Classroom Practices of Primary and Secondary Teachers Participating in English in Action: Second Cohort (2013)

Executive summary a) Background The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether there had been changes in the classroom practice of teachers and students participating in English in Action (EIA) over the period of the 2012–13 intervention (Cohort 2). Previous research in language teaching has established that when teachers take up most of the lesson time talking, this can severely limit students’ opportunities to develop proficiency in the target language (Cook 2008), while a general goal of English language (EL) teachers is to motivate their students to speak and to practise using the target language (Nunan 1991). This study therefore focused upon the extent of teacher and student talk, the use of the target language by both, and the forms of classroom organisation (individual, pair, group or choral work) in which student talk is situated. Of course, the amount of teacher talk is not the only indicator of quality language teaching; the nature of that talk is also important – for example, whether teachers engage the attention of the class, present them with new information in an understandable way and allow them time to ask questions and comment. Classroom Practice 2013 is a repeat of the studies on the pilot EIA programme (Cohort 1) (EIA 2011a & 2012a). The students and teachers of Cohort 2 are sixfold greater in number (4,368 teachers, compared to 751 teachers, in schools). To enable this increase in scale, the programme has been delivered through a more decentralised model, with much less direct contact with English language teaching (ELT) experts, a greater embedding of expertise within teacher development materials (especially video), and a greater dependence upon localised peer support. This study addresses two main questions: 1. To what extent do the teachers of Cohort 2 show improved classroom practice, particularly in relation to the amount and language of student talk, compared with the pre-intervention baseline? 2. To what extent has the programme been successful in repeating the post-intervention improvements in teachers’ classroom practice seen in Cohort 1, at the much larger scale of Cohort 2? b) Research methodology The EIA classroom practice baseline (EIA 2009a & b) was originally adapted from a general classroom observation study, and was geographically limited, due to an uncertain social and political context at the time of the fieldwork. Subsequently the methodology was revised to give more fine-grained data about student and teacher talk, use of the target language, and forms of classroom organisation, and was implemented on a representative sample of EIA teachers, four months after the launch of the pilot programme (EIA 2011a) and again 12–16 months after the programme start (EIA 2012a). The research instrument is a timed observation schedule (see Appendix 1), directly comparable to that used in the earlier studies on the EIA pilot intervention (2010 and 2011). The sample comprised 401 lesson observations – 230 of primary teachers, 145 of secondary teachers, and 26 of primary head teachers. For this study, the practices observed were compared directly (statistically) with the earlier pilot studies (EIA 2011a and 2012a), and indirectly with the earlier baseline (EIA 2009a & b). c) Key findings: Primary classrooms i) Teachers’ talk and activity In the observation of Cohort 2 lessons, average primary teacher talk had dropped to less than half of the lesson time (45%). This represents a very significant reduction in teacher talk from 2009 baseline practices, where teacher talk was the predominant classroom activity. Although this is a higher figure than was found in the 2010 early-intervention observations (34%), it had not caused any reciprocal drop in student talk-time (compared to that found in 2010). Teachers’ use of the target language was very much greater than that observed in the 2009 baseline, and slightly higher (76%) than that found in 2010 (71%) or 2011 (72%). In the observation of Cohort 2 lessons, there was a notable increase in time teachers spent organising and a decrease in time spent presenting when compared with the baseline and with the 2011 study. Primary teachers were using a wide range of activities in the classroom and involving students in these activities. Primary teachers were found to be organising for 32% of the time, presenting 25% of the time, asking questions 23% of the time, and giving feedback 20% of the time. This is a change from the baseline studies (EIA 2009a & b), where teachers were observed to be primarily reading from the textbook and rarely involving students in activities. Compared to 2011, primary teachers spent less talktime ‘asking questions’ (falling from 27% to 23%) and more time ‘organising’ classroom activity (rising to 32% from 22%), and much less time presenting (falling from 40% in 2011, to 25% in 2013). These observations suggest EIA Cohort 2 primary teachers were making great and sustained efforts to increase the use of the target language, and involve students more actively in their English lessons. ii) Students’ talk and activity In the observation of Cohort 2 lessons, average student talk-time accounted for 27% of the lesson. This figure represents a very different situation to the 2009 baseline, where in two-thirds of lessons observed ‘none or hardly any’ of the students spoke. The figure is identical to that found