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Various studies have shown that teachers are subject to an increased stress level and the associated physical and psychological consequences. In this article, the possibilities of coping of stressful situations in everyday school life are systematized. In addition, the knowledge and usage of available programs and trainings for coping with stress at school in German-speaking countries will be assessed. This is a descriptive study based on a survey of 32 teachers. Effects due to contextual variables (gender, school type, and work experience) were examined. The results indicate that only a few of the programs surveyed are known and used in schools. Effects in connection with the gender of the teachers as well as their professional experience could not be determined. Instead, significantly more special education teachers knew and used programs to strengthen protective context factors (school type effect). The fact that a high proportion of teachers are unaware of and do not use available programs, despite their high importance for healthy coping with personal job demands, suggests deficiencies in teacher education and training. In addition, lack of resources at schools may be limiting. The successful management of stressful situations must not be seen as a task for individual employees; rather, systemic solutions must be found. Particularly due to the increased stress experienced by teachers in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, aspects of health promotion in schools should play a significant role. The aim must be to provide more detailed information about stress management approaches in schools and to support their implementation.

Progress monitoring of academic achievement is an essential element to prevent learning disorders. A prominent approach is curriculum-based measurement (CBM). Various studies have documented positive effects of CBM on students' achievement. Nevertheless, the use of CBM is associated with additional work for teachers. The use of tablets may be of help here. Yet, although many advantages of computer- or tablet-based assessments are being discussed in the literature (e. g. innovative item formats, adaptive testing, automated scoring and feedback), there are still concerns regarding the comparability of different assessment modes (paper-pencil vs. tablet). In the study presented, we analyze the CBM data of 98 fourth graders. They processed the exact same computation items once with paper and pen and once in a tablet application. The analyses point to comparable results in the test modes, although some significant deviations can be found at item level. In addition, the children report perceived benefits when working with the tablet.

The purpose of this explorative study was to examine the use and understanding of key components of data-based decision making by educators in two countries--Germany and the United States. Educators responded to a survey that asked about data use and characteristics related to data-based decision making (DBDM). Results suggest educators in both countries are focused on using data to monitor progress, although less so in Germany. Educators in both countries noted similar understanding of important features (e.g., psychometric properties) of data. Educators in the United States reported they used data for decision making at the classroom level almost twice as often as their counterparts in Germany, while German educators focused on decision making at the student level. These findings will influence future research, including joint studies that could use the best practices of both countries, and professional learning opportunities for educators in Germany and the United States.

This longitudinal study examines the extent to which inclusive primary school students with special needs regarding their emotional and behavioral difficulties development (SEN) differ from classmates without SEN with respect to the perceived classroom climate, the teacher acceptance and the social participation (from a self and peer perspective). The study was conducted with to a total of 999 children, including N = 66 with SEN, at the end of third and fourth grade using selected scales from the Questionnaire for the Assessment of Emotional and Social School Experiences (FEESS 3–4, Rauer & Schuck, 2003) and sociometric nominations. In addition to the analyses of the effect of the factor SEN, the influences of the levels of internalizing as well as externalizing problems (assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Goodman, 2001) were considered. In summary, the factor SEN has a significant, negative influence on all dependent variables examined, with consistently high effect sizes. Although positive developments for these children in terms of self-perceived social integration and the feeling of being accepted over time could be mapped, the effect sizes are small. The differentiated analysis shows that higher levels of externalizing behavioral problems as well as higher levels of peer problems are associated with a reduced class climate, acceptance by the peers and acceptance by the teacher but with a higher level of rejection by the peers. Internalizing behavioral problems in the sense of emotional problems had no significant influence on the expression of the dependent variables examined here. There were isolated significant interactions of the problem scales with time (positive effect of emotional problems on peer rejections, positive effects of externalizing behavior problems on feelings of acceptance and peer nominations), but the effect sizes were small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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One of the main goals of the teacher and the school system as a whole is to close learning gaps and support children with difficulties in learning. The identification of those children as well as the monitoring of their progress in learning is crucial for this task. The derivation of comparative standards that can be applied well in practice is a relevant quality criterion in this context. Continuous normalization is particularly useful for progress monitoring tests that can be conducted at different points in time. Areas that were not available in the normalization sample are extrapolated, closing gaps in applicability due to discontinuity. In Germany, teachers participated in a state-funded research project to formatively measure their children's spelling performance in primary school. Data ( N = 3000) from grade two to four were scaled, linked and translated into comparative values that can be used in classrooms independently from specific times. The tests meet the requirements of item response models and can be transferred well to continuous norms. However, we recommend using the 10th or 20th percentile as cut-off points for educational measures, as the 5th percentile is not discriminating enough., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Schurig, Blumenthal and Gebhardt.)