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Descriptive and qualitative research was used to explore teacher training, teachers' perceptions, and instructional practice for writing in inclusive middle school science (n = 22) and social studies (n = 27) classrooms. Data sources for the two parallel studies included questionnaires and interviews with 49 participating teachers as well as four observations within each teacher's class during content-area writing instruction, resulting in a total of 196 class observations. Teachers reported during interviews that special education teacher (or paraprofessional) support for students needing small group or individualized instruction and adaptations was essential for enhancing writing for students with disabilities. Teachers' responses during interviews and classroom observations corroborate findings that tools including graphic organizers and guided notes were commonly used and are beneficial for all students in their inclusive content classrooms. Findings suggest a need for increased pre- and in-service teacher training and professional development for how to strategically teach and incorporate additional writing instruction, beyond writing notes and short responses, into science and social studies classroom instruction. This article concludes with considerations for future research, professional development, and teacher preparation to support knowledge development and content-area instruction in written expression.

Research on inclusive education (IE) documents benefits for both students with disabilities and students without disabilities. Internationally, IE is frequently aligned with the Salamanca Statement and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Salamanca Statement affirms 'the right to education of every individual...regardless of individual differences.' IE in Mexico has a brief and turbulent history. Of the 15% of students in Mexico who have a disability, only 2.85% receive IE. In addition, research on IE in Mexico is sparse. This exploratory study investigates the perspectives regarding IE among educators and family caregivers of children with and without disabilities schools in Mexico City, Mexico. Results show a prevalent support for IE among parents and teachers. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed.

A workshop with virtual consultation practice-based professional development model for self-regulated strategy development persuasive writing instruction was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. Nineteen general education teachers and 564 Grade 5 and 6 students in 16 low-wealth rural schools participated. Following training, teachers provided instruction in their inclusive classrooms. Results indicated that students receiving instruction improved in the number of persuasive elements and words written when compared with students in the control group. Differences in element type were evaluated with largest effects noted for reasons and explanations. Student group differences were noted with nonstruggling students having greater gains than struggling students.

Self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) is an effective instructional approach used to teach academic strategies for skills such as writing and reading comprehension. Included in SRSD are direct strategy instruction and explicit procedures for teaching self-regulation skills, a method that has been effective at improving academic skills of students with disabilities, including those with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). However, due to pre-existing deficits in self-regulation skills, students with EBD may benefit from intensifying the four self-regulation skills already present in SRSD. This article provides practical examples for intensifying goal setting, self-monitoring, self-instructions, and self-reinforcement within the existing SRSD instructional approach.

Background and Objectives: This educational review outlines the current landscape of pediatric anesthesia training, care delivery, and challenges across Canada, Barbados, and the United States. Descriptions and Conclusions: Approximately 5% of Canadian children undergo general anesthesia annually, administered by fellowship‐trained pediatric anesthesiologists in children's hospitals, general anesthesiologists in community hospitals, or family practice anesthesiologists in underserved regions. In Canada, the focus is on national‐level evaluation and accreditation of pediatric anesthesia fellowship training, addressing challenges arising from workforce shortages, particularly in remote areas. Barbados, a Caribbean nation, lacks dedicated pediatric hospitals but has provided pediatric anesthesia since 1972 through anesthetists with additional training. Challenges in its development, common to low‐middle‐income countries, include inadequate infrastructure and workforce shortages. Increased awareness of pediatric anesthesia as a sub‐specialty could enhance perioperative care for Barbadian children. Pediatric anesthesia encompasses various specialties in the United States, with pediatric anesthesiologists playing a foundational role. Challenges faced include recruitment and retention difficulties, supply‐chain shortages, and the proliferation of anesthesia sites, all impacting the delivery of modern, high‐quality, and cost‐effective patient care. Collaborative efforts at national and organizational levels strive to improve the quality and safety of pediatric anesthesia care in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1987, James Ysseldyke made an open call in Exceptional Children, asking for manuscript submissions that addressed issues and concerns of culturally diverse learners. Over 30 years have passed since that call, and research with this population remains limited. Approximately 9% of the K-12 special education population nationwide is composed of English learners with disabilities (ELWD; McFarland et al., 2018). Disconcertingly, the results of the 2017 NAEP reading assessments indicate that ELWD scored below any other student category. In order to better serve ELWD, it is imperative that the field of special education evaluate prior published research with a focus upon what has been found to work for the ELWD population. This systematic literature review analyzed published research (2002-2018) from prominent special education journals, specifically for ELWD with learning disabilities or emotional and behavioral disorders. Results describe the 12 studies that met review criteria. Implications for improving interventions for ELWD are presented.

