School Practices Research Articles

Navigating Foreign Language Teaching Anxiety: Insights from Pre-Service Teachers during Teacher Professional Education Practicum

This study focuses on the experiences of pre-service teachers that may trigger anxiety and delve into the potential benefits and effectiveness of FLTA in enhancing language acquisition and proficiency. By conducting in-depth studies and investigations on this topic, researchers look at the impact of FLTA. They can better understand how FLTA can optimize their problem-solving skills to facilitate language learning and provide valuable insight for language education, especially in EFL classrooms. This study used a narrative strategy to investigate the pre-service EFL teachers' experiences with teaching foreign language anxiety during their teaching practice while enrolled in the Teacher Profession Education Program. The subjects of this study were 3 English pre-service teachers who had completed teaching practice in junior and senior high schools during a professional teaching program in the city of Solo and its surroundings, Central Java, Indonesia. As a result of this study, several sources contributed to participants' experience of teaching foreign language anxiety, such as self-perception of language proficiency, leading inexperience, lack of student interest, fear of negative evaluation, and lack of time and class management. Participants in the teaching practicum also attempt to confront and overcome their worries; the strategies are personal coping strategies, professional coping strategies, social coping strategies, and institutional coping strategies. Although the participants experienced some anxiety while teaching practicum, they overcame it through various strategies. So, leading practicum activities from one meeting to the following allowed participants to develop their abilities and overcome their concerns about teaching in the EFL classroom.

The necessity of religious and spiritual competence in school counseling

AbstractScholars have advocated for the integration of spirituality into school counseling; however, school counselor education and professional organizations continue to exclude spiritual/religious competencies from school counselor preparation, professional identity, and practice. The authors offer strategies for incorporating religious and spiritual competence into school counselor education.

Voices from the Classroom: Exploring the Secondary School Teachers’ Perception Towards Formative Assessment Practices

The present study focuses on exploring the teacher’s perception about formative assessment practices at secondary school. For this study investigator purposively selected 39 participants for study form 23 secondary schools of Mayurbhanj district. The study employed semi-structured interviews schedule for data collection. Collected data were analysed by content analysis and presented by thick descriptions. The study revealed that most of teachers have been four categories of formative assessment strategies have been used by the teachers such as Periodic Paper-Pencil Test, Multiple Assessment Practice, Portfolio Assessment and Subject Enrichment Activities. Further study found most of the teachers were satisfy with the infrastructural facilities of the school. Most of the teachers perceive that students are benefited in their achievements, actively participating in classroom discussion, aroused their interest for better understanding of the concept, able to know their strengths and weakness, fearless for exam and get opportunity to learn again by formative assessment. However most of them not satisfy with in-service training and parent supports for conducting formative assessment practices. Most of the teachers face problems like; absence of remedial teaching, student’s absenteeism in test or classroom, managing time to complete course, language barrier, low economic background of students, and lack of in-service training to teachers. It is suggested that, short term courses, workshops, seminars and, other necessary in-service training activities should be organized by the concern authority for professional development of teachers in formative assessment strategies. Therefore teachers will effectively implement the formative assessment practices in secondary schools.

Modern methods of learning geographical nomenclature using toponymy in the course of «Geography of Russia. Nature and population» at school

   The relevance of the research. Formed interest in learning is the basis for enhancing the cognitive activity of schoolchildren; creation of a positive motivation for learning, which will lead to positive motives for learning, that subsequently turn into a stable interest in learning, and interest into the need for learning. Such interest in mastering geographical nomenclature can be formed by improving teaching methods using toponymy.   The problem statement. School practice shows that the study of geographical objects and nomenclature proceeds in a reproductive way, mainly based on memorization, which negatively affects the quality of knowledge. In this regard, the problem arises of finding possible methods for assimilating geographical nomenclature that will intensify the process of their assimilation.   The purpose of the research is to substantiate experimentally modern methods for mastering geographical nomenclature using toponymy in the course of «Geography of Russia. Nature and population» at school.   The results of the research allowed us to draw the following key conclusions: 1. Modern methods of mastering geographical nomenclature include: toponymic methods (identifying the semantics and etymology of geographical names); teaching methods (partially exploratory, problem-based and research). 3. Analysis of the results of questioning and testing of students of the Maikop Gymnasium No. 22 in 2023/2024 academic year have shown positive results of the pedagogical experiment and proved the validity of the proposed methods for mastering geographical nomenclature using toponymy.

