Readability problems presented by mathematics text

“312. Even though a child may without difficulty be able to read what is written in a mathematics text book or on a work card, he may well find great difficulty in learning an unfamiliar piece of mathematics from the written word. This is likely to be the case however careful has been the choice of the language used. The ability to learn mathematics from the printed page is one which develops very slowly, so that even at the age of 16 there are few pupils who are able to learn satisfactorily from a text book by themselves. At the primary stage new topics and concepts should always be introduced by appropriate oral and practical work and the necessary links with what has gone before established by discussion.” (D.E.S., 1982)     

Forms of knowledge, the curriculum and the young child

Children need to learn many matters, but not all their learning is of the same epistemological kind.There are something like eight fundamental and fundamentally different ways in which human beings encounter the world: Knowledge of Mathematics and Logic, Empiricist Knowledge, Scientific Knowledge, Knowledge of Persons and their Minds, Moral Knowledge, Knowledge and Experience in the Aesthetic Domain, Religion, Philosophy. These Forms structure children's learning, understanding, and experience both formal and informal, at all ages.Moreover they structure not just “scholarly knowledge and experience”, but also, “commonsense knowledge and experience”.

A suitable curriculum will be one which in one way or another provides diverse experiences of these Forms. Because there is no “transfer of training” between Forms as such, children need to be introduced to them all and to be shown how they differ. To say this is not to beg any questions about the best way in which to teach young children: no matter how we decide to organize a curriculum,we are still able to use a range of modern methods.

Although much learning in pre-school and early elementary school ought not to be directly concerned for the deliberate acquisition of the Forms as such, much of the casual learning in schools (and outside them) does indeed involve the Forms-with examples drawn from the child world.

In introducing children to the Forms, those who care for and who teach young children have an enormous responsibility.     

Children's Ways of Experiencing Peer Interaction

Educational practice in age integrated child groups rests on the assumption that children learn from their peers. The benefits of age integrated teaching is to enhance the value of heterogeneity in child groups. The fact that children are different from each other with different experiences is seen as an asset, which both children and teachers can benefit from. 22 children in a school class with children of mixed age; ranging from 7-9 years, were interviewed about their conceptions of peer interaction. How do children conceive peer collaboration, and what does it mean to children to teach someone something? A phenomenographic research approach is being used to discern the variation in ways of thinking about how children do when they teach someone something, and how they conceive peer collaboration at school. Children are conscious about the fact that they are able to teach their peers, and they can express this in different ways. Children also shift in their roles as “teacher” and “learner”. In some examples it is the “teacher” who plays the active role, in others it is the “learner” who has to be active by imitating the model/teacher.     

The organisational and professional context of the first acpc conference

The theme of today's conference “Partnership in a Changing Environment” is highly significant and could be adopted for almost any major conference in the health and personal social services field. “Partnership” is an “in” word, and like quality and other euphemisms it has become part of our rhetoric. Its definition and translation into practice at different points in our organisations, is however more problematic. For example in the area of child protection there has been a tendency to think of partnership as based around case conferences, but that is too far into the process to be of value to families or professionals. Partnership starts at policy making and today's conference is an attempt at bringing together the principal partners who should influence policy, as well as what happens further into the system when parents and children become engaged. The second part of today's theme “a changing environment” also applies throughout the public service. In recent years we have become accustomed to rolling organisational change. The most recent manifestations of this in Northern Ireland have been the introduction of general management throughout the services, the separation and redefinition of purchaser and provider functions, and more recently, the establishment of HPSS trusts. But change to the environment within which partnership in child protection takes place is influenced by forces other than organisational development. Research in child care over the last 15 years, the introduction of the Children Act 1989 in Great Britain and the prospect of similar legislation here within the next year or two, the impact of major reports, sometimes focusing on tragic events and the publication by the Inspectorate of the investigation into the case of Martin Huston have served to perpetuate change.     

Developing mathematical power: A case study

Current reform for mathematics education calls for the development of each child's “mathematical power” (NCTM, 1989, p.5), which we contend can be developed in very young children. From an ongoing case study of Jaclyn's early mathematics learning at home, we (i) share one child's early mathematical attitudes and strategies, and (ii) discuss how one mother's interactions with her daughter influence and guide “teacher-student” interactions. Bedtime story reading and everyday game-like activity are shown to be sources of natural mathematics, in this particular home, where the mother is aware of and acts to encourage the child's mathematical thinking. It is evident that mathematical power, problem solving, and sense making are strongly related for this preschooler. It is also evident that this parent's mediation -- informed by multiple perspectives of mother, classroom teacher and mathematics researcher -- plays an important part in such development.     

Clinimetrics vs. psychometrics: an unnecessary distinction

The term “clinimetrics” was introduced by Feinstein to describe an approach to scale development that ostensibly is different from the more traditional “psychometrics.” I argue that, for a number of reasons, it is time for this term to retire from the scene. I show that the clinimetric approach is neither new nor unique, but is rather a subset of psychometrics. Further, because the majority of new developments in scale construction (e.g., new variations of the intraclass correlation, item response theory, structural equation modeling, and cognitive theories) are reported in the psychometric literature, use of the term “clinimetric,” especially among people not exposed to traditional test theory, cuts them off from a rich source of information.     

