Mathematics Performance Profiles and Relation to Math Avoidance in Adolescence: The Role of Literacy Skills, General Cognitive Ability and Math Anxiety

The main aim of the study was to differentiate adolescent profiles by math performance at the beginning and end of the final two years of lower secondary school, and relevant baseline attributes (literacy skills, general cognitive ability, math anxiety), and to investigate how these profiles differed by gender and math avoidance. A total of 193 Finnish lower secondary students participated in this study. Four profiles were identified: (1) High academic, average anxiety; (2) low academic, average anxiety; (3) average academic, high anxiety; and (4) average academic, average anxiety. They differed in baseline attributes, math performance over two school years, math avoidance, and in gender ratio. High levels of math anxiety was related to unfavourable math trajectory and future math avoidance. This high anxiety was typical of a certain group of average performers but not of the lowest performers. The educational implications of the findings are discussed. </p

Mathematics-related emotions among Finnish adolescents across different performance levels

This study examined the relation of mathematics performance and gender with seven mathematics-related emotions (enjoyment, pride, anger, anxiety, shame, hopelessness and boredom) among adolescents. Using strict and lenient mathematics performance cut-off scores, respective groups of adolescents with mathematics difficulties (MD, n=136), low (LA, n=166) and typical mathematics performance (TA, n=1056) were identified. Our results revealed that the MD group reported more shame than the LA group. The MD group also reported more negative emotions and less positive emotions than the TA group, with the exception of boredom, for which there was no statistically significant difference. The interaction effect between mathematics performance group and gender on emotions was significant. Only females with MD showed significantly higher levels of hopelessness and shame than females with LA, while males with LA even reported more boredom than males with MD. Concerning gender differences, males reported slightly more pride and enjoyment than females. However, the direction and magnitude of the gender differences showed great variance among mathematics performance groups. The practical implications of the results are discussed.Peer reviewe

Participation, involvement and peer relationships in children with special educational needs in early childhood education

The aim of this study was to obtain new information about the diversity of everyday activities and social relations among children with special education needs (N = 145) in Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) units. In this research children ' s daily activities, involvement, target of attention and social relations during play and other social activities in different groups formed according to children's special educational needs are investigated. Results revealed that children with problems in self-regulation and children with major disabilities spent less time with peers and in various social activities than children with developmental language disorder and children without special education needs. The results suggest that inclusive practices are still only under development within the Finnish ECEC units. Practical implications of the results concerning ways to support children's equal participation in daily activities in early childhood education and in building peer relationships, regardless of the amount of needed support are discussed.Peer reviewe

Achievement emotions among adolescents receiving special education support in mathematics

This study investigated mathematics-related achievement emotions among Finnish adolescents (N = 1379) receiving special education support (SEdS) in self-contained and general mathematics classrooms and receiving no mathematics SEdS through multilevel modeling. Mathematics performance, gender, and classroom size were controlled for. Adolescents receiving SEdS in general classrooms reported less enjoyment and pride and more anger, anxiety, shame, hopelessness, and boredom than those receiving SEdS in self-contained classrooms and those receiving no SEdS. In contrast, adolescents receiving SEdS in self-contained classrooms reported more enjoyment and pride and less anger, anxiety, and hopelessness than those receiving no SEdS. Furthermore, adolescents receiving no SEdS reported more anxiety, hopelessness, and boredom in general classrooms when the proportion of classmates receiving SEdS was higher. We discuss the practical implications for developing SEdS in relation to achievement emotions.Peer reviewe

Special education teachers’ views on their agency in teacher collaboration

Special education teachers’ (SETs) views on their agency in teacher collaboration were analysed using Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT). Finnish SETs (N = 238) answered open-ended survey questions concerning successful and unsuccessful collaboration with the classroom teachers in a tiered support framework. The findings revealed that the perceived agency of the special education teachers is both limited by and directed towards the classroom teachers’ understanding of the shared responsibility concerning support provision for students. Finally, the findings highlight the relevance of the cultural-historical activity theory by suggesting that the features of successful collaboration, in tandem with relevant constructs of the theory, constitute a mutual understanding of the goal of collaboration (shared object), structures (community) and guidance (norms) towards relevant use of instruments and fair division of responsibilities (division of labour). Implications for inclusive special education suggest that reciprocal reflection on the teaching practices requires shared everyday work between the SETs and the classroom teachers.</p

