Efficacy of language intervention in the early years

Background: Oral language skills in the preschool and early school years are critical to educational success and provide the foundations for the later development of reading comprehension. Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, 180 children from 15 UK nursery schools (n = 12 from each setting; Mage = 4;0) were randomly allocated to receive a 30-week oral language intervention or to a waiting control group. Children in the intervention group received 30 weeks of oral language intervention, beginning in nursery (preschool), in three group sessions per week, continuing with daily sessions on transition to Reception class (pre-Year 1). The intervention was delivered by nursery staff and teaching assistants trained and supported by the research team. Following screening, children were assessed preintervention, following completion of the intervention and after a 6-month delay. Results: Children in the intervention group showed significantly better performance on measures of oral language and spoken narrative skills than children in the waiting control group immediately after the 30 week intervention and after a 6 month delay. Gains in word-level literacy skills were weaker, though clear improvements were observed on measures of phonological awareness. Importantly, improvements in oral language skills generalized to a standardized measure of reading comprehension at maintenance test. Conclusions: Early intervention for children with oral language difficulties is effective and can successfully support the skills, which underpin reading comprehensio

A new foundational economy academy in Wales: scoping and feasibility study

This report conducted a ‘Scoping and Feasibility Study for a new Foundational Economy Academy’ in Wales, during the first quarter of 2022. We explored how to effectively enhance the Foundational Economy (FE) capability of public service practitioners and learn lessons from the celebrated Preston Model. The report conducted primary research and reviewed academic and practitioner literature. All sectors of the economy operate in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous (VUCA) world and exogenous shocks are likely to become more frequent. Public service organisations (PSOs) in Wales have had to deal with multiple challenges including COVID-19, Wellbeing of Future Generations Act obligations, 2030 Net Zero targets, social welfare reforms and Brexit repercussions. These challenges are more acute due to increased financial pressures which manifests into ‘having to do more with less’. Key foundational sectors remain resilient during times of crisis, and the foundational economy offers regional economic stability. The Foundational Economy in Wales is growing and is of vital importance to regional development. FE implementation capability is heterogeneous, and the principles of FE not fully understood. This report outlines the nascent literature and details ‘what works’ in terms of developing FE capability, in Wales. We propose a FE Capability Development framework. We also outline the lessons from the celebrated Preston model. Its success came from engaging multiple stakeholders to coproduce an ecosystem of local government, development agencies, cooperatives and trade unions to implement community wealth building principles with the University of Central Lancashire providing academic insights and facilitation. The report recommends establishing a Foundational Economy Academy in Wales to support PSOs to develop FE capability. The FE Academy could develop a repository of content and interventions and act as a quality assurance function. The FE Academy could also contribute to the development of a regional ecosystem that supports public and private sectors to collaborate with policymakers to generate and retain wealth in Wales. In terms of next steps, we suggest a study that systematically maps and reviews available FE learning content and interventions to develop a robust FE knowledge repository would be valuable. The study could also identify gaps in capability across PSOs to develop interventions, in collaboration with PSOs. A pilot FE programme community of practice would be timely to augment FE activity

A História da Alimentação: balizas historiográficas

Os M. pretenderam traçar um quadro da História da Alimentação, não como um novo ramo epistemológico da disciplina, mas como um campo em desenvolvimento de práticas e atividades especializadas, incluindo pesquisa, formação, publicações, associações, encontros acadêmicos, etc. Um breve relato das condições em que tal campo se assentou faz-se preceder de um panorama dos estudos de alimentação e temas correia tos, em geral, segundo cinco abardagens Ia biológica, a econômica, a social, a cultural e a filosófica!, assim como da identificação das contribuições mais relevantes da Antropologia, Arqueologia, Sociologia e Geografia. A fim de comentar a multiforme e volumosa bibliografia histórica, foi ela organizada segundo critérios morfológicos. A seguir, alguns tópicos importantes mereceram tratamento à parte: a fome, o alimento e o domínio religioso, as descobertas européias e a difusão mundial de alimentos, gosto e gastronomia. O artigo se encerra com um rápido balanço crítico da historiografia brasileira sobre o tema

Improved Simulation of the Polar Atmospheric Boundary Layer by Accounting for Aerodynamic Roughness in the Parameterization of Surface Scalar Exchange Over Sea Ice

A new, simple parameterization scheme for scalar (heat and moisture) exchange over sea ice and the marginal ice zone is tested in a numerical weather and climate prediction model. This new “Blended A87” scheme accounts for the influence of aerodynamic roughness on the relationship between momentum and scalar exchange over consolidated sea ice, in line with long-standing theory and recent field observations, and in contrast to the crude schemes currently operational in most models. Using aircraft observations and Met Office Unified Model simulations of cold-air outbreak (CAO) conditions over aerodynamically rough sea ice, we demonstrate striking improvements in model performance when the Blended A87 scheme replaces the model's operational treatment for surface scalar exchange, provided that the aerodynamic roughness over consolidated ice is appropriately prescribed. The mean biases in surface sensible heat flux, surface latent heat flux, near-surface air temperature, and surface temperature reduce from 25 to 11 W m−2, 22 to 12 W m−2, 0.8 to 0.0 K, and 1.4 to 0.8 K, respectively. We demonstrate that such impacts on surface exchange over sea ice can have a marked impact on the evolution of the atmospheric boundary layer across hundreds of kilometres downwind of the sea ice during CAO conditions in the model. Our results highlight the importance of spatiotemporal variability in the topography of consolidated sea ice for both momentum and scalar exchange over sea ice; accounting for which remains a key challenge for modeling polar weather and climate

Developing practice in breastfeeding

This paper reports on an approach to practice development in breastfeeding as part of a national programme of work to address inequalities in maternal and child nutrition. The production and dissemination of evidence and guidelines is necessary but not sufficient on its own to effect change in practice, particularly when dealing with complex public health issues. In the case of breastfeeding, review evidence and national guidance have shown that multifaceted changes are essential if policy aspirations are to be realized. The objectives of the programme described here were to (1) inform and enable practice development in breastfeeding in low-income areas; (2) evaluate the impact of approaches used; and (3) develop robust approaches and appropriate material for use nationally. A conceptual framework was established, and a six-stage process is outlined. The recruitment of four sentinel sites across whole health economies, involving professionals and the voluntary sector, was an essential component of the programme. The strength of the model is that it provides a structured, cross-sectoral approach to practice development in public health. A key challenge is to identify whose responsibility it is to resource practice development when a number of disciplines and sectors are involved. This question needs to be addressed if public health guidance is to be of sustained benefit