Despite extensive public and private spending in Japan on English education, Japanese young adults continue to underperform on international measures of English language proficiency and in cross-country comparisons of English language skills. And although all Japanese high school graduates will have studied English for a minimum of six years, the large majority of Japanese university students actually drop in English language proficiency over the course of their university studies. This, at a time when the Japanese government is wringing its hands over slipping levels of global competitiveness. At the same time, the absolute number and percentage of Japanese university students studying overseas is declining. One line of mainstream educational scholarship that offers promise in rectifying both problems is related to student or learner engagement. The current exploratory study was thus aimed at understanding how learner engagement is experienced in Japanese university English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning context, confirming the relevance or fit of established theoretical models of engagement, and testing a conceptual framework with a deliniation between motivation (composed of context & self systems) and engagement (action). An ethno-phenomenological case study approach was employed that involved classroom observations, questionnaires, follow-up interviews with teachers and learners, learning diaries and various support documents. I was mainly concerned with exploring ways in which individual learners become engaged or disengaged in university EFL classrooms and how engagement manifests itself for groups of learners and their teachers in these contexts. My interest in these areas stem from a desire to help teachers reduce the risk of disengagement and is based on the assumption that deeper levels of engagement will result in better quality language learning. My main research question was, How is “learner engagement” experienced in university EFL classrooms in Japan? Subsidary questions included, (1) In what ways do instructional practices (or approaches) influence learner engagement? (2) In what ways do teacher characteristics influence learner engagement? and (3) In what ways do contextual features influence learner engagement? This investigation involved a review of how theorizing on learner, or student, engagement in mainstream education literature aligns with or compliments that in second language acquisition (SLA) literature. Engagement theory has reached a certain level of maturity in educational psychology and developmental psychology, and there is well documented agreement that engagement is a multidimensional construct, with behavioral, emotional and cognitive engagement being the most commonly recognized dimensions. In the field of SLA, there has been some overlap or cross pollination with mainstream education, but direct reference to engagement theory is sparse, and motivation has been the dominant focus. Thus, the current study also aimed to explore whether or not engagement theory might inform SLA investigations and identify some practical applications of this theory. Analysis of classroom episodes where deeper (emotional) engagement was evident support assertions that learner engagement in these classes is experienced: - through the interactions with peers and the instructor, - through instructional activities that are appropriately challenging, - at a variety of levels (individual, small group, and whole-class), - dialogically between the individual and the context (i.e., individuals are influenced by the context and exert influence on the context), - differently by each individual, and - when individuals are involved in personally meaningful activities.

The aim of this study was to analyse the comments and judgments of special education teachers concerning the use and efficacy of Social Stories™ as a social skills intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in mainstream boys’ schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Specifically, the study focused on the usefulness of Social Stories™ in improving three types of daily social interaction which children with ASD encounter in mainstream schools in Riyadh: greeting people, playing with friends, and talking with friends at snack time. The study was informed by Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory (Vygotsky, 1978), and was founded on the hypothesis that Social Stories™ can serve as an intervention to improve the social capacity of children with ASD in a supportive school setting The study explored the perceptions of 15 special needs teachers’ using semi-structured interviews and focused on three case studies of children with ASD at two mainstream boys’ schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The interviews provided qualitative information about the use of Social Stories™ for children with ASD. The information gained was categorised into eight themes: the concept; source of Social Stories™; methods of display; use as a social intervention; benefits and drawbacks; barriers to use; cultural and contextual considerations; and factors contributing to best use. The case studies also tracked the children’s social skills over a period of 15-17 weeks and were used to evaluate the efficacy of Social Stories™ as a behavioural skills intervention. Overall, the findings from the interviews and the case studies found that Social Stories™ displayed some effectiveness in improving the social skills of children with ASD, whether the stories were used independently or combined with other methods. The evidence indicated that the teachers were clear about the purpose of Social Stories™ as well as possible benefits, drawbacks and barriers around their use in the classroom. They were aware of specific cultural considerations influencing the implementation and acquisition of the stories. They also recognised various approaches to incorporating Social Stories™ in their classrooms and considered the children’s specific educational needs and interests when using them. The findings of the study contributed to understanding of the use of Social Stories™ in the Middle East in general and in Saudi Arabia in particular. This study suggests a tentative framework for evaluating Social Stories™ to ensure their appropriateness for the culture and environment of Saudi Arabia, and provides a piloted mechanism to evaluate both the written and visual content of a given Social Story™ under that cultural lens. Suggestions based on the study are offered to both the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia and to teachers working with children with ASD (in Saudi Arabia and beyond) for the development of best practices in the use of Social Stories™ as a behavioural intervention. Suggestions for future research are also discussed.