The effect of sudden paternal death on young people and their family relationships: Some implications for practice

The importance for children and young people to be able to communicate openly about the death of a parent is evident from the literature. This small-scale investigation uses a case-study approach to illustrate the impact on siblings of the sudden death of a father. The abundance of comments from the young people in the study such as “talking is the only thing that helps” and “everybody has to get it out” emphasise the important role of communication within the family. Children tend to take their emotional cues from other family members and, paradoxically, restrict communication of their own grief in an attempt to protect others. Even if painful in the short term, certain lines of communication may need to be established if family members are to be able to support each other in dealing with the distressing experience of the death in a healthy manner. The study suggests that those who work with young people in such circumstances should take cognisance of these issues.     

A Clarion Call To Planners, Managers and Practitioners: Don't Forget The U.N. Convention!

“Many things can wait. Children cannot. Right now their hip hones are being formed, their blood is being made, their senses are being developed. To them we cannot say tomorrow. Their name is today.” Gabrielle Mistral. Chilean Poet.     

Early Childhood Education Reinvention and Education Policy: Addressing Linguistic and Cultural Diversity

“Americanization” has been a goal of many programs for culturally and linguistically diverse students in America. This approach has not been successful. In its place is a need for forms of education that are directly relevant to the needs of culturally diverse children. While multicultural education is a necessary part of the early childhood curriculum, there is a need to go beyond muticultaralism, developing forms of education that allow all children to participate in “meaning making”.     

Children's conceptions of their own play

This paper described a research project, Play and Learning, to investigate the mental processes that underlie children's activities in “free play” and “structured learning” situations in preschool. Interviews of children about “what they did” were used to investigate children's own views of play and learning.     

Rethinking “Harmonious Parenting” Using a Three-factor Discipline Model

Diana Baumrind's typology of parenting is based on a two-factor model of “control” and “warmth”. Her recommended discipline style, labeled “authoritative parenting”, was constructed by taking high scores on these two factors. A problem with authoritative parenting is that it does not allow for flexible and differentiated responses to discipline situations. It is argued that a simpler, and more adequate, approach would be to switch to a model of discipline with a third factor, labeled “tolerance”. Parents of the most socially competent children are adept at knowing when they have a problem and when they do not. An example of the latter would be when a child expresses negative affect while complying fully with a request. Baumrind's notion of authoritative parenting was a useful “dialectic”, demonstrating that control and warmth are independent and equally necessary behaviors, but it did not go far enough. Baumrind's category of harmonious parenting (high warmth, moderate control, high tolerance), which she sees as an anomaly, should be substituted for authoritative parenting as the preferred discipline pattern.     

Topic based curricular approaches in the primary school: A critique of their relevance to children with learning difficulties.

“Topic based” approaches to learning are a present feature in primary classrooms in the UK. The aim of teaching, as always, is to provide effective learning experiences for all pupils. The structure of this curricular approach has the potential for facilitating the match between learning and individual learners. This paper explores the appropriatness of the post-Plowden model for that sizeable group of children who have learning difficulties with a particular focus on failure to acquire effective language and literary skills.     

Teaching art appreciation in the nursery school -- it's relevance for 3 and 4 year olds

This article, a report on recent research, draws attention to the positive response shown by nursery school children to art appreciation when it was introduced into their curriculum.

It explains how art appreciation was integrated into an intercurriculum approach and “taught” through activities that are a normal part of a nursery school day viz. mime, movement, telling stories, expressing feelings, games and puzzles. The method and content of each session is outlined and findings reported. It is noted how art appreciation allows for reflective and physical participation, cognitive growth, observation, the development of vocabulary, and can lead to children responding to paintings sensitively yet critically -- many four year olds can “spot” stylistic similarities and make cross references between paintings.

As art appreciation is a useful means to learning and children find it an enjoyable activity, it would be beneficial if it was “written-in” to the forthcoming National Curriculum document for art education.     

The Age of Criminal Responsibility: “The Frontier between Care and Justice”

This is an extract from a speech given by Mr Justice Gillen to a conference in Belfast organised by Children Law UK in January 2006. It addresses the potential conflict between the concept of the welfare of children inherent in the family care system and that of responsibility inherent in the criminal justice system. It questions whether the abolition of doli incapax and the age of criminal responsibility at the age of 10 in the UK places too much emphasis on the prevention of offending and too little attention on a child centred focus. The article exhorts a more holistic “joined up” approach to family and criminal justice.     

Indexes and boundaries for “quantitative significance” in statistical decisions

Boundaries for S, representing a “quantitatively significant” or “substantively impressive” distinction, have not been established, analogous to the boundary of , usually set at 0.05, for the stochastic or probabilistic component of “statistical significance”. To determine what boundaries are being used for the “quantitative” decisions, we reviewed pertinent articles in three general medical journals. For each contrast of two means, contrast of two rates, or correlation coefficient, we noted the investigators' decisions about stochastic significance, stated in P values or confidence intervals, and about quantitative significance, indicated by interpretive comments.

