Search

This paper presents findings from a small-scale pilot evaluation of the Silver Stories programme. Silver Stories involves school-age children reading to older people in the community and is a way of addressing literacy and emotional difficulties, as well as enhancing wellbeing. The authors collected and analysed questionnaire and interview data after a school term of programme implementation, across five schools in England and Wales, during the period of the third lockdown. The main finding was that participants experienced the programme as an opportunity for relationship-building between generations, highlighting the relational nature of reading as a 'literacy event' and wellbeing as a product of social interaction rather than an individual attribute. The pilot also indicated that school priorities might have shifted due to COVID-19 from academic attainment to a focus on social and emotional support. Although this was likely a temporary phase, it is also an opportunity to build back better.

School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic uncovered the overriding need to create engaging online learning environments to facilitate students' learning. This paper focuses on the online evaluation of Own-Voice Intensive Phonics (OVIP) approach, a computer-assisted instruction programme used during the COVID restrictions to help 15 pupils aged 7-12 with reading difficulties improve their reading. Analysis of Single Word Reading pre-and-post-test revealed a 3.2-year mean word reading age gain over a 19- to 22-week period. Questionnaire data from pupils and parents and the end of OVIP session and parent-reported data at a one-year follow-up demonstrated an overall increase in pupil reading skills and self-confidence that transferred into wider confidence and engagement for some pupils. Findings indicate that OVIP might be an effective teacher-mediated programme in supporting pupils with reading difficulties to enhance their reading skills through online tutoring. Further research is necessary to compare teacher-mediated own voice approaches to unmediated programmes, using a larger sample.

Inclusion is seen as an ethical obligation, grounded in notions of equity and social justice for all groups and at all stages of education, with higher education (HE) representing a distinctive space where the inclusion agenda is becoming more influential. However, inclusion is also increasingly recognised as an ambiguous concept that might have lost its critical edge and is in many cases reduced to 'chatter'. To explore inclusion in this context, we analysed 48 policy documents from the websites of the 24 Russell Group Universities (the 'elite', research-intensive, UK universities) using a critical discourse analysis approach. We found that inclusion was rarely defined clearly, and that tensions, complexity and pedagogical implications of inclusion were not discussed. Inclusion was also related to excellence and ideas about a 'global university' that are central to a university's reputation and ability to attract international students and staff. We see three ways in which these findings are significant: the way inclusion was approached in the policy documents could largely be described as managerial/legalistic, seen as the responsibility of human resources; inclusion was perceived as an act of legal compliance that was also expected to influence everyday relationships -- but without an explanation of how this could happen; and inclusion was discussed together with broader debates within HE, e.g. meritocracy, but without a critical reflection on what this means. We, thus, argue that universities should resist treating inclusion as a quality and performance index and recognise that inclusion is linked to the very purposes of HE.

Background: The Incredible Years® (IY) Teacher Classroom Management (TCM) programme may reduce disruptive behaviour in the classroom and improve child and teacher mental health; however, few studies have considered how acceptable TCM is to teachers or what facilitators and barriers there are to its implementation. Aims: In this paper we examine the acceptability of the full 6-day TCM programme and teachers' perceived barriers and facilitators to implementation in the English (UK) primary school context. Sample: Forty-four English (UK) primary school teachers who attended the TCM programme as part of the STARS trial. Methods: We completed focus groups and telephone interviews with participating teachers 2 months after they completed the TCM programme. Thematic analysis was used to examine the data, and a framework approach was applied to organize and summarize themes. Results: Teachers liked the structure of the course, the peer group learning environment, delivery methods, and the opportunity to reflect outside the classroom on their practice. They reported that the video clips used lacked cultural relevance and highlighted the importance of group leadership style. Perceived facilitators to implementation included an understanding of the theory underpinning TCM and adaptability of the TCM strategies. Barriers included perceived gaps in the course content in relation to challenging behaviour, applying strategies with older children and the school context within which teachers were working. Conclusion: Our findings suggest high levels of acceptability to TCM overall, but also highlight the need for a whole school approach to combat potential barriers to implementation.

