Mainstream Secondary Schools Research Articles

Formatively assessing teamwork in technology-enabled twenty-first century classrooms: exploratory findings of a teamwork awareness programme in Singapore

Teamwork, one of the core competencies for the twenty-first century learner, is a critical skill for work and learning. However, assessing teamwork is complex, in particular, developing a measure of teamwork that is domain-generic and applicable across a wide range of learners. This paper documents one such study that leverages technology to help provide a formative assessment of teamwork. It focuses on the self and peer ratings of a teamwork measure and a pedagogical method, which was trialled as a teamwork awareness programme in a mainstream Secondary School in Singapore. This teamwork awareness programme was incorporated into the school’s Interdisciplinary Project Work curriculum. Findings of students’ experiences of the programme are described. The teamwork competency dimension of “team emotional support” was rated highest amongst students. Also, students’ report gains in teamwork awareness, mixed engagement in reflective practices, and on the real-world relevancy of the programme. Discussions and implications of the findings follow.

The experience of deaf students in secondary mainstream classrooms

Aim:This article aims to explore the classroom experience of students of secondary age who are deaf and who are being educated in mainstream secondary schools in England. In this approach, there is considerable emphasis on hearing the authentic voice of the students separate from the influence of their teachers and parents.Method:In-depth interviews were conducted in the students’ homes. Recordings of the interviews were transcribed and employed to identify themes in the data, adopting a ‘Grounded Theory’ approach. Further analysis of the themes led to a consideration of what implications there may be for the students, for the adults who support their learning, including educational psychologists, and for policymakers.Findings:The findings indicate that both the medical and social models of disability may need to be reappraised in terms of the framework they provide for guiding schools in educating their students. An alternative model, the risk and resilience model, is considered, which recognises the importance of the active contribution which the students may make in maintaining their placement in their schools.Conclusions:The evidence arising from this investigation suggests that the learning outcomes for deaf students in mainstream classrooms are finely balanced. Not to learn from the students about their experience would be to overlook a rich source of information on how schools and teaching might be improved and the underperformance of deaf children addressed.

“It helps if you are a loud person”: Listening to the Voice of a School Student with a Vision Impairment

Students with vision impairment who attend mainstream secondary schools in Australia may not experience education as an inclusive and positive experience. This study of one senior secondary student with vision impairment provides a rare opportunity to give voice and provide understandings of the experience from the perspective of the student. The research question that drove this study was: What is the experience of mainstream schooling for a student with a vision impairment? The participant in this Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis study was Edward (pseudonym), a student in his final year of secondary schooling. Edward encountered significant barriers to inclusion, specifically teaching, technology, administrative inflexibility, and restricted social engagement. The participant has become resilient with a strong sense of self and has developed a range of personal strategies to address his challenges. It is evident that Edward was rarely asked about his needs and perceptions, rather decisions were made for and about him by those without a vision impairment. Educators require a clearer understanding of vision impairment and the impact that their often unintentionally exclusionary teaching practices may have on the educational experiences of their students.

‘We can’t do it just to make them feel good!’: An exploration into the benefits of coaching in secondary schools

Objectives:Research has indicated that traditional forms of continuing professional development (CPD), such as external training courses, can have limited impact on developing teacher’s skills. One response has been that coaching has been used increasingly in schools since 2000 in a variety of ways. However, there is a lack of research into the impact of coaching in schools. This study explored the impact of specialist coaching and (peer) co-coaching as perceived by coachees and CPD co-ordinators. The impact of coaching at three different levels was considered: benefits at the individual personal/emotional level; changes to individuals’ daily practice; and benefits at the schoolwide/organizational level.Design:A postal questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used.Methods:CPD co-ordinators in 10 urban mainstream secondary schools completed the questionnaire and identified coachees for interview. Semi-structured interviews with six of these CPD co-ordinators and seven coachees, were then conducted. The interviews were analysed through Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to explore patterns in what the interviewees perceived the benefits of coaching to be.Results:Peer coaching impacted on all three levels proposed in the study. The impact of specialist coaching was found to vary depending on the role of the coachee (e.g. newly qualified teachers and middle leaders benefited differently).Conclusions:The current study has indicated that coaching is perceived by CPD co-ordinators and coachees to have a positive impact on teachers’ daily practice and at the organisational level, alongside the benefits it offers to individuals at an emotional level.

