Tuesday Gibberish

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay\u27s first paragraph. It was a rare and prestigious occasion for though occasions are rarely prestigious, everybody agreed that this should be, as it was a Blue Tuesday in Mayflower, a perfect time to watch the King journey to the Land of Mailbox and return with the Royal Circulars

Teacher Perceptions and Responses to the Implementation of the Gifted and Talented Initiative in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Primary Schools

The central importance of primary school teacher attitudes and expertise in optimising learning outcomes for gifted children is well documented. The literature review critically analysed current studies in this field and pointed to the need for further research in the application of the Gifted and Talented initiative. The Gifted and Talented initiative was a government education policy aiming to recognise and provide for more able children in primary and secondary grant maintained schools in England and Wales. This study aimed to discover how this initiative has been received in selected primary schools by presenting a snapshot of how teachers are identifying and providing for gifted pupils in the local area. As talented primary school pupils are provided with a range of activities on a regular basis, this study focused on the academically gifted cohort, where much resistance has been well recognised relating to elitism and stereotypical attitudes towards this more able group. The qualitative study took the form of five individual teacher/coordinator semi-structured interviews in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, aiming to understand from a primary school teacher’s perspective their interpretation and application of the policy documents relating to gifted children. The purpose of the study was to discover if gifted children are being identified, how they are being identified and, if so, what type of provision is being offered. The interview material consisted of transcripts and associated documents provided by teacher/coordinators and others obtained through research. Analysis was undertaken through thematic coding scrutiny and document comparisons of transcripts, where subjectivity is recognised due to prior involvement in education -situated knowledge. The findings suggest that the majority of schools in the local area are responding to the needs of gifted children, but the level of response differs significantly with individual school approaches and situational factors. Due to OfSTED inspection regimes that necessitate appropriate challenge for all pupils, including the gifted, teachers who may be sceptical are obliged to conform to a degree

Crowding-out or crowding-in? Effects of LEAP 1000 unconditional cash transfer program on household and community support among women in rural Ghana

Social protection programs are not introduced in a vacuum and it is important to understand what effects such programs have on existing informal support networks of family, friends and community members. A social cash transfer may reduce receipt of informal financial support, which can water down part of the program's impact. However, cash transfers can also reduce barriers to social participation and enable participants to engage in reciprocal support systems. We use data from the quasi-experimental mixed method impact evaluation of Ghana's Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) 1000 program, a social cash transfer program for pregnant women and mothers of children under one year living in poverty, to estimate program effects on social support and participation. Using a difference-in-differences approach we find that LEAP 1000 increases overall social support, as well as both emotional and instrumental support. In addition, program beneficiaries are more likely to participate in community groups. In in-depth interviews, participants confirmed increased support with descriptions of improved access to financial markets, such as borrowing money or contributing to local savings schemes, and strengthening of social participation in local groups and gatherings. Beneficiary women also highlighted reduced need for economic support and new opportunities to support others. By creating opportunities for additional social support within the household and community, LEAP 1000 crowded-in support, rather than reducing existing sources of support or crowding-out support