ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Experiences of Alumni Adolescents on the Contribution of a Youth Opportunities Programme
Author: Wilson, Lizane
Date: 2014-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Alumni,Youth Opportunities,Youth Programs,Adolescent Development,After School Programs,Qualitative Research,Focus Groups,Graduate Surveys,Learning Experience,Skill Development,Interpersonal Relationship,Barriers,Participant Satisfaction,Program Effectiveness,Foreign Countries

This article focuses on the experiences of alumni adolescents on the contribution of a Youth Opportunities Programme, a non-profit after-school education programme presented in Namibia. A qualitative descriptive design was used to provide insight into the contribution of this programme. Five focus groups were conducted with 32 participants. The transcribed data were analysed by means of thematic analysis. The rich descriptions of the experiences of alumni adolescents indicated learning, personal and relational experiences as well as challenges. The learning experiences included the transfer of academic knowledge and skills that assisted them to deal with advanced opportunities, and the provision of resources. They were able to socialise with friends and form personal relationships with teachers, serving as emotional support. The challenges they encountered while attending the programme on a full-time basis included high expectations in terms of time management, attendance and behaviour. These challenges proved to be exhausting at times.
Integrating Content and Language in English Language Teaching in Secondary Education: Models, Benefits, and Challenges
Author: Banegas, Darío Luis
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Language of Instruction,Course Content,Sociocultural Patterns,Interdisciplinary Approach,Program Evaluation,Teaching Methods,Second Language Instruction,Secondary School Students,Educational Benefits

In the last decade, there has been a major interest in content-based instruction (CBI) and content and language integrated learning (CLIL). These are similar approaches which integrate content and foreign/second language learning through various methodologies and models as a result of different implementations around the world. In this paper, I first offer a sociocultural view of CBI-CLIL. Secondly, I define language and content as vital components in CBI-CLIL. Thirdly, I review the origins of CBI and the continuum perspective, and CLIL definitions and models featured in the literature. Fourth, I summarise current aspects around research in programme evaluation. Last, I review the benefits and challenges of this innovative approach so as to encourage critically context-responsive endeavours.
Consulting to Support Emotional Behavioral Disordered Students: Implementing a Behavioral School-Based Approach
Author: Andreasen, Faith
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Emotional Disturbances,Cocounseling,Behavior Modification,Behavior Disorders,Teacher Student Relationship,Helping Relationship,Intervention,Consultation Programs,Problem Solving,Functional Behavioral Assessment

Consulting is a type of helping relationship that usually occurs in a context whereby the consultee (teacher) is trained for the purpose of helping the client (student). The goal is to address a situation in order to solve problems within it and to empower consultees by training them to recognize needs and the resources available to them. The consultant is an expert, confidant, process specialist, and conceptual therapist. To support teachers who work with students with emotional behavioral disorders, understanding behavioral models is imperative. Models explored in this paper include Conjoint Behavioral Consultation and the Family Empowerment Model. Behavior strategies include behavioral technology training, behavioral systems, and behavioral case consultation.
A Study on Preschoolers' Conceptual Perceptions of States of Matter: A Case Study of Turkish Students
Author: Demirbas, Murat
Date: 2014-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Preschool Children,Preschool Education,Qualitative Research,Case Studies,Scientific Concepts,Concept Teaching,Scientific Attitudes,Scientific Literacy,Misconceptions,Science Tests,Science Achievement

The purpose of the present study is to identify preschoolers' conceptual perceptions of states of matter, this issue that they often come across in their daily and social life. The study was designed as a qualitative case study. The population of the study was comprised of 25 preschoolers studying at two primary schools located in Kýrýkkale and Kýrºehir, Turkey. The data were collected through the Science Concepts Perception Test (SCPT), which contained 10 semi-structured questions suitable for the level of preschoolers. The data were subject to content analysis, a qualitative method of data analysis, in order to identify how the students perceived science concepts.
Factors Influencing Teacher Behavior with Students with Diverse Learning and Behavioral Needs
Author: Schultz, Edward K.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Behavior,Student Needs,Inclusion,General Education,At Risk Students,Learning Disabilities,Teacher Expectations of Students,Attribution Theory,Teacher Attitudes,Self Efficacy,Teacher Characteristics,Teacher Education,Teacher Competencies,Principals,Administrator Role

