School Placement Research Articles

Longitudinal Transition Between Regular and Special Education in Autistic Children: Predictors and Policy Effects.

Inclusive education policies stimulate children with special educational needs, including autism, to attend regular education. We aimed to explore change over time in school placement and transitions of autistic children since the introduction of an inclusive education policy in the Netherlands (2014) and to examine the role of individual child characteristics. This study used longitudinal data from 2013 to 2021 on autistic children (N=1463, aged 5-16 years). We expected an increase in regular school placements and transitions to regular schools. Surprisingly, the proportion of children with autism in regular schools slightly decreased. Special school placement was more likely for boys and autistic children with lower intelligence scores, co-occurring conditions or behavioral and peer relation problems. Younger autistic children and those with lower intelligence scores more often transferred from a regular to a special school. The opposite transition was more common in older autistic children and those with higher intelligence scores. The likelihood of special-to-regular transitions did not change, but regular-to-special transitions were more prevalent during the years just after the policy change than in later years. The inclusive policy had little impact on the school placement, and at most led to a delayed drop in referrals to special schools.

Self-Concept and Achievement in Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

Background: Understanding self-concept in individuals with intellectual disabilities is crucial for tailored support and interventions. The research question driving this study is: What factors influence the self-concept of individuals with intellectual disabilities, and how is it assessed? Methods: Employing a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines, studies from 1993 to 2024, which used diverse assessment tools such as the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Acceptance, Myself as a Learner Scale, and other self-report questionnaires, were analysed. Results: Factors influencing self-concept include diagnosis, age, gender, perception of control, school placement, and socioeconomic status. Internal factors like perception of control and external factors like societal attitudes interact to shape self-concept trajectories. Assessments reveal nuanced dimensions of self-perception, facilitating targeted interventions. Conclusions: Assessing self-concept among individuals with intellectual disabilities requires diverse evaluation methods. Insights gained inform tailored interventions to enhance well-being. Further research is needed to validate assessment tools across diverse populations. Recognizing the interplay of internal beliefs, external perceptions, and societal structures is crucial for empowering individuals to embrace their unique identities.

Analisis Habituasi Shalat Dzuhur Berjama’ah Di Smp Ma’arif Kalibawang Wonosobo Tahun 2023/2024

Habituation is a process in which the response to a particular stimulus decreases with repeated exposure to that stimulus. In the context of psychology, habituation often refers to a decrease in response to a harmless or unimportant stimulus after repeated exposure, which can result in changes in an individual's behavior. This process is a form of non-associative learning in which individuals become accustomed to the same stimuli and their response to these stimuli decreases over time. The congregational midday prayer is the performance of midday prayers together by a group of individuals which is performed in a place of worship, such as a mosque, prayer room, or a designated area at a school or other place. In congregational prayer, an imam leads the prayer, while the congregation or people present follow the imam in carrying out the prayer movements and reciting verses from the Koran and prescribed prayers. This research aims to find out how the habituation or habituation of midday prayers in congregation is carried out and what the impact of habituation is to midday prayers in congregation, as well as what are the inhibiting and connecting factors for the habituation of midday prayers in congregation at Ma'arif Kalibwang Middle School, Wonosobo. This research uses a type of qualitative research using a descriptive approach. Qualitative research is research that uses observation, interviews, content analysis and data collection methods. The location of this research is Ma'arif Kalibawang Middle School, Wonosobo. After the data is collected, it is then analyzed using data analysis, namely, data reduction, data presentation and conclusions. The results of this research show the activities of getting used to midday prayers in congregation at Ma'arif Kalibawang Middle School, Wonosobo. First, the activity of getting used to midday prayers in congregation at Ma'arif Kalibawang Middle School, Wonosobo has gone well. Second, the impacts obtained include students being able to increase awareness of praying, students instilling discipline, and students being able to increase their devotion to prayer. Third, the inhibiting and supporting factors in the implementation of congregational midday prayers include: 1) Inhibiting factors include students' lack of awareness in worship and inadequate facilities. 2) Supporting factors include student awareness and motivation from teachers, complete facilities and infrastructure, and parents and the community around the school who support and motivate the activities of carrying out midday prayers in congregation.

