Investigations of excitation energy transfer and intramolecular interactions in a nitrogen corded distrylbenzene dendrimer system.

The photophysics of an amino-styrylbenzene dendrimer (A-DSB) system is probed by time-resolved and steady state luminescence spectroscopy. For two different generations of this dendrimer, steady state absorption, emission, and photoluminescence excitation spectra are reported and show that the efficiency of energy transfer from the dendrons to the core is very close to 100%. Ultrafast time-resolved fluorescence measurements at a range of excitation and detection wavelengths suggest rapid (and hence efficient) energy transfer from the dendron to the core. Ultrafast fluorescence anisotropy decay for different dendrimer generations is described in order to probe the energy migration processes. A femtosecond time-scale fluorescence depolarization was observed with the zero and second generation dendrimers. Energy transfer process from the dendrons to the core can be described by a Förster mechanism (hopping dynamics) while the interbranch interaction in A-DSB core was found to be very strong indicating the crossover to exciton dynamics

The identification of speech and language problems in elementary school: Diagnosis and co-occurring needs

BACKGROUND: Oral language skills are the foundation for success at school and in employment. A significant minority of children experience difficulties in the acquisition of oral language resulting in speech and language needs (SLN). There are disjunctures between clinical studies using standardised assessment and educational studies. The current study examines teacher reported SLN alongside assessments of language and cognitive skills to explore children's profiles of needs, developmental trajectories and risk factors. PROCEDURE: Data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study were used to examine teacher identification of SLN at seven (n = 8658) and 11 years (n = 7275). RESULTS: There were high levels of co-occurrence between SLN and other special educational needs at seven and 11 years, with SLN being less common at 11. Vocabulary levels and parental concerns at three and five and educational attainment at seven were highly predictive of SLN at seven, slightly less so at 11. However, a significant proportion of parents of children who scored in the bottom 2nd centile on vocabulary measures did not report their child as experiencing a language problem. Gender and disadvantage were also predictive of SLN but were mediated by the cognitive and behavioural variables. IMPLICATIONS: These results raise questions about whether children's language needs at age 11 are recognised in schools. The extent of co-occurrence challenges the way diagnostic categories should be used and supports the value of profiling of dimensions of need

Warnock 40 Years on: The Development of Special Educational Needs Since the Warnock Report and Implications for the Future

The report of the Warnock Committee “Special Educational Needs,” published in 1978, provided the first comprehensive review of special educational needs (SEN) in England and the basis for subsequent legislation, from the Education Act 1981 to the recent Children and Families Act 2014. The Warnock Report has been highly influential with respect to the development of both national and local policy and practice for SEN, primarily in England but also in the UK generally and internationally. We conceived the “Warnock 40 Years On” research topic published in this journal as an opportunity to examine developments for children and young people with SEN or a disability (SEND) since the Report's publication. As editors of this research topic, in this paper we provide an overview of major elements within SEND, drawing on both the individual constituent papers and the broader policy and research literature. We examine the origins and precursors of the Warnock Review, including then current progressive conceptual development and practice, leading to an examination of the Review. We explore the legislative structure arising from the Report and implementation of the SEND system—from the Education Act 1981 onwards. We critically examine a number of key aspects of the Warnock Report and how these developments of the SEND system have taken these forward, including: categorization of SEN; provision made to meet the special needs of children and young people with SEN or a disability, including inclusion; early identification and intervention; the important rights and role of parents; prevalence of different types of SEN and the complex interaction between SEN and a range of factors, including social disadvantage and ethnicity; and a range of SEND research. Finally we consider the implications for future development of the SEND system, in particular whether its limitations can be addressed better by “patching up” the system or by “system change.” Although focused on England, this paper has relevance—as did the Warnock Report—to SEND internationally

Oral language at school entry: dimensionality of speaking and listening skills

There has been a resurgence in concern about the levels of pupils’ oral language skills at school entry. To support and develop these skills effectively an understanding of the key components of oral language is required. We examined the oral language skills of monolingual children in Reception (MAge = 57.9 months; n = 126) and Year 1 (MAge = 69.07; n = 124) classes in England. Children were recruited from schools that were representative of London primary schools and were assessed on measures designed to tap phonology, core language skills (vocabulary and grammar) and discourse skills, both in the receptive and expressive modalities. Using confirmatory factor analyses, we examined the associations between oral language skills by component and modality for each age group. Oral language was best represented by four dimensions in Reception (receptive core language skills, receptive discourse, expressive core language skills, and expressive discourse). By contrast in Year 1, three dimensions were identified, irrespective of modality: phonology, core language skills and discourse. Our data speak to the importance of capturing these dimensions in assessments and teaching and monitoring their development at school entry. The results also highlighted the foundational role of discourse skills at the start of school

Children with speech and language communication needs in England: Challenges for practice