Over the last two decades, inclusion has become a critical part of the reform efforts to improve the delivery of services to students with disabilities. As general education teachers are asked to assume greater responsibility for students with diverse learning and behavior needs, it is important to examine factors that influence their teaching behavior while instructing students identified at risk or with specific learning disabilities. Factors influencing teacher behavior with students who have diverse learning and behavioral needs being served in inclusive environments are addressed, including: (a) teacher expectations of student behavior, (b) attribution patterns, (c) teacher attitudes toward inclusion, (d) personal teacher efficacy, and (e) teacher qualities.
Profiling Classroom Reading Comprehension Development Practices from the PIRLS 2006 in South Africa
Author: Zimmerman, Lisa
Date: 2014-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Reading Comprehension,Grade 4,Reading Achievement,Achievement Tests,Reading Tests,International Assessment,Educational Quality,Case Studies,Benchmarking,Data Collection,Semi Structured Interviews,Workbooks,Content Analysis,Educational Strategies,Reading Instruction

The South African 2006 and 2011 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) findings continue to highlight major concerns about the quality of reading literacy teaching in primary schools. Of specific concern is the lack of representation of the sampled South African learners at the PIRLS international benchmarks, revealing a distinct lack of their development of thinking and reasoning abilities for reading comprehension. To shed light on potential reasons for learners' reading comprehension difficulties, this article presents selected findings on teachers' reading comprehension development practices emanating from the investigation of one KwaZulu-Natal and five Gauteng province case study schools from the national South African PIRLS 2006 Grade 4 sample. These cases represented a range of educational contexts across the South African PIRLS 2006 performance continuum and were sampled according to class average achievement aligned to the PIRLS international benchmarks and further South African benchmarks lower on the achievement scale. The findings juxtaposing teaching practices for reading comprehension development from case study schools with achievement profiles at the PIRLS international benchmarks against those of case study schools with less than optimal achievement at benchmarks lower on the achievement scale speak to key teaching and learning areas, which still need attention in terms of curriculum policy and teachers' implementation thereof.
Application of the RtI Model in Learning Disability Diagnosis: Perceptions of Current Practices by New Jersey Special Education Administrators
Author: Lowry, Pamela E.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Response to Intervention,Learning Disabilities,Special Education,Administrators,Disabilities,Educational Legislation,Equal Education,Federal Legislation,School Districts,Emergent Literacy,Elementary School Students,Reading Fluency,Reading Tests

This paper examines current practices in implementing a Response to Intervention (RtI) in diagnosing specific learning disabilities. The use of the aptitude achievement discrepancy model, RtI model or a combination is reviewed. A survey of special education administrators in New Jersey compares methods of identification and consistency of application across districts. Findings indicate that few districts are currently implementing RtI along with the discrepancy model in determining eligibility with a specific learning disability. No district is using RtI as the sole determinant for this classification category. RtI models differ across districts with no consistency in interventions or screening tools.
Ego Boundaries and Attainments in FL Pronunciation
Author: Baran-Lucarz, Malgorzata
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Self Concept,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Phonetics,Pronunciation Instruction,Vocabulary Development,Grammar,Teaching Methods,English (Second Language),Statistical Analysis,Correlation,Learning Processes,Preferences,Word Lists,Language Tests,Accuracy,Pronunciation,Comparative Analysis,Foreign Countries,Questionnaires

The paper reports on a study designed to examine the relationship between the thickness of ego boundaries and attainments in FL pronunciation after a clearly structured form-focused practical course of phonetics. The research involved 45 first-year students of the Institute of English Studies in Wroclaw, Poland, who had attended around thirty 90-minute classes in phonetics. To measure the thickness of their ego boundaries, the Hartmann Boundary Questionnaire (HBQ) was administered. This permitted an examination of which particular types of ego boundaries are related to accuracy in foreign language (FL) pronunciation. The basis for comparing the pronunciation levels of the participants was the Pronunciation Attainment Test consisting of three parts: reading a passage and two vocabulary lists. A t test demonstrated that the differences between the pronunciation levels of the thick and thin ego boundary learners were nonsignificant. However, further statistical analysis (Pearson correlation) showed a positive weak correlation between 3 types of boundaries (represented by Categories 7, 8 and 12 of the HBQ) and attainments in pronunciation. More specifically, the less organized the direct environment (e.g., the working place) of the subjects was and the more preference the participants showed for perceiving and accepting blurred borders between constructs, the better their pronunciation was. A closer look at particular students revealed the importance of boundaries between thoughts and feelings, and boundaries related to defensive mechanisms and to sensitivity in FL pronunciation learning.
A Critical Review of Research on Strategies in Learning Chinese as Both a Second and Foreign Language
Author: Jiang, Xiaoli
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learning Strategies,Chinese,Second Language Learning,English,Databases,Educational Research,Research Methodology,Learning Theories,Native Language,Periodicals,Doctoral Dissertations,Language Research,Linguistic Theory,Metacognition,Questionnaires,Individual Differences,Case Studies,Research Needs,Language Usage,Language Skills,Measures (Individuals),Native Language Instruction,Second Language Instruction,Literature Reviews

