Assessment and remediation of reading difficulties : an evaluation of the SPELD approach : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University

This thesis examines assessment and remediation of reading difficulties. A review of recent research on the skilled reading process, reading acquisition, and sources of difficulty provided the basis for listing criteria for assessing reading progress. Using this basis, the approach to assessment taken by the Specific Learning Disabilities Association of New Zealand (SPELD) was then evaluated. Five cases from the Manawatu region were then followed, to illustrate how the approach functions in designing individual remedial programmes. After a discussion of the assessment battery and the cases in terms of reading research, suggestions were made to improve the battery, so that SPELD and schools might work together for the maximum benefit of the students concerned

Exploring informal caregivers' health needs from a capability perspective : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand

Despite more than forty years of informal caregiving research, the health needs of informal caregivers continue to generate considerable scrutiny. Most commonly, caregiving is portrayed as burdensome and a health risk, although positive and ambivalent experiences have been reported. This study uses the Capability Approach (CA; e.g. Nussbaum, 2000; Sen, 1980) as a theoretical framework to add another perspective to the existing literature regarding informal care provision for older people. Participatory principles informed the research, insofar as the participants were accorded flexibility, control, and helped to co-analyse some of the data. Undertaken in New Zealand, the research comprised two studies. In Study One, 60 caregivers anonymously participated in an online research forum, in an evolving joint discussion of their health needs. Template analysis (King, 2012) of the forum postings, based on Nussbaum’s (2007) capabilities list, highlighted the relational nature of caregiving and the importance of emotions to the caregiving role. Emotional attachment influenced the caregivers’ freedom to choose how they lived their lives, and emotions in general were implicated in the complexities and tensions associated with the caregiving process. An important finding was the self-abnegation of the caregivers who neglected self-care in order to provide care for another. These results led to a second, prospective study that explored in more depth the role of emotions in the everyday lives of caregivers. Six informal caregivers participated in Study Two which involved up to six successive interviews with each participant. Four of the participants kept a solicited diary, which informed the subsequent interviews. Narratives from the second study provided more nuanced data that affirmed the first study’s findings, and contributed to the overall finding that an ethic of care underpins the provision of informal care for older people. The participants valued having the capability to care, evidenced by their emotional attachment, attentiveness and commitment to providing competent care. The participants approach to self-care and their own wellbeing was inseparable from the wellbeing of the person being cared-for. These findings have important implications for social policy aimed at improving the experience of providing informal care for older people

Peer-assessment of group work in a large class: development of a staff and student friendly system

No abstract available

Studies on the biology of Nosema necatrix (Protozoa: Microsporida

Imperial Users onl

New Jersey's Nursing Faculty Shortage

Examines the state of the nursing faculty workforce in New Jersey, factors behind the shortage, issues that affect recruitment and retention, and promising practices. Recommends strategies to fill the gap, including re-examining the nursing curriculum

Science for gifted children in grade four.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

The Professional Learning Motivation Profile (PLMP): A Tool for Assessing Instructional Motivation

This article chronicles the collaboration of administrators from six districts and three college professors as they assessed professional learning during the first year of teaching. The examination led to the development of a Professional Learning Motivation Profile. Results from the profile indicated a traditional model of professional development was not effective in growing the professional learning motivation of beginning teachers. Anecdotal data shared includes how administrators used the data to inform conversations designed to support teachers in their journey toward courageous, effective instruction

Continuing Bonds with Children and Bereaved Young People: A Narrative Review

Background:- Finding alternative ways to reconnect with the deceased is a common feature of bereavement. However, it is currently unclear how bereaved children/young people establish and develop a ‘continuing bond’ with deceased family members. Aim:- To investigate how bereaved young people continue bonds with deceased family members. Design:- A systematically conducted narrative review was conducted using six electronic databases; CINAHL, Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, PubMed and BNI. Limiters were applied to peer-reviewed articles published in English. Studies were assessed for methodological quality using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tools. Results:- Nineteen articles were included in the review. Three overarching themes were generated; unintended connections, intended connections, and internalised connections. Conclusion:- Bereaved young people establish a sense of connection with deceased family members through various means (e.g. unprovoked/spontaneous reminders, physical mementos, internalised memories). Some connections are unintended and occur spontaneously. However, other young people will specifically seek ways to remember the deceased to provide a sense of enduring connection

Developing a Measure of Living Standards for Elders in New Zealand

Author manuscriptNo abstrac

Analysis of the Boston University test of hearing sounds in words,

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit