56,819 research outputs found

    Principles of effective literacy practice for EAL students in New Zealand classrooms.

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    The New Zealand Ministry of Education has recently identified the need for teachers to be prepared to meet the needs of English as an additional language (EAL)² students in New Zealand schools more effectively. This paper offers a number of principles to guide policy, practice and teacher development. The paper draws on Alton-Lee's (2003) best evidence synthesis of quality teaching for diverse students, and Franken and McComish's (2003a, 2003b) observations and analysis of provisions for EAL students in New Zealand schools. The principles, grounded in second language and literacy acquisition research, point to the need to provide particular enabling conditions for the literacy development of EAL students if they are to achieve as well as their English-speaking peers

    Characteristics of quality teaching for students in New Zealand schools whose first language is not English

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    The current paper draws on the findings of two recent research reports commissioned by the New Zealand Ministry of Education (Alton-Lee, 2003; Franken & McComish, 2003) in order to generate a synthesised statement of characteristics of quality teaching for students for whom English is not the first language (referred to from here as NESB students1) in New Zealand schools. Alton-Lee (2003, see Ministry of Education website, www.minedu.govt.nz) provides a synthesis of research-based evidence addressing the nature of quality teaching in schooling for the full range of diverse students. In this work, diversity encompasses “many characteristics including ethnicity, socio-economic background, home language, gender, special needs, disability, and giftedness” (Alton-Lee, 2003, p. v). Because her synthesis addresses diversity in the student population, she focusses on what is common to diverse students and thus does not specify particular conditions that pertain to any one sub-group of diverse students. Franken and McComish (2003) on the other hand, is a research report into the English language support for NESB (Non English Speaking Background) students in New Zealand schools. It includes a literature review of evidence-based research into second language teaching and learning, particularly classroom based research. It also reports on observations and analysis of practices in New Zealand schools, and discusses how these documented practices relate to the research findings from the literature

    A Physiologically Based System Theory of Consciousness

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    A system which uses large numbers of devices to perform a complex functionality is forced to adopt a simple functional architecture by the needs to construct copies of, repair, and modify the system. A simple functional architecture means that functionality is partitioned into relatively equal sized components on many levels of detail down to device level, a mapping exists between the different levels, and exchange of information between components is minimized. In the instruction architecture functionality is partitioned on every level into instructions, which exchange unambiguous system information and therefore output system commands. The von Neumann architecture is a special case of the instruction architecture in which instructions are coded as unambiguous system information. In the recommendation (or pattern extraction) architecture functionality is partitioned on every level into repetition elements, which can freely exchange ambiguous information and therefore output only system action recommendations which must compete for control of system behavior. Partitioning is optimized to the best tradeoff between even partitioning and minimum cost of distributing data. Natural pressures deriving from the need to construct copies under DNA control, recover from errors, failures and damage, and add new functionality derived from random mutations has resulted in biological brains being constrained to adopt the recommendation architecture. The resultant hierarchy of functional separations can be the basis for understanding psychological phenomena in terms of physiology. A theory of consciousness is described based on the recommendation architecture model for biological brains. Consciousness is defined at a high level in terms of sensory independent image sequences including self images with the role of extending the search of records of individual experience for behavioral guidance in complex social situations. Functional components of this definition of consciousness are developed, and it is demonstrated that these components can be translated through subcomponents to descriptions in terms of known and postulated physiological mechanisms

    Effect of multiple reusing of simulated air showers in detector simulations

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    The study of high energy cosmic rays requires detailed Monte Carlo simulations of both, extensive air showers and the detectors involved in their detection. In particular, the energy calibration of several experiments is obtained from simulations. Also, in composition studies simulations play a fundamental role because the primary mass is determined by comparing experimental with simulated data. At the highest energies the detailed simulation of air showers is very costly in processing time and disk space due to the large number of secondary particles generated in interactions with the atmosphere. Therefore, in order to increase the statistics, it is quite common to recycle single showers many times to simulate the detector response. As a result, the events of the Monte Carlo samples generated in this way are not fully independent. In this work we study the artificial effects introduced by the multiple use of single air showers for the detector simulations. In particular, we study in detail the effects introduced by the repetitions in the kernel density estimators which are frequently used in composition studies.Comment: 15 pages and 4 figure

    Verbal Learning and Memory After Cochlear Implantation in Postlingually Deaf Adults: Some New Findings with the CVLT-II

