Italian Primary School Research Articles

Pauses, gaps and wait time in classroom interaction in primary schools

Few studies on turn-taking in classroom interaction have focussed on pauses, gaps and wait time. This exploratory study aims to describe and analyse the role of pauses in interaction taking place in 12 Italian primary school classrooms. A total of 15 h of recordings were transcribed and analysed using conversation analysis. Two main groups of findings are highlighted. The first one concerns the methodological difficulty of analysing the different kinds of pauses; in terms of classroom interaction, there were a few excerpts in which one cannot be certain whether a silence is a “pause” or a “gap”. The second group of results concerns a specific type of pause: “wait time”. Wait time fosters the pupils’ involvement and the quality of their answers, particularly if wait time is accompanied by interventions by teachers, encouraging the pupils’ collaborative participation.

On Designedly Incomplete Utterances: What Counts as Learning for Teachers and Students in Primary Classroom Interaction

The article analyzes a variety of Koshik's (2002) Designedly Incomplete Utterances (DIU) as they are produced in whole-class, teacher-led instruction sequences held in 2 third-year groups in an Italian primary school. This device, one of whose basic pedagogic functions is to solicit displays of knowledge from students in the shape of utterance completion, is a recurrent feature of teacher–student interaction in this setting. The study focuses on one specific and locally managed use of the device, whereby the teacher's orientation to the pedagogic goals of the organization of interaction surfaces in features of talk. I found systematic features in the construction of what I call main-clause DIUs, which teachers recurrently use to cast students as learners, by treating their verbal behavior as providing evidence that some type of learning has occurred in prior talk. The findings provide grounds for a critique of the Initiation-Response-Evaluation model and for a characterization of questioning in instruction sequences, both of which account for the specific institutional relevancies of interaction in this setting.

Postural Sway and Foot-Ground Relationship are Significantly Modified by Backpack Carriage during Upright Stance: A Study on Primary School Children

School is a person's first workplace and, from the age of six, children experience activities such as lifting, pulling and carrying a load (typically in the form of a backpack) which often represents an important percentage of their body weight. Among the possible consequences originated by back overload we have balance impairment and altered plantar pressure distribution, which however have been scarcely explored in children. On the basis of these considerations, this study intends to assess modifications in sway parameters, foot-ground contact area and pressure distribution introduced by backpack carriage in Italian primary school children. Two 30-second trials (with and without backpack) were performed directly at a school on a regular school day to collect data on sway area, centre of pressure path length, maximum displacement range in Antero-Posterior and Medio-Lateral directions, foot-ground contact area and pressure distribution. The results show a significant load-induced increase in all sway parameters and the existence of a linear relationship between sway area and backpack weight. Contact area also varies linearly with load and peak pressure values are significantly altered by the presence of a backpack in midfoot and forefoot, with increases up to 30%. These findings, together with the fact that about half the children carry a load exceeding 15% of their body weight, suggest that concern about severe postural alterations associated with carriage of overweight backpacks, remains justified.

Postural sway modifications induced by backpack carriage in primary school children: a case study in Italy

The aim of this investigation is to assess modifications in sway parameters introduced by backpack carriage in Italian primary school children (6–10 years old, n = 447). Two 30-s trials (without and with backpack) were performed directly at a school on a regular school day to collect data on sway area, centre of pressure path length and maximum displacement range in antero–posterior and medio–lateral directions. The results show a significant load-induced increase in all sway parameters and the existence of a linear relationship between sway area and backpack weight. Since postural sway represents an effective indicator of balance abilities, the alterations observed suggest that backpack carriage originates balance impairment and thus may increase the risk of unintentional falls in children. Statement of Relevance: Loss of balance is among the primary causes of unintentional falls and postural sway represents an effective indicator of balance abilities. In this study, sway parameters were assessed in primary school children wearing backpacks. The differences that were observed show that backpack carriage potentially increases the risk of falls.

Using robotics construction kits as metacognitive tools: a research in an Italian primary school.

