Work Of Educational Psychologists Research Articles

Formation of Learning Motivation for Schoolchildren: Practical Approach

The article presents the experience of an educational psychologist in solving current problems of educational motivation of modern schoolchildren. Based on our own practice and analysis of current research on this issue, the main reasons for the decline in schoolchildren’s motivation to study have been identified, directions in the work of a teacher-psychologist have been revealed: with the teaching staff, directly with the students themselves, with the pupils’ families. For each of the areas, the tasks and forms of work of an educational psychologist are described. Psychological and pedagogical recommendations for teachers and parents are presented, aimed at developing learning motivation in pupils. The material in this article will be interesting and useful for the work of school educational psychologists, as well as for those teachers and parents who are faced with the problem of reducing educational motivation in children.

The Influence of Personality Structure on the Level of Professional Burnout

The influence of the level of professional (emotional) burnout on the quality of work of educational psychologists of municipal educational organizations has determined the relevance of this article, which analyzes the dependence of the personality structure presented in Transactional Analysis as the combination of three ego states (Parent, Child and Adult) on the coefficient of professional burnout. This coefficient is interpreted as an integral indicator of three factors: psycho-emotional exhaustion, depersonalization/dehumanization and reduction of professional achievements. Identification of the personality structure of the study participants, calculation of the coefficient of their professional (emotional) burnout, structuring the levels of severity of factors of professional (emotional) burnout, implemented as research objectives, created the possibility of achieving the research goal. The hypothesis was tested by means of mathematical statistics methods. The visibility and accessibility of conclusions about the correlations between the integral indicator of professional (emotional) burnout and the level of severity of ego states in the egogram are provided by their graphical and textual expression. The presented data on the absence of a critical level of professional (emotional) burnout of educational psychologists of municipal educational organizations and the presence of a correlation between the reduction of professional achievements and the Adult ego state substantiate the vector of further work to ensure conditions for maintaining the desired psycho-emotional state of specialists.

Влияние стиля семейного воспитания на эмоционально-волевые качества детей в их становлении как личности

The relevance of this research question lies in the fact that the main institution of education in modern society is the family. For a small child, the family is the whole world in which he develops, it is in the family that the foundation of the child’s personality is laid, in the family he receives his first life experience, his first discovery. In recent years, much attention has been paid to the will, in connection with the general revival of interest in the specific human and humanitarian problems of psychology. Therefore, the task usually arises of studying the formation of children’s volitional characteristics and the development of the child’s individual behavior. This paper investigates the formation of volitional qualities in children. The purpose of the study is to theoretically demonstrate the pedagogical forms and methods for the formation of volitional qualities in a child in the process of family education. The subject of the study was pedagogical forms, the influence of family values and methods for the formation of children’s emotional and volitional qualities. Consideration of family relations as an element of a child’s emotional well-being is determined by modern conditions of family education. The most important feature of family education is its style. Family parenting style is appropriate attitudes and parental behavior that is not specifically related to a given child, but usually emphasizes the behavior of adults towards children in general. The purpose of this work is to find out how the styles of family education affect the emotional and volitional sphere of children. In conclusion, the study concludes that the style of family education is one of the key factors in the development of the emotional and volitional spheres of children and their development as a person. The results obtained in the study can be used in the work of educational psychologists, in psychological practice with individual counseling of parents.

Психолого-педагогическая практика в системе образования (итоги Всероссийского конкурса лучших психолого-педагогических программ и технологий в образовательной среде – 2021)

The article discusses the results of the analysis of the programs of participants in the All-Russian Contest of the best psychological and pedagogical programs and technologies in the educational environment – 2021. The programs submitted for the contest had to meet a large set of requirements related to the professional level and creative potential of educational psychologists in Russia. The analysis of the experience of implementing regional programs for the provision of psychological and pedagogical assistance to children is aimed at improving the scientific and methodological support of psychological and pedagogical activities. The number of programs and technologies submitted for the contest demonstrates the place and role of correctional, developmental, preventive and educational work of educational psychologists.

How discourses of sharam (shame) and mental health influence the help-seeking behaviours of British born girls of South Asian heritage

ABSTRACT The cultural construct ‘shame’ (sharam) is cited as an oppressive force that controls and perpetuates patriarchal structures within particular cultures. ‘Shame’ and the related construct ‘honour’ (izzat) are believed to be key instruments for the oppression of women. Research has suggested that shame prevents women from South Asian communities from help-seeking in relation to mental health difficulties. There is little research investigating the impact of shame on British born South Asian girls and its relationship to their help-seeking behaviour. This research investigated the discourses of South Asian girls in relation to the cultural construct ‘shame’, mental health, and the influence that these have on their help-seeking behaviour. The analysis showed that discourses are complex and contradictory. Thus, shame is constructed by the girls as regulatory, sexist and oppressive and at the same time as helpful and protective. Implications for educational practice and the work of educational psychologists are discussed.