The boundaries between impressive and unimpressive distinctions were best formed by a ratio of 1.2 for the smaller to the larger mean in 546 comparisons, by a standardized increment of 0.28 and odds ratio of 2.2 in 392 comparisons of two rates; and by an r value of 0.32 in 154 correlation coefficients. Additional boundaries were also identified for “substantially” and “highly” significant quantitative distinctions.

Although the proposed boundaries should be kept flexible, indexes and boundaries for decisions about “quantitative significance” are particularly useful when a value of δ must be chosen for calculating sample size before the research is done, and when the “statistical significance” of completed research is appraised for its quantitative as well as stochastic components.     

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Current therapy

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a condition characterised by impulsive behaviour, inattention and hyperactivity. Children are described as being “driven by a motor”. They may be forgetful and unable to complete simple tasks. Found in up to three per cent of children it can result in behaviour difficulties and poor school performance. There may also be found associated co-morbidities such as depression, specific learning difficulties, dyspraxia, oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. The aetiology is likely to be a disorder in neurotransmitter function in the brain due to genetic or environmental factors. Treatment modalities include behaviour modification and stimulant medications.     

The myth of alcoholism prevention

Although practically every article about alcoholism contains at least one or two paragraphs that stress the importance and need for prevention programs, the “hows” and the “specifics” are rarely spelled out in any detail.The analysis of why this situation exists points to the existence of three central premises around which the present alcohol prevention model is constructed. Each of these premises has at its core the existence of some invalid statements, the perpetuation of which effectively blocks the establishment of more appropriate prevention models.Awareness of “facts” about alcohol leads to a change in drinking. The paper cites evidence from experimental and empirical sources, illustrating that the presentation of facts, although in some cases altering attitudes, does not result in changes in certain behaviors. An explanation and model are provided stating the conditions under which “facts” do and do not result in behavioral change and where “alcohol facts” fit into this paradigm.Prevention programs centered around “consequences” are an effective way to produce change in drinking. The common theme most alcohol prevention programs share today is that their “message” deals with the consequences of drinking. This approach is highly unsuccessful in appealing to alcoholics whose characterological style ties them to the present and not the distant consequences of their behavior.Applicability of a medical primary and secondary prevention model to alcohol education. This section of the paper deals with the misapplication of the medical primary and secondary prevention models to alcoholism. It discusses why the etiology of alcoholism must be understood prior to the establishment of a primary prevention program. It also questions the methodological premises around which the early warning signs of alcoholism are built and their validity in successfully predicting the later development of alcoholism. The need for more longitudinal studies is suggested.     

Teenage Kicks: Young Women and their Involvement in Violence and Disorderly Behaviour

The issue of young people's involvement in forms of violence and anti-social behaviour is one that is generating increasing concern across Northern Ireland. Young people are frequently regarded as one of the primary sources of social disorder and are often blamed for provoking fear and a sense of insecurity among elder members of the community. However, in much of the recent writing and in most of the policy responses to problems of anti-social behaviour, there is an inappropriate use of the term “young people”, which effectively functions as a gloss for “young males”. Young women are implicitly included in the concept of “young people as problem” but are effectively excluded from policy considerations, which largely focus on dealing with young men. This paper draws upon research into young people's attitudes to and experiences of violence and disorder in Northern Ireland, but focuses specifically on the views of young women and explores their experiences and knowledge of violence and disorder. The paper considers how far young women's concerns are being acknowledged and questions how far the needs of young women can be accommodated or the risks some of them pose are being addressed by subsuming them within the broader category of “young people”.     

Book review

While the 1989 Children Act has been in effect in Great Britain for several years. Social Workers in Northern Ireland could be forgiven for feeling that legislative change is still some considerable time away with one delay compounding another. As we anticipate die Children (N.I.) Order it might be useful to examine aspects of the Great Britain legislation given that our own Order will be largely identical. Additionally the Children Act produced a considerable volume of case law which in turn will be persuasive on our own legal jurisdiction. Surprisingly one of the difficulties in respect of both of the above would be the sheer volume of publication on the 1989 Act. The Childrens Act 1989 “Putting it into Practice” is a book that may appeal to many practitioners in this context. Written by Mary Ryan and published by Arena under the auspices of the Family Rights Group “Putting it into Practice” is designed for those in the frontline of Child Protection work with specific emphasis on the responsibilities of Local Authorities.     

Feinstein and study design

Dr. Alvan Feinstein saw himself as the father of “clinical epidemiology” in the modern meaning of this term, of this “new intellectual domain of modern medical science.” In this role, he saw himself as drawing from his “clinical sophistication” and from “the rigorous scientific demands” to which “clinicians are accustomed,” while “public health” epidemiologists “often use a more arbitrary set of standards.” His conception of the scope of clinical epidemiology was remarkably Catholic and the same was the case in respect to cause-effect research in it. In the latter, he was firmly committed to the randomized-trial paradigm, including in his teachings on study design in etiologic research. Characteristically original, many of Dr. Feinstein's study-design ideas remain controversial.