This paper examines ideas about mental health, wellbeing and school education to illustrate important issues in the relationship between mental health and education. The COVID crisis has amplified the pre-existing mental health problems of children and young people in England and recognition of the opportunities in schools to address these. The paper gives an overview of child and adolescent mental health services and how they position the role of schools. It examines prominent concepts of mental health and their relationship to wellbeing, setting this in a discussion of 'mentally healthy' schools, mental health in special educational needs and whole-school approaches. This analysis shows how the relationship between mental health and wellbeing has not been adequately worked out, using this as the basis for arguing for the dual-factor mental health model which separates mental illness/disorder from wellbeing as two related dimensions. The paper then translates the dual-factor model into a two-dimensional framework that represents the distinctive but related aims of school education (wellbeing promotion) and mental health services (preventing, coping, helping mental health difficulties). This framework involves a complex conception of wellbeing, with schools playing an important role in promoting wellbeing (beyond emotional wellbeing), tiered models and establishing school-wide social emotional learning. It is about a whole-school curriculum approach that involves considering what is to be learned and how it is taught. It contributes to a more nuanced concept of wellbeing that has a place for meaningful learning and challenge.

This paper is about English parents' experiences of making decisions about special school placements in the national context of rising special school placements and more parental choice and school diversity. The aim of this research was to investigate whether the current legislative focus on optimising parent choice operates as intended from the parents' perspective. More specifically, it aimed to examine the views of parents of pupils in special schools in the South West of England: their reasons for choosing special school, the extent to which they felt they had an independent choice and their views on alternative provision. Fifty seven parents with children in special schools in three local authority special schools completed an online questionnaire that collected numerical and textual data. Analysis showed that the top three factors influencing decisions were school atmosphere, caring approach to pupils and class size, a finding that connected with their concepts of inclusive education. These and other findings point to the limitations of the choice-diversity model implemented over the last few decades in England. The research illustrates distinctive parental perspectives on schooling, inclusive education and the dilemmas they experience in choosing provision for their children.

This article focuses on the use of lesson study (LS) in initial teacher education (ITE) from a mapping review of international research published in peer-reviewed journals. This method enables identification of characteristic features of the research field along with any gaps in the existing evidence base. The authors map out variations in ITE LS practices by employing a seven-dimensional framework of LS to illustrate the range and draw conclusions about the design and use of LS in ITE. They conclude that LS is an example of teacher enquiry-based practice, identified by researchers as one of the means of building the capacity for a self-improving education system. LS and related practices play a crucial role in preparing teachers to adopt a research orientation to their own practice. However, the article also discusses the organisational challenges and the balance between acquiring skills and reflection for beginning teachers when introducing LS into ITE.

There are practical questions about how inclusive schools can enable quality teaching and teachers' professional development that are relevant to students with special educational needs (SEN). In moves towards inclusive education, teachers are confronted with issues about their knowledge, skills and perceived efficacy to adopt inclusive teaching approaches. Based on an explicit approach to inclusive teaching, this paper illustrates how Lesson Study (LS) and Lesson Study related professional development practices embody the values of inclusive teaching and reflective practice. Peer-reviewed academic papers about LS and LS related practices were reviewed. This found that these practices were predominantly used in continuing professional development and evaluated with a focus on their contexts, processes and outcomes in ordinary and specialist settings. The extent to which LS and LS related practices have been evaluated in these settings with different kinds of SEN is also examined. Based on this review increased use and evaluation of lesson study and lesson study related practices are recommended.