Teachers and speech and language therapists (SLTs) share concern about children’s speech, language, and communication needs (SLCNs) but they have different foci because of their professional roles. Contemporary research has identified the challenges to schools when meeting the needs of children with SLCN, highlighted terminological controversies, and has increased opportunities for professional development. The views of 170 Educationalists and SLT professionals in England about SLCN, and the children’s associated needs were compared for similarities and differences in an online survey that employed both categorical responses and Likert scales. Comparisons were made between teacher and SLT groups and between SLTs working in schools and clinics. There were few significant differences between the views of SLTs in clinics and education. In contrast, there were often large and significant differences between teachers and SLTs. Education professionals were less familiar with terminology related to speech difficulties, did not discriminate between behaviors that might differentiate speech from language difficulties and varied in the ratings given about other associated difficulties. Additionally, education professionals showed awareness of academic and behavior difficulties associated with language difficulties and highlighted associated problems with reading and writing. SLTs felt confident in their understanding of the relevant terminology but there was less clarity in the features that discriminated speech from language difficulties. Both the Educationalists and SLTs valued additional training needs with over 50% of the Education staff reporting that they had no training in SLCN. The lack of clarity about the language markers of SLCN by teachers and the requests for tools to help in the identification of speech and language problems in school-age children are important areas to address. Both SLTs and Education staff emphasized the co-occurrence of difficulties with reading comprehension and written text production, highlighting the importance of profiling children’s language learning needs rather than a reliance on diagnostic categories

Teachers observing classroom communication: An application of the Communicating Supporting Classroom Observation Tool for children aged 4-7 years

The nature of ‘Teacher talk’ is likely to have a considerable bearing on the child’s learning but measuring the communication environment in the classroom can present challenges. One tool which does this is the Communication Supporting Classroom Observation Tool (CSCOT). Initial use suggested that it was valid and reliably used by specialists (psychologists and speech and language therapists) and special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs). A key question is whether it can be used routinely by classroom teachers and whether results coincide with those in earlier studies. CSCOT observations were carried out by teachers in 33 schools (32 Reception classrooms, 25 in Year 1 and 25 in Year 2) in two local authorities in the North East of England and teachers were asked afterwards to reflect on their experiences using the tool. Scores were in line with those in earlier studies and were consistently higher on all dimensions for reception compared to Year 2, but there was no difference between other year groups. Results were mostly consistent with the original studies. Language learning environment was higher relative to both language learning opportunities and interactions across all years (which again did not differ). There was a moderate interaction between language learning environment where scores were significantly higher in the Reception group and lower in the Year 2 group. Teachers supported the use of the CSCOT in their feedback, suggesting that CSCOT was easy to use and useful in informing practice. The CSCOT clearly has utility as a starting point in auditing classroom communication. It allows teachers to compare between classrooms and year groups and potentially fosters collaboration between teachers and specialist practitioners who focus on communication such as speech and language therapists. Further work could link the observation tool into an intervention program co-constructed with teachers

Written verb use and diversity in children with Developmental Language Disorder: Stepping stones to academic writing

Verb use and the production of verb argument structure in the written texts of children in elementary school is a key stepping stone towards academic writing success that has remained relatively unexplored and is a notable gap in our understanding of writing development. To evaluate the role of verbs in the written narrative texts of children, we compared verb use in 10 year old children that had specific weaknesses in oral language, those with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), and samples of children of the same age (CA) and the same raw scores on an oral language task (language ability or LAb). Standardised measures of oral language, reading fluency, and spelling were completed. Participants then completed a standardised writing task and the texts were examined for verb argument structure, verb production and verb diversity. No between-group differences were found in the written narrative texts in relation to the production of verb argument structures. By contrast, the number of verbs produced, and the number of different verbs used differed significantly. The total number of verbs and number of different verbs produced by the children with DLD was commensurate with their LAb peers but not their CA matched peers. All children relied on a small group of high frequency verbs in their writing, although there was evidence of greater verb diversity in the older typically developing children. Verbs produced and their diversity in narrative writing was predicted by both an oral language formulated sentences task and reading fluency, thus demonstrating the close links between expressive oral language, reading, and writing production in all children

Statistical Analysis Plan: Grammar and Writing Research Project

Englicious is an approach to grammar teaching underpinned by linguistics research that is supported by an extensive set of website resources (www.englicious.org). Englicious combines formal grammar teaching, that is specified in England’s national curriculum, with emphasis on how this grammar links with some of the processes of writing. The approach aims to make learning about grammar fun and appealing, and stimulates pupils to learn about grammar in a hands-on way. For teachers the website provides a wide variety of innovative teaching materials, including lesson plans, interactive exercises, projects, videos, a glossary, etc., as well as background materials to improve their understanding of grammar. It helps teachers deliver England’s national curriculum requirements for English grammar, and to prepare their pupils for the Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling tests which are optional at KS1 and statutory at KS2. What makes Englicious unique is that it is informed by modern linguistics (Aarts 2011, Aarts, Mehl and Wallis, 2016; Aarts and Smith-Dennis, 2018), and makes full use of digital technologies such as tablets, apps and interactive whiteboards. Currently over 6,500 teachers have signed up to use Englicious. The resources on Englicious are tailored for particular year groups and address specific grammatical topics. For example, in order to teach pupils that adverbs (part of the KS1 National Curriculum specification for Year 2) can be moved around in sentences Englicious offers a lesson plan with an associated interactive activity that teaches the idea of adverb mobility in a playful way