Межпредметные связи математики и дисциплин филологического цикла в начальной школе

The article discusses the issues of establishing in the practice of elementary school interdisciplinary interaction between the lessons of the philological cycle and the lessons of mathematics, as required by the competent paradigm of modern education. The authors analyze the methodological approaches and pedagogical practice of modern elementary school, identifying possible points of interdisciplinary connections between reading lessons and the Russian language and mathematics lessons. The article attempted to identify meaningful inter-subject connections, gives examples from the lessons of mathematics and literary reading, illustrating general psychological, pedagogical and methodological approaches to texts in the lessons in these disciplines.

Developing a Personalized Educational Leadership Theory: A Promising Approach to School Leadership Development?

Behind every school leader is an individual with experiences. These experiences, personal and professional, shape how an educator conceptualizes leadership. This study examines the types of experiences that leaders, enrolled in a Master of Educational Leadership degree in Australia, draw on to inform their leadership. The findings reveal four key experiences that influence the way school leaders view and practice leadership: experiential; educative; vicarious; and personal. We discuss how the medium of digital story supports school leaders to develop their personalized educational leadership theory (PELT) as part of educational leadership development.

Creating Transformative Research–Practice Partnership in Collaboration with School, City, and University Actors

Traditional educational research has been criticized for the gap between the research and practice communities, meaning that outcomes do not transfer to educational praxis. To meet this challenge, policymakers, funders, and researchers are developing research–practice partnerships (RPPs). The purpose of this research is to study the research–practice partnership as a strategy for educational transformation in the Finnish educational context. This study highlights the multifaceted perspectives of key RPP stakeholders: teachers, principals, municipality administrators, and researchers. Their experiences were explored through semi-structured interviews. The data were examined through content analysis and categorized into themes depicting the goals and goal-setting process in RPPs, the experiences of RPP activities, and the factors facilitating and challenging RPPs. The results show that stakeholders viewed the goals through the perspectives of professional development; supporting the growth and learning of students; and developing school, municipality, and research practices. Regular participation solidified the commitment to the RPP process. Horizontal interaction worked well between stakeholders, but challenges arose with vertical interaction. We found multiple roles for researchers and municipality administrators. Researchers found that they take on a new role in RPPs as change agents and facilitators. Regarding the facilitating or challenging aspects of RPPs, an open and flexible attitude and atmosphere and readiness for change are demanded on all actor levels. Mutual appreciation and sensitivity facilitate RPP activities. We propose taking all stakeholder perspectives into account when designing RPPs aimed at systemic change and that RPP processes should facilitate both horizontal and vertical interaction.

Understanding the textbook: Reflections in the field of mathematics education

This theoretical essay presents reflections about the textbook (TB) as a material widely used in the teaching and learning of Mathematics, aiming to present a perspective on what constitutes a TB and the different roles it assumes in school practice. In this sense, we start from its understanding as a didactic, curricular, and school material to characterize it as a resource that is not neutral and central in disseminating formal knowledge that is the school’s responsibility. Therefore, it is a component of its culture. We emphasize that the use of this material in the classroom mobilizes its different roles, namely: curricular, ideological-cultural reference, source of theoretical and methodological knowledge and scientific dissemination, as well as the role of the teacher in this particular resource, highlighting his critical performance when using TB in classroom practice, either with a reproduction character, adaptation, or improvisation. We conjecture that properly articulating TB-related attributes will favour the teacher’s practice and assist in students’ learning, directing educational institutions to a work that achieves their main objectives.

Empowering Speech-Language Pathologists: Strategies for Effective Individualized Education Program Navigation and Inclusive Practice in Schools.

