Exploring inclusive practices in primary schools: focusing on children’s voices

This paper reports a small-scale research project which took place in one primary school in the north-east of England. The study aimed to listen to children’s views about how the practices of teachers helped and/or hindered their sense of inclusion in classrooms. Inclusion was understood here in a broad sense rather than specifically relating to children with special educational needs. Participatory research tools were used as part of group interviews with children from three different year groups. Even though the children were mostly happy with their school experience, it was noticeable that there were some areas for concern for some children that related to four interconnecting themes: unfairness, shouting, loneliness and seating plans. All of these themes seemed to be connected with children’s interpersonal relationships – with teachers and with each other – and can be seen as crucial in terms of understanding inclusion in schools and further developing existing practices.     

The role of counselors serving deaf or hard of hearing students in public schools

Since enactment of Public Law 94-142, residential schools for d/Deaf or hard of hearing (d/Dhh) students have lost enrollment to public schools. Public school counselors now must meet d/Dhh students' counseling needs. There is little literature on if and how counselors are doing this. The present study used a survey to evaluate the job satisfaction and expectations of 22 counselors working with d/Dhh students in programs across the United States. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 6 participants functioning as counselors for d/Dhh students. Results indicated that the counselors were generally pleased with their role, which, however, diverged markedly from the American School Counselor Association (2003) national model. The interviews revealed 5 themes that may be unique to counselors serving d/Dhh students in public schools: Authority Based on Experience, Director     

Family communication patterns and the conflict styles young adults use with their fathers

Researchers consistently assert that conflict behaviors are likely to begin at an early age and that learned patterns may carry into later life. This survey research with 211 undergraduate students at two universities tests the possibility that family communication environments establish relational schemata that steer individuals toward different cognitive foci and different interpretations about conflicts. Results show that family communication patterns between fathers and their young adult children were linked to conflict styles that college students reportedly use with their fathers. Implications for theory development, conflict management and further research are discussed.     

Prenatal testosterone,visual-spatial memory,and numerical skills in young children

Lateralization of the brain is strongly influenced by prenatal androgens, with differential exposure thought to account for cognitive sex differences. This study investigated sex and individual differences and relationships between 2D:4D (the ratio of the 2nd to 4th digit [digit ratio] as a proxy indicator of prenatal testosterone exposure), visual-spatial memory, and numerical skills in 5-year-old children. No sex differences were found in any of the numerical or visual-spatial tasks. Visual-spatial memory was positively correlated with arithmetic score. Girls with a lower (more masculinised) 2D:4D had better number sense and visual-spatial skills, whilst boys with lower 2D:4D had better arithmetic skills. This suggests that prenatal testosterone exposure may have differential effects on the visual-spatial and numerical skills of girls and boys.     

Talking in class: a study of socio‐economic difference in the primary school classroom

In this paper, I consider the relationship between socio‐economic background and the school experience of two groups of children. I seek to establish whether or not there are identifiable differences in the language of primary school children living in two demographically contrasting geographical areas and, if there are differences, how these differences might impact upon a child's capacity to access learning. In investigating these relationships, I conducted semi‐structured interviews with the two groups using the work of Bernstein as a starting point. I found that while the children in the first school, located in a largely less affluent area of Bristol, appeared to lack confidence, extended vocabulary and often clarity in their speech, the children in the second school, located in a middle class, affluent area of the city appeared articulate, self‐ confident and in possession of a varied and extended vocabulary. While it is not appropriate to generalise from this small scale study, these findings raise questions about the language children experience from an early age both in the home environment and at school and suggest that there is a significant part for schools to play in ensuring that they are not excluding some groups of children from participation.     

The opportunities to build on existing expertise in writing classrooms: a study of writing lessons in New Zealand primary schools

The present study investigated 15 Year 4–6 classrooms in two multicultural schools in New Zealand to understand what opportunities students had to draw on their diverse experiences of texts. A mixed-methods approach was taken, including classroom observations and student interviews. Results suggested that lessons were characterised by a consistent format of teacher-led, whole class instruction followed by independent writing. Conversations about prior knowledge typically sought display of taught items. Students saw few links between writing forms in school and texts out of school. The study highlights the role of lesson structure in framing incorporation of prior knowledge in writing lessons.     

The role of prior knowledge in inferential processing

The present research tested how domain-related knowledge influences inference generation during text comprehension. Two types of inference were examined, those that maintained referential coherence, referred to as local inferences, and those that were anticipatory in nature, referred to as global inferences. Three groups of subjects, each with differing degrees of domain knowledge, read a domain-related text that included both types of inference. It was found that all knowledge groups processed sentences involved in local inferences similarly, presumably because establishing text coherence is essential to comprehension. However, knowledge differences emerged in the processing of the sentences involved in global inferences. The results of two experiments suggested that individuals with prior knowledge used their knowledge actively to generate global inferences during reading. It was argued that this anticipatory inferential process guides the construction of a mental model of a text, built partly with explicit information and partly with existing knowledge.     

Teaching text comprehension strategies to adult poor readers

This study demonstrated the benefit of teaching text comprehension strategies to adults who are poor readers. Subjects (n=90) were students enrolled in adult education programs who earned a score of 90 or above on theSlosson Intelligence Test and a score equivalent to a 3rd–7th grade reading level on theNelson Denny Reading Test. These subjects were randomly assigned to one of three experimental or two control conditions. Experimental conditions were: self questioning and summarizing instruction (total condition); self questioning instruction only; or summarizing instruction only. Control conditions were: tests and experimental materials without instruction; or tests only. Experimental subjects were instructed in small groups for six 45 minute sessions using an instructional method which features informed self control training and guided learning. Analyses of covariance showed significant differences between the performances of the groups. On one measure, a question task, subjects who self questioned and summarized, and subjects who self questioned, significantly out performed the two controls. On a second measure, a free recall task, subjects who self questioned and summarized significantly outperformed control groups combined. Contrary to expectations, the self questioning and summarizing condition (total condition) did not significantly outperform the other experimental groups.