‘You have to be like everyone else’: Support for students with vision impairment in mainstream secondary schools

The experiences of seven Australian senior secondary school students with vision impairment attending mainstream schools in Victoria were explored to gain an understanding of the support mechanisms operating to allow them access to an inclusive education. This qualitative study primarily used the in‐depth interviews of students, augmented by brief interviews with Heads of Education Support, parents, aides and teachers. Students attributed difficulties to time available, accessing e‐print and large format materials, assistive technology and access, and exclusion from classes of science, mathematics, and physical education in particular. In Australia, there is an expectation that legally mandated adjustments for students with disabilities will enable equitable, quality, and inclusive education. This was not evident in the experiences of the students in this study. Having aide support did not prevent exclusionary practices. Educators and support staff need to understand the perspectives of students with vision impairments to better facilitate successful teaching and learning experiences.

Lonely schools: the relationship between geographic isolation and academic attainment

BackgroundSchool improvement initiatives in England have focused on urban areas, which have traditionally been home to larger numbers of poor and underperforming pupils. Previous research has found that rural regions of the country have had higher overall educational attainment due to their greater affluence. However, that broad picture could be hiding under-serviced and under-performing pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.PurposeThe study’s aim was to identify whether all pupils and all disadvantaged pupils attending geographically isolated secondary schools have different academic attainment rates compared with their peers at less isolated schools.MethodsThe isolation of a school is calculated based on the average travel time by car to its five nearest state-funded mainstream secondary schools. This was then included as an independent variable, along with variables for school demographics, prior pupil attainment and neighbourhood deprivation.ResultsDisadvantaged pupils attending more isolated schools had lower attainment rates (as measured by the percentage of students achieving grades of C or higher in English, mathematics and at least three other subjects at General Certificate of Secondary Education [GCSE] level) than pupils in less isolated schools, when controlling for school demographics and prior attainment. There was no relationship found between whole-school GCSE attainment and geographic isolation.ConclusionWhen framing the challenges of providing equitable opportunities in education, broader contexts beyond pupil characteristics, such as geographic isolation, should be taken into consideration.

‘Close the door on your way out’: parent perspectives on supported transition planning for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Ireland

Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities encounter complex and circuitous transitions from post‐primary settings to Higher Education. In Ireland, inequitable access to Individual Education Plans, and a lack of policy infrastructure to provide formal transition planning, means that these journeys are varied and uncertain. This study presents findings from surveys completed by parents supporting students with disabilities in their final 3 years of mainstream secondary school (n = 69), and in‐depth interviews with a self‐selected subset of parents (n = 8). Results point to: (i) disparate levels and quality of support and guidance, (ii) fissures in communication channels between parents and schools, (iii) insufficient awareness and understanding of the interplay between disability and successful post‐school outcomes, and (iv) high levels of stress, anxiety and frustration experienced by students, parents and carers.

Do resource bases enable social inclusion of students with Asperger syndrome in a mainstream secondary school?

This research identifies the way in which one secondary school with a resourced provision for students with Asperger syndrome promotes social inclusion for them, and the perceptions of staff members and parents on the social experience of schooling for these children. Interviews were conducted with five teachers, two learning support assistants, and the head of the resourced provision. Questionnaires were completed by eight parents of students with Asperger syndrome who attend the provision. The research found that a positive social experience of schooling was perceived by members of staff and parents due to the additional support of the resource in teaching social skills, providing a safe place and support from the learning support assistants. Some negative perceptions of social experience were also reported, which highlighted the need for educational provision for students on the autism spectrum to be considered at an individual level.

Exploring the feasibility of a classroom‐based vocabulary intervention for mainstream secondary school students with language disorder

Vocabulary knowledge has been shown to be a predictor of academic success, posing a challenge for children and young people with language disorder. Language disorder can persist into adolescence and yet there is limited evidence on how to support the vocabulary skills of adolescents with language disorder in a mainstream setting. This article describes an experimental study aimed at investigating the feasibility of a whole‐class approach to increase the understanding and use of curriculum vocabulary in adolescents with language disorder. Ten curriculum words were taught by the science teacher using a phonological‐semantic approach, and 10 matched same‐topic words were taught using routine teaching practice. Progress was made post‐intervention in word knowledge of both low‐frequency experimental and control words, with significantly greater change in knowledge of the experimental words. Most students, and the teacher, viewed the phonological‐semantic word‐learning approach favourably.

