African American women and violence: gender,race, and class in the news

This study uses discourse analysis to examine the representation of violence against African American women in local TV news coverage of Freaknik, an annual “spring break” ritual that drew African American college students from throughout the country to Atlanta, Georgia in the 1990s. It draws on Black feminist theory in its examination of the ways that gender, race, and class intersected to shape the representation of the victims, the perpetrators, and the violence. The results indicate that the convergence of gender, race, and class oppressions minimized the seriousness of the violence, portrayed most of its victims as stereotypic Jezebels whose lewd behavior provoked assault, and absolved the perpetrators of responsibility. Coverage also reinforced race and class stereotypes by representing locals as underclass troublemakers prone to crime while students were linked to law‐abiding, middle class values and norms. In demonstrating the utility of addressing the intersectionality of gender, race, and class, this study argues that such an approach is necessary to the study of representation.     

How to respond to the demands set by the communicative approach? New challenges second‐language (L2) teachers face in the classroom

This study investigates prospective teachers' language needs in L2 teacher training programmes. A questionnaire was constructed and administered to a total of 79 first, second and third year students in the teaching training school at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB). The questionnaire attempted to elicit student teachers' views on the following aspects: a) L2 teachers' qualities; b) Relevance of a Methodology, a Theory and a Language Improvement component in training courses; c) Perceived command of the English language and d) Potential use of English in future classes. The results confirm the value of including a Language Improvement component in teacher training courses to better meet the needs of future teachers and help them respond to the new demands set by the communicative approach. Results also suggest that a more balanced approach between both a Language Improvement and a Methodology component can play a crucial role in the successful implementation of the communicative approach in L2 contexts.

Ce travail étudie les besoins linguistiques des futurs professeurs de seconde langue dans les programmes des professeurs des écoles. Pour ce faire, un questionnaire a été élaboré et administré à un total de70 élèves de première, seconde et troisième année de formation des professeurs à l'Université des Îles Baléares.

Le questionaire aspirait à obtenir l'opinion des étudiants au sujet de: a) Qualités des professeurs de L2; b) Pertinence de la composante méthodologique, théorique, et de Formation Linguistique dans les curricula (programmes) de ces études; c) Perception de l'autorité de la langue anglaise et d) Utilisaton potentielle de la langue anglaise en classe dans le futur.

Les résultats confirment l'importance de l'inclusion d'une composante de Formation Linguistique dans le curricula des études de professeurs pour mieux répondre aux besoins des futurs professeurs et, en conséquence, les aider à s'adapter aux nouvelles exigences mises en place par l'approche communicative.

Les résultats suggèrent aussi qu'une approche plus équilibrée entre les composantes méthodologique et de Formation Linguistique peut jouer un rôle capital dans la mise en oeuvre de l'approche communicative dans le contexte de L2

Este estudio investiga las necesidades lingüísticas de los futuros profesores de segundas lenguas en los programas de formación del profesorado de primaria. Para ello se elaboró un cuestionario y se administró a un total de 70 alumnos de primer, segundo y tercer curso de magisterio en la Universitat de les Illes Balears. El cuestionario pretendía recoger la opinión de los estudiantes sobre los siguientes aspectos: a) cualidades del profesorado de segundas lenguas; b) relevancia del componente Metodológico, Teórico y de Formación Lingüística en los programas de formación del profesorado; c) presunto dominio de la lengua inglesa y d) uso potencial del inglés en clases futuras. Los resultados del estudio demuestran la importancia de incluir un componente de Formación Lingüística en los cursos de formación del profesorado de magisterio para poder responder mejor a las necesidades del futuro profesorado de primaria de modo que puedan enfrentarse a las nuevas exigencias planteadas por el enfoque comunicativo. Los resultados del estudio también sugieren que un balance equilibrado entre los componentes Metodológicos y de Formación Lingüística puede desempeñar un papel primordial en la implementación efectiva del enfoque comunicativo en el contexto de segundas lenguas.