This article critically reviews strategy research on learning Chinese both as a second and foreign language. Through a careful examination of major data bases in both the Chinese and English languages, the article summarizes research in the field and the principal research methods used in the studies reviewed. Moreover, key limitations in research designs, inconsistencies in reported findings, inappropriate use of research methods, and weaknesses in both Chinese- and English-language publications are discussed. The article concludes by calling for future research paying more attention to current language learning strategy theories and practices.
Quantifying Controlled Productive Knowledge of Collocations across Proficiency and Word Frequency Levels
Author: Nizonkiza, Déogratias
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Word Frequency,Language Proficiency,Phrase Structure,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Majors (Students),Correlation,Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,Vocabulary Development,Language Tests,Verbs,Scores,Models,Regression (Statistics),College Students

The present study explores the relationship between controlled productive knowledge of collocations and L2 proficiency, the role of frequency in controlled productive knowledge of collocations, and the quantifiability of controlled productive collocational knowledge growth alongside L2 proficiency and word frequency levels. A proficiency measure and a productive collocation test modelled on Laufer and Nation (1999) were presented to Belgian and Burundian English majors. The results show that scores on both tests distinguish between proficiency levels and, furthermore, highly correlate. This suggests that controlled productive knowledge of collocations develops as proficiency increases, supporting earlier studies (Boers, Eyckmans, Kappel, Stengers, &amp; Demecheleer, 2006; Bonk, 2001; Eyckmans, Boers, &amp; Demecheleer, 2004; Gitsaki, 1999) that had established a relationship between collocational knowledge and L2 proficiency. The results also show that the more frequent the collocations, the better they are known, which highlights the crucial role played by frequency in knowing words (Nation &amp; Beglar, 2007). Furthermore, the number of collocations added can be quantified and we observe moderate gains at beginner and advanced levels, and impressive gains at intermediate levels. This supports and extends Laufer's (1998) and Zhong and Hirsh's (2009) findings and lays basic ground work for teaching collocations, the amount of which should increase with proficiency levels.
Educational Outcomes for Students with Special Needs: The Impact of Support and Resources on Teachers' Perceptions
Author: Sharpe, Traci Y.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Self Efficacy,Disabilities,Teacher Competencies,Inclusion,Individualized Education Programs,Educational Resources,Teacher Effectiveness,Social Theories,Social Cognition,Outcomes of Education

This article defines a theoretical framework for reviewing factors that affect a teacher's self-efficacy as they work to impact the educational outcomes for students with special needs. Bandura's Social-Cognitive Theory is utilized on the basis that one's belief in his ability to be effective has a direct impact on his effectiveness. This information will contribute greatly to the field of education and the work of administrators who seek answers for increasing teachers' self-efficacy as society continues to move toward the inclusion of those with disabilities.
EFL Learners' Metaphors and Images about Foreign Language Learning
Author: Farjami, Hadi
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Figurative Language,Questionnaires,Student Attitudes,Cultural Awareness,Foreign Countries,Imagery,Learning Processes,Learning Experience,Indo European Languages

In this paper, I will argue that awareness of images and metaphors held by foreign language learners about the nature of the target language and its learning can be of substantial value and provide teaching practitioners with useful insights about how to deal with various language learning problems. To elicit images which learners hold about foreign language learning, a questionnaire was given to 350 learners of English in different places in Iran. The questionnaire asked the respondents to provide images about learning a foreign language by using a sentence completion task: &quot;Learning a foreign language is like...&quot; The responses gained in 200 questionnaires were content-analyzed and the identified images and metaphors were summarized under more broad-ranging categories. The information that the metaphors and the resulting metaphorical categories provide and the theoretical interpretations which can plausibly be made are discussed in some detail and put in a cognitive-psychological perspective.
Effective Inclusion Strategies for Professionals Working with Students with Disabilities
Author: Hogan, Kathleen A.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Inclusion,Disabilities,Elementary Secondary Education,Regular and Special Education Relationship,Teacher Collaboration,Paraprofessional School Personnel,Responsibility,Parent Teacher Cooperation