How to support and engage students in alternative forms of education and training? A qualitative study of school staff members in Flanders

This study focuses on how students, who for a variety of reasons struggle in mainstream secondary schools, can be supported and engaged by alternative forms of education and training to attain a (formal) qualification. Interviews and focus groups are carried out with school staff members of distinct types of alternative learning arenas in Flanders (northern part of Belgium): second chance secondary education, part-time apprenticeship track and part-time work-based vocational education. Our analyses reveal that, due to the selectiveness of mainstream secondary education, staff members in alternative learning arenas mainly struggle with the ways to develop inclusive curricula/practices and with the actual content of the curricula of their educational training or programme they are supposed to teach. Staff members struggle with putting into practice the fundamental aim to prepare socially vulnerable students for their future lives. Debates within the school team focus upon the relative importance of transferrable, specialist and social skills and competences. Results of this study are discussed to further enhance the professionalisation of school teams, and can be seen as the starting point to specify and develop the curriculum taught in both alternative learning arenas and mainstream secondary education.

Parental perceptions on the transition to secondary school for their child with autism

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the transition to and early experience of secondary school for students with autism from the perspective of their parents. It aimed to gather the parents’ personal accounts of their views of the transition experience for their child and of their perceptions of both the positive and the negative factors inherent in the process of transition. There was an emphasis on seeking useful information for others from the parent’s perception, views and choices.Design/methodology/approachAs parents were reporting on their own perceptions and also their child’s experiences, a qualitative exploratory descriptive method was required. Thematic analysis was used as a pragmatic method to report on the experiences, meanings and the reality of the transition to secondary school from a parent’s perspective (Braun and Clarke, 2012).FindingsA variety of supports and strategies were described, parents were unanimous in their emphasis of the importance of communication to them. Parents were concerned about secondary schools not fully understanding the nature of autism, and the impact this can have on their child as an individual. Despite differing perceptions and views on the purpose or end product of secondary educations for their child, all the parents communicated a desire for their child to reach their potential and make progress within the secondary school system.Research limitations/implicationsThis was a small qualitative study with a self-selected group of parents in the Republic of Ireland, with fathers underrepresented. It did not take any account from any other stakeholders or the students themselves.Practical implicationsParents would benefit from more practical support and communication during this time in the child’s education. Their recommendations and personal experiences may serve as a useful reference point for parents preparing for this time in their child’s school life.Social implicationsThe study highlights the need to better understand how children with autism can be supported in making social attainments and connections within mainstream secondary schools in Ireland.Originality/valueThere is a small body of knowledge related to the secondary school experience for students with autism. It contributes the parental perspective and highlights areas for further research and practice.

‘To be like a home extension’: Challenges of language learning and language maintenance - lessons from the Polish-Irish experience

The research described in this paper investigates issues related to language socialization of four adolescent Polish immigrant children attending different post-primary schools in Ireland. The focus is on how heritage (Polish) language socialisation goals affect these children’s identity negation as they grow up in a multilingual environment, and as they try to find their place in a new country and society. In particular, this paper examines the ways in which the children construct themselves as authoritative or unauthoritative heritage language speakers The theoretical background, methodology, and final results are set from the longitudinal study (5 years) involving such students and their families, two of whom also attend weekend Polish schools in addition to mainstream secondary schools. The theoretical and analytical approach combines an Ethnography of Communication approach to data collection and field work, such as participant home and school observations, audio-recordings of children’s interactions with their peers, their teachers and parents, open-ended interviews, children’s samples of school work with Discourse Analysis approaches (Duff, 1995; Davis & Harre 1990, Harre & Langenhove, 1999, Ochs & Capps, 2001). A particular focus is placed on epistemic, moral and affective stances taken by the children in question. Certain aspects of agency, such as variable participation, allegiances with heritage language peer groups, affective and epistemic stances taken with respect to sociohistorical norms and values of the Polish language and culture are illustrated. The results of the analysis are interpreted in terms of heritage language socialisation (Ochs, Schieffelin, & Duranti, 2011), describing how different educational contexts may influence children’s identity negotiation. This micro-analysis of heritage children language socialisation is contextualized within a more holistic account of the Polish community in Ireland (Singleton, 2007) – a community culturally shaped by, and in turn shaping, wider societal and educational ideologies, values and power relations.