Almost 20% of English pupils still experience difficulties with reading despite the use of a predominantly phonics-based approach that works well for most children, but not for all; therefore, other approaches need to be explored. The Integrated Group Reading (IGR) programme involves an inclusive approach to targeted teaching led by class teachers using group-based class organisation and the integration of diverse, research-based approaches (language and phonics-based). IGR has been evaluated in 34 English schools across 5 varied local authority areas using a cluster randomised design and a process evaluation. IGR was found to support enjoyment of reading and attain as much reading gains as the more phonics-oriented programmes used in the control classes. Following its use there were gains in teachers' self-efficacy in teaching reading, and no negative effects on the class (non-IGR) pupils' reading skills were found. This study shows what a more inclusive approach to targeted reading intervention can achieve through a well-resourced programme. Questions can be asked about the interpretation of randomised controlled trial (RCT) findings when it comes to classroom-based educational interventions, and about teacher choice in opting for alternative teaching approaches.

Equipping young people with the skills they need to navigate the challenges they face when transitioning from primary to secondary school is a widely recognised problem, especially in the post-Covid period. This paper reports an evaluation of a programme (Toolkit Programme) to support children in this transitioning, which is novel in being taught in school by youth workers from a youth centre local to two London primary schools. The programme aimed to increase abilities to overcome challenges and improve wellbeing, self-esteem and relationships with peers and with the wider community and sense of safety. This brief in-depth evaluation focussed on the context, processes and outcomes of this programme using mixed methods: fifty-six pupil questionnaire (measures and written comments), twenty-four pupil focus group interview, four class teachers, a head and deputy head teachers and three youth worker interviews. The findings of this external evaluation extended the positive results from the previous internal formative programme evaluations. It raised issues about the timing of the Toolkit programme and the links between youth workers/youth centres and teachers/schools. This paper discusses significant issues and implications about: the contribution of youth centre/club – school partnerships, the place and importance of personal and social education in the primary school curriculum and disseminating the good practice shown in this evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few decades, several countries have introduced reforms aimed at increasing school autonomy. We evaluate the effect of the introduction of autonomous academies in England on the educational trajectories of children with special educational needs. This has been done using longitudinal data on all schoolchildren in state schools in England, from the National Pupil Database. The results show that the effects of school autonomy on educational inclusion are not uniform and depend on schools' previous performance and socio-economic composition. Schools that obtained autonomy under the control of an external sponsor (sponsored academies) were more likely to decrease the proportion of pupils with special needs and remove additional support for them. We do not observe these effects in the schools that voluntarily applied for the more autonomous status (converter academies).

Background: Teaching is a stressful occupation with poor retention. The Incredible Years® Teacher Classroom Management (TCM) programme is a training programme that research has demonstrated may be an effective intervention for improving children's mental health, but little research has explored any impacts there may be on the teachers' own professional confidence and mental health. Aims: In this paper, we evaluate whether TCM may lead to changes in teachers' well-being, namely a reduction in burnout and an improvement in self-efficacy and mental health. Sample: Eighty schools across the South West of England were recruited between September 2012 and September 2014. Headteachers were asked to nominate one class teacher to take part. Methods: Eighty teachers were randomized to either attend a TCM course (intervention) or not (control). TCM was delivered to groups of up to 12 teachers in six whole-day workshops that were evenly spread between October and April. At baseline and 9-month follow-up, we measured teachers' mental health using the Everyday Feelings Questionnaire (EFQ), burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), and self-efficacy using the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale-Short (TSES-Short). Results: Using linear regression models, there was little evidence of differences at follow-up between the intervention and control teachers on the outcomes (the smallest p-value was 0.09). Conclusions: Our findings did not replicate previous research that TCM improved teachers' sense of efficacy. However, there were limitations with this study including low sample size.