Inclusive classrooms are now the norm in many K-12 public schools across the United States. General education teachers have a difficult job making sure all their students are meeting state standards. With the addition of special education students in the classroom, their job becomes even more difficult due to meeting the needs of the general education students, as well as meeting the academic and behavioral needs of special education students. A student's general and special education teacher need to learn effective collaboration strategies with other educational professionals and parents. The purpose of the article is to provide collaboration strategies to help make the general education teachers' job a little less difficult.
Some Limits in Peer Assessment
Author: Domingo, Joan
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Students,Peer Evaluation,Formative Evaluation,Reliability,Statistical Analysis,Learning Processes,Engineering Education,Assignments,Student Evaluation,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Comparative Analysis,Grades (Scholastic),Case Studies

Nowadays, the educational methodology known as &quot;peer assessment&quot; constitutes one of the pillars of formative assessment at the different levels of the educational system, particularly at the University level. In fact, in recent years, it has been increasingly used to enhance students' meaningful learning, as it is considered to be an element of social learning, in which students benefit from the lessons learned by other classmates, and draw upon the ability to assess the quality of the learning, contrasting it with the level of knowledge that each has about the subject/course being evaluated, and using common evaluation criteria. In this regard, this paper represents the experience of two groups of students. It allows us to determine how many peer assessments should be required of students in a particular course in order to constitute a serious, reliable activity. On the other hand, from the point of view of the student, the assessments are evaluated to the extent that they are seen as a required and mandatory exercise that must be carried out by students simply to pass the course. In the later case, the activity can become extremely trivial and banal. Statistical analysis of the results indicates that three peer assessments per student appraised represents an adequate number. On the other hand, more than thirty peer assessments fail to contribute to learning, nor do they represent serious activities.
Integrating Sustainability into Business Education Teacher Training
Author: America, Carina
Date: 2014-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Sustainability,Business Education,Foreign Countries,Integrated Curriculum,Teacher Education Curriculum,Preservice Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Qualitative Research,Focus Groups,Reflection,Video Technology,Content Analysis,Curriculum Evaluation,Workshops,Student Attitudes

Businesses are increasingly coming under scrutiny from stakeholders who expect them to report how they protect the environment, how they guarantee no human and labour violations in their value chain, and how they function on ethical business principles. Businesses are trying to adjust to these changing environments for the betterment of society and the planet while still concentrating on profit. The same awareness and inquiry would be expected from business education student teachers who teach business principles and business operations. This study, which was conducted at three universities, describes the perspectives and sustainability virtues of pre-service business education teachers who attended a workshop aimed at integrating sustainability in their teacher training curriculum. A qualitative framework was adopted using three methods: focus-group discussions, reflection based on a video recording and a critical analysis of the curriculum. Findings suggest that incremental shifts in critical self-awareness of business education pre-service teachers occurred. A business education and education for sustainability synthesis is recommended and provided as a conceptual framework in this study. This synthesis can be a useful place to start to elicit critical self-awareness when pre-service teachers have to deal with the complex mix of the five types of learning, namely disciplinary, situational, practical, fundamental and pedagogical learning.
Assisting School Management Teams to Construct Their School Improvement Plans: An Action Learning Approach
Author: Van Der Voort, Geoffrey
Date: 2014-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Experiential Learning,Educational Change,School Effectiveness,High Schools,Underachievement,Strategic Planning,Educational Planning,Program Development,Educational Improvement,Action Research,Teamwork,Self Evaluation (Groups),Systems Approach,Intervention,Participant Satisfaction,Workshops,Capacity Building,Foreign Countries,Qualitative Research,Interviews

This article reports on a first cycle of a larger action research study conducted to determine how Circuit Teams could support School Management Teams of underperforming high schools towards whole-school development. Although it is a mandated requirement by the Department of Education, none of the four schools involved in the study had developed a school improvement plan, a necessary first step towards whole-school development. In this article we focus on the collaborative intervention we designed to meet the identified needs of the participants regarding the construction of a school improvement plan. A qualitative baseline study revealed the School Management Teams' general disregard towards the school improvement plan as well as limited insight into what skills they needed to develop it, and their imperfect understanding of whole-school development. We explain the action research process we took to facilitate a clearer understanding of the school improvement plan and how to develop it. The data analysis revealed that the collaborative learning experience ignited feelings of empowerment, increased motivation to collaborate with the Circuit Teams towards whole-school development, and generally assisted the School Management Teams' resolve to improve the management of their respective schools. These findings present evidence that suggests the value of an action learning approach to the professional development of School Management Teams, but the process could be equally useful to encourage sustainable change in varied contexts of continued professional development.