REGULARITIES OF YOUNGSTER FREE TIME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN A LATVIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL

Background. Article investigates youngster physical activity (PA) habits, finding tendencies of PA participation, factors promoting and impeding it. Methods. The methods include literature analysis, cross-sectional study with self-reported questionnaire consisting of 11 questions and statements about most popular leisure sports, frequency, venues, significant others, and neighbourhood influence. The questionnaire, based on EU Special Eurobarometer 412 “Sport and Physical Activity”, research in Northern and Eastern countries, as well as in the Netherlands, was sent by e-mail to 91 Grade 10 subjects in a Latvian mainstream secondary school in the academic year of 2015/2016; the response rate was 60%. The statistical analysis was carried out with Index method and SPSS software. Results. The Cronbach’s alpha for neighbourhood section (5 items) of the questionnaire was .74. The validity of the questionnaire was based on the consideration that the questions were drawn from surveys, described in reliable sources. Most of the students with friends or alone did three sports at sport schools (69.50%), as well as in parks, woods, seaside, at home, most popular sports were team games (basketball, volleyball), winter sports (skiing and snowboarding), fitness sports (running), strength sports (gym workout) and gymnastics. Statistically significant, medium strong correlations were found between good relations with neighbours and high level of well-being (r = .38, p = .05). Conclusion. The student choice to practice team games and gymnastics might be influenced by traditional youngster values and their status as trendy sports, but winter sports in Latvia traditionally are among the most popular ones. Good neighbourhood relations could help youngsters be more physically active.

The development of a model of creative space and its potential for transfer from non-formal to formal education

Creativity has been emerging as a key concept in educational policies since the mid-1990s, with many Western countries restructuring their education systems to embrace innovative approaches likely to stimulate creative and critical thinking. But despite current intentions of putting more emphasis on creativity in education policies worldwide, there is still a relative dearth of viable models which capture the complexity of creativity and the conditions for its successful infusion into formal school environments. The push for creativity is in direct conflict with the results-driven/competitive performance-oriented culture which continues to dominate formal education systems. The authors of this article argue that incorporating creativity into mainstream education is a complex task and is best tackled by taking a systematic and multifaceted approach. They present a multidimensional model designed to help educators in tackling the challenges of the promotion of creativity. Their model encompasses three distinct yet interrelated dimensions of a creative space – physical, social-emotional and critical. The authors use the metaphor of space to refer to the interplay of the three identified dimensions. Drawing on confluence approaches to the theorisation of creativity, this paper exemplifies the development of a model before the background of a growing trend of systems theories. The aim of the model is to be helpful in systematising creativity by offering parameters – derived from the evaluation of an example offered by a non-formal educational environment – for the development of creative environments within mainstream secondary schools.

Pedagogical language knowledge: preparing Australian pre-service teachers to support English language learners

ABSTRACTIn Australia all initial teacher education (ITE) programmes are required to address the needs of students learning in and through English as an additional language (EAL) as a national priority area, including “effective teaching and learning strategies for teaching second language learners in the context of the mainstream classroom and the range of key learning areas.” However, research into the complex language and literacy challenges faced by EAL learners suggests that many mainstream secondary school teachers feel inadequately prepared to meet their needs. To address this issue, Hammond (2014, p. 503) calls for “more wide-ranging, theoretically robust accounts of teacher learning” to support EAL/D learners in particular. This paper presents research conducted as part of a broader investigation into the various components of teacher learning made available to Australian pre-service teachers (PSTs) in an undergraduate teacher education programme, and the relative ways in which they contributed to PSTs’ developing knowledge of language and literacy pedagogy. In particular, it reports on the specific type of knowledge made available to a smaller group of PSTs who participated in a literacy tutoring programme conducted at a secondary school with a large EAL student population. The study yields a rich description of the PSTs’ developing pedagogical language knowledge as they engage in professional learning under the guidance of an academic mentor. It charts their emerging and developing knowledge as they are trained to analyse core curriculum content for opportunities to provide targeted language and literacy support, as well as their growing understanding of the diversity of language and literacy needs of EAL learners. Furthermore, the study describes PSTs’ evolving self-reflection as they become “apprenticed” into the role of professional teachers who assume responsibility for their students’ language and literacy development as a key way of facilitating their access to curriculum content knowledge.

