scholarly journals A National Survey of Spelling Instruction: Investigating Teachers' Beliefs and Practice

2003 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 819-848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Jo Fresch
Keyword(s):  
National Survey ◽  
Developmentally Appropriate ◽  
Developmentally Appropriate Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Traditional Model ◽  
Spelling Instruction ◽  
Individual Instruction ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Beliefs And Practice ◽  
Level Of Agreement

Information about current spelling instructional practices across the United States was sought in this national survey with a random sample of teachers of grades 1 through 5. Respondents reported current practices and noted their level of agreement or disagreement to theoretical statements about spelling. Teachers responded to open-ended statements regarding concerns and problems they encounter in teaching spelling. The results suggest teachers rely on a traditional model for instruction. They are aware of more recent research on developmentally appropriate practice but do not necessarily implement those ideas. Implications from this study include provision for professional development, examination of purchased materials in relation to theories of appropriate individual instruction, and support for teachers who want to change instruction to match their beliefs.

scholarly journals Developmentally Appropriate Practice and Music Education in the Primary School

2021 ◽  
pp. 35-42
Author(s):  
Benjamin Adjepong
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Developmentally Appropriate ◽  
Developmentally Appropriate Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Educational Approach ◽  
Diverse Learning ◽  
Education In Ghana

Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) is an educational approach which refers to teaching strategies that consider children’s age, interests, abilities and experiences to help them achieve challenging and achievable goals. The approach which hinges on three pillars: age, individual and culture has gained popularity in countries such as the United States of America, Taiwan and South Korea. DAP underpins National Association for Music Education (NAfME) beliefs about young children’s developmentally and individually appropriate musical experiences. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the relationship between DAP and music education in primary schools. The discussions centred around the following themes: Children’s musical potential, children’s unique interests and abilities, children’s play, an exemplary musical sound, activities and material, performance goals, diverse learning environment, effective adult role models, and a pleasant physical and social environment. It is suggested that training workshops should be organised for teachers for effective integration of DAP in the classroom to optimise children’s learning in music. Inclusion of DAP as a theme for study in the music curriculum content in the Universities and Colleges of Education in Ghana for the preparation of primary school teachers is also recommended. Carrying out a real classroom study through observations, questionnaires or interviews is recommended for future researches on related subjects.

scholarly journals Mathematical pattern of Kessler psychological distress distribution in the general population of the U.S. and Japan

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinichiro Tomitaka ◽  
Toshiaki A. Furukawa
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
General Population ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Quadratic Function ◽  
The United States ◽  
Depression Screening ◽  
Distribution Model ◽  
Epidemiological Surveys ◽  
Screening Scale

Abstract Background Although the 6-item Kessler psychological scale (K6) is a useful depression screening scale in clinical settings and epidemiological surveys, little is known about the distribution model of the K6 score in the general population. Using four major national survey datasets from the United States and Japan, we explored the mathematical pattern of the K6 distributions in the general population. Methods We analyzed four datasets from the National Health Interview Survey, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in the United States, and the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions in Japan. We compared the goodness of fit between three models: exponential, power law, and quadratic function models. Graphical and regression analyses were employed to investigate the mathematical patterns of the K6 distributions. Results The exponential function had the best fit among the three models. The K6 distributions exhibited an exponential pattern, except for the lower end of the distribution across the four surveys. The rate parameter of the K6 distributions was similar across all surveys. Conclusions Our results suggest that, regardless of different sample populations and methodologies, the K6 scores exhibit a common mathematical distribution in the general population. Our findings will contribute to the development of the distribution model for such a depression screening scale.

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