Going meta: dialogic talk in the writing classroom

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from EBSCO via the URL in this record.The rich body of research on dialogic, exploratory talk points to its significance in developing and securing student learning (Alexander 2018; O’Connor and Michaels 2007; Reznitskaya et al 2009; Gillies 2016). More recently, this body of research has begun to consider dialogic talk specifically in the context of literacy education (for example, Juzwik et al 2013; Boyd and Markarian 2015; Wilkinson et al 2015; Edwards-Groves and Davidson 2017). However, there remains a dearth of research which considers the role of dialogic talk in the teaching and learning of writing, and particularly its role in supporting developing writers’ metalinguistic understanding of how linguistic choices shape meaning in written texts. This article will report on qualitative data draw from a national study, involving a randomized controlled trial and an accompanying process evaluation. The study involved an intervention which was informed by a Hallidayan theoretical framing of metalinguistic understanding which sees grammar as a meaning-making resource, and which promoted explicit teaching which made purposeful connections between grammatical choices and their meaning-making effects in writing, and which promoted the role of dialogic talk. Specifically, this article will consider how teachers manage this metalinguistic dialogic talk about language choices in the writing classroom

Does prior qualification affect degree outcomes?

This is the author accepted manuscript.Qualifications provided by the Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC), as Pearson claim, are career-based qualifications designed to give students the skills they need to move on to higher education or go straight into employment. In reality these qualifications are centred on work based scenarios and students taking up these qualifications are not directly prepared for University. However, some universities accept BTEC qualifications as admission entry requirements either stand alone or in combination with other qualifications. Consequently, a growing percentage of BTEC students are now taking up undergraduate courses at the University. Analysing historic admissions and progression data as part of our ongoing HEFCE funded project we show prior qualifications are a strong predictor of end of first year results in undergraduate courses in the subject areas of Business, Management studies, Computer science, Sports science. Research findings from the exploratory phase of our study shows amongst the subject areas considered BTEC students are more likely to join Sports and Exercise science where they are also more likely to succeed. They are least likely to take up a course in Computer science where they are relatively less successful. Our analysis shows that the highest percentage of those who did not progress to the second year of study had entered Universities with a BTEC qualification. Through individual facing and system facing changes universities can create more supportive learning environments to reduce these inequalities in educational outcomes for this quite often overlooked widening participation cohort.This paper reports findings from a research project funded by the Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE)

Grammar re-imagined: foregrounding understanding of language choice in writing

This is the final version. Available from Routledge via the DOI in this record. The topic of grammar teaching has remained a stubbornly contentious subject of discussion for more than 50 years, tending towards binary, even polemical, positions. Yet scrutiny of the research shows how little attention has been afforded to considering what the relationship between learning about grammar and learning about being a language user might be; or to effective pedagogical practices for teaching grammar. Instead, the debate has reverted to inappropriate “what works” discourses. This article discusses these discourses and the need to re-imagine why and how we teach grammar, drawing on sustained and cumulative research evidence.Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC

A multi-club analysis of the locomotor training characteristics of elite female soccer players

Objective: Quantifying differences in locomotor characteristics of training between two competition levels and between training days within elite female soccer players. Methods: Foot-mounted inertial measurement unit (Playermaker) data were collected from 293 players from three Women’s Super League (WSL; n = 76) and eight Women’s Championship (WC; n = 217) teams over a 28-week period. Data were analysed using partial least squares correlation analysis to identify relative variable importance and linear mixed effects models to identify magnitude of effects. Results: WSL players performed more high-speed running distance (HSR; &gt;5.29 m∙s −1), sprint distance (SpD; &gt;6.26 m∙s −1), acceleration (ACC; &gt;3 m∙s −2) and deceleration (DEC; &lt;-3 m∙s −2) distance than WC players. The largest difference between WSL and WC in HSR and HSR per minute occurred on MD-4, (354.7 vs. 190.29 m and 2.8 vs. 1.7 m∙min −1). On MD-2, WSL players also covered greater SpD (44.66 vs. 12.42 m), SpD per minute (0.38 vs. 0.11 m∙min −1) and HSR per minute (1.67 vs. 0.93 m∙min −1). Between training days both WSL and WC teams reduced HSR and SpD but not ACC and DEC distance from MD-4 to MD-2, with MD-4 the highest training day of the week. Conclusion: MD-4 is a key training day discriminating between competitive level. HSR and SpD volume and intensity is tapered in WSL and WC players, however there is less clear taper of ACC or DEC. As such, WC teams could increase the volume and intensity of HSR on MD-4 to mimic locomotor activities of those at a higher standard.</p