A mathematical approach to optimizing brand school placement via intuitionistic Sombor indices

The property of fuzziness is advantageous for any setting where a problem prediction and solution are intended. In comparison to the classical approach (crisp set), fuzzy graphs are beneficial as they provide greater precision and flexibility. Intuitionistic fuzzy graphs (IFGs) are generalizations of fuzzy graphs, in which each vertex is allocated an ordered pair whose first coordinate represents the membership value and whose second coordinate gives the non-membership value. Sombor indices are recently invented indices and are prime indices in describing the topology of a graph. They have demonstrated strong prediction ability in mathematical chemistry. The main aim of this research draft is to define two milestones, the fifth and sixth versions of Sombor indices in an intuitionistic fuzzy environment, IFGs are much more generalized and universal as compared to crisp graph theory, so we converted these two topological indices in this environment and then formulae for some fundamental families of graphs such as path graph, cycle graph, complete graph etc. are being derived. Our manuscript presents a novel application of opening a chain of schools of a popular brand in a certain vicinity, including the cluster center of the chain and applying intuitionistic fuzzy-based topological indices to assess their performance. With the help of this application, we highlight the practical implications and benefits of employing intuitionistic fuzzy-based techniques on the performance of schools through a comparative analysis. We checked the importance of intuitionistic fuzzy Sombor indices by presenting the application and concluded these indices can be applied to decision-making problems. With the help of the application, the efficiency of both of the intuitionistic fuzzy Sombor indices is also characterized, which must be a future efficacious tool in decision-making issues.

Learning online and teaching face to face: Exploring the planned and enacted conception of teaching of preservice teachers on school placement

This research delved into the experiences of a group of preservice teachers (PSTs) who were taught online and participated in teaching in person as part of their school placement. The study analysed the planning and reflection documents of 101 PSTs, as well as evaluations from their instructors, using a thematic and document analysis. The findings showed that PSTs exhibited strong planning abilities, and a solid understanding of teaching skills. However, these PSTs struggled in managing the classroom and individualising instruction. It is proposed that future teachers' learning occurred through an ongoing process of construction and refinement across formal and informal educational settings, although the transfer of learning remains inconclusive.

Preconception diet in adolescence and its association with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and preterm birth. Results from the HUNT study.

Our aim was to estimate associations of adolescent dietary patterns and meal habits with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and preterm birth. We used data from a prospective cohort study (Norwegian Young-HUNT1) where dietary information was collected during adolescence and pregnancy outcomes were obtained through record linkage to the Norwegian national birth registry. The outcomes were HDP, hypertension, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, and preterm birth in the first pregnancy and in any pregnancy. Diet was self-reported from validated questionnaires, and exposures were dietary indexes (healthy; unhealthy; fruit and vegetable; fibre index) and meal habits. Recruitment took place in schools. Eligible participants were females aged 13-19 years at the time of dietary assessment with a subsequent singleton pregnancy (n 3622). Women who reported a higher fibre intake in adolescence had a lower risk of pre-eclampsia in the first pregnancy (Relative Risk: 0·84; 95 % CI 0·7, 1·0), although this was weaker in sensitivity analyses. Regular meal habits in mid-adolescence (aged 13-15 years), particularly breakfast and lunch, were weakly associated with a lower risk of hypertension in pregnancy. Our results are the first to indicate an association between aspects of diet and dietary behaviour in mid-adolescence and subsequent HDP. More evidence is needed from larger studies to replicate the results and from alternative study designs to disentangle causality.

Facilitating coordination between medical and educational systems to improve access to pediatric therapies for preschool children with developmental delays and disabilities.