A multiple baseline alternating treatment (A-B-C-D) design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a writing and peer revision intervention. Eight middle school students enrolled in an alternative program for students with emotional and behavioral disorders received Self- Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) for 10-minute quick writing and revision during planning. Assessment occurred across baseline, writing, and revision phases, and the last phase alternated between individual and peer revision. Measures included quality; number of traits and words; the ability of participants to identify, evaluate, and make revisions during planning; and the degree to which participants incorporated revision recommendations. Positive effects for writing and promise for peer revision were indicated. Implications for future research practice are discussed.

A staggered A-B design study was used to evaluate the effects of Self- Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) instruction for quick writing in middle school science across four classrooms. A sixth-grade science teacher delivered all students' writing assessment and SRSD instruction for informative quick writing. Results indicated that performance in organizational writing quality and number of words written improved for both students with and without disabilities, with large effects. Student knowledge was improved, but with smaller and more variable effects. Results of a questionnaire indicated that students were positive about the intervention.

Many students who have experienced complex trauma receive special education services related to emotional and behavioral disorders at residential treatment facilities (RTFs) as they undergo therapy. One academic skill in which students with emotional and behavioral disorders often struggle is writing. The current multi-probe, multiple-baseline, across-groups-of-students study involved a science teacher in an RTF delivering whole-class persuasive writing instruction using the self-regulated strategy development model with 11 secondary students experiencing complex trauma. Results suggested large effects for persuasive parts (overall Tau-"U" = 0.97), word count (overall Tau-"U" = 0.96), and holistic quality (overall Tau-"U" = 0.97), as well as high social validity among participants. Implications for providing instruction to students in RTF settings and future directions for this population are included.

Background Kenya, like many countries, shuttered schools during COVID-19, with subsequent increases in poor mental health, sexual activity, and pregnancy. Aim We sought to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic may mediate the risk of reproductive tract infections. Methods We analyzed data from a cohort of 436 secondary schoolgirls in western Kenya. Baseline and 6-, 12-, and 18-month study visits occurred from April 2018 to December 2019 (pre–COVID-19), and 30-, 36-, and 48-month study visits occurred from September 2020 to July 2022 (COVID-19 period). Participants self-completed a survey for sociodemographics and sexual activity and provided self-collected vaginal swabs for bacterial vaginosis (BV) testing, with sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing at annual visits. We hypothesized that greater COVID-19–related stress would mediate risk via mental health, feeling safe inside the home, and sexual exposure, given the pandemic mitigation–related impacts of school closures on these factors. COVID-19–related stress was measured with a standardized scale and dichotomized at the highest quartile. Mixed effects modeling quantified how BV and STI changed over time. Longitudinal mediation analysis quantified how the relationship between COVID-19 stress and increased BV was mediated. Outcomes Analysis outcomes were BV and STI. Results BV and STI prevalence increased from 12.1% and 10.7% pre–COVID-19 to 24.5% and 18.1% during COVID-19, respectively. This equated to 26% (95% CI, 1.00–1.59) and 36% (95% CI, 0.98–1.88) higher relative prevalence of BV and STIs in the COVID-19 vs pre–COVID-19 periods, adjusted for numerous sociodemographic and behavioral factors. Higher COVID-19–related stress was associated with elevated depressive symptoms and feeling less safe inside the home, which were each associated with a greater likelihood of having a boyfriend. In mediation analyses, the direct effect of COVID-19–related stress on BV was small and nonsignificant, indicating that the increased BV was due to the constellation of factors that were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical Translation These results highlight factors to help maintain reproductive health for adolescent girls in future crises, such as anticipating and mitigating mental health impacts, domestic safety concerns, and maintaining sexual health services. Strengths and Limitations Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on drivers of reproductive tract health among those who did not attend school or who live in different settings may differ. Conclusions In this cohort of adolescent girls, BV and STIs increased following COVID-19–related school closures, and risk was mediated by depressive symptoms and feeling less safe in the home, which led to a higher likelihood of sexual exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) for reading and writing, when delivered by eight special education teachers in middle school learning support classrooms, were examined in a quasi-experimental study. Results indicated that students, 75% with learning disabilities, who received treatment improved performance with small effects on written and oral retelling, and on a standardized reading test. Recommendations for strengthening the intensity of the intervention are suggested in the context of implications for research and practice.

