Assessment and Accountability: An Exploration of Teachers\u27 Practices in Assessing English Language Proficiency

Assessment is an important component in an education program. Current educational policy includes large scale assessments with stringent accountability requirements. All students are expected to meet standards for achievement, including those who have historically not been successful. Students from non-English language backgrounds are one of the populations of students who do not achieve academic success at the same rate as other students. This population of students is increasing in our nation\u27s schools, causing this achievement gap to be of greater concern. Added to the concern is the requirement that English Language Learners (ELLs) must meet rigorous standards in both academic achievement and English language proficiency. The assessment of ELLs is controversial for a number of reasons. Language is highly complex and assessment must reflect that complexity. English language proficiency assessment has become a “high stakes” issue as school districts are held accountable for student progress in this area. This research study examines the assessment of ELLs from the perspective of their teachers. Based on a theoretical foundation that supports a social constructivist view of Instruction and assessment, the research design involves mixed methods with a naturalistic perspective. Ten teachers from three states participated in the study, involving interviews, a questionnaire and an online focus group. Themes emerged from the data documenting that teachers use a variety of assessment to understand ELLs, their background and the context of assessment influences their perspectives, teachers know about their students and their relationship with the large scales assessments and accountability is multifaceted and varied. Several assertions and recommendations were developed from these findings. The passion teachers of ELLs have for their students supports them in maintaining a commitment despite challenges. The teachers have found a way to negotiate between assessment that is more holistic and the large scale high stakes tests. Teachers need to be supported in finding a voice in accountability systems. Assessments need to encompass holistic approaches to language. More research needs to be conducted on the construct of English language proficiency

Transition to motherhood in type 1 diabetes : design of the pregnancy and postnatal well-being in transition questionnaires

Background : Life transitions are associated with high levels of stress affecting health behaviours among people with Type 1 diabetes. Transition to motherhood is a major transition with potential complications accelerated by pregnancy with risks of adverse childbirth outcomes and added anxiety and worries about pregnancy outcomes. Further, preparing and going through pregnancy requires vigilant attention to a diabetes management regimen and detailed planning of everyday activities with added stress on women. Psychological and social well-being during and after pregnancy are integral for good pregnancy outcomes for both mother and baby. The aim of this study is to establish the face and content validity of two novel measures assessing the well-being of women with type 1 diabetes in their transition to motherhood, 1) during pregnancy and 2) during the postnatal period. Methods : The approach to the development of the Pregnancy and Postnatal Well-being in T1DM Transition questionnaires was based on a four-stage pre-testing process; systematic overview of literature, items development, piloting testing of questionnaire and refinement of questionnaire. The questionnaire was reviewed at every stage by expert clinicians, researchers and representatives from consumer groups. The cognitive debriefing approach confirmed relevance of issues and identified additional items. Results : The literature review and interviews identified three main areas impacting on the women&rsquo;s postnatal self-management; (1) psychological well-being; (2) social environment, (3) physical (maternal and fetal) well-being. The cognitive debriefing in pilot testing of the questionnaire identified that immediate postnatal period was difficult, particularly when the women were breastfeeding and felt depressed. Conclusions : The questionnaires fill an important gap by systematically assessing the psychosocial needs of women with type 1 diabetes during pregnancy and in the immediate postnatal period. The questionnaires can be used in larger data collection to establish psychometric properties. The questionnaires potentially play a key role in prospective research to determine the self-management and psychological needs of women with type 1 diabetes transitioning to motherhood and to evaluate health education interventions.<br /

Kunnskapsoppsummering og klassifisering av tiltaket Psykologisk førstehjelp (2.utg.)

Bakgrunn - Denne artikkelen er en kunnskapsoppsummering av effektene for tiltaket Psykologisk førstehjelp. Artikkelen er en revisjon av en tidligere beskrivelse av det samme tiltaket i Ungsinn (Neumer & Eng, 2013), men videreutviklet i henhold til Ungsinn sine nye prosedyrer og kriterier (Martinussen m. fl., 2019). Psykologisk førstehjelp (PF) er i hovedsak et selvhjelpsmateriell som retter seg mot barn og unge i alderen 8-18 år. Hovedmålet med PF er å forebygge psykiske vansker gjennom å bruke førstehjelpsskrinet for å håndtere vanskelige følelser og situasjoner. Metode - Denne kunnskapsoppsummeringen bygger på et systematisk litteratursøk i databasene Embase, Medline og Psykinfo, NORART Cochrane, Cristin, NORA, SCOPUS og SweMed. I tillegg har vi innhentet informasjon fra tiltakseier i Norge. Resultat - Resultatene er basert på en vurdering av tiltakets beskrivelse, relevante studier og informasjon knyttet til implementeringskvalitet. Tiltaket PF er enkelt, men godt fremstilt gjennom heftene som følger med i førstehjelpsskrinene og bygger på en solid teoretisk forankring knyttet til kognitiv atferdsterapi. Veilederen gir en god innføring i de viktigste elementene for gjennomføring av tiltaket i førstelinjetjenesten. Litteratursøket viste at det ikke foreligger noen effektstudier knyttet til PF slik tiltaket er beskrevet og vurdert i denne kunnskapsoppsummeringen. Implementeringskvaliteten er ikke tilfredsstillende i henhold til de kriteriene som vurderes i Ungsinn, særlig med tanke på manglende kvalitetssikring og monitorering/etterlevelse av gjennomføringen. Det er grunnlag til å tro at tiltaket utøves forskjellig avhengig av hvem som leverer det. Konklusjon - Tiltaket fremstår som enkelt å ta i bruk, og med sine konkrete hjelpemidler (figurer og hjelpehånd) ser det ut til å appellere til de ulike tjenestene som jobber med barn og unge. For å kunne hevde at tiltaket er virksomt, er det nødvendig med effektstudier av god metodisk kvalitet, samt et økt fokus på implementeringskvalitet

Kunnskapsoppsummering og klassifisering av tiltaket Skilsmissegrupper (2.utg.).

