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Background: People with post-stroke aphasia (PWA) are more likely to experience serious mood disorders compared with those without. Emotional regulation may be important for influencing life participation after stroke. Understanding emotional regulation in the context of aphasia is important for promoting personally defined recovery, psychological well-being and life participation. Aims: To explore how individuals experience and regulate negative emotional responses to aphasia as part of re-engaging with life. Methods & Procedures: In-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews with 14 PWA were conducted. The focus and design were developed with public and patient involvement contributors. Reflexive thematic analysis was applied. Outcomes & Results: Analysis generated three themes, which captured inherent diversity across participants in terms of emotional experiences, responses and regulation strategies: (1) emotional upheaval at all stages of recovery; (2) regulating emotional upheaval; and (3) discerning possibilities for life participation. Emotional regulation occurred both within and without the context of formal support services. Conclusions & Implications: Individuals may be differently (en)abled in responding positively, with implications for aphasia psychological support and self-management interventions. The findings may inform future interventions to optimize well-being and personally meaningful outcomes for PWA.

Young people from areas of socioeconomic disadvantage (SED) are more likely to present with language difficulties, particularly vocabulary difficulties. Studies have shown the effectiveness of vocabulary interventions for children with language impairment but not for adolescents from areas of SED. This article aims to establish the effectiveness of a whole class vocabulary intervention provided by teachers, with speech and language therapy support for adolescents in secondary schools in areas of SED. Two hundred and three adolescents (aged 11;11-13;11) from four secondary schools were assessed at pre-intervention and post-intervention on measures of receptive and expressive language; word definitions; receptive vocabulary (standardized assessments/subtests) and word associations (criterion referenced subtest). The intervention group (n = 128) received the intervention delivered by their English teacher twice a week for 12 weeks in the first school term and were compared with a group of waiting controls (n = 75). Waiting controls were given the intervention in the second school term and were assessed a third time in a repeated measures design. At pre-intervention stage 37%-60% of all students scored in the vocabulary difficulties range on all assessments. Following intervention, the treated group showed significant, but small, time by group interactions for raw score measures of expressive language and receptive vocabulary. The intervention group improved significantly on all four standardized measures; waiting controls improved on two: receptive language and word definitions. There were no significant time by group interactions. Following receiving intervention waiting controls showed significant interactions for all raw score and expressive language, word definitions and receptive vocabulary standard/scaled score measures. The findings suggest that adolescents in schools in areas of SED present with significant vocabulary difficulties, but whole class teacher-directed intervention supported by speech and language therapists has the potential to improve receptive and expressive oral vocabulary skills.

Background: Word-retrieval difficulties are commonly experienced by people with aphasia (PwA) and also by typically ageing persons. Differentiation between true naming impairments and naming difficulties found in healthy persons may, therefore, be challenging. Aims: To investigate the extent to which the Maltese adaptation of the Boston Naming Test (BNT) can identify people with lexical retrieval difficulties and to differentiate them from people with unimpaired word finding. Methods & Procedures: Naming performance of a group of PwA was compared with the performance of a control group. Performance on the Maltese adaptation of the BNT was investigated in terms of scores, range of scores and error profiles of the two groups. Outcomes & Results: All PwA scored below the mean score of the controls, indicating that persons who scored above the mean score may be considered as unimpaired. However, a number of the controls obtained very low scores that overlapped with the scores obtained by the PwA. This indicated that scores alone cannot be used to differentiate between impaired and unimpaired people. Some types of errors were only produced by people with impaired naming, and did not appear at all in error profiles of unimpaired individuals. Conclusions & Implications: Mild-moderate anomic impairments may be missed if naming impairment is assessed and diagnosed using a cut-off score. In order to differentiate between people with impaired and unimpaired naming, it is necessary to look at error profiles, apart from the number of errors, as the presence of atypical errors may be an important indicator of naming impairments.

It is increasingly important in the twenty-first century for graduates to be able to take their place in the changing world scene and to be adaptable and creative within the organisation that employs them. This paper describes some of the initiatives introduced into the curriculum of a first-year science course, taken by 1300 students at the University of Sydney, that are designed to help students develop the attributes required of a professional scientist. Comprehensive online resources have been developed to facilitate independent study, and synchronous and asynchronous communications, and these are delivered via a virtual learning environment. We have enhanced students' oral and written communication skills by using real work experiences, and developed teamwork activities within the context of the curriculum.

This project developed as a result of some inconclusive data from an investigation of whether a relationship existed between the use of formative assessment opportunities and performance, as measured by final grade. We were expecting to show our colleagues and students that use of formative assessment resources had the potential to improve performance of first year students. This first study, undertaken in semester 1 2002, indicated that there was no apparent relationship between the two, even though the students reported how useful they found the formative assessment resources. This led us to ask if there was a transition effect such that students were not yet working in an independent way and making full use of the resources, and/or whether in order to see an effect we needed to persuade non-users of the resources to become users, before investigating if use can be correlated with improvement in performance. With the 2002-3 NextEd ASCILITE Research Grant we set out to repeat our project and to look at use and usefulness of resources in both first and second semester, to encourage non-users to become users and to investigate the relationship between use and performance. Now our story has a different ending. (Contains 2 tables.)

