High quality interaction in the classroom. A focus for professional learning.

Oral language education is important throughout primary school for the development of language and learning. Yet in today's educational practice this core principle is neglected and classroom interactions lack quality. Teachers know that supporting students to participate actively in learning is important but they do not master the interaction skills to apply this knowledge in practice. However, as small scale studies demonstrate, teachers can acquire the necessary skills to improve the quality of classroom interaction and can learn to adopt a new teacher role. To promote this on a national scale we developed a checklist for teachers that focuses on acquisition oriented interaction strategies. Theseteacher strategies are linked to complementary child participation. In order to yield actual changes in classroom conversations professional learning must be well structured. Major course elements on the checklist are: the use of video footage of teachers’ own classroom conversations, and team meetings combined with individually oriented teacher guidance in the classroom. Evaluations of this course yielded positive reactions. In order to guarantee implementation we developed courses for teacher facilitators as well. Presently efforts are being directed at science education in primary schools, and integration of the language and learning course in the teacher training college curriculum

Pregnancy outcomes in women with Budd-Chiari syndrome or portal vein thrombosis A multicentre retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate current practice and outcomes of pregnancy in women previously diagnosed with Budd-Chiari syndrome and/or portal vein thrombosis, with and without concomitant portal hypertension. DESIGN AND SETTING: Multicentre retrospective cohort study between 2008-2021. POPULATION: Women who conceived in the predefined period after the diagnosis of Budd-Chiari syndrome and/or portal vein thrombosis. METHODS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We collected data on diagnosis and clinical features. The primary outcomes were maternal mortality and live birth rate. Secondary outcomes included maternal, neonatal and obstetric complications. RESULTS: Forty-five women (12 Budd-Chiari syndrome, 33 portal vein thrombosis; 76 pregnancies) were included. Underlying prothrombotic disorders were present in 23 of 45 women (51%). Thirty-eight women (84%) received low-molecular-weight heparin during pregnancy. Of 45 first pregnancies, 11 (24%) ended in pregnancy loss and 34 (76%) resulted in live birth of which 27 at term age (79% of live births and 60% of pregnancies). No maternal deaths were observed, one woman developed pulmonary embolism during pregnancy and two women (4%) had variceal bleeding requiring intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The high number of term live births (79%) and lower than expected risk of pregnancy-related maternal and neonatal morbidity in our cohort suggest that Budd-Chiari syndrome and/or portal vein thrombosis should not be considered as an absolute contra-indication for pregnancy. Individualized, nuanced counselling and a multidisciplinary pregnancy surveillance approach are essential in this patient population

Geef gesprekken met kinderen kwaliteit! Interactievaardigheidstrainingen op de pabo en in de nascholing dragen bij aan de taal- en denkontwikkeling van kinderen

Interactie tussen leerkracht en leerlingen en tussen leerlingen onderling hebben een positief effect op het leren en op leerprestaties. Interactie is nodig om de taal- en denkontwikkeling van kinderen te stimuleren, maar dan moet die interactie wel van inhoudelijke kwaliteit zijn (Damhuis, 2008). Dat blijkt in de praktijk lastig te realiseren. Misschien omdat studenten daar op de pabo (pedagogische academie basisonderwijs) niet in getraind worden en er in de nascholing over het algemeen te weinig aandacht aan geschonken wordt. Het is hoog tijd dat een intensieve training en coaching van interactievaardigheden een plek verovert binnen het curriculum. Op de Marnix Academie hebben wij naast een trainingsvariant voor de nascholing ook een variant voor het initiële curriculum ontwikkeld. We leren leerkrachten en studenten bewust interactievaardigheden in te zetten tijdens gesprekken met kinderen waardoor de taal- en denkontwikkeling van die kinderen gestimuleerd worden. De eerste onderzoeksresultaten geven een hoopvol beeld van de opbrengsten: niet alleen leerkrachten, maar ook studenten weten hun interactie te verbeteren. In dit artikel schetsen we eerst het theoretisch kader, dat de grondslag vormt voor de ontwikkelde trainingen. Daarna bespreken we de inhoud en opzet van deze trainingen. We betogen dat zo’n training een goede plek in het curriculum kan krijgen. Ook laten we zien waar er verschillen zijn met de nascholingsvariant. We ondersteunen ons betoog met eerste onderzoeksresultaten naar opbrengsten van beide trainingsvarianten. Ter afsluiting trekken we conclusies en reiken we enkele denkpunten aan