Promoting positive emotions among university EFL learners

AbstractResearch indicates that investigation into the role of emotions during the process of second language acquisition (SLA) has lagged behind the work of educational psychologists. Experts in the area of achievement emotions have suggested that SLA researchers have limited their examination mostly to the role of anxiety and enjoyment. Consequently, an action research project was carried out, first, to determine whether emotions in addition to anxiety and enjoyment tend to arise when learning a second language (L2). Second, 13 advanced English as a foreign language (EFL) learners at a university in Mexico participated in 4 tasks as part of their class over the first 9 weeks of the semester, and subsequently were interviewed about their emotional experience. The tasks included a 45-s mindfulness activity, a reflection designed to promote a growth mindset, a discussion of a famous bilingual individual, and free voluntary reading. The findings revealed that a variety of achievement emotions emerged during the course, and in particular, in response to the learning tasks. It was concluded that not only can SLA researchers benefit from the strides made in psychology regarding emotions, but also that L2 educators should help L2 students experience pleasant achievement emotions by including activities of the sort described in this study.

Social support as a mediator for musical achievement

Abstract This article focuses on the issue of social support received by students of music schools in the context of their musical achievements. The theoretical part of this article contains the characteristics of factors related to the musical achievements of students; the support they receive from their environment is essential for their success in the process of musical education and their subsequent artistic career, in addition to their musical abilities and traits of personality. The research part is devoted to detailed analysis of the support level received by music school students and its correlation to their level of musical achievement. Social support is analysed with a view to its structure, distinguishing the following kinds of support: emotional, evaluative, informative and instrumental received from people who are significant to the music school student and indicates the essential presence of support in the process of musical achievement. Moreover, as part of the presentation of the study, the authors introduce their original tool for measuring social support tailored to the realities of music schools - the Scale of Social Support of the Students of Music Schools (Gluska, 2011). This tool may be applied in the work of educational psychologists and teachers in music schools.

Compassion-based initiatives in educational settings

Compassion-focused therapy was developed by Paul Gilbert as a means of addressing psychological difficulties underpinned by shame and self-criticism. The model draws on social, neurophysiological and evolutionary theory (especially attachment theory) to seek to understand emotional regulation and our basic social motivational systems. It postulates the benefit of mindfully developing compassion, thus activating our ‘affiliative/soothing system’, to balance our affect regulating systems, particularly in response to threat. In recent years there has been a growing evidence base for the approach, and the application of compassion-based initiatives has been used with NHS staff teams, the armed forces, business settings and within education. Compassion-based approaches within education settings offer a potential means of generating greater psychological well-being for students, staff, parents and the wider community whilst also protecting and enhancing the priorities of the settings in which they are applied. Thus they represent an intervention which is systemic and universal. This paper provides an overview of compassion-focused therapy together with examples of how compassion-based initiatives are carried out in contexts of relevance to the work of educational psychologists.

Inclusion and budget cuts – The contours of educational psychology in the marketplace

The aim of this paper was to investigate the economic contours of present day educational psychology in the light of movements towards consultative and inclusive practices. At a time of economic crisis, public budget cuts and changing educational policies are creating new conditions for educational psychology practice. This paper deals with the extent to which economic considerations implicitly and explicitly regulate the practice of educational psychologists. Within the work of educational psychologists, school-based consultation has become increasingly popular and widespread. Over the past 10–15 years, consultation has been put forward as an alternative approach to traditional work based on IQ assessments and special educational evaluations. Concurrent with the implementation of the consultative approach in educational psychology practice, inclusion of children with special needs has become a predominant feature in educational policy and practice. Based on a small-scale empirical project in a Danish educational psychology service centre, this paper analyses the implications of recent budget cuts in educational funding for (1) the implementation of the consultative approach and (2) for the role of educational psychologists in facilitating inclusive learning environments in schools. It is argued that inclusion is a complex notion, but that the budget cuts could paradoxically foster a rethinking of established inclusion practices. The paper concludes with a discussion of whether educational psychology can still legitimize itself as a relevant profession in relation to the facilitation of inclusive learning environments in schools.