A large portion of preschool-age children with developmental delays and disabilities (PCw/DD) do not receive recommended therapeutic services, including legally mandated school-based therapies. This study examines the feasibility of a community-clinical linkage using virtual patient navigation and a medical-educational care plan called Preschool and Me (PreM) to connect clinical settings serving historically marginalized communities with early childhood special education (ECSE) services. Parents of PCw/DD attending an urban pediatric clinic from January to March 2022 were enrolled to receive PreM which included navigation support for ECSE, overcoming barriers accessing ECSE, and health care provider communication. Families completed measures of demographics and indicators of feasibility at baseline and 4-month follow-up. Of the 34 families referred, 30 were eligible and enrolled. Most parents identified as mothers (97%). Most participant children (70% male, 60% Black, 30% Hispanic) were enrolled in public health insurance (93%) and were not receiving any clinic-based therapies (93%). Parents overwhelmingly found PreM acceptable with the majority stating it would be a strong reason to continue care at the clinic. Among families who received PreM, 26 (96%) completed an individualized education plan (IEP) evaluation (96%). Of these, 24 (92%) children were eligible for an IEP. Nineteen children enrolled in an ECSE program; two families awaited school assignments and three families did not consent to the assigned school placement due to neighborhood safety concerns. Our findings suggest PreM was feasible, acceptable, and demonstrated promise in supporting families to navigate the ECSE process. Future studies examining effectiveness are warranted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Research strength analysis, pedagogical components, and effectiveness of translanguaging: a systematic literature review

ABSTRACT This systematic literature review examined 61 empirical studies published from 2010 to 2022 on translanguaging. The review explored the trends and scientific strengths of the studies, the reported pedagogical components, and the affordances and challenges of translanguaging. 70.49% of the studies took place in elementary schools and in 65.57% in the U.S. contexts. The majority of the studies employed ethnographic methods (27.87%) to collect data. Only 37 of the reviewed papers endorsed translanguaging’s agenda of promoting equity and social justice. Our evaluation of the reviewed studies was generally favourable with strengths identified in researchers’ articulation of research context and theoretical frameworks, connections to existent literature, and methods of data collection. However, data analysis in certain studies did not contain adequate information regarding how themes, concepts, and categories were derived from data, and data were not presented in a way that enables readers to judge the range of evidence being used. Adopting thematic analysis, the systematic literature review identified 11 major pedagogical components of pedagogical translanguaging and the affordances and challenges of both pedagogical and spontaneous translanguaging. The paper ends with recommendations for future research and pedagogical innovations that aim to buttress bilingual and multilingual students’ fluid meaning-making practices.

Intercultural relations and trust in schools: perceptions of immigrant families in the city of Barcelona

ABSTRACT Previous research in Spain has shown that immigrant families’ views regarding the education offered to their children are on the whole positive. This article adds to the current literature by exploring how immigrant families’ perceptions about their relationships with the school staff and other families affect their trust in schools. The article looks at immigrant families’ predominant perception of their relations with schools and other families, whether they perceive discrimination or positive contact, and how this affects their trust in the schools. The study is based on qualitative interviews as well as on participant observation with immigrant parents from differing origins in four neighbourhoods in Barcelona. The results show that the trust that immigrant parents place in schools varies according to three main perceptions of intercultural relations: (i) blatant and subtle discrimination, (ii) intercultural tension with the school, and (iii) intercultural tension with other immigrant parents.

Traditions of Learning and Role of Teachers: An Indian Perspective

A school teacher, also known as an educator, is a person who helps students acquire knowledge, skills or virtues through the practice of teaching. Informally, anyone can take on the role of a teacher (e.g. showing a colleague how to do a particular task). In some countries, teaching of school-age young people may take place in an informal setting, such as within the family (home schooling), rather than in a formal setting such as a school or college. Some other professions may involve a significant amount of teaching (e.g. youth workers, pastors). In most countries, formal teaching of pupils is usually provided by paid professional teachers. This article focuses on those whose main role is to teach others in a formal educational context, such as a school or other place of initial formal education or training. It also discusses the role of the teacher in Indian tradition and in modern education, using the examples of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. The paper concludes with the authors' observations, suggesting that education policy needs to be reshaped, with emphasis on improving professional training in government institutions and universities, and developing partnerships between industry and academia. Teaching is a highly complex activity. This is partly because teaching is a social practice that takes place in a specific context (time, place, culture, socio-political-economic situation, etc.) and is therefore shaped by the values of that specific context. Factors that influence what is expected (or required) of teachers includes history and tradition, social views of the purpose of education, accepted theories of learning, etc.