The Work of Special Education Teachers in the Tiered Support System: The Finnish Case

This study investigated primary school special education teachers’ (SETs’) (N = 283) conceptions on their work descriptions and uses of pedagogical documents after a reform in the national support framework. The respondents of this survey reported working mostly in Tiers 1 and 2 when all their tasks (instruction, consultation, and managerial tasks) were considered. The responsibilities of the SETs were, however, more clearly defined in Tier 3. The SETs allocate their work autonomously, but their work description is related to their workload. Clarifications in work descriptions and further elaboration of school’s tiered support functions, emphasizing collaborative practices, are suggested.</p

Dynamics between student vs. teacher perceptions of mathematics task-orientation and mathematics performance among adolescents

This study examined the dynamics between perceptions of mathematics task-orientation and mathematics performance among Finnish adolescents over a period of two last years of secondary school. Task-orientation in math was assessed at the beginning of grade 8 and again at the end of grade 9 using both student and teacher reports. At the same time points, students' mathematics performance was evaluated via standardized test. The cross-lagged associations of task-orientation and mathematics performance were examined taking account the possible impacts of general cognitive ability, technical reading skills, reading comprehension and gender. The results showed that a high level of mathematics performance in the beginning of 8th grade positively influenced student-rated task orientation at the end of secondary school. In turn, the anticipated reciprocal relationship between task orientation and mathematics manifested particularly in the model with teacher-rated task orientation. Implications for practice are discussed.</p

Working memory resources in children: stability and relation to subsequent academic skills

This study aimed to investigate the extent to which WM measured in kindergarten predictsWM measured in second grade (stability of individual WM progress), and the extent to whichWM measured at kindergarten predicts academic performance at second grade (N = 94). Theresults showed that WM skills significantly increase during the time span from Finnishkindergarten to second grade. Verbal (VWM) and visuospatial WM (VSWM) resources seemto develop quite independently, whereas individual progress showed some stability. WMresources measured just before the start of formal school predicted later academicperformance, and VWM acted as more powerful predictor than VSWM resources. The resultshave two important educational implications: first, individual or group-based interventiondesigned to enhance children’s WM skills would be most important even before the start ofschool, and second, poor WM skills should be addressed when planning the learningenvironment beginning in kindergarten.</p

Exploring pre-service special needs teachers’ assessment conceptions and assessment self-efficacy

This survey study (N = 148) investigates the interrelationships between assessment conceptions, assessment self-efficacy, prior education, and teaching experience amongst Finnish pre-service special educational needs teachers (pre-service SENs). The results showed that assessment conceptions and assessment self-efficacy are intertwined. Assessment conceptions, prior studies, and teaching experience were clustered into three different pre-service SEN types: Assessment Positives, Assessment Cautious, and Assessment Criticals. Pre-service SENs with assessment-positive or assessment-cautious conceptions reported higher assessment self-efficacy than students with assessment-critical conceptions. Practical implications are discussed.</p

Assessment conception patterns of Finnish pre-service special needs teachers: the contribution of prior studies and teaching experience

The main aim of this study was to investigate how Finnish pre-service special needs teachers’ (N = 134) assessment conceptions, prior academic studies in special education and teaching experience together cluster into different patterns representing different student types. Their assessment conceptions formed three main factors: 1) assessment measures learning, 2) assessment supports teaching and learning, and 3) assessment as a harmful action. All three factors were emphasised differently in each pattern. Assessment conceptions, prior studies, and teaching experience were clustered together in three different patterns: Assessment Criticals, Assessment Positives, and Assessment Cautious. The Assessment Criticals emphasised assessment as a harmful action, and they had fewer prior studies and less teaching experience. The Assessment Positives emphasised assessment for teaching and learning, and they had more prior studies and less teaching experience. Finally, the Assessment Cautious emphasised assessment of learning, and assessment as a harmful action, and they had more studies and more teaching experience. This study shows that relative to national guidelines, students have very different starting points for professional growth during studies. Additionally, this study will discuss the implications for special needs teacher education.</p