Contextual Characteristics in Relation to Student Intervention in Bullying

The goal of the current study was to examine whether contextual characteristics of a school are related to student interventions in bullying. Specifically, participants reported their perceptions of how teachers responded to bullying, school climate, and the promotion of social emotional wellness. The study included 390 eighth to twelfth grade students from the Southeastern region of the United States. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed good model fit and measurement invariance across sex was established. Structural models indicated that for boys, perceptions of social emotional learning (SEL) promotion were positively and significantly related to their intervention in bullying. For girls, both teacher interventions and perceptions of SEL promotion were positively related to their intervention in bullying. Results suggest that characteristics of the school are important for promoting interventions in bullying among high school students.

Simulation of Teacher Interventions in a Training Course of Mathematics Teacher Educators

This work aimed to characterize simulated teacher interventions to manage a didactic configuration in which students solve problem situations using an ICT resource. We also aimed to identify patterns of interaction between the teacher and the students that make it possible to characterize styles of interaction and assess both their interactional and their ecological suitability. To do this, we used the tools of the Onto-semiotic Approach to Mathematical Cognition and Instruction to analyze the level of reflection of 102 educators of preservice teachers of mathematics, about hypothetical problem resolutions of their students and the types of interactions simulated by them to manage the students’ learning. The educators were participants of a Teacher Training of the Teacher Specialization in Education and ICT in Argentina. The results show that there are three levels of reflection and four types of interaction (maieutic, falsificationist, dogmatic and paternalistic). We did not find a high interactional suitability in their proposals of dialogues, and participants do not consider aspects of the ecological suitability, such as the adaptation to the official curriculum. We conclude that the type of interventions that teacher educators propose is closely related to their level of reflection about the reasons why their students respond to problems in one manner or another.

Reading Difficulty Dynamics and Interventions Within Community Schools in Ghana; Evidence From Banka Community Senior High School Using the OARP Protocol

This study was designed to assess reading difficulty dynamics and develop the corresponding interventions for students in the Banka Community Senior High School within the Asante Akyem South Municipality of Ghana. The study used multiple research designs and research methods in soliciting data for the analysis. Both semi-structured questionnaires and interview guides were used for data collection. A 100-worded paragraph was taken from the introductory page of the Integrated Science Textbook for Senior High Schools to assess the reading difficulty of students using the One-Minute Administration of Reading Passages (OARP) protocol. Three sessions of readings were done; the first without intervention, and the subsequent readings with teacher interventions. The results of the study show that majority of the respondents had text recognition accuracy (TRA), text pronunciation accuracy (TPA) and reading speed (RS) problems. Thus, TRA, TPA, and RS scores were below the 80% benchmark in the first reading (without intervention). Nevertheless, TRA, TPA, and RS scores increased above the 80% benchmark for the second and third readings (with teacher interventions). Four causative factors for the reading difficulties (RDs), three locational dynamics, four durational dynamics, four reading frequency dynamics and four periodic dynamics of RDs were identified. The study concludes that RD reduces with teacher interventions. The findings of this study is not a generalization of reading difficulty dynamics and intervention in all community schools in Ghana but rather presents contributions to an emerging academic problem which could have implications on SDG 4 in the near future within community schools. Hence, the need for setting up reading clubs in community schools towards reducing reading difficulties among students.

Teacher Interventions to Induce Students’ Awareness in Controlling their Intuition

This study aimed to describe teacher interventions in students’ problem-solving. The subjects were three upper-class students at an elementary school in Indonesia who used system 2 when solving problems. This study used a qualitative case study approach. Data were obtained from students’ written answers and audio-visual recordings of teacher interventions to students. The results showed that the subjects needed teacher interventions to induce their awareness when involving system 2. Each subject needed intervention different stages. Subject 1 required intervention stage 3, subject 2 required intervention stage 2, and subject 3 only required intervention at stage 1. From the research results, it was known that the active moment of system 2 in all three subjects was the same, that is after the core problem was known. The core of the problem was ascertained after a doubtful feeling arose on the truth of the resulting answers. This feeling arose because the teacher intervened in the form of questions conducted dialogically.