“The best way to get to know a student is to know their community”: fostering pre-service teachers’ critical multilingual language awareness through linguistic community walks

ABSTRACT This study sought to investigate the impact of an English as a second language methodology course in which we asked pre-service teachers (PSTs) to visit the communities served by their field placement schools for their mentored teaching practices in a linguistic community walk project. We aimed to understand the impact of a linguistic community walk project on PSTs’ understanding of the existing disparities in access to community resources for people from different linguistic backgrounds, and how this experience impacts their pedagogical orientations to support the teaching and learning of emergent multilingual learners. Drawing on the theory of critical multilingual language awareness, we observed the impact of the linguistic community walk project on PSTs’ language ideologies and envisioned pedagogy. Findings suggest that PSTs’ involvement in the project heightened their awareness of the importance of utilization of authentic and culturally relevant materials and resources in their classrooms. Additionally, the project helped PSTs move away from monolingual ideologies by critically reflecting on the marginalization of minoritized communities in community spaces, indicating a wider potential of the approach for teacher education programs.

Classroom Management and Teaching Competencies of Elementary Teachers

Teachers are the most essential persons for the teaching and learning processes to take place in schools. Specifically, this study sought to determine the level of the teachers in classroom management in terms of behavior reduction, classroom instruction, proactive classroom, and rules and procedures; find out the level of the teachers in teaching competencies in terms of communication and interpersonal skills, organization and planning, facilitation and engagement, and flexibility and adaptability; and determine the significant relationship between classroom management and teaching competencies. The respondents were one hundred fifty (150) elementary teachers in eighteen (12) schools within the Talisayan district. This study used two adapted research instruments and data were gathered using descriptive-correlational research methods. The statistical tools utilized in this study were the Weighted Mean and Standard Deviation and Pearson Product Moment Coefficient Correlation the relationship between the Teachers’ Classroom Management and Teaching Competencies. The results showed that teachers at all times practiced managing classroom management effectively with the aid of their teaching competencies at a very high level. Teachers’ classroom management has positively correlated to teachers’ teaching competencies. The relationship of classroom management and teaching competencies cannot be denied. Therefore, it must be given due importance and attention for better teacher performance as well as pupils performance.

'We wait and we wait'-caregiver perspectives on autism spectrum disorder services in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.

Caregivers of children with autism face significant challenges in navigating health, education and other systems of care to ensure appropriate services for their children. In South Africa, for example, many children with autism are reported to be out of schools and waiting long periods for specialist school placements thus adding to the burden of care for caregivers and raising many questions about equity, diversity and inclusion. Here we performed a qualitative study using focus groups to collect data on the perspectives of caregivers of children with autism waiting for school placement in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. We asked families about their experiences of current autism services and for suggestions to improve service delivery. The main theme that emerged was 'We wait and we wait'. Caregivers expressed high levels of frustration with existing autism educational and other services. Perspectives about services were captured under three categories. The first category, 'The costs of waiting' describes the socioemotional, financial and time costs associated with having a child with autism wait for educational services. The second category 'Barriers while waiting' describes the attitudinal, structural, process and communication barriers experienced by caregivers while seeking services for their children. The final category 'Expecting action' describes attitudinal, service and policy expectations that caregivers felt could improve service delivery. Caregivers provided 10 recommendations for autism service improvements. Caregivers of children with autism waiting for educational services in the Western Cape Province of South Africa expressed dissatisfaction with existing services. Efforts to find solutions to providing services and support to children with autism waiting for educational services and their caregivers should be prioritized.