Protein synthesis is a complex process and students find it difficult to understand. This article describes an interactive discussion "game" used by first year biology students at the University of Sydney. The students, in small groups, use the game in which the processes of protein synthesis are actioned by the students during a practical session. The components of the game use very simple materials that are relatively inexpensive and easy to make. (Contains 7 figures.)

Outlines the results of an investigation into whether first year biology students used card game discussions and crosswords provided to help them learn and how useful these resources were perceived to be. Evaluates teaching staff's perceptions with regard to the resources. (Contains 23 references.) (Author/YDS)

Describes the development of a variety of computer-based assessment opportunities, both formative and summative, that are available to a large first-year biology class at the University of Sydney (Australia). Discusses online access to weekly quizzes, a mock exam, and special self-assessment modules that are beneficial to student learning. (Author/LRW)

Describes a study that investigates both the use and usefulness of laboratory dissections and computer-based dissections in a tertiary, first-year human biology course. Explores attitudes toward dissection. (DDR)

This study aimed to explore the perspectives of working-aged adults with post-stroke aphasia (PWA) towards what has or would help them in living well with aphasia (LWA). This paper reports the findings in relation to stroke care and its relevance for LWA. This qualitative study was designed with input from a Public and Patient Involvement advisory group. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 14 PWA. Data were analysed following principles of reflexive thematic analysis. Support services and LWA spanned five themes: Inpatient care; Support in the community; Speech therapy; Mental health; and Aphasia education and training. Per the findings, all aspects of stroke care were affected and challenged by aphasia. Access to services and information was variable. PWA of working-age, their families and children need access to person-centred stroke care and information responsive to their changing needs at all stages of recovery. Healthcare workers must be equipped with aphasia competency. The results highlight a need for equitable, transparent, responsive access to services, information and stroke liaison support. The findings extend knowledge of the importance of stroke care for supporting working-aged adults and their families to live well in the context of aphasia. There is a need for equitable, transparent access to a responsive integrated pathway of stroke care to support living well with aphasia. People with aphasia post-stroke and their families need access to person-centred stroke care and information responsive to their changing needs at all stages of recovery. This includes flexible access to mental healthcare and speech and language therapy. In order to access relevant care, people with post-stroke aphasia need access to information and stroke liaison support. Training to improve aphasia competency is imperative for healthcare workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Sue Franklin, Mary Peat One of the debates within science teaching is the appropriate use of diverse materials to enhance the learning experiences. Significant amounts of time were set aside within curricula for relevant practical experiences but these are now often being replaced by alternative activities. In the biology context, practical experiences have included dissections, drawings, microscopy, experimentation and discussions. For many reasons, an increasing number of students these days are disinclined to handle biological materials, whilst financial cutbacks are making their provision more difficult, which makes teaching the discipline increasingly difficult. This paper discusses how first year biology students at The University of Sydney use a variety of virtual resources to provide a stimulating learning environment in an atmosphere of dwindling resources. Our research shows that students find both real and virtual materials useful in supporting their learning, illustrating the value of offering a diverse range of materials.

Background: Pollock et al. (2014, Top 10 research priorities relating to life after stroke - Consensus from stroke survivors, caregivers, and health professionals, International Journal of Stroke, 9, 313-320) applied the James Lind Alliance methodology to derive the top 10 priorities for research relating to life after stroke. Many of the initial Treatment Uncertainties related to aphasia. Aim: The current study uses these Treatment Uncertainties to derive the shared top 10 research priorities of people with aphasia (PWA), their carers and speech and language therapists (SLTs) Methods & Procedures: Treatment Uncertainties relating to aphasia were identified from the 226 unique unanswered questions relating to life after stroke generated by Pollock et al. Using these 34 Treatment Uncertainties relating to aphasia, the last two stages of the JLA method (survey followed by consensus meeting) were carried out with PWA, their carers and SLTs. Participants ranked the top 10 priorities from the 34 given in the survey. Communication ramps were used with the PWA. The 16 highest ranked uncertainties were presented at the consensus meeting, where the final shared top 10 priorities were agreed, merging some statements and refining the wording in others. Outcomes & Results: Participants included PWA with severely affected communication. The methodology produced consensus on a range of priorities including the best treatments and most effective service delivery, management of psychosocial issues, helping volunteers and carers, and research into treating severe forms of aphasia. Conclusions: PWA are able to participate fully in research priority setting. These shared research priorities represent an excellent base for the development of clinically important research in aphasia, addressing issues which are of greatest importance to key stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]