Ten morphological awareness intervention studies, conducted in English with students in kindergarten through 12th grade between 2008 and 2020, were synthesized in this article. Research in the studies focused on the effects of morphological awareness intervention on literacy outcomes of students who struggle with reading and writing—including students with disabilities. The 10 studies included a total of 411 participants ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade. All 10 studies used an experimental pre/post-test design to determine growth in morphological awareness as well as assessed areas in word identification, spelling, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and written composition. The assessments across the studies varied and included standardized and nonstandardized measures. Effect sizes for standardized measures ranged from 0.0 to 0.97. Effect sizes for nonstandardized measures ranged from −0.03 to 2.96. Results indicate that morphological instruction, including short-term interventions, is beneficial to students at risk of future reading difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helping elementary students with learning disabilities (LD) prepare for the rigor of middle school writing is an instructional priority. Fortunately, several standards-based skills in upper elementary school and middle school overlap. Teachers in upper elementary grades, specifically fourth and fifth grades, have the opportunity to provide evidence-based writing instruction that will provide readiness for middle school writing. In this article, three key writing standards are highlighted and then paired with an evidence-based instructional approach for teaching genre-based (i.e., informative, persuasive, narrative) writing instruction, revising and editing, and note taking to students with LD. Teaching procedures and resources are included.

Writing standards and objectives outline complex skills for narrative essay writing at the secondary level. Students with disabilities often produce disorganized narratives with fewer narrative elements than their peers without disabilities. A multiple-probe design was used to examine effects of Self-Regulated Strategy Development for the Pick my genre then idea, Organize my notes, Write (POW) + Setting, Tension, rising Action, Climax, Solution (STACS) strategy on narrative essay-writing skills for 6 secondary students with disabilities. Results indicated students improved the quality of their narratives and included a greater number of strategy-specific and story grammar elements following instruction. Students were also able to transfer skills across a history or social studies setting and could more accurately differentiate narrative writing prompts from expository and persuasive writing prompts. Treatment acceptability results indicated students found instruction beneficial.

Background Adolescence is a sensitive time for girls' sexual and reproductive health (SRH), as biological changes occur concurrently with heightening pressures for sexual activity. In western Kenya, adolescent girls are vulnerable to acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as HIV and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), and to becoming pregnant prior to reaching adulthood. This study examines associations between individual, household, and partner-related risk factors and the prevalence of sex, adolescent pregnancy, HIV, and HSV-2. Methods and findings We report baseline findings among 4,138 girls attending secondary school who were enrolled between 2017 and 2018 in the Cups or Cash for Girls (CCG) cluster randomized controlled trial in Siaya County, rural western Kenya. Laboratory confirmed biomarkers and survey data were utilized to assess the effects of girls' individual, household, and partner characteristics on the main outcome measures (adolescent reported sex, prior pregnancy, HIV, and HSV-2) through generalized linear model (GLM) analysis. Complete data were available for 3,998 girls (97%) with median age 17.1 years (interquartile range [IQR] 16.3 to 18.0 years); 17.2% were HSV-2 seropositive (n = 686) and 1.7% tested positive for HIV (n = 66). Sexual activity was reported by 27.3% girls (n = 1,090), of whom 12.2% had been pregnant (n = 133). After adjustment, orphanhood (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 2.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18 to 6.71, p-value [p] = 0.020), low body mass index (BMI) (aRR 2.07; CI: 1.00 to 4.30, p = 0.051), and age (aRR 1.34, 1.18 to 1.53, p < 0.001) were all associated with HIV infection. Girls reporting light menstrual bleeding (aRR 2.42, 1.22 to 4.79, p = 0.012) for fewer than 3 days (aRR 2.81, 1.16 to 6.82, p = 0.023) were over twice as likely to have HIV. Early menarche (aRR 2.05, 1.33 to 3.17, p = 0.001) was associated with adolescent pregnancy and HSV-2-seropositive girls reported higher rates of pregnancy (aRR 1.62, CI: 1.16 to 2.27, p = 0.005). High BMI was associated with HSV-2 (aRR 1.24, 1.05 to 1.46, p = 0.010) and sexual activity (aRR 1.14, 1.02 to 1.28, p = 0.016). High levels of harassment were detected in the cohort (41.2%); being touched indecently conveyed the strongest association related to reported sexual activity (aRR 2.52, 2.26 to 2.81, p < 0.001). Study limitations include the cross-sectional design of the study, which informs on the SRH burdens found in this population but limits causal interpretation of associations, and the self-reported exposure ascertainment, which may have led to possible underreporting of risk factors, most notably prior sexual activity. Conclusions Our findings indicate that adolescent girls attending school in Kenya face frequent harassment for sex and are at high risk of pregnancy and HSV-2, with girls experiencing early menarche particularly vulnerable. Targeted interventions, such as earlier sexual education programs, are warranted to address their vulnerability to SRH harms. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03051789., Author(s): Garazi Zulaika 1,*, Elizabeth Nyothach 2, Anna Maria van Eijk 1, David Obor 2, Linda Mason 1, Duolao Wang 1, Tao Chen 1, Emily Kerubo 2, Valarie Opollo 2, [...]