Retirement as a Learning Process

This article draws upon a major qualitative empirical research investigation in Great Britain to explore the relationships between retirement and learning. Though retirement is frequently viewed as an event leading to a life stage, our data show that it can perhaps be best understood as a lengthy process. This process begins well before actual retirement in most cases, and it continues well after any symbolic retirement event. Through this process of change, it is common for persons to be retired by one definition but not by another. The article shows that if we adopt recent understandings of learning as a process of becoming—incorporating informal as well as formal learning—then retirement is a process and learning is an inevitable, integral part of that process. We conclude by suggesting some implications that follow from understanding retirement in this way.     

A qualitative comparison of perceived stress and coping in adolescents with and without autistic spectrum disorders as they approach leaving school

During the research reported in this article, differences in perceived stress and coping between adolescents with and without autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) were examined by a series of interviews. Emphasis was placed on examining the issue with regard to the prospective transition at the point of leaving secondary education. Ten pupils with autism and seven without any identified disorder were interviewed. The participants with ASD indicated worry about specific objects and social relations; demonstrated a lack of external expression of their stress; and indicated a reliance on self, rather than others, for help. Those with ASD also indicated more concerns regarding items not affecting their education and were self-admittedly poor at dealing with both current and future stress. Participants without a disorder were far more concerned with their education and outlined different methods of stress management. James Browning, an Educational Psychologist in training, Dr Lisa A. Osborne, a Research Fellow in the Learning and Adaptive Behaviour Group, in the Department of Psychology at Swansea University, and Professor Phil Reed, the Director of the Learning and Adaptive Behaviour Group, in the Department of Psychology at Swansea University, suggest that these differences should be addressed and argue that the further incorporation of techniques to improve coping with stress may ease the transition from school for students with ASD.     

Living with imperfect comparisons: The challenges and limitations of comparative paralympic sport policy research

In this article, the authors explores the challenges and limitations of conducting cross-comparative management/policy research in the Paralympic sporting domain. The comparative sport policy debate in able-bodied sport has emerged, in part, due to the increasing complexity, uncertainty, and competitive nature of high performance sport environments and a desire to understand why some countries are more successful than others at international sporting competition. The same issues and questions have also emerged within the Paralympic context. As a precursor to establishing a research agenda in this area, however, it was deemed important to begin to address the epistemological, methodological, and practical issues in comparative sport research. The analysis draws upon the broader sociological literature and examples from the Paralympic sporting context to identify and discuss the challenges and limitations of the comparative approach as well as recommendations for mitigating against them.     

Fearing Failure: Grandiose Narcissism,Vulnerable Narcissism,and Emotional Reactivity in Children

The distinction between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism is new to the child literature, but initial findings suggest that it may have important implications for understanding adjustment. This study examined how expressions of narcissism in children influence their reactions to a mild egothreats experience. Children (N = 124; aged 8–12 years) completed self-ratings before and after doing a brief but challenging task. Negative emotions, self-conscious emotions, and performance estimates were measured. Regression analyses showed that, even after controlling the effects of self-esteem and temperament, vulnerable narcissism was related to increased hostility, anger, and shame, whereas grandiose narcissism was related to inflated performance estimates following the task. These results demonstrate the unique roles of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism in children.     

Reading assessments for students with ASD: a survey of summative reading assessments used in special educational schools in the UK

Schools have an obligation to assess the literacy skills of their students, and the provision of reading instruction to students includes the ability to measure progress in this area. However, the design of reading tests includes the ability not only to read words, but also the ability to verbalise them. This presents a particular challenge for practitioners working with students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who can be nonverbal in many cases. How this issue is generally overcome is currently unknown. A survey was developed, in the form of an online multiple‐choice questionnaire, in order to determine which tests are currently being used in the UK to assess the reading abilities of nonverbal students, and to examine the opinions of the education practitioners who use them, in relation to their suitability. Using the schools web directory, e‐mail invitations were sent to 1,050 special educational needs schools across the UK, and 70 schools responded to the invitation. Respondents suggested that the majority of practitioners hold little faith in the ability of current reading assessments to provide an accurate picture of reading ability for students with ASD, and this holds particularly true for nonverbal pupils with ASD. One purpose of education assessment is to establish a baseline of students’ ability in order to plan for lifelong learning and achievement. If there is an inability on the part of schools accurately to assess the reading abilities of nonverbal students with ASD, then it would be fair to assume that this could have a negative impact on the provision of learning opportunities for this population.     

Accelerating the Progress of Failing Readers: An Evaluation of the Enable–Plus Programme Pilot Study

Supporting pupils who experience difficulties with reading is a perennial concern. In this article, Phil Bowen and Jane Yeomans discuss the Enable–Plus programme, implemented in the two primary schools in Sandwell during 2000 and 2001. The authors set this initiative in the context of the National Literacy Strategy, the Additional Literacy Strategy and the revised SEN Code of Practice . The results are encouraging. Many pupils make significant progress. The programme enables other pupils, with needs that require further targeted intervention, to be identified and effectively supported. The scheme is now being expanded into further schools.
Phil Bowen is an area team and teacher manager and Jane Yeomans is an educational psychologist. They both work for Sandwell Inclusion Support, a multi–professional SEN support service. Both authors have considerable experience of working in the mainstream and special education sectors and have particular interests in reading support and the effects of reading failure on curriculum access.     

Reading and Writing: Digital Directions

The authors show that IT hardware and software are having an effect on literacy. As well as being aware of those changes, English teachers, they argue, should be exploiting IT for the development of those reading and writing skills necessary for the future. The article goes on to exemplify, through an exploration of how it came to be written, some of the processes and opportunities identified earlier.     

A family service unit's approach to working with child abuse

The staff of Brent Family Service Unit, a voluntary social work agency operating in London, has developed a range of broadly based services to bring about real changes in the behaviour of families who suffer child abuse. The paper argues that integrated teams of workers containing a variety of roles, experiences and approaches is essential in responding to families who experience varying constellations of interrelated problems. Some basic principles underlying the team's work are described. Contract work with individuals, families and groups embodies some of the above principles. This approach is invaluable in bringing both structure to the work process plus enabling specific observable change goals to be negotiated. The creative use of games, exercises and materials are used to bring about changes in behaviour and attitudes. Observations that can be made regarding the value and effectiveness of this approach include a reduction in the incidence and frequency of injuries and the social isolation of families. Fewer children are received into care. Parents learn to have much more realistic expectations of their children's behaviour.