Pediatric cochlear implantation: a qualitative study of parental decision-making processes in Flanders, Belgium

Factors contributing to parents' decision when they choose between cochlear implantation (CI) and traditional hearing aids for their child were examined. The subjects were children with severe/profound hearing loss, born 1999-2001, registered in the universal neonatal hearing screening program in the Flanders region of Belgium. Qualitative data collected retrospectively from parents were subjected to thematic content analysis. In their responses to professional advice, parents were segmented into 3 groups: (a) those whose primary considerations were the importance of oral language development and the relative potential of CI and traditional hearing aids; (b) those for whom alternative factors (e.g., medical risks, ethical issues) were paramount, even in the face of professional advocacy of CI; (c) those who followed professional advice against CI. The researchers conclude that care professionals should be sensitive to the impact of their advice and other factors in parental decision making.     

Migrantenliteratur zum Thema Zweisprachigkeit im interkulturellen Deutschunterricht

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Dialogue conferences and empowerment: transforming primary education in Tanzania through cooperation

In this article we present and discuss experiences developed through a dialogue conference which we organised as part of a three-year participatory action research project related to primary education and agricultural education in Tanzania. We explore how dialogue conference as a research method can fill a gap between traditional ways of mutual problem-solving in Tanzania and research. Talking and sharing ideas is important for problem-solving, but the research demonstrated the need for a concrete base for the dialogue. After direct exposition to the local school practice, participants became more responsible and responsive to their environment. The participants agreed upon an action plan and distributed the responsibilities to implement the plan between themselves. The results show that the method opened up for uniting cooperative learning and research among participants and enabled the democratisation of knowledge creation and sharing. We argue that taking cultural conditions and concretisation of local challenges into consideration is important for harnessing the potential of the method in community development-oriented research.     

Diskriminierung ausländischer Kinder im Unterricht? Darstellung und Wege zu ihrem Abbau

Zusammenfassung Die Situation ausländischer Kinder in deutschen Regelklassen im Primarstufenbereich wird am Beispiel eines türkischen Erstkläßlers vorgestellt. Aus dieser Beschreibung eines Schultags ergibt sich die Feststellung, daß ausländische Kinder aufgrund soziokulturell fremder Inhalte dem Unterricht kaum folgen können und daß deutsche Kinder kaum etwas über die Lebensumwelt ihrer ausländischen Mitschüler erfahren. Beide empfinden gegenseitiges Fremdsein, aus dem leicht Diskriminierung entstehen kann. Es wird gezeigt, wo die besonderen Probleme der einzelnen Unterrichtsfächer (vor allem Deutsch und Sachkunde) liegen und Vorschläge entwickelt, wie durch einfache Änderungen und Erweiterungen eine Situationsverbesserung erreichbar wird. Ein gegenseitiges besseres Kennenlernen der kulturellen Hintergründe sollte Diskriminierungstendenzen entgegenwirken und zu größerer Toleranz führen als einer wesentlichen Komponente einer multikulturellen Gesellschaft.

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The situation of migrant children in German multicultural primary schools is considered with the help of an example of a Turkish boy (6+). This consideration shows that such children are poorly prepared to follow the conventional lessons because of their sociocultural contents. In addition, it demonstrates that German children get to know nearly nothing about the cultural background of the migrant children in their class. Both groups of children remain foreign to each other. Such a situation may give rise to discrimination. The article continues by examining various problems of such different subjects of instruction as, e.g., German language, environmental education etc. Proposals are made as to how the situation may be improved already by simple modifications of current habitudes of education. Knowledge of each other's cultural background will not only avoid subsequent discrimination, but will also lead to more tolerance which is an important factor in a multicultural society.

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Résumé L'article examine la situation des enfants des migrants dans les écoles élémentaires allemandes à partir de l'exemple d'un garçon turc (6 ans). On voit facilement que ces enfants ne sont guère préparés à suivre les leçons à cause des matières socioculturelles. On remarque également que les enfants allemands n'apprennent presque rien de la culture des migrants. Les deux groupes d'enfants restent étrangers les uns pour les autres. Une telle situation peut facilement conduire à la discrimination des migrants. L'article continue en montrant des problèmes différents soulevés par les disciplines scolaires comme l'Allemand, l'Education environmentale etc., pour des enfants des migrants. L'auteur fait des propositions pour améliorer la situation par des modifications simples. Connaître la culture de l'autre groupe n'empêche pas seulement la discrimination mais accroit également la tolérance ce qui constitue un facteur important dans une société multiculturelle.

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Ich danke den anonymen Referenten für wichtige Hinweise zur Überarbeitung des ursprünglichen Manuskripts.