Greek teachers’ understandings of Typical Language Development and of Language difficulties

Language is a dynamic learning mechanism for children. Oral language skills are pivotal to all children and should be practiced in schools. However, not all children develop language typically and some may experience language difficulties at differing levels and degrees of severity. As the concept of inclusion has gained currency in many countries, it is expected that larger numbers of students whose difficulties are not severe enough to be admitted to a special school, will be educated in mainstream classrooms alongside children with typical language development. Thus, teachers are increasingly faced with the challenge of teaching students with differing profiles of needs. However, research has paid little attention so far to teachers’ views and to their preparedness to cope with such challenges. This study was based on a Sequential Exploratory Mixed Methods Design deployed in three consecutive and integrative phases. The first phase involved 18 exploratory interviews with teachers. Its findings informed the second phase involving a questionnaire survey with 119 respondents. Contradictory questionnaire results were further investigated in a third phase employing a formal testing procedure with 60 children attending Y1, Y2 and Y3 of primary school. Results showed both strengths and weaknesses in teachers’ awareness of language related issues and of language difficulties and gaps in their expertise to meet the needs of children with language difficulties. However, they also provided a different perspective of children’s language needs and of language teaching approaches. This perspective reflected current advances in language problems and synchronous conceptualizations of inclusion and opened a new window on how to optimize existing teaching approaches so as to promote language development for all students in class while at the same time supporting the specific needs of children with language difficulties in an inclusive ethos

A thermoanalytical, X-ray diffraction and petrographic approach to the forensic assessment of fire affected concrete in the United Arab Emirates

For most fires, Forensic investigation takes place well after building materials have cooled and knowledge of the structural damage due to heat exposure can reveal the temperature reached during an incident. Recently, there have been significant changes in the characteristics of cementitious materials used in the United Arab Emirates. Few studies focus on the application of thermo-gravimetric and petrographic techniques on newly developed structures and this work aims to address this deficiency by utilising a series of parametric laboratory-based tests to assess the effects of heat on hardened concrete. Specimens were made with a design mix used for low-rise residential homes and storage facilities. The key constituents were: Portland cement (PC), crushed gabbro stone and dune sand with water/cement ratios of 0.4-0.5. Cement substitutes included slag (GGBS), and silica fume (SF) at replacement percentages of up to 50% and 4%, respectively. The concrete cubes were exposed to heat inside an electric furnace with pre-determined temperature regimes of 150°C, 300°C, 600°C and 900°C. Petrographic examination was utilised to compare the discolouration of the cooled concrete. Data derived from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) are reported in order to assess the usefulness of these techniques in fire scene investigation to differentiate between these temperature regimes.. The results from the TGA indicate that the majority of the percentage weight loss for all the mixtures occurred in the range 650-700°C, which corresponds to the decarbonation of calcium carbonate, mainly from the aggregates. The endothermic DSC peak at 70-120°C relates to the loss of evaporable water. Since both of these reactions are irreversible, this information can help fire investigators estimate the temperature history of concrete after exposure to fire. On the other hand, the portlandite in the cement matrix dehydroxylates at 450-550°C but then reforms as the concrete cools. The onset temperature for the dehydroxylation of the reformed mineral is always lower than in virgin samples and its enthalpy furthermore depends strongly on the thermal history of the portlandite. Thus, this feature can be used to establish the temperature to which the material was exposed to during a fire incident

Διαφορές τυπικώς αναπτυσσόμενων παιδιών και παιδιών με αυτισμό σε μνημονικές δοκιμασίες