The present paper is aimed at analyzing the process of building and programming robots as a metacognitive tool. Quantitative data and qualitative observations from a research performed in a sample of children attending an Italian primary school are described in this work. Results showed that robotics activities may be intended as a new metacognitive environment that allows children to monitor themselves and control their learning actions in an autonomous and self-centered way.

Classroom dialogic discourse: An observational study

The aim of our study is to investigate the classroom discourse interactive sequences generated by the teachers’ questions. For this purpose, we collected observational data in three Italian primary school classes through the videorecordings of several activities. Analyses were carried out on all questions that teachers directed to their pupils, and on the successive sequence of interaction (answers by pupils and uptake by teachers). The results show that classroom practices are dominated by patterns of discourse which are more concerned with the teacher telling and controlling the interaction than with the construction of collective and real dialogic discourse.

An improbable leadership: structural limits of educational communication. The case of some Italian primary schools

This paper discusses the results of field research focused on educational communication in the classroom. The research involved 11 primary schools in Italy. Nearly 100 hours of videotaped educational interactions were produced. The empirical analysis of the communication processes allowed us to analyse the main structures of educational communication. Mainstream researches on education analyse this subject in terms of the relationship between an educator and his or her pupils. Educators’ behaviour and practices are discussed and produce normative insights on the way an educator should perform to transmit knowledge, basic values and social norms. We are concerned about the meaning of ‘relationship’, that most works on education seem to be taken for granted as a trivial communicative input–output process where, upon a definite educator’s input and through a specific function, pupils discharge some definite output. But educational communication cannot control its consequences; as its meanings are constructed by pupils, its outcomes are unpredictable. The data highlight the relevance of preparing educators for the complexity of the interconnections between educational relationships and communication; it would implicate the empowerment of education’s reflexivity potential, giving to educators opportunities to recognize and exploit the potentialities of the situations that may emerge in educational settings.

Coviewing in An Italian Classroom

The article presents data of a quasiexperimental research on media education practices in Italian primary and preprimary schools. Drawing on a socioconstructivist theoretical approach to children's social and cognitive development the study focuses on peer coviewing in the classroom as a social activity that contributes to the development of children's media-related competences. By describing and analyzing audiovisual recorded interactions of children participating in such an activity-in-context, the article suggests that this activity leads to cognition and understanding as locally situated and socially distributed processes. The social interactions and talk that occur during coviewing are tools through which children collectively make sense of television, orient each other to the text, and construct understanding as an interactive achievement and a socially organized process.

Crafting Blindness: Its Organizational Construction in a First Grade School

This article is based on a case study conducted in an Italian primary school where the interactions between a sightless girl (named Jasmine, aged 8) and her classmates were extensively observed. The initial aim was to understand and describe the problems encountered by the sightless pupil, who acted in a social, organizational and physical environment which was not designed for handicapped people. However, other theoretical issues emerged during the research. The main finding was that sightlessness seems socially and organizationally constructed before it becomes a biological/physical handicap. The organizational processes through which the blindness is slowly and routinely constructed were extensively described.

Italian Public School: A Pilot Study about Disorders Related to Nutrition and their Management

Objective: To know how Italian nursery and primary schools survey and manage children with food-related problems. Design: A pilot study during the period March-May 2005, filling out a questionnaire. Setting: All nursery and primary schools in a Northern Italian region (Friuli Venezia Giulia). Subjects: There were 479 eligible schools Results: Global response rate was of 29.6%. In 77.5% (110/142) of the schools there were children with food-related pathologies. Programs about nutrition were carried out by 44.4% (63/142) of the schools in the previous two years; 9.5% (6/63) dealt with food-related pathologies and 57.1% (36/63) required the intervention of outside experts to have these projects realized. In the same period training courses about nutrition for teachers were conducted in 9.2% (13/142) of the schools. Conclusions: Data provide a first overview of the situation in Italy on food-related topics in children attending nursery and primary schools. Therefore many programs could not rely on funds to be developed, but had to use internal resources of the school.