Empowering Speech-Language Pathologists: Strategies for Effective Individualized Education Program Navigation and Inclusive Practice in Schools.

Social Workers’ Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Social Work Practice in Schools: A Scoping Review

Abstract The aim of this scoping review was to establish the breadth of the academic literature regarding the barriers and facilitators to social work practice in schools as perceived by School Social Workers (SSWs). Following the PRISMA-ScR Scoping Review Framework, 42 articles were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. Five interrelated themes related to the barriers and facilitators to SSW practice were identified: (1) Inadequacy of service delivery infrastructure; (2) SSWs’ role ambiguities and expectations; (3) SSWs’ competency, knowledge and support; (4) School climate and context; and (5) Cultivating relationships and engagement. This scoping review found that social workers perceive far greater barriers than facilitators when delivering services in school settings, with limited evidence related to the facilitators that enhance School Social Work (SSW) practice. Further research regarding the facilitators of SSW practice is needed, specifically in countries where research on this topic is emergent.

Margaret Thorsborne and Dave Vinegrad, The continuum of restorative practices in schools: an instructional training manual for practitioners

Margaret Thorsborne and Dave Vinegrad, The continuum of restorative practices in schools: an instructional training manual for practitioners

“It trickles into the community”: A case study of the transfer of health promoting practices from school to community in Canada

The school is an ideal setting to promote children's health and is an equitable way to reach children in early developmental years. Healthy children are stronger learners and wholistic health approaches taken in schools can help children thrive. Interventions in the school are strengthened when school, home, and community work together, yet many interventions have not reported the school and community connection and influence. The purpose of this study was to determine if and how the intervention, APPLE Schools, has impacted the community environment. One community in Alberta, Canada was chosen as a case study. An instrumental case study approach was taken, and data generation was guided by focused ethnography. Data were generated through community partner interviews (n = 17) and document analysis. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Results were represented by three main themes and demonstrated APPLE Schools created impact beyond the school setting through a stepped approach: 1) Foundation: establishes a healthy school culture; 2) Action: tying the work of schools and communities together; and 3) Impact: changes in school practices ripple out to promote health in the community. This research provides compelling evidence that comprehensive school health approaches can impact community environments outside the school and result in stronger health promoting practices both within and outside the school.

TEACHER TECH-CREATIVITY FOSTERING BEHAVIOUR AS DETERMINANT OF PRIMARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHER CLASSROOM PRACTICES

This research investigated teacher technological-creative fostering behaviour as determinant of teacher classroom practices in private primary schools in the Makurdi Local Government Area, Benue State, Nigeria. This study adopted the correlational research design. The population was all teachers in private primary schools in Makurdi. A sample of 70 mathematics teachers was drawn from 50 private primary schools. Two researcher-structured instruments were used for data collection, namely; the Mathematics Teacher Tech-Creativity Inventory (MTTI) and the Mathematics Teacher Classroom Practice Inventory (MTCPI). Correlation, scatterplots, and histograms were used to answer research questions, while analysis of variance was used to test the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The following were the findings: the top three technological tools among others which mathematics teachers at the primary school level use most often to facilitate their teaching practices are, first interactive whiteboard, second, the calculator and third, internet surfing. Teacher tech-creativity fostering behaviour has a significant impact on teacher clarity, teacher classroom discussions, teacher feedback, teacher formative assessment and, teacher-teacher collaboration as teacher classroom practices. It was recommended that teachers of mathematics consider utilizing technology creatively during lessons as a catalyst to advance classroom teaching practices of teacher classroom clarity, class discussions, teacher feedback, formative assessment, and teacher-teacher collaboration.