This paper questions the idea that there are two opposing paradigms of educational research, often called positivist versus interpretivist. It argues that the 'paradigm' term has been used to avoid philosophical discussions about the nature of educational research. This has been done by understanding 'paradigms' to reflect metaphysical positions about connected epistemological and ontological assumptions. Problems with this conception of 'paradigms' are discussed including how to justify combining different research methods. The paper also criticises treating pragmatism as a 'paradigm' by distinguishing between everyday pragmatism and philosophical pragmatism. Philosophical pragmatism is presented as a diverse approach that is naturalistic, fallibilistic and overcoming of false dichotomies, that can risk leading to a self-defeating relativism. How these have been addressed is then discussed. This has involved introducing some transcendental or impersonal elements into pragmatism without reverting to a metaphysical realism. This involves a discussion of various philosophical perspectives, pragmatic realism, evolutionary epistemology and critical realism, as relevant to educational research. The final section draws on a version of Dewey's pragmatist model of enquiry. informed by some of Habermas's early and later epistemological ideas as the basis for thinking about educational research that encompasses flexible and combined methodological approaches. The paper places research methodology in a central focus in educational research with its links to epistemology and methods. It concludes that pragmatist assumptions contribute to understanding educational research, its methodologies and the design of plural and flexible research methods, even if there are continuing philosophical investigations.

This paper describes the context, processes and issues experienced over 5 years in which a RCT was carried out to evaluate a programme for children aged 7-8 who were struggling with their reading. Its specific aim is to illuminate questions about the design of complex teaching approaches and their evaluation using an RCT. This covers the early development by the originator and work to develop and design a RCT funded trial. The experimental, process evaluation and case studies findings are summarized. It is argued that if RCT is the only credible evaluation approach, that there is no strong evidence for IGR use. But, if RCT as the first choice evaluation approach needs to be supplemented by process evaluation, then a positive process evaluation might save IGR for further development and evaluation trials. However, it is suggested that conceptualizing IGR as a complex teaching intervention also raises questions about RCT as the method of first choice. It is argued that a Designed-Based Research approach to scaling up IGR, an example of a Design & Research approach, might have been tried. The reasons why this was not done are explored with implications for the place of RCTs in improving teaching and learning.

Dyslexia is a controversial concept. In UK universities, the number of students possessing a dyslexia diagnosis continues to increase. Legislation requires that teaching staff adapt their pedagogic practices to effectively include students so diagnosed. These actions depend on lecturers having up-to-date knowledge of what the dyslexia label currently means. This study explored the nature and extent of UK lecturers' awareness of, and attitudes towards, dyslexia and dyslexic students. One hundred and sixty-four lecturers working within a range of disciplines in 12 UK universities were surveyed via an online questionnaire. The findings revealed a high degree of positivity towards dyslexic students and academic accommodations like reasonable adjustments. The positivity, though, was typically underpinned by inadequate awareness of current dyslexia research knowledge. Notable consequences included confusion and feelings of inadequacy around how best to meet the needs of dyslexic students, a resultant reliance on generic reasonable adjustments, and disinclination to fully engage with related equity issues. The study's quantitative estimate of the extent of these findings, together with its analysis of cross and inter-institutional differences, adds a new dimension to existing knowledge in the field. It has serious implications for the overall quality and equality of teaching and learning in higher education.

This study investigates how three secondary subject teachers think about and take account of learner diversity in their lesson planning, enactment and reviewing, with a specific focus on pupils designated as having special educational needs (SEN). The study is significant in the context of international moves in contemporary school teaching towards greater personalisation and inclusion. Focussing on three different subject teachers whose lesson planning was nominated as high quality, the study uses a sequence of interviews and lesson observations alongside the analysis of lesson planning artefacts, to present three in-depth cases and, through cross-case analysis, to develop a provisional situated model of lesson planning for diversity. Different forms of planning are identified -- formal, personal, expanded and in-flight -- which differ with regard to dimensions of purpose, formality, whether recorded, and timing. The teachers understandings of diversity are broader than differences related to SEN, and this relates to different kinds of differentiation, connecting the concerns of special needs education with wider issues of lesson planning for diversity.