Improving Sun-Protection Behavior among Children: Results of a Cluster-Randomized Trial in Italian Elementary Schools. The “SoleSi SoleNo-GISED” Project

A history of sunburns in early life nearly doubles the risk of developing malignant melanoma in adulthood. From 2001 to 2004, we conducted a cluster-randomized trial of an educational intervention to reduce sunburn rates (primary outcome) and improve sun-protection behavior (secondary outcome) in schoolchildren. A total of 122 Italian primary schools (grades 2 and 3) were randomized to receive, or not, an intervention consisting of an educational curriculum at school, conducted by trained teachers, which included the projection of a short video and the distribution of booklets to children and their parents. Behavior while in the sun was assessed at baseline and 14-16 months after baseline. In a subgroup (44% of the total sample), melanocytic nevi were also counted. Of the 11,230 children enrolled, 8,611 completed the study. A total of 1,547 children (14%) reported a history of sunburns at baseline. At follow-up, no difference in sunburn episodes was documented between the study groups (odds ratio 0.97, 95% confidence interval 0.84-1.13) and similar sun-protection habits were reported. No significant impact of the proposed educational program was documented at 1-year follow-up. Innovative strategies need to be developed to increase the effectiveness of future educational interventions in this area.

Culture and imperialism in a ‘backward’ nation? The Prima Guerra d‘Africa (1885-96) in Italian primary schools

This article attempts to tackle the problem of how a colonial culture that was elaborated through the written word may have impacted on an Italian society that was significantly more ‘backward’ than its western European counterparts. The Prima Guerra d'Africa (1885-96) has often been seen as a military campaign desired exclusively by an isolated Italian government in a society that was incapable of using the occasion to develop cultural themes that impacted on the desires and aspirations of the ‘real’ Italy. This supposed societal dysfunction meant that Italy failed to create a ‘culture of imperialism’ in the years of the Scramble for Africa in a way that has now come to be considered of such central importance for the histories of France, Britain or even Germany. Through an analysis of the role played by primary schools in Italian culture in these years, this article attempts to reverse this view, arguing that even taking into consideration Italy's ‘backwardness’ there was not only a great awareness of what Italy was supposedly doing in Africa but also a serious attempt to load the events that occured there with a meaning that had a much more intimate relationship with Italy's population. Although defeat in Africa meant a major setback in this process, imperialism as a cultural phenomenon continued to be of fundamental importance to the progress of nation building and the development of nationalism in Italy and, Finaldi argues, it should therefore be assigned a place in Italian culture that is much more on a par to that which culture and imperialism are deemed to have held for other European nation-states.

Composer des textes pour de vrais lecteurs : Une expérience à l'école élémentaire italienne.

Composing texts for real readers. An experience in an Italian primary school. This study was realised in collaboration with the teacher Anna Baldessarra, who contributed, through her suggestions and reflections from her teaching experience, to the enrichment of our observations. The article describes and analyses collaborative processes of writing presentations, in a primary school situation where certain conditions favourable to writing were present. The elaboration of the content was based on exploration, active research, discussion and exchange between groups. The written docu¬ ments were intended for publication in “R Nostro Mondo ” (http :// infea.cnuce.cnr.it/andrea), an internet library that is managed by an editorial committee. The class belonged to a small network of classes with whom it communicated. The influence of verbal interactions on the composition and on the positive and negative aspects of the collective production of texts are discussed with the aim of obtaining useful indications for setting didactical strategies.

Biannual amine fluoride applications reduce caries in first permanent molars

Objective To evaluate the caries preventive effect over 5-years of biannual topical fluoride applications to permanent molars of 1% amine fluoride solution. Design A randomised controlled trial in an Italian primary school. Intervention After positive consent 284 children aged 6 were randomly assigned in to test and control group. All children were examined at baseline and at 6-monthly intervals. At each examination they each received fluoride toothpaste (1–0.2% conc.). The test group had biannual applications of amine fluoride performed by personnel other than the examiners. The control group had the same procedure carried out with a placebo solution. Results Significant differences in first molar DMFT were seen between test and control groups from the third year. Survival analysis performed on first permanent molars sound at the beginning of the study also showed a significant difference. The prevented fraction PF (Ic - It/Ic) is calculated as 68%. Using this we can calculate the numbers needed to treat at different levels of disease to prevent 1 DMFT using the formula 1/incidence × preventive fraction (see ). Conclusion Biannual high concentration amine fluoride preparation is useful and justified for community prevention programmes. Brambilla E, Toseli A, Felloni A, Gagliani M, Malerba A, Strohmenger L. The effect of biannual applications of amine fluoride solution on caries incidence in permanent first molars. Int J Paed Dent. 1997; 7:9–14.