Μέσα από την παρούσα εργασία γίνεται μια προσπάθεια να συγκριθούν τα τυπικά ανεπτυγμένα παιδιά και τα παιδιά με Διαταραχή Αυτιστικού Φάσματος (ΔΑΦ) σε μνημονικές δοκιμασίες και στη συνέχεια να διασαφηνισθούν πώς τα παιδιά καταφέρνουν να εξελιχθούν μέσα στο χώρο του σχολείου αλλά και σε ένα ευρύτερο σύνολο. Δίνεται έμφαση στις μνημονικές στρατηγικές, στα χαρακτηριστικά των παιδιών με ΔΑΦ καθώς και στις διαφορές των τυπικά ανεπτυγμένων και των παιδιών με ΔΑΦ, έτσι ώστε να κατανοηθούν οι δυσκολίες ή οι ευκολίες που πιθανότατα αντιμετωπίζουν. Το δείγμα της έρευνας αποτέλεσαν 45 μαθητές της Γ΄ Δημοτικού, 30 τυπικά ανεπτυγμένα παιδιά και 15 παιδιά με ΔΑΦ, από σχολεία του Πειραιά. Στους συμμετέχοντες χορηγήθηκαν οι 6 υποκλίμακες του British Ability Scales (BAS- 3) για την Μνήμη Αριθμών, οι οποίες αξιολογούν την ευθεία ανάκληση αριθμών, την αντεστραμμένη ανάκληση αριθμών, την άμεση λεκτική και χωρική ανάκληση καθώς και την καθυστερημένη λεκτική και χωρική ανάκληση. Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν, ότι τόσο τα τυπικά ανεπτυγμένα παιδιά όσο και τα παιδιά με ΔΑΦ χρησιμοποιούν μνημονικές στρατηγικές καθώς και ότι δεν παρουσιάζουν μεγάλες διακυμάνσεις. Τα ευρήματα συζητούνται σε συνάρτηση με την πρόσφατη βιβλιογραφία τόσο σε σχέση με το φύλο (αγόρια- κορίτσια) όσο και σε σχέση με την ομάδα στην οποία ανήκουν (τυπικά ανεπτυγμένα παιδιά- παιδιά με ΔΑΦ).Through this research, attempt a comparison between typically developing children and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to memory trials and then to clarify how children manage to evolve within the school environment and to a wider set. Emphasis is placed on memory strategies, the characteristics of children with ASD, as well as the differences between the typically developed and the children with ASD, in order to understand the difficulties or facilities they are likely to encounter. The survey sample consisted of 45 students of the 3rd grade, 30 typical children and 15 children with ASD, from schools in Piraeus. Participants were given the 6 scales in British Ability Scales (BAS-3), which assess recall of digit forward, recall of digit backward, recall of object immediate, and recall of object delayed. The results showed that both typical children and children with ASD use memory strategies as well as not very fluctuating. The findings are discussed in relation to the recent bibliography both in relation to gender (boys and girls) and in relation to the group to which they belong (typically developed children - children with ASD)

NEAR at n_TOF/CERN: Preparing the first multi-foil activation measurement

The n_TOF facility at CERN is a neutron Time-Of-Flight facility based on a spallation neutron source. During the Second Long Shutdown (LS2) , a new experimental zone was designed and delivered. This new experimental area -the NEAR station - is located very close to the lead spallation target, at a distance of just ~3m. In this way, the high luminosity of the n_TOF neutron spallation source can be fully exploited. Towards the characterization of the new experimental area as well for the benchmarking of the performed simulations, the multi-foil activation measurement will be implemented. Eleven threshold and seven capture reference reactions will be utilized for the unfolding of the NEAR neutron beam energy spectrum that stretches from the meV to the GeV region

Characterization of the Canberra BE5030 Broad Energy High Purity Germanium Detector by means of the GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation package

The accurate determination of the efficiency of HPGe detectors is a challenging procedure due to possible self-attenuation phenomenaand/or coincidence summing effects. Both of these phenomena become important when close detection geometries and extended samples are considered. To deal with these features the simulation of HPGe detectors is used so as to calculate the corresponding correction factors, especially for those cases where low energy γ-ray are considered. Through the present work the Canberra BE5030 Broad Energy HPGe detector of the Enviromental Radioactivity Monitoring Department of Greek Atomic Energy Comission was simulated through the GEANT4 toolkit. Experimental efficiency and counting rate data were compared with the simulation results for different geometries of the detector so as to idetify the one for which the experimental data are better reproduced.</jats:p