The role of classroom experiences and school ethos in the development of children as political actors: Confronting the vision of pupils and teachers

The significance of the school as a context for citizenship education (CE) has been widely emphasised (Fielding, 2011; Ichilov, 2003), and the object of educational policies across Europe (Eurydice, 2005). CE involves specific subjects, school assemblies and extra-curricular activities, but is recognised as being highly determined by regular classroom experiences and the school ethos (Kerr et al., 2010). In fact, democracy and citizenship can be experienced in schools, as pupils are meaningfully involved in participatory dialogue and decision making (Dahlberg, Moss & Pence, 1999; Fletcher, 2005; Wilde, 2005). Are these experiences, however, recognised both by pupils and teachers, as instrumental in learning to be engaged, critical and responsible citizens?In this paper, we present the results of a case study in the metropolitan area of Porto to consider the (dis)continuities between school discourses and practices regarding citizenship in the vision of teachers and pupils, from kindergarten to grade 8. Focus groups were used to consider issues of citizenship, participation and the role of the school. In the case of pupils, the focus group involved the completion of a task of transforming a newly-discovered island into a country (Adelson & O’Neill, 1966). The more collaborative and participatory approach to solve the task came from the younger children who attended kindergarten, reproducing the class ethos, as appears evident in the discourse of pre-school teachers. Older pupils revealed, as would be expected, more complex political discourses – but, as their teachers recognised, the demands of the mandatory curricula seem to supersede those discourses and CE appears to be more related to extra-class (and extra-school) experiences. The implications for CE and the work of educational psychologists will be discussed considering both direct intervention with pupils and consultation with teachers and other relevant stakeholders.

Teaching Law Students to Teach Themselves: Using Lessons from Educational Psychology to Shape Self-Regulated Learners

Amidst current concerns about the value of a legal education, this article seeks to identify ways in which law schools and law professors can take steps to maximize the learning experience for their students. The article focuses on cutting-edge strategies that will help a diverse population of law students become self-regulated learners. Drawing on the work of educational psychologists, it describes ways to help students adapt to the demands of the law school learning experience and then outlines specific strategies for teaching students to regulate their motivational beliefs, their resource management practices, and their approaches to mastering the material. Throughout, the article emphasizes the importance of these skills for success both as law students and as lawyers. Finally, checklists are provided to help law professors build a culture of self-regulated learning in their schools.

Classroom behaviour management: educational psychologists' views on effective practice

The behaviour of children and young people in schools is a perennial concern to educators and the wider public alike. It also represents a significant focus for the work of educational psychologists (EPs). Research evidence has identified a number of strategies that teachers, students and school inspectors believe contribute to effective classroom behaviour management (CBM). Psychological theory has also been used to inform approaches to CBM. This study focuses on EPs' views about effective CBM. EPs within one educational psychology service completed an activity which involved them identifying strategies they considered were most effective for CBM. Their responses were analysed using thematic analysis. A number of psychological functions or mechanisms underlying effective CBM strategies were identified. Based on these mechanisms an approach to CBM is advocated which draws from differing psychological paradigms and principles, and which suggests that effective CBM strategies and practices should be implemented at different systemic levels. Limitations of the present study and possibilities for future research are discussed.

Creating the conditions for effective work by locum educational psychologists

In this paper the authors provide a description of the organisational and professional context of locum work, identify challenges and opportunities for locum educational psychologists and for services where they are employed, and propose a protocol for use by educational psychologists (EPs) working in a locum capacity and for the services employing them. This is based on a review of the relevant literature in this and other professions and from the experience of the first author as an educational psychologist working independently and providing locum cover in several local authority areas in England.

Realist Consultation

This article looks at a model of consultation which can provide a way of reconciling consultative approaches to working with the increasing demand to incorporate outcome measures and evidence-based practice into the work of educational psychologists (EPs).

Supporting positive pupil relationships: Research to practice

Positive peer relationships at school are linked to many positive and desirable pupil outcomes such as sound levels of academic performance, optimal levels of well-being and adult mental health. On the other hand social isolation or rejection at school are linked to a range of negative pupil outcomes such as lack of engagement, disconnection to school, absenteeism, being bullied, behavioural difficulties, drug usage, depression and anxiety and social difficulties as an adult. This paper provides an overview of the research literature about the importance of peer relationships for pupil well-being and reports on research conducted in 11 Australian Government schools with low incidences of bullying. In these 11 schools the four common factors that contributed to the development of a safe, caring and inclusive school culture were: (i) making pupil well-being a high priority; (ii) planning for a ‘relationship culture’ that focuses on the development of positive peer relationships; (iii) having an effective school leadership team that focused on whole school wellbeing and the personal growth of pupils; and (iv) incorporating an effective whole school behaviour management programme. This paper also provides a comprehensive discussion of a range of practical evidence-based whole-school approaches, classroom practices and individual support strategies that can facilitate the work of educational psychologists in helping school communities to build positive relationships.

