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Acquiring language is understood to be a key part of a child’s development (Siraj-Blatchford & Clarke, 2003), impacting skills including literacy and behaviour. The number of children identified as having speech, language and communication needs has been increasing by 4-6 percent each year since 2011 and is the most common primary need of children with on the SEN register (Whitaker, 2014). Early intervention is argued to have the greatest impact on the outcomes for children, as well as being the most cost-effective (Law et al., 2001). However, there has been a call to improve the provision for children with these needs due to the variability of the provision children receive (Bercow, 2008). Due to the diverse workforce, as well as the recognised importance of practitioners viewpoints, there has been a call for research into the viewpoints of early years practitioners regarding strategies to support children with SLCN (Marshall & Lewis, 2014). The present research uses a Q methodological research approach (Stephenson, 1953) to explore the viewpoints of 42 early years practitioners on strategies to support children with speech, language and communication needs. Q methodology utilises the advantages of both qualitative and quantitative research methods and creates open communication around complex topics in order to clarify participants’ views and explore subjective and diverse viewpoints. The data generated by Q methodology was analysed using a by-person factor analysis. Three distinct viewpoints were identified within the group of early years practitioners who participated in the research. These viewpoints were: • One: Tailor interventions and seek professionals’ advice • Two: Emphasis on stand-alone strategies, alter instructional language and don’t use visuals • Three: Understand a child’s background and utilise environmental strategies Follow-up interviews were carried out to strengthen the validity of the findings and explore what has informed the viewpoints captured, as well as to identify what helps and hinders practitioners working in line with their viewpoint. Numerous implications for professional practice have been identified that could support the effective implementation of strategies to support children with SLCN.

Forest School promotes a child-led approach to education, through frequent learning in an outdoor woodland area. It was developed in the United Kingdom based on the early years practices employed in Denmark. The existing research has begun to generate some evidence of the positive outcomes of Forest School. There appears to be growing confidence in Forest School that is primarily based on non- experimental qualitative research. Therefore, the current research aimed to evaluate the impact of Forest School for nursery aged children, using experimental, outcome-focussed evaluation methods. The study utilised a pragmatic approach, employing a sequential mixed methods study design; the primary focus being the quasi-experimental element of the design, that included 11 children in both the experimental and control groups. The specific research outcomes were developed in collaboration with nursery staff using focus groups, thus, questionnaires were developed to measure social and emotional well-being and communication, pre- and post-intervention. This data is complemented by three case studies of children that participated in Forest School; analysed and presented using activity theory. The quantitative results indicate that both the control group and experimental group made significant gains in social and emotional well-being and communication, suggesting that Forest School did not have a significant effect. The qualitative data, however, highlighted a range of outcomes and provided interesting information regarding the mediating factors which influence the children's Forest School experiences. The possible reasons for the quantitative outcomes are discussed, including the unique ethos and general outdoor practices used at the nursery setting in which the research took place. The data has also been considered in relation to the methodological weaknesses, such as diffusion of treatment, which may account for the disparity between the data and previous research. Although it cannot be concluded that the Forest School had a significant impact on the children that engaged in the sessions, the current research suggests that the use of general outdoor learning practices and teaching by Forest School trained staff had a positive impact on the social and emotional well-being and communication for all children.

This thesis reports an investigation into primary-aged children's ability to learn how to construct mind maps and use these as a tool to support thinking and planning for written tasks. Little research has investigated the kinds of mind map produced by 7-11 year old children, or the impact on an associated written task. It is argued therefore that a closer examination of these claims might shed light on how children learn and use such representations. An initial exploratory study investigated the ability of children to create mind maps and use them as planning tools for narrative writing. Following this, five experimental studies were conducted exploring how to enhance children's construction and use of mind maps. Two studies were concerned with supporting the construction process independent of a written task and three further studies investigated mind map plans linked to expository writing tasks. Strategies that improved children's mind map construction were found to be the use of templates, a staged inductive procedure or collaboration using computer software. No overall improvement in children's writing was found when mind maps were used as planning tools, but better structured mind maps were correlated with better written texts. A close examination of items present on mind map plans and included in written tasks revealed that there was more transfer of items from mind maps to texts of better quality. Findings suggest that children can learn and engage with this kind of representation successfully, however the task environment is particularly influential on the types of mind map produced. It is suggested that representations such as mind maps can be usefully introduced into the primary curriculum as an effective planning tool. Mind maps also create a visible record of planning that can provide an opportunity for focused teacher intervention.

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Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1970. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--Wisconsin. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-93).

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No description available.

The referral of a student for a psycho-educational evaluation is one of the most important responsibilities of school-based personnel, in particular for the general education classroom teacher (Abidin & Robinson, 2002; Artiles & Trent, 1994; Hosp & Reschly, 2003). A referral for evaluation or intervention is also one of the most important predictors of future special education eligibility. The Commonwealth of Virginia has traditionally used Child-Study Committees (CSC) to address the provision of supportive interventions within regular classroom settings to students prior to referral for special education eligibility. The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of the support given by CSCs to those students who were referred for academic and/or behavioral concerns. Effectiveness was measured by the alignment of the referral concern(s) with the assigned intervention to address this concern(s) as well as the notion that a referral was not delayed which would have delayed needed services for students. This inquiry addressed the intervention assistance given to elementary grade students who were referred in order: (a) to determine the outcomes of the CSC process by grade level, and by race and gender of students; and (b) to determine if the CSC process facilitated or delayed appropriate referral for special education services prior to the implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) approaches in the state. Methods of quantitative descriptive content analysis were utilized. The findings of this study indicated that of the students (n=136) referred to the CSC, 62.5% were recommended for a complete evaluation and determined eligible for special education services. In addition, 77.2% of referrals were related to academic concerns, and 17.6% were for behavioral concerns; only 5.1% of the referrals were made for both academic and behavioral concerns. The percentage of students who recycled through the process was insignificant and there was not a delay in the referral for special education services, suggesting that the initial interventions were appropriate for the given student. Results further indicated that the retention and promotion status of the referred students was not affected by the process. As it relates to implications for practice, the CSC provided a systematic approach that school divisions may be able to utilize to determine the efficacy of interventions that address the current academic and/or behavioral needs of students in the classroom. It is recommended that future research in this area be conducted with a larger sample of the country, thus allowing more generalizability to other populations. In addition, as the CSC process develops, it would be interesting to examine the evolution of the process and the modifications made. / Ph. D.