scholarly journals School life on the margins: Slovak Roma pupils negotiating education

Race & Class ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-76
Author(s):  
Mark Payne
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Ideologies ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
First Year ◽  
School Life ◽  
White Skin ◽  
English Only ◽  
Educational Framework ◽  
Academic System

Building on the work of Chris Searle in this journal, the author draws on an ethnographic study of a Sheffield school to examine the experiences of Slovak Roma children in the first year of secondary school as they negotiate prevailing English-only language ideologies and complex curriculum challenges and attempt to fit into an educational framework that is trying to adapt to the forces of migration and super-diversity. Struggling to engage academically, pupils are banished to the bottom sets where they are fed a watered-down curriculum. It is argued that the Roma pupils in this situation are in the exclusionary ‘anteroom’; unable to rise through the academic system, weighed down by lack of English language, an alien culture, non-white skin colour and the lack of various forms of capital prized by schools, the next logical step for many is temporary or permanent exclusion. This article sheds light on those pupils at the bottom of the heap for whom chances are curtailed, and adds to debates about xeno-racism, exclusion and class-biased pedagogies.

scholarly journals EFFECTIVENESS OF READING ALOUD STRATEGIES ON LOW PROFICIENCY PAKISTANI COLLEGE LEVEL FEMALE STUDENTS OF ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FROM HUMANITIES GROUP AT HIGHER SECONDARY SYSTEM: A TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 851-862
Author(s):  
Muhammad Khalid Mehmood Sajid Et al.
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
English Language ◽  
Reading Aloud ◽  
Read Aloud ◽  
School Level ◽  
First Year ◽  
English Department ◽  
College Level ◽  
Secondary System ◽  
Post Test

Reading is an important part of learning. No one can deny its importance. The importance of reading aloud strategies has increased. Reading aloud strategies are very important, especially for low proficiency students and for those who use the English language as a second language. It is vital for low proficiency students at the national and international levels. This study examines the effectiveness of the read-aloud strategies on low proficiency students at the secondary school level in Multan city. The study was conducted at the higher secondary school of Multan city in Pakistan; data were collected from students of the first year through a questionnaire, and pre-test post-test instruments were also used. The study is based on an experimental research design, and the target sample was 20 students of humanities group and five teachers from the English department. The study found that the reading aloud strategies help low proficiency students at the college level in Pakistan.  

scholarly journals A meta-ethnographic study of fathers’ experiences of caring for a child with a life-limiting illness

2020 ◽  
pp. 026921632097915
Author(s):  
Gianina-Ioana Postavaru ◽  
Helen Swaby ◽  
Rabbi Swaby
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Qualitative Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Care Experience ◽  
Care Giving ◽  
Critical Appraisal Skills ◽  
Limiting Condition

Background: There is a growing body of qualitative studies examining parents’ experiences of caring for a child with a life-limiting condition, coinciding with recent evidence that indicates an increasing incidence of paediatric life-limiting conditions. However, research focusing on fathers’ needs remains sparse and is often diluted among a predominant ‘mother’s voice’, raising questions about whether practices in clinical settings meet fathers’ needs. Aim: To provide an in-depth assembly of the current state of knowledge around fathers’ experiences of caring for their children diagnosed with life-limiting conditions and understand the implications for healthcare services and policies. Design: A meta-ethnography was conducted to synthesise findings from existing qualitative studies exploring fathers’ experiences of caring. Data sources: Four electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Science Direct) were searched up until April 2020. Qualitative studies exploring fathers’ care experience and published in English language were included. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist was employed for study quality appraisal. No temporal limits were used. Results: Sixty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Thirty life-limiting conditions were included. Based on responses from 496 fathers, a conceptual model was developed which translates key experiences within the fathers’ caregiving journeys. The overarching concepts identified were: the paradox of support, challenges in the caring process, ‘nobody thinks of men’, impact on family life and the fall of the curtain: an irrevocably altered world. These and associated sub-concepts are discussed, with recommendations for future research and practice provided. Conclusion: The findings indicate the value of a family-oriented approach to develop psychosocial interventions and support channels for fathers, thus empowering them whilst reducing the care-giving burden on the family unit.

Correlating entrance data and first year academic performance of students enrolled in the Integrated Master in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Porto

2021 ◽  
pp. 030641902110156
Author(s):  
TMGP Duarte ◽  
AM Lopes ◽  
LFM da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
First Year ◽  
Female Type ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year University ◽  
Over Time

Understanding how the academic performance of first year undergraduate students is influenced by home, personal and institutional factors is fundamental to delineate policies able to mitigate failure. This paper investigates possible correlations between the academic performance of students at the end of high school with their achievements at the end of first year university. Data for students in the Integrated Master in Mechanical Engineering (MIEM) program within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Porto are analysed for the period 2016/2017 to 2019/2020. The students’ performance is measured by two metrics and the students are structured as a whole and by groups, according to their gender (Male/Female), type of secondary school (Public/Private), living place (Away/Home) and the rank of MIEM in their application list of options (Option 1/Option 2–6). The information is organized statistically and possible correlations between the data are investigated. The analysis reveals limited correlation between the two metrics, meaning that all students may exhibit good or poor results at the end of first year in MIEM, independent of their status at entrance. An unanticipated pattern is exhibited for the group Option 2–6, since it shows that, despite entering into MIEM without top application marks, the students in this group can perform as well as the others. This behavior is consistent over time.

“It’s a Black Hole . . .”: Exploring Teachers’ Narratives and Practices for Digital Literacies in the Adult EAL Context

2021 ◽  
pp. 074171362199151
Author(s):  
Ekaterina Tour ◽  
Edwin Creely ◽  
Peter Waterhouse
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Digital Literacies ◽  
Strength Based ◽  
Approach To Teaching ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

A strength-based approach to teaching digital literacies can advance language education for adults from refugee and migrant backgrounds, preparing them for life in a new country. This article draws on a 6-month ethnographic study at an adult English language center in Australia and explores teachers’ perspectives and practices related to teaching digital literacies to understand how prepared they are to employ learners’ own resources. Using sociomaterial theory, this research found that English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers’ narratives about learners focused on what they lacked rather than what they brought to learning. It also found that while teaching practices utilized some strength-based pedagogical principles, the teachers viewed their work as being deficient. They did not always recognize their agential power nor did they overtly understand that the technology itself afforded this power. The article concludes with implications for EAL practice and professional learning of teachers who work in the adult sector.

¿Comprenderán Mis Amigos y La Familia? Analyzing Spanish Translations of Admission Materials for Latina/o Students Applying to 4-Year Institutions in the United States

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary W. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Spanish Language ◽  
First Year ◽  
Linguistic Capital ◽  
Undergraduate Admissions ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Grade Reading Level ◽  
Language Content

This study examines first-year undergraduate admissions materials from 325 bachelor-degree granting U.S. institutions, closely analyzing the English-language readability and Spanish-language readability and translation of these materials. Via Yosso’s linguistic capital, the results reveal 4.9% of first-year undergraduate admissions materials had been translated into Spanish, 4% of institutional admissions websites embed translation widgets, and the average readability of English-language content is above the 13th-grade reading level. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

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