Junior Middle School Research Articles

Impact of school leadership on reading literacy in rural China: the differentiated models of principals’ self-report and teachers’ report

AbstractThe impact of school leadership (SL) on reading literacy (RL) has been extensively examined using either principals' self-reports or teachers' reports. However, principals and teachers might have divergent, even contradictory, views on the path from SL to RL. Therefore, this study aimed to explore and compare the principals’ self-reported and teachers’ reported models with teacher commitment (TC) as a mediator and collaborative culture (CC) as a moderator of the relationship between SL and RL. Whole group sampling was employed to sample the 106 junior middle schools in City X from western China. About 841 teachers from 80 classes/schools were successfully matched with their 3134 students (Mage = 14.84, SD = 0.74, female = 1673, male = 1461), and about 34 principals from 34 classes/schools were matched with their 1223 students (Mage = 15.35, SD = 1.28, female = 647, 52.9%; male = 576, 47.1%). The results indicated that: (1) there were significant differences between principals’ self-reports and teachers’ reports regarding SL and RL; (2) the direct impact of SL on RL was found in the principals' self-reports but not in the teachers’ reports; and (3) an indirect effect of SL on RL with TC as the mediator and CC as the moderator was found in the teachers' report model. The distinctive models in this study demonstrate principals' and teachers' different views on SL's impact on RL and provide empirical evidence to support both the original and the revised Claim # 1.

Time junior middle school students invested to sports and their cognitive skill development: a time economics perspective

Great importance is attached to physical exercise and students’ cognitive development, yet the precise mechanism linking the time duration of physical activities or sports with adolescents’ cognitive development remains inconclusive. Based on the two-wave panel data of China Education Panel Survey (CEPS), this paper empirically examines the impact of daily physical exercise duration on junior middle school students’ cognitive abilities, by using the two-way fixed-effect estimation. The findings reveal a nonlinear relationship, specifically an inverted “U”-shaped pattern, between daily time length of physical activities or sports and students’ cognitive performance. The cognitive benefits of time investment in physical activities or sports reach the peak at approximately 0.829 h (equivalent to 50 min) per day among the teenagers in China. Furthermore, the daily time allocated to physical activities or sports affects students’ cognitive performance differentially, students attending rural schools were rewarded more progressively, students of poorer physical fitness and those in good shape did not show discernible between-group differences. This study shades light on educational governance and time management, urging school administrators, parents and students to optimize the efficiency and utility of time resource invested in sports activities.

Innovative Design and Practical Exploration of Junior Middle School English Unit Teaching Under the Guidance of New Curriculum Standards

This paper aims to explore the innovative design and practice of junior middle school English unit teaching under the background of new curriculum standards. Under the guidance of the new curriculum standards, the establishment of unit teaching objectives should be guided by core literacy, focusing on cultivating students' ability and quality of doing things in English, and improving their language ability, cultural awareness, thinking quality and learning ability in the process of problem solving. When designing the unit teaching content, we should take the big concepts as the core, refine and focus on these big concepts according to the teaching objectives, and build the logical structure and timing structure of the teaching content around them, so as to effectively promote students' understanding of the big concepts. When arranging the unit teaching process, English practice should be taken as the path, and practical English teaching process should be built through project-oriented, task-based and activity-based design methods, so that students can achieve comprehensive improvement of core literacy in the complete English practice process.

Gender differences in the association between inter-generational interaction and depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults

BackgroundInter-generational interaction is a carrier of Chinese traditional culture, and it can exert important influence on the depressive symptoms on Chinese older adults. The study aims to analyze gender differences in the association between inter-generational interaction and depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults and explore factors contributing to the differences.MethodData from China Family Panel Studies in 2020 were used. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. The latent class analysis was applied to identify patterns of inter-generational interaction of older adults (aged 60 and above). Before the comparison between older man and older woman, we used Coarsened Exact Matching to control confounding factors and improve causal inferences. Multiple linear regression was conducted to explore the association between inter-generational interaction and depression symptoms. Oaxaca-blinder decomposition method was used to analyze the gender difference and the sources.ResultOur study identified three types of inter-generational interaction: detached, nearby but discordant and two-way tight-knit. Analysis indicated that most of older man (54.39%) and older woman (49.78%) were in the type of nearby but discordant. Older man and older woman who in detached type had higher depression scores than other types, and the depression score of two-way tight-knit type accounted for 12.42 and 13.77 respectively. Our findings demonstrated that two-way tight-knit type (-11.89%) significantly decreased the gender differences in the depression symptoms. Other major contributors also included living without spouse (20.56%), primary school and junior middle school (15.95%), higher middle school and above (9.50%) and no illness for two weeks (47.70%).ConclusionOur study highlighted three patterns of inter-generational interaction, and most of older man and older woman were in the pattern of nearby but discordant. In addition, the two-way tight-knit pattern significantly can decrease gender differences in depression symptoms. The contributors should be taken into account in more targeted intervention strategies for narrowing gender differences in the depression symptoms, which could achieve a gender dividend in the era of China's aging population.