Source at https://ungsinn.no/post_tiltak_arkiv/skilsmissegrupper-2-utg/.Skilsmissegrupper er et selektivt forebyggende tiltak for barn og unge som har opplevd foreldres samlivsbrudd. Gjennom samtalegrupper i skolen med andre barn som har opplevd det samme, gis barna hjelp til å håndtere egen situasjon, redusere skyldfølelse og på sikt mestre (den nye) hverdagen bedre

Protease-activated receptor 1 mediates thrombin-dependent, cell-mediated renal inflammation in crescentic glomerulonephritis.

Protease-activated receptor (PAR)-1 is a cellular receptor for thrombin that is activated after proteolytic cleavage. The contribution of PAR-1 to inflammatory cell-mediated renal injury was assessed in murine crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN). A pivotal role for thrombin in this model was demonstrated by the capacity of hirudin, a selective thrombin antagonist, to attenuate renal injury. Compared with control treatment, hirudin significantly reduced glomerular crescent formation, T cell and macrophage infiltration, fibrin deposition, and elevated serum creatinine, which are prominent features of GN. PAR-1-deficient (PAR-1(-/-)) mice, which have normal coagulation, also showed significant protection from crescentic GN compared with wild-type mice. The reductions in crescent formation, inflammatory cell infiltration, and serum creatinine were similar in PAR-1(-/-) and hirudin-treated mice, but hirudin afforded significantly greater protection from fibrin deposition. Treatment of wild-type mice with a selective PAR-1-activating peptide (TRAP) augmented histological and functional indices of GN, but TRAP treatment did not alter the severity of GN in PAR(-/-) mice. These results indicate that activation of PAR-1 by thrombin or TRAP amplifies crescentic GN. Thus, in addition to its procoagulant role, thrombin has proinflammatory, PAR-1-dependent effects that augment inflammatory renal injury

Inside the clockwork of the ECHO factorial trial: A conceptual model with proposed mediators for prevention of emotional problems in children

Having interventions that are not only evidence-based and effective but also cost-effective and efficient is important for the prevention and treatment of child and adolescent emotional problems. A randomized clinical trial (RCT) tests the totalinterventions effect but does not address specific components of the intervention. In this article the hypothesis and a conceptual model of the ECHO study are presented and discussed. The ECHO intervention consists of three different components each containing two levels of intervention. By using a cluster randomized factorial design, children aged 8–12 at 40 schools across Norway will be randomized to eight different experimental conditions investigating the optimal balance between effect, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency. The article presents the design and the different components being tested and discusses how optimalization can be reached through this innovative design. The article also discusses how interventions can be improved by investigating and understanding the mechanisms of change within psychological interventions. For each of the three components in the study we consider the mediators that could be active within the intervention and how the study investigates such mediation. The results will contribute to a better understanding of how psychological interventions work and how we intend to optimize the EMOTION intervention

Fra 15 til 22 elever i klassen: Hvordan påvirker større klasse elevenes læringsmiljø og trivsel?

Published version available at http://dx.doi.org/10.15714/scandpsychol.2.e16Vår studie viser at klassestørrelse ikke nødvendigvis spiller noen rolle for elevenes trivsel på skolen, i klassen og i friminuttene. Læringsmiljøet ble imidlertid mer preget av uro og bråk, skriver Camilla Lauritzen og kolleger

Study Protocol of a factorial trial ECHO: Optimizing a group-based school intervention for children with emotional problems

Background - Youth mental health problems are a major public health concern. Anxiety and depression are among the most common psychological difficulties. The aim of this study is to evaluate an optimized version of a promising indicated group intervention for emotional problems. The program (EMOTION Coping Kids Managing Anxiety and Depression) targets school children 8–12 years with anxious and depressive symptoms and examines three factors. Factor 1 compares the standard EMOTION intervention delivered in 16 group-based sessions (Group), versus a partially-digital EMOTION intervention (DIGGI) delivered as eight group sessions and eight digital sessions. Both versions use virtual reality technology (VR) to improve behavioral experiments. Factor 2 compares parent participation in a 5-session parent group (high involvement) versus sharing information with parents via a brochure (low involvement). Factor 3 compares the use of a measurement and feedback system (MFS) designed to help group leaders tailor the intervention using feedback from children with no MFS. Methods - Using a cluster-randomized factorial design, 40 schools across Norway will be randomized to eight different experimental conditions based on three, two-level factors. To assess internalizing symptoms in children, children and their parents will be given self-report questionnaires pre-, post-, and one year after intervention. Parents also report on demographics, user satisfaction, personal symptoms and perception of family related factors. Teachers report on child symptoms and school functioning. Group leaders and the head of the municipal services report on implementation issues. The primary outcomes are changes in depressive and anxious symptoms. Some secondary outcomes are changes in self-esteem, quality of life, and user satisfaction. Questions regarding the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are included. Treatment fidelity is based on checklists from group leaders, and on user data from the participating children. Discussion - This study is a collaboration between three regional centers for child and adolescent mental health in Norway. It will provide knowledge about: (1) the effect of school-based preventive interventions on anxiety and depression in children; (2) the effect of feedback informed health systems, (3) the effect and cost of digital health interventions for children, and (4) the effect of parental involvement