Μελέτη αντιδράσεων νετρονίων σε ισότοπα σπάνιων γαιών

Within the present work the (n,2n) reaction channel was studied for the rare earth isotopes: 162Er, 156Dy and 165Ho. In particular, for 165Ho the cross sections of populating the ground and the isomeric state of 164Ho were measured independently. The reactions cross sections were measured via the activation technique relative to the 197Au(n,2n)196Au, 27Al(n,a)24Na and 93Nb(n,2n)92mNb reference reactions. The quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams were produced via the 2H(d,n)3He (DD) and 3H(d,n)4He (DT) reactions, while the primary deuteron beams were delivered by the 5.5 MV Tandem Van de Graaff accelerator of the institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics at N.C.S.R. “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece. After the end of the irradiations the induced activity in the samples was measured through gamma-ray spectroscopy using HPGe detectors. For the accurate physics interpretation of the experimental data the GEANT4 toolkit was extensively used for the simulation of the HPGe detectors. The developed codes were utilized in the data analysis for the determination of the detectors efficiency, as well as for the deconvolution and the reproduction of the experimental spectra. In addition, the GEANT4 toolkit was utilized for the calculation of the neutron beams energy distribution. The measured cross section data were compared to previous measurements of the literature, as well as to theoretical calculations based on the latest version of TALYS (v. 1.95).Στα πλαίσια της παρούσας εργασίας μελετήθηκε η αντίδραση (n,2n) για τα ισότοπα σπάνιων γαιών: 162Er, 156Dy και 165Ho. Συγκεκριμένα, για το 165Ho οι ενεργές διατομές τροφοδοσίας της βασικής και της ισομερούς κατάστασης του 164Ho μετρήθηκαν ανεξάρτητα. Οι ενεργές διατομές των αντιδράσεων μετρήθηκαν μέσω της τεχνικής της ενεργοποίησης σε σχέση με τις αντιδράσεις αναφοράς 197Au(n,2n)196Au, 27Al(n,α)24Na και 93Nb(n,2n)92mNb. Οι ημι-μονοενεργειακές δέσμες νετρονίων παρήχθησαν μέσω των αντιδράσεων 2H(d,n)3He (DD) και 3H(d,n)4He (DT), όπου οι δέσμες δευτερίων επιταχύνθηκαν από τον 5.5 MV Tandem Van de Graaff επιταχυντή του Ινστιτούτου Πυρηνικής και Σωματιδιακής Φυσικής του Ε.Κ.Ε.Φ.Ε. «Δημόκριτος», Αθήνα, Ελλάδα. Μετά το τέλος των ακτινοβολήσεων, η επαγόμενη ενεργότητα στα δείγματα μετρήθηκε μέσω φασματοσκοπίας ακτίνων-γ χρησιμοποιώντας ανιχνευτές γερμανίου υπερ-υψηλής καθαρότητας (HPGe). Κατά την ανάλυση των πειραματικών δεδομένων, το λογισμικό GEANT4 χρησιμοποιήθηκε εκτενώς για την προσομοίωση των HPGe ανιχνευτών. Οι κώδικες των ανιχνευτών χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για τον προσδιορισμό της απόδοσης των ανιχνευτών, καθώς και για την αναπαραγωγή των πειραματικών φασμάτων. Επιπλέον, ο κώδικας GEANT4 χρησιμοποιήθηκε για τον υπολογισμό της κατανομής της ενέργειας των δεσμών νετρονίων που παράγονται απο τον 5.5 MV Tandem επιταχυντή στο Ε.Κ.Ε.Φ.Ε. «Δημόκριτος» μέσω των αντιδράσεων DD και DT. Τα πειραματικά δεδομένα που προέκυψαν από την παρούσα μελέτη συγκρίθηκαν με προηγούμενες μετρήσεις της βιβλιογραφίας, καθώς και με θεωρητικούς υπολογισμούς με βάση τον κώδικα TALYS (v. 1.95)

Playgrounds of commons| Spatial interventions for collective appropriation towards liveability and diversity in Rotterdam South: The case of Oud Charlois and Waalhaven

How would it be if collective appropriation was an essential part of a spatial strategy?Playgrounds of commons refer to a mix of top – down and bottomupspatial strategies and design interventions taking as a startingpoint that Rotterdam South can be seen, and (re)designed as anheterotopia, where as Shane (2003) underlines some armatures shouldbe designed top – down, whereas leaving freedom for others to occurin a more spontaneous way. The spatial strategy is based upon theempowerment of collective appropriation through leisure, food andcrafts. More specifically, it discusses an alternative way of approachingurban renewal in deprived areas of Rotterdam South establishing analternative accord. What is important to highlight is that this projectdoes not only focus on upgrading housing stock in order to attractnewcomers and empower the concept of “mixed neighbourhoods”. Onthe other hand, it does not emphasise the need of creating connectinginfrastructures between the North and the South so as to connectunemployed people from the South to the North labour market andavailable vacancies. On the contrary, the project aims at reinforcingnot only North – South connection, but most importantly East- Westand creating opportunities for local employment in the South. In thatsense, design intervention and strategies aim at making South a servicearea and a productive hub, by reinventing underused lands or areasunder transformation, such as the riverfront. That signifies a transitionto more integrative design and decision making processes.A key element of this project is that starting from the theoreticalframework, moving to the site analysis and the development ofa neighbourhood game, it puts forward a dual strategy: hackinginstitutions – hacking space, acknowledging the power of space asa software and finally concludes with the design of four key projectsand a matrix of recommendations regarding appropriation and urbanArchitecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Design of the Urban Fabri