in the 2010 observations. Students’ use of the target language had also increased substantially over the baseline, to 91% of student talk in English. The proportion of primary students’ talk in English was higher than that observed in 2010 (88%) and 2011 (81%), with the difference between 2011 being statistically significant (p<0.05). Almost half (46%) of student talk was observed in the context of choral activities, while approximately a third (36%) was individual student talk. 18% of student talk was pair (10%) or group (8%) work, a figure midway between that observed in 2010 (30%) and 2011 (9%). In all forms of talk organisation, English was the main language used by students (86–91%). The fact that students were often engaged in activities in which they interacted with their classmates marks a notable change from the baseline studies (EIA 2009a & b), which identified few occasions when individual students or groups were encouraged to speak in English (2–4% of the lesson time) and which showed that in most classes students were not interactive at all. d) Key findings: Secondary classrooms i) Teachers’ talk and activity In the observation of Cohort 2 lessons, average secondary teacher talk had dropped to less than half of the lesson time (48%). This represents a very significant reduction in teacher talk from 2009 baseline practices, where teacher talk was the predominant classroom activity. Although this is a higher figure than was found in the 2010 early-intervention observations (33%), it is lower than 2011 (50%), and is not related to any reciprocal drop in student talk-time (compared to that found in 2010 or 2011). Teachers’ use of target language was much greater than that observed in the 2009 baseline, and slightly higher (87%) than that in 2010 (86%) or 2011 (79%). In the observation of Cohort 2 lessons, there was a notable increase in the time teachers spent organising and a decrease in the time spent presenting when compared with the baseline and the 2011 study. Secondary teachers were using a wide range of activities in the classroom and involving students in these activities. They were found to be organising 29% of the time, presenting 32% of the time, asking questions 22% of the time, and giving feedback 17% of the time. This is a change from the baseline studies (EIA 2009a & b), where teachers were observed to be primarily reading from the textbook and rarely involving students in activities. Compared to 2011, secondary teachers spent similar talk-time ‘asking questions’ (22% compared to 23%), more time organising classroom activity (rising from 22% to 29%), and much less time presenting (falling from 45% to 32%). These observations suggest EIA Cohort 2 secondary teachers were making great and sustained efforts to increase the use of the target language, and involve students more actively in their English lessons. ii) Students’ talk and activity In the observation of Cohort 2 lessons, average secondary student talk-time accounted for 24% of the lesson. This figure represents a very different situation to the 2009 baseline, where in two-thirds of lessons observed ‘none or hardly any’ of the students spoke. The figure is about the same as that found in the 2010 (23%) and 2011 (24%) observations. Students’ use of the target language had also increased substantially over the baseline, rising to 87% of student talk in English. The proportion of secondary students’ talk in English was similar to that observed in 2010 (88%) and 2011 (85%). Over half (53%) of student talk observed was individual talk, while 28% was pair (13%) or group (15%) work, a figure similar to that observed in 2011 (27%), but below that observed in 2010 (57%). In all forms of talk organisation, English was the main language used by students in all forms of classroom organisation (85–92% for individual, pair and choral work); though as might be expected, in group work English still predominated (64%), but students used Bangla more (36%) than they did in other forms of organisation. The fact that students were often engaged in activities in which they interacted with their classmates marks a notable change from the baseline studies (EIA 2009a & b), which identified few occasions when individual students or groups were encouraged to speak in English (2–4% of the lesson time) and showed that in most classes students were not interactive at all. e) Conclusions Despite a sixfold increase in scale for Cohort 2, and a more decentralised, peer-supported approach to teacher development, observations of Cohort 2 classroom practices show substantial and important changes compared with the baseline studies, which show teachers making great efforts to promote and model the target language, and to organise increased student participation in lessons. The observations show substantial increases in students’ active participation, with more opportunities to speak and practise the target language. These latest findings mark a notable increase in the time teachers spent organising and a decrease in the time spent presenting when compared with the baseline and with the 2011 study. The results show that both primary and secondary teachers were using a wide range of activities in the classroom and involving students in these activities. In summary, the 2013 cohort of teachers observed in the EIA programme were using more English in their classes, involving students in more activities and encouraging them to spend more of their class time speaking in English