Lifestyle and risk of developing myopia in school children in Chongqing, China.

Myopia has emerged as a leading global reason for poor vision in children and adolescents. this study aims to investigate the influence of lifestyles on myopia in schoolchildren in Chongqing, China. This cross-sectional study was conducted on primary and junior high school graduates in Chongqing City, China. Students who came to the assigned hospital for the physical examination of their upgrade school enrollment were recruited. In addition to regular examination and eyeusing questionnaire, visual acuity and non-cycloplegic autorefraction were measured. Of all 1806 eligible students, 1,623 students (89.87%) were included in the analysis. The prevalence of myopia in elementary and junior middle school graduates was 73.1 and 81.8%, respectively. According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, 1 h more homework (OR = 1.272, p = 0.032), attending out-school courses (OR = 1.973, p = 0.006), frequently checking of eyes (OR = 1.337, p = 0.015) and using eye-protecting lamp (OR = 2.528, p < 0.001) were more likely to be associated with myopia (p < 0.05). While 1 h more outdoor activity in weekday (OR = 0.811, p = 0.033) and weekend (OR = 0.796, p = 0.034) were less likely to have myopia. The current prevalence of myopia among elementary and junior high school students in Chongqing is high. Academic pressures, bad habits of using eyes, and limited time for outdoor activity mainly contribute to the epidemic of myopia. Various policies in and out of schools related to reducing academic pressures, increasing outdoor activities, and improving eye habits may help control the prevalence of myopia in teenagers.

The Application Inquiry of Immersive Teaching Based on Embodied Cognition Theory in Art Teaching in Junior Middle School

based on the embodied cognitive theory of immersive teaching is a kind of relying on intelligent technology, with embodied cognition as the theoretical basis of teaching method, applied to the junior middle school art classroom teaching, to enhance students' experience, deepen students to the content of comprehension, trigger its positive emotional resonance, promote students comprehensive development of body and mind.Its essential features include the interactivity of learning environment, the equal and harmonious interaction of teacher-student relationship, the dynamics of teaching time and space, and the process and accuracy of learning evaluation. Therefore, this article designs the immersive teaching scheme from the three stages of immersive teaching before, during class and after class, and explores the application strategy of immersive art teaching in junior middle school, hoping to provide reference for improving the effectiveness of art teaching.

Exploring Intersectionality Inequalities in Junior Secondary Schools in Guangdong Province, China: Causes and Analysis of the Achievement Gap

This study explores the cross-inequality in junior middle schools in China and Guangdong Province, paying special attention to the causes and analysis of the academic achievement gap. Through the discussion of the theory of socio-demographic differences and intersection, this paper reveals the complex influence of multiple social identities such as socio-economic status, gender and race on students' educational experience and academic performance. It is found that the uneven distribution of educational resources in different schools in Guangdong Province and the socio-economic background of parents have significantly affected students' academic achievements. In addition, this paper also discusses the possibility of promoting educational equity through educational policy intervention, such as resource allocation, teacher training and curriculum reform. This paper aims to provide a new perspective for reducing the inequality in the education system, and suggests further research to understand and solve these complex educational inequalities more comprehensively

The Application of Situational Teaching Method in Junior Middle School English Classroom

Junior high school stage is important for not only students' life development, but also development of thinking. As one of the important compulsory courses in junior high school, English occupies a very important position in education. The new curriculum standard puts forward the requirement of creating associative situation for junior high school English teachers. Situational teaching method is a kind of teaching method which originated in Britain in the 1920s and 1930s. It is based on the cultivation of oral ability and emphasizes the basic structure of target language through meaningful situations. Therefore, it is of great significance to apply situational teaching method to junior middle school English teaching.