The satisfaction of adolescents' perceived psychological needs facilitates their academic achievement and adjustment within school. A first step in this direction is the identification of adolescents' psychological needs and the environmental factors to meet these needs. Based on the theory of Existence, Relatedness, and Growth, known as ERG, the present study aimed to develop and provide evidence for the validity of a new measure of adolescent students' psychological needs at school. Five hundred and eighty adolescent students of public secondary schools in central Greece participated in the study. Students completed the ERG Needs Scale, the Autonomy and Competence Scales, and the Subjective Well-Being measures. Preliminary results showed that the new instrument has promising psychometric properties. The potential contribution of the new instrument for future research and educational practices are discussed.

This article addresses issues related to whether null randomised control trial (RCT) findings can by themselves be a secure indicator of programme failure. This is done by drawing on the findings of the evaluation of the Integrated Group Reading (IGR) programme using a number of teacher case studies. The case studies illustrate how the same intervention can be implemented differently in local circumstances, with different outcomes. The different ways in which IGR was implemented reflect how teachers experienced the pressures of the national curriculum, their attitudes to the IGR approach to reading, the school ethos and the resources and support available--and point to how IGR use might be enhanced to result in more significant reading gains. The article argues that in addition to the statistical findings, evaluators ought to pay attention to the context in which a programme is implemented, especially when it comes to complex interventions trialled in real classrooms. It is also concluded that it is preferable to avoid asking whether a programme works or not for all, and under any circumstances. A focus on the different ways that programmes work under different circumstances, and when implemented by different people, is a more useful perspective. This might not provide the certainty that policy-makers would likely opt for, but it captures better the complexity associated with teaching programme evaluation.

This paper presents findings from a systematic literature review that explored the delivery arrangements of school-based reading interventions for struggling readers aged 5-8 years. Databases were searched for published and unpublished studies from 1970 to 2017, which employed a randomised controlled trial or quasi-experimental design. Sixty-four texts that met the inclusion criteria were categorised according to targeted tier based on the response-to-intervention model. Findings showed that tier 2/3 interventions targeting pupils who did not respond to whole class teaching (tier 1) were almost exclusively delivered in pull-out sessions by people other than the classroom teacher. At present, certain delivery arrangements appear to be used more than others in reading interventions conducted with young pupils in schools. This could to some extent reflect practices already used in primary schools and suggests that pupils who are identified for tier 2/3 support might have less access to their teacher's time and expertise.

School funding formulas have been applied across a number of countries for at least the last 50 years. A national funding formula (NFF) was introduced in England in 2018 and aims to provide a platform for fair funding across the country. This study explores the variations in the NFF's high needs block (HNB) funding and examines links with the use of specialist provision by English local authorities (LAs) for children with special educational needs and disability. The findings demonstrate significant and continuing differences in HNB funding between demographically similar LAs, notwithstanding a £3.5 billion (75%) HNB increase in real terms in the decade since 2013, which could have supported a shift towards a more equitable position. Published HNB funding for 2023–24 now varies by up to £49m in comparator LAs. Differences are largely the result of the persistent use of a historical factor in the formula and a ceiling on levels of income growth for lower funded LAs. The research also shows a significant link between HNB funding and the use of specialist provision. The discussion investigates how far the UK government's policy commitment to a more equitable system of HNB funding is matched by the reality, and the degree to which funding is based on need rather than demand or history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the mixed methodology evaluation of the Own-Voice Intensive Phonics (OVIP) programme with 33 secondary students with persistent literacy difficulties. The evaluation involved a quasi-experimental evaluation in which 33 students in years 7-9 in four schools used OVIP over an 8 week period and were monitored at three times for their word reading, phonic decoding and phonological skills. Students, teaching assistants and teachers involved were also interviewed about the use of OVIP, the perceived processes and outcomes. Assessment results showed that OVIP was associated with greater gains in word reading than these students' usual teaching/intervention approaches. Those interviewed also experienced benefits associated with using OVIP. It was further found that word reading gains were not related to a measure of being at risk of significant literacy difficulties. Participants identified the use of their own voice, the student's agency and working at their own pace as key factors relevant to how OVIP worked. These factors aligned with a working OVIP programme theory. The findings are discussed in terms of further development and research related to an own voice approach to addressing persistent literacy difficulties.