Η επιβουλή της Θρησκευτικής Ειρήνης και η ελευθερία της Έκφρασης στην Τέχνη

Η ελευθερία της Τέχνης ως μερικότερη έκφανση της ελευθερίας της &apos;Εκφρασης, αποτελεί ένα από τα σπουδαιότερα δικαιώματα του σύγχρονου κόσμου, πράγμα που αποδεικνύεται και από την ανεπιφύλαχτη προστασία της στο αρ. 16 του Συντάγματος. Το ανεπιφύλαχτο όμως της προστασίας της δεν συνεπάγεται την απεριόριστη ελευθερία της, αφού όλα τα συνταγματικά δικαιώματα είναι ίσα, παρά την μάλλον απεριόριστη αυτονομία της. Όταν επομένως έρχεται σε σύγκρουση με άλλα έννομα αγαθά είναι δυνατόν να υποχωρεί για χάρη τους. Ένα εκ των αγαθών αυτών, είναι η θρησκευτική ελευθερία και συγκεκριμένα το δικαίωμα του καθενός να έχει και να εκδηλώνει ελεύθερα τις θρησκευτικές του πεποιθήσεις. Πώς όμως και πότε υποχωρεί, είναι ένα ζήτημα άλυτο ακόμα, τόσο σε κοινωνικό όσο και σε νομικό επίπεδο. Αυτό που επιλύθηκε πάντως από τον νομοθέτη ήταν οι αμφιβολίες γύρω από την ποινικοποίηση της βλασφημίας στα αρ. 198 και 199 ΠΚ, τα οποία και τελικά καταργήθηκαν τον Ιούνιο του 2019. Παρόλο που τα άρθρα αυτά είχαν ως σκοπό να προστατέψουν ένα ισάξιο με την Τέχνη έννομο αγαθό, την ελευθερία της θρησκευτικής συνείδησης και της ακώλυτης εκδήλωσης των θρησκευτικών πεποιθήσεων του καθενός, με άλλα λόγια τη θρησκευτική ειρήνη, εισήγαγαν έναν καίριο περιορισμό στην ελευθερία της έκφρασης, την στιγμή μάλιστα, που η αοριστία των διατάξεών τους και η νομική κακοτεχνία τους δεν ήταν σε θέση να υπηρετήσουν τον σκοπό για τον οποίον τα άρθρα αυτά είχαν αρχικά συνταχθεί. Η έλλειψη εξέτασης κριτηρίων για το θεμιτό ή όχι του εκάστοτε περιορισμού αλλά και η απουσία της στάθμισης των δύο εννόμων αγαθών, οδηγεί πολλές φορές στην υπέρμετρη τιμώρηση της καλλιτεχνικής ελευθερίας, η οποία, αν και όχι απεριόριστα ελεύθερη, πρέπει σίγουρα να αντιμετωπίζεται ως περισσότερο ελαστική.Freedom of Artistic Expression as a part of Freedom of Expression in general, is one of the most important rights of the modern world, which justifies it&apos;s unconditional protection in article 16 of the Greek Constitution. The unlimited protection, however, does not imply freedom with no boundaries; rather, it implies unlimited autonomy, especially since all constitutional rights are equal. Therefore, when it comes into conflict with other legal goods, it may diminish for their sake. One of these goods is freedom of religion, and in particular, everyone&apos;s right to own and freely express their religious beliefs. How and when it declines, however, is still an issue both socially and legally. What was resolved by the legislator, however, was the doubts about the articles of blasphemy (198 and 199 CC), which were abolished in 2019. Although these articles intended to protect an equal and important right, the freedom of religious conscience and the unshakable expression of one&apos;s religious beliefs, in other words religious peace, they introduced a crucial restriction on freedom of art, especially when the ambiguity of their provisions and their legal malfeasance could not serve the purpose for which those articles were originally drafted. Also, the lack of consideration of the criteria for the justification of the restriction each time as well as the absence of balance between the two legal goods has often led to excessive penalties for artistic freedom, which, although not infinitely free, should certainly be treated as more resilient