The acquisition of literacy in Gaelic-medium primary classrooms in Scotland

This thesis analyses the factors affecting the acquisition of literacy in Gaelic-medium primary classrooms, including teaching techniques, availability of resources, and support for language development. In order to investigate this issue thoroughly, the background for the study includes an overview of the sociolinguistic situation of Scottish Gaelic, comparison to other minority language revitalisation efforts, discussion of the theories and practice of bilingualism and bilingual education, and an in-depth look at literacy acquisition, from perceptions of literacy and its value to the mechanics of reading in both a first and a second language. The core of the thesis presents extended observational data from seven case-study classrooms. The targeted population is Primary 1 to 3 pupils as this is the intensive period of reading instruction; the research focus is on literacy in Gaelic as the amount of English at this stage is negligible. Interviews and questionnaires involving education authorities, teachers, and parents supplement this data and emphasise the qualitative, ethnographic approach. The specific results are placed in the broader context of the Scottish education system and the Gaelic revitalisation movement. The analysis assesses the effectiveness of literacy acquisition in Gaelic-medium education and addresses some of the challenges related to further development. This thesis concludes that while significant progress has been made in the teaching of literacy in Gaelic-medium education, there are several points that are cause for concern, including the nature of teacher training, the provision of sufficient and appropriate resources, and the amount of extra-curricular reading taking place. Examples of "best practice" from the case-study classrooms are provided as possible solutions to these problems

Changes in and the mediating role of physical activity in relation to active school transport, fitness and adiposity among Spanish youth: the UP&DOWN longitudinal study

Background Longitudinal changes in child and adolescent active school transport (AST), and the mediating role of different intensities of daily physical activity (PA) levels in relation to AST and physical fitness and adiposity indicators is unclear. This study aimed to: 1) describe longitudinal changes in AST, light PA (LPA), moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA), physical fitness and adiposity indicators over three time-points; and 2) investigate the mediating role of LPA and MVPA levels on associations between AST and physical fitness and adiposity indicators over three time-points among children and adolescents. Methods This longitudinal study comprised 1646 Spanish children and adolescents (48.8% girls, mean age 12.5 years +/- 2.5) at baseline, recruited from schools in Cadiz and Madrid. Mode of commuting to school was self-reported at baseline (T0, 2011-12), 1-year (T1) and 2-year follow-up (T2). PA was assessed using accelerometers. Handgrip strength, standing long jump and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) assessed physical fitness. Height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness were measured. Multilevel linear regression analyses assessed changes in AST, PA levels, physical fitness and adiposity indicators over three time-points (T0-T1-T2). Additionally, longitudinal path analysis (n = 453; mean age [years] 12.6 +/- 2.4) was used to test the mediating effects of LPA and MVPA levels on the association between AST and physical fitness and adiposity indicators. Results Multilevel analyses observed decreases in LPA between T0-T1 (beta = - 11.27; p < 0.001) and T0-T2 (beta = - 16.27; p < 0.001) and decreases in MVPA between T0-T2 (beta = - 4.51; p = 0.011). Moreover, changes over time showed increases in handgrip between T0-T1 (beta = 0.78; p = 0.028) and T0-T2 (beta = 0.81; p = 0.046). Path analyses showed that AST was directly positively associated with MVPA at T1 (all, beta approximate to 0.33; p < 0.001). MVPA at T1 mediated associations between AST and CRF at T2 (beta = 0.20; p = 0.040), but not the other outcomes. LPA did not mediate any associations. Conclusions Results from longitudinal path analysis suggest that participation in more AST may help attenuate declines in MVPA that typically occur with age and improve CRF. Therefore, we encourage health authorities to promote AST, as a way to increase MVPA levels and CRF among youth

Malaysian women and their role as the sandwiched generation

Women have been playing the role of caregiver in their families for generations. However, the traditional role of women as caregivers of the family, specifically as a mother and wife, is now being expanded to include caregiving for their elderly parents. The longer life expectancy of the older generation and delayed marriage are putting women in a situation where they are sandwiched between their role as wife and mother of growing-up children and their role as daughter on whom their parents depend in their old age. Based on a study of 150 women respondents working in the banking sector, this paper will focus on the roles of the sandwiched generation. Data were collected via purposive sampling by identifying women staff in selected banks; these women fulfilled the criteria of being married and having living parents. The paper will discuss issues encountered by these women, all whom reside in urban areas in Kuala Lumpur, who are sandwiched between their roles as mother, wife, employee and caregiver to the elderly. What are the problems they face in performing their many and often conflicting roles and what are their coping mechanisms when the roles come into conflict with one another? The main research question in this study is whether the women find the additional role of caregiver to the elderly an added burden causing added conflict beyond that caused by their already conflicting roles as mother, wife and employee. This study also seeks to identify the support systems in place or required to alleviate the problems encountered by these women

The Update, September 7, 2009

The Update is a bi-weekly web newsletter published by the Iowa Department of Public Health's Bureau of Family Health. It is posted the second and fourth week of every month, and provides useful job resource information for departmental health care professionals, information on training opportunities, intradepartmental reports and meetings, and additional information pertinent to health care professionals

Blurring the boundaries between synthesis and evaluation. A customized realist evaluative synthesis into adolescent risk behavior prevention

Realist methodologies have been increasingly advocated for the investigation of complex social issues. Public health programs, such as those designed to prevent adolescent risk behavior, are typically considered complex. In conducting a realist review of the empirical literature relating to such programs, we encountered several challenges, including (a) an overabundance of empirical evidence, (b) a problematic level of heterogeneity within and between methodological approaches, (c) discrepancies between theoretical underpinnings and program operationalization, (d) homogeneity of program outcomes, with very little variation in program effectiveness, and (d) a paucity of description relating to content and process. To overcome these challenges, we developed a customized approach to realist evidence synthesis, drawing on the VICTORE (Volition, Implementation, Contexts, Time, Outcomes, Rivalry, and Emergence) complexity checklist and incorporating stakeholder engagement as primary data to achieve greater depth of understanding relating to contextual and mechanistic factors, and the complex interactions between them. Here we discuss the benefits of this adapted methodology alongside an overview of the research through which the methodology was developed. A key finding from this research was that combining the complexity checklist with primary data from stakeholder engagement enabled us to systematically interrogate the data across data sources, uncovering and evidencing mechanisms which may otherwise have remained hidden, giving greater ontological depth to our research findings. This paper builds on key methodological developments in realist research, demonstrating how realist methodologies can be customized to overcome challenges in developing and refining program theory from the literature, and contributes to the broader literature of innovative approaches to realist research