Research on the Problems and Improvement of Junior Middle School Mathematics Examination Review Teaching under the Background of “Double New”

With the deepening and reform of our education enterprise, the traditional teaching way can hardly satisfy the new demand for students’ development. Therefore, educators must actively renew the educational concept, optimize the teaching strategy, push the students to the deeper study. In view of this, this article briefly summarizes the significance of the total review of junior middle school mathematics, analyzes the difficulties faced in teaching and discusses the teaching strategies such as clear teaching objectives, consolidating the foundation of students and adopting diversified teaching methods, so as to hope that these strategies can provide useful reference for educators.

A Comparative Study on the Relationship Between Learned Helplessness and Academic Performance in English Classes in Urban and Rural Junior High Schools

This study selected a total of 441 second-grade students from urban and rural schools in the same city in Guangdong Province as research subjects to explore the relationship between learned helplessness and academic performance in junior middle school English classes and compare the research results of the two schools. The results of the study found that the level of learned helplessness among rural junior high school students was significantly higher than that among urban junior high school students(The average level of learned helplessness among rural students is 3.87/5, while that among urban students is 3.54/5.). The average English score of rural junior high school students was significantly lower than that of urban junior high school students, with an average score difference of 9.35 points. Regardless of whether junior high school students were from urban or rural schools, learned helplessness in English classes had a significant negative impact on English test scores. Additionally, there was a causal relationship between the two, meaning that the level of learned helplessness would affect students' test scores.

A Study on the Relationship Between Parents' Expectations and Junior Middle School Students' Academic Test Scores -- Taking English as an Example

In the currently prevalent “rat race” phenomenon, which is particularly acute in the field of education. When it comes to discussing the factors underlying the changes in middle school students' English academic achievements, numerous researchers have put forward their viewpoints from different perspectives. This paper summarizes four crucial dimensions that impact middle school students' English achievements and conducts a six-week teaching experiment based on these dimensions. Through the analysis of questionnaire surveys, interviews, and experimental comparisons, it is discovered that the factors influencing students' English achievements, ranked in order of importance from high to low, are: family rearing style, communication and emotional support between parents and children, parents' expectations, and family culture and values. However, while parental expectations have a direct and positive impact on adolescent children, they rank third among the major factors and have a relatively low impact. On the other hand, in the context of family rearing methods that are not suitable for children's development at this stage and incorrect family communication and emotional support, parents' expectations have indirect negative effects.

A Study on the Impact of PAD Class Model on Junior Middle School Students’ English Learning Anxiety

A Study on the Impact of PAD Class Model on Junior Middle School Students’ English Learning Anxiety

Current situation and improvement measures of junior middle school English writing teaching

Current situation and improvement measures of junior middle school English writing teaching

Literature Review: The Influence of Negative Transfer of Mother Tongue on the Syntax of Junior Middle School English Writing

This paper discusses the concept of language transfer of the mother tongue and reviews both domestic and foreign research on the negative effects of such transfer. The focus is on the relevant research in the field of English writing teaching for junior middle school students in China. These studies have shown that the negative transfer of one's native language has a detrimental impact on the acquisition of a second language. Despite the efforts of education experts and scholars to explore various teaching models and improve the situation of junior middle school English writing teaching, the teaching dilemma has not been significantly resolved. To overcome these obstacles, it is vital to investigate students' specific difficulties using quantitative and qualitative methods such as questionnaires and case studies, informing targeted teaching strategies. Additionally, a systematic examination of mother tongue transfer on English syntax, alongside evaluating current teaching methods, is crucial for effective instruction. Collaborative efforts among education experts, linguists, and teachers are essential to integrate findings into practical teaching approaches. Future research should emphasize identifying root causes, applying transfer theory, and continuously evaluating methods to enhance junior middle school English writing instruction.