This study aims to find out how Qatari twelfth-grade students make decisions relating to their future education and occupations. It is based on information drawn from a mixed methods longitudinal research study carried out over one year in two independent schools in Qatar (one girls’ and one boys’ school) – schools chosen because they had the highest numbers of Qataris attending twelfth grade in the year of data collection. Quantitative data was drawn from a questionnaire answered by 308 Qatari students (185 girls and 123 boys). Qualitative data was obtained by interviewing 21 Qatari students twice (11 girls and 10 boys). The first round of interviews took place while students were in their last semester of schooling and the second round of interviews took place after the students had left school. This study found that parents, especially the father, and older friends are very important in young Qataris’ career decision-making processes, leading us to consider the methods currently used in school career guidance. It suggests that these may need to be re-thought to ensure they are suitable for everyone. This study also highlights the social pressure applied to Qatari boys, a pressure which interferes with them making their future career decisions freely.

The aim of the thesis is to explain how multilingual adults use their linguistic and semiotic repertoires, which are records of their life experiences and mobility, to facilitate the learning of Chinese, in particular with the reading and writing of Chinese characters. The thesis begins with an overview of the background of the study in relation to the advent of mobile technologies and mobile learners. Through conducting an extensive literature review, it is argued that out-of-class, self-directed language learning through the use of online platforms has been an under-explored area and this thesis aims to fill in that research gap. This thesis adopts a multiperspectival approach in its choice of theoretical framework, consisting of translanguaging, multimodality and multilingualism. Each of these approaches contributes to the thesis in a unique way that crosses theoretical boundaries. This thesis illustrates the possibility of connecting these concepts and using them in a meaningful way so that they complement each other in explaining the complexity of meaning-making. Consequently, a combination of methodological approaches are used, including ethnography and social semiotic multimodality. Together they work in partnership with each other with an aim to generate a holistic view of how learning and teaching is conducted in the online learning environment. Eleven learners were studied in the thesis, among which four case studies are discussed in detail, with a focus on two learning practices: learning to read and learning to write Chinese characters. Learners engaged in these two practices demonstrated how they used their entire linguistic repertoires to construct knowledge through the process of translanguaging. The four case studies supported the need for a 'multimodal turn' in applied linguistics research in order to capture the multimodal nature of communication. Through repeatedly testing the boundaries and reach of translanguaging, multimodality and multilingualism, this thesis calls for a dialogue between applied linguistics and multimodality so that they can complement each other with the unique set of toolkits and explanatory powers that they have. This thesis has provided an example of how these perspectives can be brought together in a meaningful way to explore communication contexts that are complex and diverse.