Concurrent validity and between-unit reliability of a foot-mounted inertial measurement unit to measure velocity during team sport activity

The concurrent validity and between-unit reliability of a foot-mounted inertial measurement unit (F-IMU) was investigated during linear and change of direction running drills. Sixteen individuals performed four repetitions of two drills (maximal acceleration and flying 10 m sprint) and five repetitions of a multi-directional movement protocol. Participants wore two F-IMUs (Playermaker) and 10 retro-reflective markers to allow for comparisons to the criterion system (Qualisys). Validity of the F-IMU derived velocity was assessed via root-mean-square error (RMSE), 95% limits of agreement (LoA) and mean difference with 95% confidence interval (CI). Between-unit reliability was assessed via intraclass correlation (ICC) with 90% CI and 95% LoA. The mean difference for instantaneous velocity for all participants and drills combined was −0.048 ± 0.581 m ∙ s −1, the LoA were from −1.09 to −1.186 m ∙ s −1 and RMSE was 0.583 m ∙ s −1. The ICC ranged from 0.84 to 1, with LoA from −7.412 to 2.924 m ∙ s −1. Differences were dependent on the reference speed, with the greatest absolute difference (−0.66 m ∙ s −1) found at velocities above 7 m ∙ s −1. Between-unit reliability of the F-IMU ranges from good to excellent for all locomotor characteristics. Playermaker has good agreement with 3D motion capture for velocity and good to excellent between-unit reliability.</p

Thinking differently about grammar and metalinguistic understanding in writing

This is the final version. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.In the light of ongoing international debate about the purpose of explicit teaching of grammar, this paper considers the relationship between metalinguistic understanding and development as a writer. Drawing on a cumulative series of studies over a period of ten years, adopting a functionally-oriented approach to grammar, the paper argues that purposeful grammar teaching occurs within the teaching of writing, not divorced from it; and that this teaching develops students’ metalinguistic understanding of how written texts are crafted and shaped. In this way, grammar is positioned as a resource for learning about writing and one which can support students in becoming increasingly autonomous and agentic decision-makers in writing. We show through practical examples how the pedagogy works in practice, and through classroom interaction data we highlight how metalinguistic talk (metatalk), which enables and encourages the verbalisation of choice. The data also shows, however, that teachers’ skill in managing metatalk about metalinguistic choices in writing is critical in framing students’ capacity to think metalinguistically about their writing and to be autonomous writerly decision-makers

Fostering critical reasoning: Developing argumentative competence in early and middle primary years

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the Australian Literacy Educators' Association via the link in this recordThe capacity to reason critically and negotiate ideas and differences lies at the heart of quality education. Through critical reasoning we construct, organise, and justify knowledge; and we create new ideas and practices. Despite the emphasis on teaching argumentative writing in school curricula, existing research consistently shows that arguing well presents significant challenges to students of all ages and backgrounds. This paper argues that addressing this issue requires a novel understanding of argumentation not being so much a written form but a form of critical reasoning – the ability to reason, critique justify and evidence. Using classroom video recordings of two primary literacy classes and interviews with the teacher and drawing on the pedagogic register analysis, the paper identifies pedagogic practices that support the development of students’ abilities to take a stance, inquire about attitude, and reason with evidence. The findings have important implications for the design of effective pedagogic practices to expand students’ potential to reason and critique across primary years of schooling.University of WollongongAustralian Governmen