Previous U.K. population-based studies have found associations amongst early speech and language difficulties, socioeconomic disadvantage and children's word-reading ability later on. We examine the strength of these associations in a recent U.K. population-based birth cohort. Analyses were based on 13,680 participants. Linear regression models were fitted to identify factors that were associated with word-reading score at the age of 7 years. Path analysis models were fitted to examine phonological skills as a mediator of the relationships. We found that male gender, preterm birth, naming vocabulary at age five, concerns about speech and language, maternal education, type of housing tenure, lone parenting, parent attachment and frequency of reading to the child were all independently associated with word reading. For each of these predictors, there was evidence suggesting that a substantial proportion of the effect may be mediated by phonological skills (ranging from 52 to 89%). Despite policy intervention, many of the same risk factors identified in previous studies still predict children's word-reading ability in the United Kingdom. Results support the phonological model, with phonological skills on the pathway to word reading.

This paper describes an innovative use of Lesson Study (LS), an internationally used collaborative approach in which teachers develop their teaching knowledge and practices. It aimed to evaluate how EPs join teachers in LS teams, using working memory and other knowledge to inform the teaching of pupils with learning difficulties. The study uses a case study methodology to evaluate LS teams (three teachers and EP) in a primary, secondary and special school. The findings show how working memory knowledge is used in reviewing and planning research lessons, how the teams interact, including the teachers' perceived EP contribution to the Lesson Study process. The paper illustrates the potential of an inter-professional LS study to embody collaborative reflective practice in order to improve the teaching of pupils with learning difficulties.

This article is the second in a 2-part synthesis of an international comparative seminar on the classification of children with disabilities. In this article, the authors discuss classification frameworks used in identifying children for the purpose of providing special education and related services. The authors summarize 7 papers that addressed aspects of disability classification in educational systems in the United States and the United Kingdom. They discuss current policies for determining which children receive special education services, the origins and evolution of these policies, and current dilemmas and challenges associated with classification schemes and the provision of special education. The authors also describe emerging data and possible models and practices that might be used in educational systems. They conclude with the recognition that both formal and informal educational classification systems will continue to be required within a system that must address the competing priorities of individual needs and the broader social and community goals of education. However, as was argued in the previous article, by understanding the mix of intentions that underpin these policies, as well as periodically reviewing the norms that underlie them, it may be possible to move classification to descriptors that can be used to efficiently and effectively define educational needs and distribute resources. [For Part I see, EJ758165.]

This article presents an evaluation of distance technology used in a novel Lesson Study (LS) approach involving a dispersed LS team for inter-professional purposes. A typical LS model with only school teachers as team members was modified by including university-based lecturers with the school-based teachers, using video-conferencing and online video sharing. The aim was to examine the experiences of using video-conferencing and video transfer technology to support the use of LS procedures to connect team members between schools and university. The meetings from two LS teams (primary and secondary) were recorded and analysed using a discourse analysis framework, and team members were interviewed after the LS cycle. Despite some technical difficulties, the communication between the dispersed members of the teams was largely smooth and successful. Extending LS teams and practice to include non school teachers, using distance-linking technology, can more effectively support teachers, while reducing the practical constraints of bringing other professionals into the LS team.

The increasing ethnic diversity in the UK has highlighted the importance of supporting primary school pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL), some of whom also have special educational needs (SEN). However, there is relatively little research carried out in the UK on children with both EAL needs and SEN. This paper presents the results of a study which aimed to explore the strategies used to teach and support pupils with the dual needs in four schools in North-West England. It reports research carried out with eight EAL pupils with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) and four pupils with learning difficulties (LD), and explores the different strategies staff used to support these pupils. The results showed that the two groups varied in the extent to which staff differentiated pedagogical strategies. The paper concludes by pointing to the need for further training and greater collaboration between the fields of EAL and SEN in research and educational practice.