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    OBJECTIVES: Despite the importance of verbal learning and memory in speech and language processing, this domain of cognitive functioning has been virtually ignored in clinical studies of hearing loss and cochlear implants in both adults and children. In this article, we report the results of two studies that used a newly developed visually based version of the California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II), a well-known normed neuropsychological measure of verbal learning and memory. DESIGN: The first study established the validity and feasibility of a computer-controlled visual version of the CVLT-II, which eliminates the effects of audibility of spoken stimuli, in groups of young normal-hearing and older normal-hearing (ONH) adults. A second study was then carried out using the visual CVLT-II format with a group of older postlingually deaf experienced cochlear implant (ECI) users (N = 25) and a group of ONH controls (N = 25) who were matched to ECI users for age, socioeconomic status, and nonverbal IQ. In addition to the visual CVLT-II, subjects provided data on demographics, hearing history, nonverbal IQ, reading fluency, vocabulary, and short-term memory span for visually presented digits. ECI participants were also tested for speech recognition in quiet. RESULTS: The ECI and ONH groups did not differ on most measures of verbal learning and memory obtained with the visual CVLT-II, but deficits were identified in ECI participants that were related to recency recall, the buildup of proactive interference, and retrieval-induced forgetting. Within the ECI group, nonverbal fluid IQ, reading fluency, and resistance to the buildup of proactive interference from the CVLT-II consistently predicted better speech recognition outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study suggest that several underlying foundational neurocognitive abilities are related to core speech perception outcomes after implantation in older adults. Implications of these findings for explaining individual differences and variability and predicting speech recognition outcomes after implantation are discussed

    A Functional Architecture Approach to Neural Systems

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    The technology for the design of systems to perform extremely complex combinations of real-time functionality has developed over a long period. This technology is based on the use of a hardware architecture with a physical separation into memory and processing, and a software architecture which divides functionality into a disciplined hierarchy of software components which exchange unambiguous information. This technology experiences difficulty in design of systems to perform parallel processing, and extreme difficulty in design of systems which can heuristically change their own functionality. These limitations derive from the approach to information exchange between functional components. A design approach in which functional components can exchange ambiguous information leads to systems with the recommendation architecture which are less subject to these limitations. Biological brains have been constrained by natural pressures to adopt functional architectures with this different information exchange approach. Neural networks have not made a complete shift to use of ambiguous information, and do not address adequate management of context for ambiguous information exchange between modules. As a result such networks cannot be scaled to complex functionality. Simulations of systems with the recommendation architecture demonstrate the capability to heuristically organize to perform complex functionality

    Do ACE inhibitors improve the response to exercise training in functionally impaired older adults? A randomized controlled trial

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    <br>Background: Loss of muscle mass and strength with ageing is a major cause for falls, disability, and morbidity in older people. Previous studies have found that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) may improve physical function in older people. It is unclear whether ACEi provide additional benefit when added to a standard exercise training program. We examined the effects of ACEi therapy on physical function in older people undergoing exercise training.</br> <b>Methods:</b> Community-dwelling people aged ≥65 years with functional impairment were recruited through general (family) practices. All participants received progressive exercise training. Participants were randomized to receive either 4 mg perindopril or matching placebo daily for 20 weeks. The primary outcome was between-group change in 6-minute walk distance from baseline to 20 weeks. Secondary outcomes included changes in Short Physical Performance Battery, handgrip and quadriceps strength, self-reported quality of life using the EQ-5D, and functional impairment measured using the Functional Limitations Profile.<p></p> <b>Results:</b> A total of 170 participants (n = 86 perindopril, n = 84 placebo) were randomized. Mean age was 75.7 (standard deviation [SD] 6.8) years. Baseline 6-minute walk distance was 306 m (SD 99). Both groups increased their walk distance (by 29.6 m perindopril, 36.4 m placebo group) at 20 weeks, but there was no statistically significant treatment effect between groups (−8.6m [95% confidence interval: −30.1, 12.9], p = .43). No statistically significant treatment effects were observed between groups for the secondary outcomes. Adverse events leading to withdrawal were few (n = 0 perindopril, n = 4 placebo).<p></p> <b>Interpretation:</b> ACE inhibitors did not enhance the effect of exercise training on physical function in functionally impaired older people.<p></p&gt
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