Applied systemic theory and educational psychology: can the twain ever meet?

This article reflects on the potential benefits of applying systemic theory to the work of educational psychologists (EPs). It reviews developments in systemic thinking over time, and discusses the differences between more directive “first order” versus collaborative “second order” approaches. It considers systemic theories and illustrates their application in educational psychology practice through a case study. It assesses current engagement of EPs with systemic thinking, based on published literature. It hypothesises about barriers that EPs may encounter when attempting to use systemic approaches in their work, as well as possible solutions and their implications.

CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR: The impact of challenging student behaviour upon teachers' lives in a secondary school: teachers' perceptions

In this article, Tina Axup, an educational psychologist working in Southend‐on‐Sea, and Irvine Gersch, director of educational and child psychology programmes at the University of East London, describe a small‐scale study of teachers' attitudes regarding the impact of student behaviour on their professional lives. Anecdotal evidence within a local authority educational psychology service suggested that increasing teacher concern about student disruptive behaviour was causing significant professional anxiety. Tina Axup formulated a brief questionnaire to explore teacher perceptions of the student responses that appeared to cause them stress. Although it is difficult to generalise from the results because of the small sample size and low return, the most frequently selected behaviours seen as challenging were found to be ‘low level’, ‘verbal’, ‘work avoidance’ and ‘out of seat behaviour’. The most frequent teacher reactions were said to be ‘frustration’, ‘bewilderment’, ‘shock’ and concern about the impact on other students in the class. The key favoured coping strategies reported included behaviour management techniques, praise and trying to understand the difficult behaviour, while personally talking to peers, switching off after the lesson, taking exercise and talking to family and friends. For future help, the preferred teacher options included the employment of more specialist behaviour support staff. Tina Axup and Irvine Gersch discuss the implications of these findings and identify further areas for research.

The positive educational practices framework: A tool for facilitating the work of educational psychologists in promoting pupil wellbeing

This paper outlines the Positive Educational Practices (PEPs) Framework, an organising tool for facilitating the work of educational psychologists in promoting pupil wellbeing and supporting pupils to achieve learning outcomes and engage in pro-social behaviour. The PEPs Framework is an example of applied positive psychology, in itself a movement which has shifted the primary focus of psychologists from deficits, problems and treatment to a preventative focus on positive experiences, strengths and the intentional promotion of wellbeing and resilience. PEPs is a wide-ranging prevention framework based on five foundations of wellbeing drawn not only from research in positive psychology but also from research in other contemporary psychological and educational movements that are consistent with positive psychology. The five foundations: social and emotional competency, positive emotions, positive relationships, engagement through strengths and a sense of meaning and purpose are outlined along with examples of practical suggestions that can contribute to their achievement.

Even while they teach, newly‐qualified teachers learn

The Training and Development Agency sets national standards in the UK for qualified teacher status. These standards set out the areas of knowledge and skills that aspiring teachers should acquire during their training. One of these areas of knowledge and skills concerns the identification and teaching of pupils with special educational needs yet the effectiveness of current training routes for teachers in this area remains a matter of ongoing debate. In this article, Nicola Barber, a senior educational psychologist working in Medway, and Mark Turner, who runs an online training company and is a part‐time tutor at the University of East London and senior educational psychologist in Medway, focus on the experiences of newly‐qualified teachers during their induction and first year of teaching. These authors sent out questionnaires to newly‐qualified teachers working in primary schools in two local authorities and received 60 responses. Their results suggest that these teachers, during this opening phase of their careers, experienced an increase in confidence in relation to special educational needs and report that they feel more skilled in this area at the end of their first year of teaching. Nicola Barber and Mark Turner analyse the factors that contribute to this scenario and begin to draw out implications for future approaches to the training and induction of teachers with regard to special educational needs and inclusion.

The challenge of interviewing adolescents: Which psychotherapeutic approaches are useful in educational psychology?

Interviewing adolescents is an integral part of the role of an educational psychologist working in schools. However, this stage of development is fraught with difficulties. Adolescents at different stages vary as to what they will discuss with a professional and some will rely on their peers for ‘therapeutic support’. A wide variety of psychotherapeutic approaches is increasingly being considered and utilised by educational psychologists in school settings. These include cognitive behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing and solution focused brief therapy. This paper considers different theoretical approaches to interviewing and their respective potential to enhance the work of the educational psychologist in supporting the adolescent interviewee.