This research explores the Home Language and Literacy Environment (HLLE) of pre-­‐ schoolers from a sample of low socio-­‐economic (SES) Chilean urban households, to examine how it fosters their familiarity with the school literacy register and supports their acquisition of language and literacy skills. Four specific measures of these skills were examined: vocabulary, letter and word identification, spelling and text comprehension. A comprehensive theoretical model of the HLLE and its influence on these skills was built. This included meso influences (caregivers’ values, beliefs and expectations regarding their child’s literacy development and education, and language and literacy resources) proximal influences (frequency and type of literacy practices and parent-­‐child conversations), and distal influences (SES, family demographics). A mixed-­‐methods’ approach was used to explore this HLLE construct, including: (i) a quantitative study (N=1,132) and (ii) a qualitative study with a subsample (N=30) informed by direct observations of the child in their HLLE and a semi-­‐structured interview with their caregiver. This research provides a predictive model of the HLLE that increases our understanding of the paths of influence of different HLLE components. It found that after controlling for minor SES variations there was still variability of HLLE resources, beliefs and practices within the sample; these predicted the four measures of language literacy and skills examined. Families that provided a higher HLLE had more holistic views of literacy development and higher educational expectations for their children, as well as a higher sense of self-­‐efficacy regarding their children ́s education and learning. Finally, this research found that the caregivers studied tended to: a. hold high educational expectations for their children, b. hold a skills-­‐based, purely phonetical approach to literacy, viewing literacy learning as a discreet process, c. saw school as the child ́s main source of literacy instruction and home as a place of “reinforcement” of school, d. have few pre-­‐established home routines, e. consider one of their main attributes to be to protect the child from external dangers or distractions, f. hold a maturational view of children ́s development; g. foster family and community interdependence. h. rely more on observation and physical closeness than oral interaction, i. frequently support their preschoolers ́ literacy development through homework and the use of ABC books, and j. almost seldom engage in shared or independent reading.

The thesis problematises the rationales for international and regional engagement in Myanmar’s higher education sector, with a particular focus on the curriculum, through Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of key documents related to the beginning of reform process in 2010 through to 2015. Two reports on Higher Education produced under the umbrella of the Comprehensive Education Sector Review (CESR) were analysed as well as a 2014 conference report on higher education in Myanmar. Interviews were carried out with development partners involved in the HE sector to determine their priorities for engagement. The analyses found evidence of a complex set of overlapping and competing policy discourses and rationales for the future of higher education in Myanmar related to economic growth, quality, autonomy, and regionalisation. A case study exemplifies competing rationales in the context of internationalisation. A small scale action research initiative, aimed at redesigning a strand of undergraduate curriculum at the English department of Yangon University was supported as part of a British Council led strategy aimed at establishing a nationwide teacher-training programme. Whilst the English department sought academic modernisation the international agency’s motives were predominantly political.

Research and theory indicate that situational interest may be effectively triggered by an environmental stimulus, and that this supports increases in effort, attention and perseverance (Hidi & Renninger, 2006) which can positively impact related reading comprehension performance and task enjoyment (Wigfield & Guthrie, 1997). Further evidence suggests that these characteristics may be moderated by gender and ability (Logan, Medford & Hughes, 2011; Sainsbury & Schagen, 2004). Three experimental studies were conducted to explore the relationship between reading motivation, manipulated through situational interest, and reading comprehension and task enjoyment in children (8-9 years old), where choice, and two types of novelty were examined as potential triggers. Each study investigated children’s reading comprehension performance and task enjoyment through a repeated measures, cross-over design. After reading a story, participants completed a reading comprehension task and enjoyment questionnaire. Post-testing, a selection of participants took part in focus groups to investigate the research questions. Study 1 investigated effects of choice through offering a perceived choice in the experimental condition. Study 2 investigated effects of novelty through story presentation, where a visitor read the story prologue aloud in the experimental condition only. Study 3 investigated novelty through non-textual features where the experimental condition story included scratch and sniff stickers. In the control conditions, participants read a story without choice or novelty. All studies found significant effects for reading comprehension scores and reported task enjoyment. There was no evidence that effects of choice or novelty were moderated by ability but novelty non-textual features (Study 3) had significantly greater impact on girls’ compared to boys’ reading comprehension. The findings indicate that situational interest may be effectively triggered by both choice and novelty, successfully increasing reading comprehension performance and task enjoyment. There is evidence to suggest that, for some types of novelty, task performance may be sensitive to gender effects.