Моделі поведінки, спрямовані на зміцнення здоров’я дітей-іноземців у польських школах. Наукове дослідження

The article presents the results of the research concerning pedagogical observations of selected features characterizing the health-promoting models of behaviour in children and adolescents. The observations were conducted by teachers working in primary schools in Poland. The selection of the sample for the study was purposeful as it targeted foreign students attending primary schools in Poland in rural or urban areas. Altogether, the teachers carried out 211 pedagogical observations, which were then subjected to statistical analysis. Taking up the research topic in the assessment of health-promoting models of behaviour in children and adolescents is a current scientific issue due to the fact that the above-mentioned models of behaviour constitute the basis for the proper development of young people and determine the state of human health in childhood, as well as adulthood. On the other hand, conducting the research on a group of foreign children who came to Poland in recent years, mainly from Ukraine, will help diagnose their learned behaviours in times when they lack peaceful life. The research results will be helpful in school practice for Polish teachers in undertaking targeted educational activities and, if necessary, conducting interventions for those in need of support. Health-promoting models of behaviour are indicators of attitudes towards health, which result from the values adopted by individuals. Therefore, the need to advise, support and help young people to shape them properly should be emphasized.

Selecting a Literacy Intervention and Planning for Implementation: A Guide

AbstractEvidence‐based core instruction partnered with evidence‐based supplemental interventions are vital for students' literacy learning, particularly for students who need additional support (Petscher et al., 2020). Identifying instructional materials that reflect the translation of effective practices is challenging, (Solari et al., 2020) and made trickier by an abundance of commercialized and packaged literacy curricula, all claiming to be research‐ or evidence‐based. The tasks of finding, selecting, and implementing literacy interventions that are high‐quality, evidence‐based, and designed to meet the needs of students is not for the faint of heart, especially because school leaders often have difficulty distinguishing programs based on research evidence from those benefiting from good marketing (Schwartz, 2019). Thus, the purpose of this article is to provide school personnel responsible for implementing literacy interventions (i.e., classroom teachers, literacy specialists, special educators) and/or selecting literacy intervention programs (i.e., administrators, instructional coaches) with a step‐by‐step process informed by our study which surveyed North Carolina first grade teachers' literacy assessment and instruction practices in schools receiving Title I funding before and during the COVID pandemic.

The use of critical communicative methodology as a collaborative research approach to enhance co-creation of inclusive practices in schools

ABSTRACT This paper explores the use of Critical Communicative Methodology (CCM) as a collaborative research approach to co-construct knowledge with participants in a research project aimed to enhance the inclusion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in three mainstream schools in England. The paper discusses how collaboration between researchers and research participants (i.e. school staff, parents and students), based on egalitarian dialogue, created knowledge co-construction through the use of reflective conversations, communicative focus groups and communicative observations. By describing the design of the project and reflecting on the decisions taken with the participants, the paper highlights how CCM supported the researchers and the participants in reconsidering their assumptions towards inclusive practices. The paper also shows how the generation of qualitative findings with the participants led to the co-creation of a toolkit to improve the services schools provide to students with SEND and their families. The main ethical issues, the unique role of CCM, and challenges in its implementation are discussed. It is concluded that CCM can enhance inclusive practices in an inclusive way based on egalitarian dialogue between academic- and practice-based knowledge co-construction.

Hand Washing Practice among Secondary School Students in a Rural Area of Bangladesh

Background: Human hands play a significant role in the spread of diseases, especially respiratory and diarrheal diseases, which continue to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children worldwide. Hand washing is the most widely used preventive measure to lessen the spread of infectious diseases. It involves washing hands with ordinary or antimicrobial soap and water.  This is especially important for school-age children, since they may be more susceptible to diseases associated with poor hygiene than adults’ age. There is evidence linking the promotion of hand washing habits through health education to a lower incidence of communicable diseases in school-age children. Objectives: To determine the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents and to find out the practice of hand washing among the secondary school children. Materials & Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 340 school students from 1st June 2022 to 30th November 2022 in Alekjan Memorial High School and College, Durgapur, Adarsha Sadar, Cumilla. Purposive sampling was used to gather all pertinent data using a structured questionnaire. Results: In schools, 69.7% of the respondents washed their hands properly. 96.7% of them used soap to wash their hands. About 98.2%, 95%, 86.8%, 82.9% and 80.3% of school children reported that they wash their hands before eating, after using the restroom, after eating, after playing and after working. Conclusion: According to the study, having access to soap and water is necessary for good hand washing technique as the majority of the students used   soap during hand washing.  By installing hand washing stations in schools, the regional government, that is, the education and health bureaus-should enhance the hand washing practices in schools. It is important for parents and other family members to focus more on behavior guidance related to hand washing. Eastern Med Coll J. July 2023; 8 (2): 40-44