A Cooperative Learning Intervention to Promote Social Inclusion in Heterogeneous Classrooms

Concerning challenges with the social inclusion of children with special educational needs (SEN), it is imperative to evaluate teacher interventions that promote social inclusion. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cooperative learning (CL) intervention on social inclusion. In addition, it was investigated to what degree CL implementation affected the outcomes. Fifty-six teachers of 958 fifth-grade children were randomly selected to intervention and control groups upon recruitment to the study. The intervention teachers received training and coaching in CL and implemented this approach three to four times a week for 15 weeks. The results showed a significant but small effect of CL on children’s social acceptance, but no significant effect on children’s friendships and perceptions of classroom relationships. The degree of CL implementation had effect on children’s social acceptance, but the effect was not consistent across social acceptance measures as a friend or a groupmate. Thus, it can be concluded that CL, conducted with the length and intensity of this study, may not lead to substantial changes in the social inclusion of children with SEN. In future studies, more focus needs to be devoted to teacher implementation of the CL approach.

A critical examination of EFL learners’ difficulties in speaking: towards an effective and applicable pedagogy

This article seeks to find out Chinese EFL learners’ difficulties in speaking. It is of significance because an understanding of their common problems serves as a window into learners' instructional needs and provides opportunities for teachers to plan tailored instruction subsequently. Three students enrolled in English listening and speaking course in a university in southern China participated in out-of-class extra practices for in-depth study. They were given seven monologic speaking tasks adapted from TOEFL. After the completion of each task, students were prompted to provide detailed reflections on the problems that they experienced when planning and producing speech and what kind of teacher interventions they considered necessary and helpful. The analysis of their written self-reflections provided evidence that learners mainly encountered three types of difficulties in speaking: 1) ideas (what to say); 2) language (how to say); and 3) delivery (how to say it well). The results also shed light on what kind of instructional support in terms of speaking development would be necessary. Accounts from students revealed that the following types of teacher assistance, a) prompting questions to help them gather ideas; b) key words that help them express their ideas; and c) cohesive devices that help them develop their ideas fully and effectively. The teachers’ assistance can help the students perform better in the tasks at hand and move them forward in their zone of proximal development. This article has generated useful insights into college English learners’ speaking abilities and learning needs. Its major contribution lies in how it informs a coherent and effective pedagogy in English speaking.

Teacher Interventions for Advancing Students’ Mathematical Understanding

The relationship between teacher interventions and students’ mathematical thinking has been the subject of inquiry for quite some time. Using the Pirie–Kieren theory for dynamic growth in mathematical understanding, this study documents teacher interventions that support students’ growth toward developing a general understanding of a mathematical idea in a designed learning environment. By studying the interactions of seven middle school students and the teacher-researcher working on a two-week unit on geometric transformations within a dynamic geometry environment, this study identified nine major categories of teacher interventions that support and extend students’ investigations of mathematical ideas around geometric transformations. The typology of teacher interventions reported in this study provides a cognition-based framework for teacher moves that extend and advance students’ mathematical understanding.

Group Dynamics in Higher Education

Although group work has been proven to be an effective method for enhancing active learning in the higher education, optimum planning is crucial for successful implementation. A deep understanding of teamwork dynamics and creation of inclusive environments helps groups to demonstrate their optimum performance and output. On this basis, the current research focuses on the important challenge of gender inclusiveness and required teacher interventions to encourage that. Towards this aim, three research hypotheses are developed and tested using student performance data in a series of individual, group, and hybrid assessment. Findings show the significantly different performance of female and male students in group activities. It is also found that instructor interventions to form gender-inclusive groups significantly improve group performance and output. This works contributes to the higher education literature by exploring dynamics of collaborative learning and interfaces with gender inclusiveness. Educators can utilize the findings to better design and implement team activities.