Learning National Identity Outside the Nation-State: the Story Of Latvian Primers (Mid-1940s – Mid-1970s)

In order to understand how the concept of national identity, currently included in national legislation and curricula, has been formed, our research focuses on the recent history of national identity formation in the absence of the nation-state “frame”, i.e. in Latvian diaspora on both sides of the Iron Curtain – in Western exile and in Soviet Latvia. The question of our study is: how was national identity represented and taught to next generations in the national community that had lost the protection of its state? As primers reveal a pattern of national identity practice, eight primers published in Western exile and six primers used in Soviet Latvian schools between the mid-1940s and the mid-1970s were taken as research sources. In primers, national identity is represented through the following components: land and nation state iconography, traditions, common history, national language and literature. The past reverberating with cultural heritage became the cornerstone of learning national identity by the Latvian diaspora. The shared, idealised past contrasted the Soviet present and, thus, turned into an instrument of hidden resistance. The model of national identity presented moral codes too, and, teaching them, national communities did not only fulfill their supporting function, but also took on the functions of “normalization” and control. Furthermore, national identity united generations and people’s lives in the present, creating memory-based relationships and memory-based communities.

Mobile Learning Games for Dyslexic Young Adults

This article is devoted to revealing the theoretical background of dyslexia in young adults to substantiate the chosen approach for mobile learning games. Education in the 21st century has changed just the same as young adult learners; especially those who have some developmental problems, such as developmental dyslexia. If they are lucky to encounter smart teachers, understanding parents, siblings and peers, they succeed in the education system, they reach learning goals and are satisfied with their life quality. If there are gaps between regulations, rules and the real situation, learners lose interest in learning and especially in reading, they do not achieve their learning goals and sometimes they even experience school failure. Educators have to think about new methods, new approaches to diminish the possibilities of failure, to renew interest in learning (and especially in reading) to achieve education goals and to ensure the possibility for better life quality. The article deals with theoretical findings in differences of dyslexia in young adults and the role of technologies and educational mobile games in the learning process.

Differentiated Activities in the Context of Inclusive Education to Enhance the Acquisition of the English Language at Primary School

In the 21st century one of the reasons for teachers to pursue continuous professional development is experiencing demanding situations in their lessons, because the concept of mixed-ability teaching has broadened schools being open to diversity. Consequently, different pupils learn together in comprehensive schools and have equal rights to quality education. That also regards language learning. In the present article the authors look upon a situation in which a teacher of English in a comprehensive school has to deal with groups of primary school pupils who have varied needs and preferences for learning a foreign language both academically and socially (for example, having problems with reading and understanding the read material, focusing and keeping attention, working in pairs or groups). Therefore, the use of differentiated activities to enhance primary school pupils’ acquisition of the English language is explored. The chosen research method is a case study in which 14 primary school pupils take part. Data collection methods used in the research are observation (a teacher’s diary to notice the pupils’ strengths and weaknesses of learning English and checklists to gather the evidence of the pupils’ learning achievement) and document analysis (test evaluation forms to record the pupils’ learning results and progress). The analysis of the gathered data shows that the use of the chosen differentiated activities, which are based on the ideas of mixed-ability teaching and inclusive education, has helped the pupils improve the acquisition of the English language The results of the case study allow the authors to conclude that the varied needs and preferences pupils have for learning a foreign language are a compelling reason for teachers to find new ways of teaching to be able to help each learner prosper.

State of the Art Analysis and Professional Needs Identification in Vocational Training Design for Eurasian Prison Chaplains

Prison chaplaincy in the context of whole penitentiary system has been under continuous change with its ups and downs, criticized and appraised by historians, rejected by secular society, yet appreciated by prisoners, and open for judgment of generations to come. The image of the prison chaplain, who is highly educated, not young, skilled in psychological mastery calls far beyond his pastoral functions for a perfect advocate’s portrait, which is, however, still under reconstruction. The article aims to identify what state of the art of Eurasian prison chaplains is to outline the needs of prison chaplains for the framework development of an e-learning platform that would serve as a prototype of vocational training design. An action research was based on Objective-Oriented Project Planning and Logical Framework Approach concepts and studied the participants from six regions in Eurasia with help of such data collection methods as interviews, diary notes and document analysis. The data of action research formed an accurate civilian and professional profile of a prison chaplain and outlined the requirements to maintain the work in line with the trends in the branch. Findings of the research serve as a ground for organizational, educational, professional and personal changes. Eurasian prison chaplains (national directors) express their professional interests in regular training, professional and career growth, improved job practices and better work environment as they can still be an outstanding example and catalyst of well-being in the life of ex-prisoners.

Legal Aspects of Parental Responsibility in the Education of a Child

In the Latvian education system, the legal relationship between parents and the school is important. The child’s parents are obliged to take the child to school. It means that the State implements an education policy in line with both the findings based on educational science and that the child’s right to education is ensured at least at the basic school level. In Latvia, education law as a branch of law is an underdeveloped field. The legal relationship between children’s parents and the educational institution has been little studied from the legal science perspective. Thus, in this study, the author analyzes the role of the institute of parental responsibility in the field of education, using the methods of interpretation of general science and law – historical, grammatical and teleological methods. It is found that the special legal regulation of Latvia determines specific parental responsibilities and rights in providing education for their child. Teachers do not become substitutes for the child’s parents, but have a duty to do so as responsible and caring parent would do to their children. Parental authority does not end when the child enters the school premises, but it is limited to the extent that the educational institution fulfills its responsibilities by ensuring an educational process in accordance with the child’s interests and human rights.