Ableism and (Neo)Racism in School Placement Processes in Quebec: School Personnel Interpretations of Immigrant Student Difficulties — A Secondary Publication

The school placement processes of students from immigrant backgrounds considered to be in “difficulty” is an international concern at the intersection of works relating to special education and those concerning the school experiences of students from immigrant backgrounds or racialized groups. The research problem of this article concerns the identification of these students as disabled or as having adjustment or learning difficulties. From a perspective anchored in Disability Critical Race Studies, this ethnographic study documents different interpretations of perceived difficulties made by school actors with regard to seven primary school students from immigrant backgrounds. Five interpretation types are presented: (1) medicalization by dismissal of cultural markers, (2) medicalization by professional constraint, (3) medicalization by cultural deficit, (4) precautionary wait, and (5) cultural differentialism. Our results help to shed light on the special education overrepresentation phenomenon regarding these students and to understand how ableism and (neo)racism contribute to it.

Impact of Using Authentic Videos on Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning

This study investigated the impact of authentic video use on the vocabulary reservoir of English language learners and aimed to compare the effectiveness of this technique to traditional techniques. The study included 45 students in two language classes with B1 English proficiency levels. The language context took place in a preparatory school at a foundation university in Istanbul. Half of the 45 students were chosen as the control group, and the other half became the experimental group. In the control group, the students were taught target vocabulary merely by the definitions and translations provided by the teacher. The experimental group was taught vocabulary using short excerpts from authentic videos such as different series, movies, and songs. The study lasted seven weeks. A pretest and post-test were given to both participant groups to assess their vocabulary discernment. The results of the quantitative data demonstrated that the experimental group was much more successful in their vocabulary learning process than the control group as the test fort he vocabulary recognition indicated, and each student had significant improvement in their target vocabulary knowledge, proven by the number of correct answers marked in the vocabulary test. In addition to the quantitative data, interviews with 6 open-ended questions, provided a deeper understanding of students' views about authentic video excerpts. Interviews were conducted with 10 students from the experimental group. The results indicated that students had positive attitudes toward the use of authentic video excerpts in the language classroom and expressed support for being more effective in vocabulary building.

Safe plates in the school space: Investigating compliance of food safety standards among school-based food service providers

Enhancing food safety measures within School-Based Food Service Providers (SBFSPs) is essential to safeguarding the well-being of students and school staff against foodborne risks. This study aims to assess the compliance of SBFSPs in primary and secondary schools with documentation protocols related to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and the necessary operational permits. We conducted a descriptive-correlational study spanning from April 2020 to March 2022, involving 138 public and private elementary and high schools selected through proportional stratified sampling. Each school underwent an audit using standardized checklists for GMP, GHP, and HACCP. Descriptive statistics, Fleiss Kappa, and Pearson chi-square tests were employed for data analysis. The results indicate that the participating schools do not meet the documentation requirements for GMP/GHP (29.7%), HACCP (2.9%), and operational permits (55.1%). Additionally, the schools received a "Very Poor" rating in terms of food safety compliance, with weighted mean rating scores of 2.45 ± 0.73 (GMP/GHP), 0.09 ± 0.02 (HACCP), and 1.69 ± 0.40 (operational permits). Furthermore, a significant relationship was observed between GMP/GHP and HACCP compliance and the characteristics of SBFSPs such as school kinds, types, places, and categories. The school GMP/GHP and HACCP compliance were also associated to the health permit of SBFSP personnel, authority to operate and manage school, and food handlers training. This study emphasizes the enforcement of compliance to food safety regulations, need to provide schools with adequate facilities and infrastructure, to promote a safe food production and consumption environment. It also underscores the importance of establishing partnerships for support and educating school personnel, especially those involved in food production and consumption, about GMP/GHP and HACCP principles to ensure the safety of meals for students, teachers, and other educational stakeholders. The need for certification of food handler in schools are of paramount importance, thereby advocating for increased food safety education.