Peer Acceptance and Friendship Patterns among Italian Schoolchildren within a Cross-cultural Perspective

Sociometric choice nominations, as well as peer nominations for friendship, aggression, isolation, and prosocial behaviour, were administered to middle class Italian primary school youngsters. Socially rejected children were found to be more aggressive, more withdrawn, and less prosocial than members of the other social status categories, and to have fewer friends. The proportions of subjects in the neglected and controversial categories were very low, although the proportions of rejected and popular children were similar to those found in North American studies. These findings are discussed within the framework of cross-cultural differences in children’s peer relations.

Behavioural Correlates of Friendship Status among Italian Schoolchildren

The purpose of the present study is to examine whether friendship status, in terms of reciprocity and perceived quality of the relationship, is related to behavioural characteristics of school-aged children, as evaluated by themselves and their teachers. Children's nominations for `best friends', a questionnaire on children's perception of friendship quality and self-evaluation of social behaviour were administered to middle-class Italian primary school children, aged 9-10 years. Teachers' ratings of each pupil's social behaviour were also obtained. Partners in reciprocal friendships (both boys and girls) estimated their own prosocial behaviour higher than children who did not have any reciprocal friends in their classes. Higher scores for perceived friendship quality were positively related with higher scores on self-perceptions of prosocial behaviour. Furthermore, the teachers' ratings depict children with reciprocal friends as more prosocial, less aggressive and less emotionally unstable than others.

Lawn mower injuries to children

A questionnaire survey was undertaken to assess the impact of a nationwide educational campaign about epilepsy on the knowledge and attitudes toward the disease among Italian primary school teachers. Five hundred and eighty-two teachers participated. All interviewees were aware of the existence of epilepsy, and most of them had direct experience with the disease. Answers about frequency, causes, outcome, and response to treatments were variable and not correlated with age, residency, and years of experience. Teachers had positive attitudes toward epilepsy, except for the idea that driving and sports can be safe for people with epilepsy. Epilepsy and its treatment were considered a source of learning disability and social disadvantages. Several teachers declared themselves being unable to help a child having seizures. Calling an ambulance was a frequent action. Knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy are improved compared with those reported in our previous studies. Although this may be a positive reflection of the increasing knowledge and the greater availability of information on epilepsy, there are still areas of uncertainty and incorrect behaviors.

Image Education in the Italian Primary School

Abstract This is very detailed and thorough discussion of how image education should be taught in schools. It discusses its need and its basic pedagogic fundamentals and curricular aims, spelt out in tabular form. There are certain fundamental criteria which are considered in detail, with an example of a primary school curriculum.

The new government programs for Italian primary schools

The purpose of this report is to present a brief description of the main features of the New Programs for primary schools (6–11 years) issued by the Italian Government. They represent a breaking away from tradition and offer a stimulus towards innovation and a better understanding of mathematics.

Change in the Italian Primary School: foreign language teaching as part of the basic curriculum

Summary A major change currently being implemented in the curriculum of the Italian Primary school is the introduction, as a compulsory element, the teaching of a foreign language. This innovation has been under review for many years and is now introduced in the context of a wider package of reforms. The article sets this step forward in the historical perspective of the Italianisation of the peninsula, a process which has taken place over more than a hundred years. During this process, the emphasis was placed heavily on the official language at the expense of teaching the dialects which were, effectively for many children, their first tongue. The tendency now predominant is that of recognising the richness of dialects which still exist in Italy as a resource, and this is seen as a crucial point in the development of national maturity. In practical terms, this will mean for many children that the ‘foreign’ language is in fact L3. An extensive and carefully‐researched programme of teacher training is requi...