In der folgenden Untersuchung werden die Sprachbedürfnisse der auszubildenden Fremdsprachenlehrer der Primarstufe ermittelt. Dafür wurde einen Fragekatalog entwickelt, der von 70 Studenten im ersten, zweiten und dritten Jahr des Lehrerstudiums an der Universität der Balearen ausgefüllt wurde. Das Ziel der Befragung war, die Meinung der Studenten über folgende Aspekte ihrer Ausbildung zu erfahren: a) Fähigkeiten der Fremdsprachenlehre; b) Bewertung der methodologischen, theoretischen und sprachlichen Inhalte in der Lehrerausbildung; c) Einschätzung über die Beherrschung des Englischen und d) Möglichkeiten über den Gebrauch des Englischen im zukünftigen Unterricht.

Die Ergebnisse der Studie zeigen die Notwendigkeit einer sprachlichen Weiterbildung der Lehrer während des Studiums, damit sie auf die zukünftigen Anforderungen der kommunikativen Methode in ihrer Lehrertätigkeit besser reagieren können.

Die Ergebnisse deuten auch darauf, dass das Gleichgewicht zwischen methodologischen Inhalten und sprachlicher Fortbildung eine zentralle Rolle in der effektiven Umsetzung der kommunikativen Methode im Fremdsprachenunterricht spielen kann.     

III. ATTACHMENT AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN INSTITUTIONAL CARE: CHARACTERISTICS AND CATCH UP

Attachment has been assessed in the extreme environment of orphanages, but an important issue to be addressed in this chapter is whether in addition to standard assessment procedures, such as the Strange Situation, the lack of a specific attachment in some institutionalized children should be taken into account given the limits to the development of stable relationships in institutionalized care. In addition, this chapter discusses disinhibited or indiscriminately friendly behavior that is often seen in institutionalized children. Enhanced caregiving quality alone appears to be insufficient to diminish indiscriminate behavior, at least in some children, as evidenced by the persistence of indiscriminate behavior in children adopted out of institutions into adoptive families. We suggest that the etiology and function of indiscriminate, “friendly” behavior may be different for institutionalized versus not‐institutionalized children. In the first case it may reflect a distortion or disruption of early attachment relationships; in the latter case it is likely to result from the lack of expected input in the form of contingent interactions with a stable caregiver in early life. We try to delineate infant and caregiver characteristics that are associated with secure attachment in institutional settings, given the inevitable fact that large numbers of infants worldwide are being raised, and will be raised, in contexts of institutional care. We conclude that much further study is needed of the development of children's attachments following adoption out of an institutional setting.     

Increasing MSW Students’ Information Competencies through Online Tutorials,Application Exercises,and Course Assignments

Increasing MSW students’ information competencies was achieved through a 2-year project in which online video tutorials, in-class exercises, and course assignments were created and integrated into two required foundation courses. Tutorials demonstrated basic and advanced search techniques, online databases, and online course-specific research guides. Tutorials were viewed during and outside of class. In-class exercises and course assignments enabled students to immediately apply what they had learned. Results indicate a significant increase in the adequacy of students’ search for online information and ability to critically examine sources and evidence. Implications for social work education are discussed.     

Some Parent-Child Relationships as Shown in Clinical Case Studies

The identification and composition of four subtests constituting the major areas of competence of English as a foreign langauge is reported, largely based on a study of the literature. A 160-item, four-choice test was used to obtain a number of reliability and validity indices. It was found that grammar was the most reliable and the most valid component when based on total test scores as the criterion, where-as translation was lowest on these two measures. The opposite trend was observed with Grade Point Average as the criterion, whereas the third criterion, writing ability, was found to correlate highest with listening comprehension, which was also found to contribute to the highest unique nonchance variance of the four components. These findings and their explanation are discussed.     

How Heritable are Parental Sensitivity and Limit-Setting? A Longitudinal Child-Based Twin Study on Observed Parenting

We examined the relative contribution of genetic, shared environmental and non-shared environmental factors to the covariance between parental sensitivity and limit-setting observed twice in a longitudinal study using a child-based twin design. Parental sensitivity and parental limit-setting were observed in 236 parents with each of their same-sex toddler twin children (M_age = 3.8 years; 58% monozygotic). Bivariate behavioral genetic models indicated substantial effects of similar shared environmental factors on parental sensitivity and limit-setting and on the overlap within sensitivity and limit-setting across 1 year. Moderate child-driven genetic effects were found for parental limit-setting in year 1 and across 1 year. Genetic child factors contributing to explaining the variance in limit-setting over time were the same, whereas shared environmental factors showed some overlap.