Enhancing the enactment of assessment for learning principles during school placement: preservice teachers as practitioner researchers within a learning community

ABSTRACT Enacting Assessment for Learning (AfL) is challenging for teachers and even more for Preservice Teachers (PSTs). The support for those attempting to enact it has been considered insufficient and/or inadequate. This study aims to examine how positioning preservice teachers as practitioner researchers while belonging to a learning community can facilitate PSTs’ enactment of AfL during their school placement. It draws on the triangulation of different qualitative data sources, e.g. focus group, researcher’s field notes, testimonial survey, and school placement report, inquiring the practice of eight PSTs and the interaction within a learning community supported by a researcher, university supervisor and cooperating teachers. Despite belonging to the same learning community, PSTs struggle differently in embedding assessment in the learning experiences, including students, and facilitating students’ understanding of feedback and the teaching-learning process. Teacher education programmes are prompted to consider how best to support PSTs enacting AfL practices.

Reconceptualising school placement assessment in initial teacher education: a figurational perspective

ABSTRACT In the context of the COVID-19 restrictions and the pivot to online teaching and learning, teacher educators were forced to consider new spaces for School Placement and the assessment of these new sites of practice. This paper explores the process of the redesigning of the assessment of school placement components from the perspective of ten teacher educators across five teacher education programmes in one university. Hybridity theory, ‘third space’, and figurational sociology allowed us to understand who and what influenced the redesigning of assessment practices. The three themes relating to assessment included: (i) A network of interdependent relationships influencing teacher educators’ reimagining of assessment processes; (ii) The influence of external interdependent relationships and context(s); and (iii) The role(s) of assessor for the teacher educator. We explicitly argue for the need to continue to advocate and advance these practices to ‘build Initial Teacher Education back better’.

Pediatric trauma volume fell during the initial COVID-19 wave but rebounded to new highs for the remainder of 2020.

Previous studies have shown a reduction in pediatric trauma volume during COVID-19, but many have looked at a limited number of facilities, analyzed a narrow timeframe, or both. The objective of this analysis was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on pediatric trauma volume for a statewide sample during 2020. Based on previous literature, researchers hypothesized a reduction in volume during the implementation of these policies. Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of five years (2016 - 2020) of Indiana's statewide trauma patient registry. Patients under age 15 were included. Those who were transfer patients or missing key data were excluded. In total, 10,926 patients were included in analysis. Baseline years (2016 - 2019) were compared to 2020 to estimate the impact of COVID-19 on pediatric trauma volume. Overall monthly volume of pediatric traumas were lower than baseline in March and April 2020 (though not significantly), but rebounded quickly and were above trend in the latter half of the year. Injury patterns differed in both mechanism and location from previous years. Gunshot wounds were more prevalent than previous years, while the volume of non-accidental traumas fell slightly. Injuries that occurred in private residences rose significantly, while fewer took place in schools. Results indicated an initial drop in injury volume consistent with previous findings, but these were offset by increased volume in the second half of 2020. The growth in gun violence is concerning and warrants additional research. Changes in behavior in response to the pandemic such as reduced participation in sports and use of playgrounds, reduced driving, and increased time at home help explain the changes observed in injury patterns. These findings emphasize the continued need for pediatric trauma care during the pandemic.

Collaborative self-study in higher education: lessons from redesigning school placement during the pandemic

ABSTRACT This paper explores how a collaborative self-study of teacher educators in the Republic of Ireland supported pre-service and practising teachers on teacher education programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teacher educators engaged in student feedback meetings conducted online as a replacement to traditional in-school visits, some of which were supported by observation of lesson recordings viewed prior to the sessions. Teacher educators engaged in critical reflection on these feedback meetings individually, guided by a critical incident template, before reflecting collaboratively with colleagues. The redesign of online placement encouraged interrogation of practices among teacher educators and led them to a greater understanding of their practice. Actions that enhanced student learning in relation to placement included adopting a student partnership approach, peer teaching using asynchronous lessons, lesson recordings and adjusting the timing of feedback. This study falls into the broader Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and adds to the body of research exploring the innovative responses and adaptations of teacher education programmes worldwide to school and Higher Education Institution closures during the pandemic. More specifically, this study offers alternative approaches to on-site school placement.