Employing reflective practice to capture Indonesian EFL pre-service teachers' conceptions of English learning

Understanding the English language learning concept is crucial for success in learning English. Numerous studies have focused on English as a foreign language (EFL) in-service teachers' perceptions of English language learning, while only a few have examined EFL pre-service teachers. This research delves into the different aspects of the experiences, reflections, and conceptualizations of English language learning among EFL pre-service teachers. A group of eight Indonesian EFL pre-service teachers engaged in participatory action research (PAR) during their field experience practices (PPL) in junior and senior high schools. This study employed a thorough approach to data collection, incorporating photovoice, an open-ended questionnaire, and in-depth interviews. The results of data analysis involving identifying and categorizing themes reveal a diverse range of perspectives, wherein English is likened to a lamp, dictionary, cuisine, flowers, class, and artificial intelligence (AI). Furthermore, learning English is often portrayed as an engaging and demanding process, highlighting the importance of innovative pedagogical approaches. This study emphasizes the significance of collaboration between language and technology departments to remain at the forefront of educational advancement, establishing a solid foundation for future research and improvements in EFL teacher education.

Development of Cognitive Abilities of high School Students by means of Psychological Training

The main problem: the article examines the development of cognitive abilities of high school students by conducting a theoretical analysis of philosophical, pedagogical, psychological, scientific and methodological works and current directions of its development. Improving the educational process in secondary educational institutions and developing the cognitive abilities of high school students is an urgent problem. Therefore, the task arises of developing the thinking and activity of high school students while studying in secondary educational institutions, teaching them to use their knowledge and skills in new life situations. The implementation of these tasks makes it urgent to search for ways and forms of organizing the educational process, which will contribute to the formation of the skills to plan and organize the cognitive activity of high school students. Purpose: to substantiate the general logical coordinates and methods of reformatting various humanitarian paradigms used in action. Methods: ontological principle of logic with genetic content, method of transforming specific images of objects based on their abstract meaning, method of transition from abstract to concrete language, language of thinking of schematic images of thought and language of methodological theory. activities. Currently, such an update represents a transition to the methods and tools of active learning technology as a means of continuous development of science and school practice, the use of which in most cases helps to increase the interest and activity of adolescents. The results and their significance: logically substantiated universal abstract-concrete coordinates of the universal movement are presented. In relation to life and the world of activity, they can be defined by the coordinates: “standard of living - activity efficiency”, or “action efficiency - time”, or “result - costs”, or “quality - quantity” etc. Clarity of thinking is ensured by the logic of movement vectors descending from the real to the abstract, ascending from the abstract to the real, as well as their combination. The constant need for cognitive activity creates in students a feeling of cognitive satisfaction, seeing the result of curiosity, its planning and organization. This result teaches the teenager to actively seek new cognitive activities and gain experience in mastering the subject.

The Outcomes of Collaborative Whole-School Professional Development on Teachers' Inclusive Practices in a Mainstream Secondary School

The outcomes of a collaborative whole-school model of professional development on teachers' learning to enact an inclusive education initiative, in a mainstream post-primary school explores the outcomes of whole school collaborative professional development on teachers' learning in terms of the degree and quality of teacher change in relation to inclusive practices, in this instance specific to level two learning programmes (L2LPs) and what factors facilitated or hindered teachers' learning for enacting inclusive practices. The findings of this paper highlight the potential of facilitated PD to empower teachers to develop greater levels of knowledge, skills, and experience of inclusive practice to enable collective decision-making and enhanced planning and teaching for all learners. Though aimed at a specific programme (L2LPs), the authors believe this research has wider implications for supporting mainstream teachers build capacity in their inclusive practices generally.