Despite ADHD being one of the most widely studied conditions, there is scarce literature on the views of young people with ADHD about their diagnosis, its impact and how they should be best supported. This research aims to: give young people with ADHD a voice in relation to their experience of ADHD and systems that impact on them; explore successful strategies and interventions from a range of perspectives; and test the use of tools aimed at helping vulnerable young people express their views. This research enlisted a critical realist position and a qualitatively-driven mixed-method research design. Twenty-three participants were interviewed: nine male pupils age 11-15, six SENCos, and eight parents. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were supplemented by participant characteristic data gathered through the Conners 3 self-report questionnaires. This research was conducted in a large town in the south of England, UK. The findings highlight the complexity of ADHD, heterogeneity of its symptoms and pros and cons of the impact of the label on young people and their families. Strategies and interventions were suggested as good practice but are not always ADHD-specific and are likely to benefit pupils with a range of SEN. A trial-and-error, tailored approach is needed to account for an individual’s strengths and difficulties. Teachers, TAs, SENCos, EPs and CAMHS all have an important role to play in helping young people with ADHD and their families. Local Authority support was found to be lacking in several areas. Tools to gain pupil views were used and described so they can be used by school staff or other professionals including EPs. A range of tools should be used and selected based on the young person’s strengths and needs. Appropriate support for pupils with ADHD is needed in schools to avoid negative life consequences frequently reported in adolescent and adult ADHD.

This thesis presents an exploration of the experiences of children and young people (CYP) participating in boxing as an intervention (BAAI) at a charity. This charity provides boxing training with the stated aim to reduce gang involvement, school exclusion and mental health needs. These issues have attracted a large amount of government and media attention as they are reported to relate to negative life outcomes for individuals. Research into boxing is a developing area and there is a lack of understanding about how CYP experience participation. In the wider sports literature, it is argued that interventions can provide CYP with personal development opportunities, social support and therapeutic input; and there is a developed debate around how CYP experience might vary according to the method of intervention delivery. More broadly, the research base for informal education also describes a range of benefits which individuals can receive from learning opportunities outside of school or college. However, the engagement process is argued to an individual one, with CYP’s experiences being influenced by their preference, context and history. For this study an ecological model helped to understand the CYP’s experience of BAAI in relation to the interaction of individual factors, social variables and history. These experiences were explored by conducting semi structured interviews with CYP and coaches, which were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings included themes which described how coaches facilitated a developmental journey through boxing training; involving the attraction, and retention of CYP, the building of trust and the expression of a long term vision for attendees’ futures. Four more themes detailed factors which contributed to participants experiencing benefits as a result of BAAI. These findings were organised in relation to how they might fit into the ecosystem of a CYP, to better understand how boxing training was being experienced. Recommendations for professionals and directions for future research are outlined.

This empirical case study explores what constitutes patient safety knowledge in the therapeutic radiography (TR) curriculum and how undergraduate students transfer this type of knowledge from the classroom to the workplace. Drawing on Guile and Evans' theory of recontextualisation (2010), the theoretical framework examines how the curriculum content and pedagogic practices from an undergraduate TR programme, based in a UK higher education institution, transfer to a placement programme based in a Foundation Trust Hospital where the students undertake workplace experience. The methodology used a qualitative, interpretive paradigm. Data collection between January and April 2015 involved documentary analysis of course documents and semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students, workplace educators and faculty staff. Observation involving level five students was undertaken in the workplace. Research findings showed that knowledge was recontextualised in the operation of the radiotherapy equipment, in the implementation of infection control measures and in the identification of patients. Additionally, content recontextualisation of professional and regulatory guidance showed that the safe use of ionising radiation constituted the core knowledge of radiography practitioners. Conclusions were that patient safety was multidimensional in practice thus defying the attempt to contain this concept as a discrete entity. This research forms the first study in the field of TR showing a socio-cultural understanding of how professional statements are recontextualised in the practice of patient safety. Curriculum statements regarding skills development and proficiency constitute an informal, self-directed workplace curriculum that is driven by students’ motivation to become competent practitioners. This study contributes to the literature on patient safety in the undergraduate healthcare curriculum and highlights the omission of the systems approach in the TR curriculum. In the application of the theoretical framework of recontextualisation, recasting of practice knowledge from the workplace into the formal TR undergraduate curriculum is shown thus demonstrating the explanatory power of this conceptual lens in this radiography discipline.