Methodological Materials for Inclusive Education – Research Opportunities

There is a variety of methodological materials available nowadays; however, it might be difficult to evaluate whether the materials are applicable in inclusive education settings as there is a lack of specific criteria for evaluating methodological materials. From this topicality further research idea has arisen. The aim of the further research is to find out what useful and practically applicable methodological materials in inclusive education are. As there have not been developed theories on evaluating the methodological materials yet, the research would be based on the methodology of the grounded theory. The research base is 50 different methodological materials that are available in Latvia, collected within the Erasmus+ Project “MyHub – a one-stop-shop on inclusion practices, tools, resources and methods for the pedagogical staff at formal and non-formal educational institutions”. In the result the product of the research would be the guidelines for inclusive education practitioners to enable the search for and selection of ready-made methodological materials and to encourage the development of new materials.

Inclusion of a Child With a Hearing Impairment in a Mainstream School, Single Case Study

Inclusive education means that all pupils, regardless of their ability, gender and race, can study with their peers in the school closest to their place of residence. When enrolling students with special needs in a school, the quality of the student’s academic and social inclusion is equally important. The study aims to analyze the single case of inclusion of a boy with a hearing impairment in a mainstream school X to answer the research questions: how do teachers deal with a pupil with hearing impairment and his needs in the classroom, what are the peculiarities of a hearing-impaired child’s learning, what support (academic and social) is provided to the boy to promote his inclusion in school and the classroom? In the qualitative study, semi structured interviews were conducted with the boy with a hearing impairment and 5 teachers of school X and the boy’s father, they were analyzed using content analysis. Three main categories emerged from the data: (1) support provided by teachers/school; (2) social participation in the classroom, school, friendships, (3) barriers for inclusion. There were two time periods in the first category suggested: (a) before the boy was identified as a child with special needs and (b) after the statement on special needs were received. There were several sub-categories that emerged from the transcripts: support measures provided to a child with a hearing impairment in the classroom, organizational response of the school to a child with a hearing impairment, the visible and invisible aspects in social participation of a child with hearing impairment in a mainstream school. The study highlighted that the academic and social inclusion experience of a child with a hearing impairment in a mainstream school may differ before and after receiving the statement from the Pedagogical Medical Commission on the child’s special needs. The study discusses whether the statement of a pupil’s special needs may become a new barrier to inclusive education that encourages schools to develop new exclusionary practices.

Adaptation of a Teacher Training Programme for Character Education to the Latvian Context

This paper presents an analysis of the quality of the adaptation of the transnational teacher training programme for character education “Arete catalyst” to the socio-cultural context of Latvia. Based on the theory of cultural adaptation of educational programmes, and on a qualitative analysis of documentary sources, the quality of the adaptation was discussed by comparing the features of the adapted programme with Latvian societal needs and policy makers’ guidelines for character education (research question 1), and with the legal and institutional requirement for teacher training (research question 2). The findings revealed that the adapted Latvian programme responds widely to the needs of Latvian society and of the educational sector regarding character and virtue education, and addresses values and virtue education, as foreseen in the governmental guidelines for upbringing at school. It also complies with the Law of Education and the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers regarding the professional development of teachers, and with the rules for approval and implementation of teacher training programmes at the University of Latvia. The adaptation process described can be useful for academics adapting existing programs to new socio-cultural contexts. This work should be continued by piloting and refining the adapted programme.

Literacy of Biology Teachers on Supportive Measures During the Biology Learning Process for Primary School Students with Learning Disabilities

In recent years there has been a lot of discussion about the students’ rights to equal educational quality. Several international documents and reports as well as Latvia’s Education Development Guidelines 2014–2020 envisage provision of inclusive and equitable quality education, reaching the maximum potential of each student according to his/her abilities, willingness and effort, not circumstances the student (also the teacher and parents) have no influence over. Inclusive education is also one of the six education principles included in the project “Competency Based Curriculum” by the National Centre for Education of the Republic of Latvia. Although in Latvia, as well as in other countries around the world, inclusive education is talked about a lot, the actual level of inclusion measured by the international research project OECD PISA 2015 is low and students with disabilities are still segregated. Teachers often lack professional knowledge and skills for working with students with learning disabilities; teachers of biology and natural sciences do not have enough specific recommendations and sample materials to provide adequate support measures for students with learning disabilities. The aim of this paper is to study the literacy of biology teachers at mainstream education schools on the support measures required by primary school students with learning disabilities during the biology learning process. The author analyzed legislative documents, statistics and scientific literature; developed a questionnaire and surveyed biology teachers working in mainstream education schools and summarized the results of the study. The empirical part of research determined the level of biology teachers’ literacy of supportive measures required by students with learning disabilities. The results suggest that biology teachers are able to choose the support measures required by students with learning disabilities during the biology learning process and they know how to provide these support measures according to their knowledge and experience. However, they are not able to use their knowledge and experience to offer and provide support measures tailored to each individual student.

The Methods nd Materials for Promoting Reading Literacy Skills for 6 to 7 Year Old Children

This article summarizes the methods and materials for promoting literacy skills for 6 to 7 year old children. It is essential to promote reading literacy as the ability to read is one of the basic needs in modern society. It has been proved that the ability to read is correlated with one’s cognitive development, in particular with the ability to distinguish phonemes. These methods and materials are aimed at the improvement of the phonological awareness and they seek to raise a child’s interest to read. A total of 33 children, 12 parents, 5 teachers and 4 speech and language therapists participated in this study. The research included 26 training lessons. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the developed material as a reading literacy promotion tool for 6 to 7 year old children. The following research methods were used: the analysis of the scientific literature and the evaluation of the children’s reading performance. During the research the following observation was made: the most significant improvement in the reading performance was demonstrated by the first grade children as compared to kindergarten children with a linear improvement results. When interpreting the results, the following aspects should be taken into consideration: a child’s overall cognitive development, the school’s curriculum and the child’s environment.