Conventional and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging findings of benign fibromatous paratesticular tumor: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>The vast majority of paratesticular masses are benign. Magnetic resonance imaging of the scrotum may provide valuable information in the pre-operative work-up of scrotal masses, by allowing the precise localization of the lesion and helping in characterizing its nature. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging is an evolving technique that can be used to improve tissue characterization, when interpreted with the findings of conventional magnetic resonance sequences. We present the case of an adenomatoid tumor of the tunica albuginea, with abundant fibrosis evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging of the scrotum, including both conventional and diffusion-weighted sequences. To the best of our knowledge, there are very few reports in the English literature regarding the magnetic resonance imaging features of this rare benign paratesticular tumor and no report on the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance findings. We discuss the value of magnetic resonance imaging in the pre-operative diagnosis of benign fibromatous paratesticular tumors and differential diagnosis.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 45-year-old Caucasian man was referred to us with a palpable left scrotal mass. Magnetic resonance imaging of his scrotum revealed the presence of a multilobular left paratesticular mass, mainly detected with very low signal intensity on T2-weighted images and restricted diffusion on apparent diffusion coefficient maps. These findings were suggestive of a fibrous component, and were confirmed on histology following lesion excision.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Magnetic resonance imaging of the scrotum, by using both conventional and diffusion-weighted sequences, could have a potential role in the evaluation of scrotal masses.</p

A substantial prehistoric European ancestry amongst Ashkenazi maternal lineages

The origins of Ashkenazi Jews remain highly controversial. Like Judaism, mitochondrial DNA is passed along the maternal line. Its variation in the Ashkenazim is highly distinctive, with four major and numerous minor founders. However, due to their rarity in the general population, these founders have been difficult to trace to a source. Here we show that all four major founders, similar to 40% of Ashkenazi mtDNA variation, have ancestry in prehistoric Europe, rather than the Near East or Caucasus. Furthermore, most of the remaining minor founders share a similar deep European ancestry. Thus the great majority of Ashkenazi maternal lineages were not brought from the Levant, as commonly supposed, nor recruited in the Caucasus, as sometimes suggested, but assimilated within Europe. These results point to a significant role for the conversion of women in the formation of Ashkenazi communities, and provide the foundation for a detailed reconstruction of Ashkenazi genealogical history

Correction to: Instrumented Mouthguards in Elite-Level Men's and Women's Rugby Union: The Incidence and Propensity of Head Acceleration Events in Matches.

The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01953-

Design, and synthesis of selectively anticancer 4-cyanophenyl substituted thiazol-2-ylhydrazones

