 20 Questions Test. There was no significant relationship between language ability and performance on the D-KEFS Tower Test. There was no relationship between language ability and familiarity with the specific problem-solving strategies of both D-KEFS Tests. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Supporting Teacher Learning and Informed Practice in Writing through Assessment Tools for Teaching and Learning

This paper concerns teacher learning. It describes the impact on teacher knowledge and reported practice of working with diagnostic assessment tools for writing. These tools were specifically designed with a dual purpose: to provide diagnostic information about students to guide teaching for enhanced learning outcomes and also to develop teacher understanding about features of, and developmental progressions in, writing. We describe the features of the tools which facilitate teacher learning. Then we present three small‐scale studies conducted during and after development of the tools to explore their impact. Discussion focuses on teachers' reports of their learning about writing and how working with the assessment tools impacted a range of teaching practices.     

Child and Parenting Outcomes After 1 Year of Educare

Educare is a birth to age 5 early education program designed to reduce the achievement gap between children from low‐income families and their more economically advantaged peers through high‐quality center‐based programming and strong school–family partnerships. This study randomly assigned 239 children (< 19 months) from low‐income families to Educare or a business‐as‐usual control group. Assessments tracked children 1 year after randomization. Results revealed significant differences favoring treatment group children on auditory and expressive language skills, parent‐reported problem behaviors, and positive parent–child interactions. Effect sizes were in the modest to medium range. No effects were evident for observer‐rated child behaviors or parent‐rated social competence. The overall results add to the evidence that intervening early can set low‐income children on more positive developmental courses.     

Embedding publication skills in science research training: a writing group programme based on applied linguistics frameworks and facilitated by a scientist

Few systematic efforts have been reported to develop higher degree by research student skills for writing publishable articles in science and technology fields. There is a need to address this lack in the light of the current importance of publication to science research students and the high supervisor workload entailed in repeated draft correction, especially when students use English as an additional language. An interdisciplinary teaching approach to address this need has recently been developed featuring analysis frameworks from applied linguistics (AL) research, with successful outcomes in short, stand-alone workshops facilitated by an applied linguist teaching alone or in teams with scientists. Its use by a scientist alone has not previously been investigated, although scientists are well placed to address this development need. We investigate the suitability and effectiveness of this approach for use by a scientist to embed training, in the context of the first two years of operation of a school-level writing group programme, and identify features of the approach that align with participants’ perceptions of benefit. Student response to the programme has been strongly positive, with increased confidence to write for publication and complete their degrees, and high activity towards publishing papers on their degree research. The presenter reports maintenance of his own publication output in spite of the time spent on this training, as a result of increased writing efficiency. Features of the approach that map to perceived benefit include its basis in AL frameworks for analysis of student-provided example papers; incorporation of relevant aspects of English usage and grammar in the frameworks; and inclusion of response to reviewer comments as an integral part of article writing.     

A comparison of the guidance received and desired by black and white pupils in South Africa

A survey was conducted of 692 black and white high school pupils in sixteen South African high schools. A questionnaire requested information regarding pupils' perceptions of the extent to which they actually received guidance services in twelve areas listed in official syllabi. Subjects were also asked to indicate which of these dimensions they wished to receive, and their preferences in this regard. Results indicated that black pupils received guidance significantly less than did whites, and that they had a commensurately stronger desire for such input. In their ordering of preferred areas in which Guidance should be provided, there were certain commonalities and a few differences in the responses of black and white pupils. It was concluded that the inadequacies in the guidance system, particularly for blacks, are associated with the nature of the apartheid society. Accordingly, changes in the guidance system are seen as dependent upon pervasive reform of that society.     

Experiences of dyslexia and the transition to university: a case study of five students at different stages of study

ABSTRACT

Dyslexia is a common specific learning difficulty. In higher education two models of disability are prevalent, ‘disorder’ and ‘difference’, which each differentially conceptualise dyslexia and the nature of supports required. A lack of research has been undertaken in Ireland regarding students’ experience of dyslexia, and the move from second to third level education. A greater understanding of the challenges encountered is necessary to inform provision of resources to help students with dyslexia excel in higher education. Semi-structured interviews were completed with four undergraduate students and one postgraduate student with a diagnosis of dyslexia to explore their experiences of transitioning into university. Thematic analysis revealed four common themes: dyslexic identity, self-advocacy, transition experiences, and future advice. Various difficulties were identified regarding lack of appropriate academic resources, inconsistencies between supports provided in secondary and third level education, and low self-confidence which serves as a barrier to success. However, strengths including self-directed learning techniques and communication and self-advocacy skills were also evidenced, supporting a ‘difference’ view of dyslexia. The findings highlight the need to re-evaluate the current academic service provisions, in alignment with a model of dyslexia that allows individualisation and enables students, as opposed to disabling them.