More is worse: the impact of private supplementary tutoring on middle school students’ academic achievement

ABSTRACT The literature on the effect of private supplementary tutoring has not yet reached a unanimous conclusion. In the context of the marketization of educational resources in China, this paper uses data from the Chinese Education Panel Survey (CEPS) and employs the two-stage least squares method (TSLS) to investigate the causal impact of private supplementary tutoring participation on junior middle school students’ academic achievement. After addressing the endogeneity issue of private supplementary tutoring participation, the results show that private supplementary tutoring significantly reduced the overall standardized scores of junior high school students, as well as their standardized scores in Chinese, mathematics, and English. Heterogeneity analysis shows that students attending lower-ranked schools are more adversely affected by private supplementary tutoring. Further analysis shows that the more academic pressure students face, the greater the negative impact of private supplementary tutoring on their academic achievement. Therefore, for students with heavy homework, blindly participating in private supplementary tutoring could exacerbate the academic achievement gap among students, which is detrimental to the balanced development of education.

Research on the BOPPPS Teaching Mode of Number and Algebra in Junior Middle School Mathematics

BOPPPS teaching mode is a goal-oriented and student-centered teaching mode. It emphasizes students' participatory learning and attaches great importance to classroom interaction and inquiry. In order to change the disadvantages of traditional teaching, this paper discusses the perfect fit between this model and the "number and algebra" classroom in junior high school mathematics. On this basis, a series of teaching strategies are provided for reference. The teaching process of "number and algebra" under the BOPPPS teaching mode is constructed. This provides experience for junior high school mathematics teaching.

Summary Measure of Health-Related Quality of Life and Its Related Factors Based on the Chinese Version of the Core Healthy Days Measures: Cross-Sectional Study.

The core Healthy Days measures were used to track the population-level health status in the China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance; however, they were not easily combined to create a summary of the overall health-related quality of life (HRQOL), limiting this indicator's use. This study aims to develop a summary score based on the Chinese version of the core Healthy Days measures (HRQOL-5) and apply it to estimate HRQOL and its determinants in a Chinese population. From November 2018 to May 2019, a multistage stratified cluster survey was conducted to examine population health status and behavioral risk factors among the resident population older than 15 years in Weifang City, Shandong Province, China. Both exploratory factor analyses and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to reveal the underlying latent construct of HRQOL-5 and then to quantify the overall HRQOL by calculating its summary score. Tobit regression models were finally carried out to identify the influencing factors of the summary score. A total of 26,269 participants (male: n=13,571, 51.7%; mean age 55.9, SD 14.9 years) were included in this study. A total of 71% (n=18,663) of respondents reported that they had excellent or very good general health. One summary factor was extracted to capture overall HRQOL using exploratory factor analysis. The confirmatory factor analysis further confirmed this one-factor model (Tucker-Lewis index, comparative fit index, and goodness-of-fit index >0.90; root mean square error of approximation 0.02). Multivariate Tobit regression analysis showed that age (β=-0.06), educational attainments (primary school: β=0.72; junior middle school: β=1.46; senior middle school or more: β=2.58), average income (≥¥30,000 [US $4200]: β=0.69), physical activity (β=0.75), alcohol use (β=0.46), self-reported disease (β=-6.36), and self-reported injury (β=-5.00) were the major influencing factors on the summary score of the HRQOL-5. This study constructs a summary score from the HRQOL-5, providing a comprehensive representation of population-level HRQOL. Differences in summary scores of different subpopulations may help set priorities for health planning in China to improve population HRQOL.

A Study on Current Situation and Teaching Strategies of Integrating Chinese Culture into Junior Middle School English Teaching Practice

A Study on Current Situation and Teaching Strategies of Integrating Chinese Culture into Junior Middle School English Teaching Practice

Study of Contributing Factors and Countermeasures of Job Burnout of Teachers in Junior Middle Schools

Under the situation of emphasizing the enrollment rate, teachers in junior middle school work under enormous pressure for a long time, which easily results in job burnout. It not only has negative impact on teachers’ physical and mental health, but also poses a great threat to the quality of teaching and the stability of teaching staff. Regarding this issue, this study mainly analyzes the main causes of teachers’ job burnout from four aspects: society, schools, students, and teachers, as well as offers countermeasures to alleviate it from the above aspects.

The Whole Teaching Design of Junior Middle School English Unit under the Big Idea

The Whole Teaching Design of Junior Middle School English Unit under the Big Idea