Cyclization of substituted thiosemicarbazones with α-bromo-4-cyanoacetophenone allows rapid single-step sustainable syntheses of 4-cyanophenyl-2-hydrazinylthiazoles libraries (30 examples, 66–79%). All show anticancer efficacy against HCT-116 and MCF-7 carcinoma cell lines with the majority being more active than cisplatin positive controls. The compounds 2-(2-(2-hydroxy-3-methylbenzylidene) hydrazinyl)-4-(4-cyanophenyl)thiazole (3f) and 2-(2-((pentafluorophenyl)methylene)-hydrazinyl)-4-(4-cyanophenyl) thiazole (3a′) show optimal GI50 values (1.0 ± 0.1 μM and 1.7 ± 0.3 μM) against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Against colorectal carcinoma HCT-116 cells, (2-(2-(3-bromothiophen-2yl)methylene)hydrazinyl)-4-(4-cyanophenyl)thiazole (3b′), 2-(2-(2-hydroxy-3-methylbenzylidene) hydrazinyl)-4-(4-cyanophenyl)thiazole (3f), 2-(2-(2,6-dichlorobenzylidene)hydrazinyl)-4-(4-cyanophenyl)thiazole (3f) and 2-(2-(1-(4-fluorophenyl)ethylidene)hydrazinyl)-4-(4-cyanophenyl) thiazole (3w) are the most active (GI50 values: 1.6 ± 0.2, 1.6 ± 0.1, 1.1 ± 0.5 and 1.5 ± 0.8 μM respectively). Control studies with MRC-5 cells indicate appreciable selectivity towards the cancer cells targeted. Significant (p < 0.005) growth inhibition and cytotoxicity effects for the thiazoles 3 were corroborated by cell count and clonogenic assays using the same cancer cell lines at 5 and 10 μM agent concentrations. Cell cycle, caspase activation and Western blot assays demonstrated that compounds 3b′ and 3f induce cancer cell death via caspase-dependent apoptosis. The combination of straight forward synthesis and high activity makes the thiazoles 3 an interesting lead for further development

Characterisation of CCT271850, a selective, oral and potent MPS1 inhibitor, used to directly measure in vivo MPS1 inhibition vs therapeutic efficacy

BACKGROUND: The main role of the cell cycle is to enable error-free DNA replication, chromosome segregation and cytokinesis. One of the best characterised checkpoint pathways is the spindle assembly checkpoint, which prevents anaphase onset until the appropriate attachment and tension across kinetochores is achieved. MPS1 kinase activity is essential for the activation of the spindle assembly checkpoint and has been shown to be deregulated in human tumours with chromosomal instability and aneuploidy. Therefore, MPS1 inhibition represents an attractive strategy to target cancers. METHODS: To evaluate CCT271850 cellular potency, two specific antibodies that recognise the activation sites of MPS1 were used and its antiproliferative activity was determined in 91 human cancer cell lines. DLD1 cells with induced GFP-MPS1 and HCT116 cells were used in in vivo studies to directly measure MPS1 inhibition and efficacy of CCT271850 treatment. RESULTS: CCT271850 selectively and potently inhibits MPS1 kinase activity in biochemical and cellular assays and in in vivo models. Mechanistically, tumour cells treated with CCT271850 acquire aberrant numbers of chromosomes and the majority of cells divide their chromosomes without proper alignment because of abrogation of the mitotic checkpoint, leading to cell death. We demonstrated a moderate level of efficacy of CCT271850 as a single agent in a human colorectal carcinoma xenograft model. CONCLUSIONS: CCT271850 is a potent, selective and orally bioavailable MPS1 kinase inhibitor. On the basis of in vivo pharmacodynamic vs efficacy relationships, we predict that more than 80% inhibition of MPS1 activity for at least 24 h is required to achieve tumour stasis or regression by CCT271850

High Proliferation Rate and a Compromised Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Confers Sensitivity to the MPS1 Inhibitor BOS172722 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancers

BOS172722 (CCT289346) is a highly potent, selective, and orally bioavailable inhibitor of spindle assembly checkpoint kinase MPS1. BOS172722 treatment alone induces significant sensitization to death, particularly in highly proliferative triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines with compromised spindle assembly checkpoint activity. BOS172722 synergizes with paclitaxel to induce gross chromosomal segregation defects caused by MPS1 inhibitor-mediated abrogation of the mitotic delay induced by paclitaxel treatment. In in vivo pharmacodynamic experiments, BOS172722 potently inhibits the spindle assembly checkpoint induced by paclitaxel in human tumor xenograft models of TNBC, as measured by inhibition of the phosphorylation of histone H3 and the phosphorylation of the MPS1 substrate, KNL1. This mechanistic synergy results in significant in vivo efficacy, with robust tumor regressions observed for the combination of BOS172722 and paclitaxel versus either agent alone in long-term efficacy studies in multiple human tumor xenograft TNBC models, including a patient-derived xenograft and a systemic metastasis model. The current target indication for BOS172722 is TNBC, based on their high sensitivity to MPS1 inhibition, the well-defined clinical patient population with high unmet need, and the synergy observed with paclitaxel