‘Why single me out?’ Peer mentoring, autism and inclusion in mainstream secondary schools

The past decade has seen an increase in the number of students with autism attending mainstream educational provision. Improving outcomes for this group is a complex issue given the deficit of evidence‐based practice. A new peer mentoring programme developed for students with autism in mainstream secondary schools was evaluated using a combination of quantitative and qualitative measures. Twelve students with autism and 36 students without autism participated in the programme across five schools in the south‐east of England. Students with autism were assessed using the Harter Self‐Esteem Questionnaire, Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Scale and the Anti‐Bullying Alliance survey. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted to record their views and experiences of the programme. Significant gains in self‐esteem, social satisfaction and a reduction in bullying were seen over the course of the programme. These findings have wider implications for the ways in which educational approaches, strategies and interventions are developed and delivered in schools.

Sharing, Listening, Learning and Developing Understandings of Kaupapa Māori Research by Engaging With Two Māori Communities in education

This paper is a culmination of common understandings that were elicited from two pieces of research: Impact of the BHP New Zealand Steel Mining on the Tangata Whenua and the Environment and Impact of Maori Medium Education within a Mainstream Secondary School on the Lives of its Participants, in particular the Teachers, Caregivers and Students. It was at the conclusion of each research project and as a consequence of informal conversations and discussions that this paper evolved. The paper discusses shared understandings in the context of Kaupapa Maori research methodology and key findings from the two research projects.

The design and implementation of a CBT-based intervention for sensory processing difficulties in adolescents on the autism spectrum

BackgroundUnusual reactions to sensory input now form part of the diagnostic criteria for autism. These features are common and can have an often-devastating impact on autistic individuals and their families. Yet there are few validated interventions that help to remediate or support autistic individuals’ adverse sensory experiences. To date, both measurement of sensory experiences and the resulting interventions have been based on assumptions of neurological sensitivities and largely ignored the role of cognition. This study therefore sought to assess the feasibility of a new 8-week CBT-based group intervention for self-regulation of sensory processing difficulties. MethodSeven cognitively able adolescents diagnosed with autism aged 11–16 years from one mainstream secondary school received the 8-week intervention. Measures of sensory reactivity, anxiety and repetitive behaviours were taken at baseline, post-intervention and follow-up, 8 weeks after the intervention had ceased. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were also conducted with adolescents and their parents to examine further the acceptability of the intervention. ResultsThe results showed that the intervention itself was feasible – both in its implementation and its acceptability to participants. Qualitative analysis clearly showed that the intervention was effective in raising meta-conscious awareness and self-regulation in these autistic adolescents. Analysis of outcome variables showed no significant change over the intervention period, although effect sizes were moderate-to-large. ConclusionsThese preliminary results are encouraging and should inform the design of a future pilot randomized controlled trial to test its efficacy with a larger group of participants.

School expectations and student aspirations: The influence of schools and teachers on Indigenous secondary students

Although there is extensive literature on the relationship between student motivation and achievement, less is known about how secondary schools create conditions that enable diverse groups of students to do their personal best. This article reports research into the development of school leadership in New Zealand secondary schools to enable Indigenous Māori students to achieve educational success as Māori. Data collection included school goal-setting plans for students, in-class observations, student surveys and interviews. Analyses revealed school goals reflected low expectations for Māori achievement and little evidence of culturally responsive practices in classrooms. Interviews with Māori students highlighted perceptions that their schools had low expectations for them and their learning, while analysis of Māori student surveys indicated lower academic aspirations in comparison with European peers. These results are discussed critically alongside specific recommendations for further research on the multiple influences of mainstream secondary school contexts on educational achievement outcomes for Indigenous students.

School's out Forever: Postsecondary Educational Trajectories of Students with Autism

ObjectivePostsecondary educational attainment is the key for successful transition to adulthood, economic self‐sufficiency, and good mental and physical health.MethodSecondary analyses of school leavers’ data were carried out to establish postsecondary educational trajectories of students on the autism spectrum in the United Kingdom.ResultsFindings show that students with autism who had attended mainstream secondary schools enter Further Education (post‐16 vocational training) at lower rates and Higher Education (University) institutions at a similar rate to other students. They study the full range of subjects on offer. However, they are more likely to be younger, study at a lower academic level, and remain living at home with their parents.ConclusionWhile course completion data were not yet available, attainment data showed that prospects are improving, although more needs to be done to enable these young adults to achieve their full postsecondary educational potential.