Trapped in the prison of the mind: notions of climate-induced (im)mobility decision-making and wellbeing from an urban informal settlement in Bangladesh

The concept of Trapped Populations has until date mainly referred to people ‘trapped’ in environmentally high-risk rural areas due to economic constraints. This article attempts to widen our understanding of the concept by investigating climate-induced socio-psychological immobility and its link to Internally Displaced People’s (IDPs) wellbeing in a slum of Dhaka. People migrated here due to environmental changes back on Bhola Island and named the settlement Bhola Slum after their home. In this way, many found themselves ‘immobile’ after having been mobile—unable to move back home, and unable to move to other parts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, or beyond. The analysis incorporates the emotional and psychosocial aspects of the diverse immobility states. Mind and emotion are vital to better understand people’s (im)mobility decision-making and wellbeing status. The study applies an innovative and interdisciplinary methodological approach combining Q-methodology and discourse analysis (DA). This mixed-method illustrates a replicable approach to capture the complex state of climate-induced (im)mobility and its interlinkages to people’s wellbeing. People reported facing non-economic losses due to the move, such as identity, honour, sense of belonging and mental health. These psychosocial processes helped explain why some people ended up ‘trapped’ or immobile. The psychosocial constraints paralysed them mentally, as well as geographically. More empirical evidence on how climate change influences people’s wellbeing and mental health will be important to provide us with insights in how to best support vulnerable people having faced climatic impacts, and build more sustainable climate policy frameworks

Air flow experiments on a train carriage—Towards understanding the risk of airborne transmission

A series of experiments was undertaken on an intercity train carriage aimed at providing a “proof of concept” for three methods in improving our understanding of airflow behaviour and the accompanied dispersion of exhaled droplets. The methods used included the following: measuring CO2 concentrations as a proxy for exhaled breath, measuring the concentrations of different size fractions of aerosol particles released from a nebuliser, and visualising the flow patterns at cross-sections of the carriage by using a fog machine and lasers. Each experiment succeeded in providing practical insights into the risk of airborne transmission. For example, it was shown that the carriage is not well mixed over its length, however, it is likely to be well mixed along its height and width. A discussion of the suitability of the fresh air supply rates on UK train carriages is also provided, drawing on the CO2 concentrations measured during these experiments.</jats:p

The Phenotypic Radiation Resistance of CD44+/CD24−or low Breast Cancer Cells Is Mediated through the Enhanced Activation of ATM Signaling

Cancer initiating cells (CIC) are stem-like cells. CIC may contribute not only to the initiation of cancer but also to cancer recurrence because of the resistance of CIC both to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. From the MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 breast cancer cell lines and primary culture of patient breast cancer cells, we isolated by flow cytometry a CIC subset of cells with the CD44+/CD24−or low phenotype. The CD44+/CD24−or low subset showed increased sphere formation and resistance to radiation compared to the non- CD44+/CD24−or low subset. The increased radiation resistance was not dependent on the result of altered non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) DNA repair activity as both NHEJ activity and expression of the various proteins involved in NHEJ were not significantly different between the CD44+/CD24−or low and non- CD44+/CD24−or low subsets. However, activation of ATM signaling was significantly increased in CD44+/CD24−or low cells compared to non- CD44+/CD24−or low cells in both from breast cancer cell lines and primary human breast cancer cells. Application of an ATM inhibitor effectively decreased the radiation resistance of CD44+/CD24−or low subset, suggesting that targeting ATM signaling may provide a new tool to eradicate stem-like CIC and abolish the radiation resistance of breast cancer