Language teacher cognition has been an area of research interest for more than three decades, diversifying in recent years into a wide range of academic areas such as teacher development, initial teacher education, grammar teaching, literacy instruction, task-based learning, phonology, testing, technology, and classroom research. Much of this research, however, has been based in private language institutes or universities in developed countries, especially English-speaking ones, and has focused on identifying and describing individual teacher cognitions mostly in novice native-speaker practitioners. The present study aims to help redress this tendency by examining the cognitions and experiences, and the relationships among them, of two experienced non-native speaker teachers of English working at a state secondary school in Argentina. Using multi-methods such as semi-structured interviews, autobiographical accounts, classroom observation, stimulated recall, teacher diaries, and a grammaticality judgement task, this research project explores the teachers’ prior language learning experiences, knowledge about grammar, and grammar-related pedagogical knowledge in relation to their actual grammar teaching practices. In addition, there is a focus on the role which contextual factors play in shaping the application of these experiential and cognitive constructs, and on the interplay among these factors to help define the teachers’ grammar pedagogical decisions and actions. The findings reveal that experiential and cognitive factors appear to account for the major differences between these teachers’ teaching theories, practices, and rationales; whereas context-bound influences explain the similarities between their classroom instructional actions. They also show that language teacher cognition is informed by different sources (the teachers’ personal and prior educational history, their professional education, and their accumulated experience) and that teachers construct a context, instantiated by the interaction between their language teacher cognition and the contextual factors inside and around the classroom, which mediates between their cognitions and practice. These results carry direct implications for those involved in teacher cognition, language teacher research, teacher education, and materials design.

Since the mid-1970s there has been a greater emphasis placed on markets and competition as a means of allocating scarce resources. As a consequence of this the provision of public services has come under close scrutiny. In the English further education sector there has been structural and strategic change. The further education (FE) colleges are positioned to be able to play a key role in· the economic and social regeneration of the UK. The development- of 'managerialism' has occasioned the use of many practices and procedures more commonly associated with the private sector provision of goods and services. This study examines whether the concept of organizational culture has meaning and validity in a further education context. Research in this area is complex, time consuming and expensive. The concept of organizational culture is examined and evidence is gathered from a case study in Templeton College. The analysis of the evidence employs some of Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of the social world: field habitus and game. The evidence suggests that there is no integrated pattern of shared beliefs or behaviours that can claim to be a distinct entity. External factors are more likely to determine the situated social practices that exist within colleges. The case study approach has limited the external validity of the research and further analysis of . colleges is needed to verify the claims in this thesis. The study demonstrates that the migration of private sector management practices and concepts to the public sector is not an unproblematic process. FE would benefit from more extensive practitioner research; the more widely and deeply the colleges understand themselves the better chance for securing lasting improvements. Organizational culture is unlikely to be a significant lever of change in FE and colleges may be better advised to build a teaching and learning ethos.

Transition to secondary school is almost always a significant period of worry and anxiety. Research has linked it to a number of negative outcomes for young people including lower self-esteem and self-concept and lower academic achievement. Previous literature suggests that peer mentoring can combat negative effects associated with transition. The study explored the use of peer mentoring to support pupils who may be at risk of developing social, emotional and behavioural difficulties following transition to secondary school. A pre-test post-test two-group randomised controlled trial investigated the impact on the Year 7 pupils. To examine the impact on Year 9 peer mentors, a pre-test post-test single group design was applied. The quantitative data from Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ), Resiliency Scales and school attendance was analysed using ANOVAs and t-tests. A questionnaire was used to explore pupil views of the scheme and analysed using thematic analysis. No significant impact was found from the quantitative measures for either mentees or peer mentors. Whilst pupils largely enjoyed the experience, this did not translate into a significant measurable impact. Both the control and intervention group significantly improved on a number of SDQ subscales suggesting pupils may naturally improve following transition. The main themes regarding the things most liked about peer mentoring included having someone to talk to and supporting others. Areas proposed which could improve future schemes included a better environment and more frequent sessions. The study had some methodological limitations including a relatively small sample size, limiting the generalisability of the results; however, results coincide with previous research and the researcher questions future use of peer mentoring without more thorough investigation. This thesis highlights the lack of and need for well-conducted research into interventions before they are widely implemented.

Research conducted into the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions has considered at length their application in treating a range of clinical disorders. More recently, work has identified such interventions as being potentially applicable within school settings as a method of supporting pupils’ social and emotional development. This study reports the results of a mixed methods investigation designed to explore how pupils from two secondary schools perceive the impact of studying ‘mindfulness’ as part of an eight-week school-based curriculum and the barriers to its successful implementation. A range of qualitative and quantitative methods (online questionnaire, focus groups and in-depth interviews) were employed to capture the depth and breadth of pupils’ experiences. The data revealed distinct variability in pupils’ perceptions, highlighting how various psychological, social and functional factors impacted their experience of the curriculum itself and the practices taught within it. The reported impacts of such factors are broadly consistent with those highlighted in previous research and the theoretical literature regarding mindfulness. Pupils also described a number of issues preventing their engagement in mindfulness practice outside the classroom (e.g. a perceived lack of ability, forgetfulness and self-consciousness) and factors perceived to limit their impact (e.g. difficulty of technique, problems concentrating and the presence of environmental distractions). The results of this study reinforce the need for detailed exploratory investigations of school-based mindfulness interventions to account for the complexity of pupils’ experiences. Such information is considered to be of interest to a range of educational professionals and could help them to assess the potential value of mindfulness-based initiatives for secondary aged pupils. Limitations of the study and recommendations for further research are discussed herein.

Support staff are perceived to be highly important to schools in Britain (Department for Education (DfE), 2011; Department for Educational and Skills (DfES), 2000). The dramatic increase in support staff within schools has led to a range of roles being developed, impacting on their training and development needs (Training and Development Agency (TDA), 2010a), and those “involved in employing, managing, supporting and training them” (Alborz et al., 2009, p.4). Whilst guidance is available to schools (for example, Training and Development Agency (TDA), 2010c) there is a lack of evidence regarding the forms of support available to support staff in schools, or what is helpful, in order to carry out their role effectively and develop professionally. A qualitative approach was adopted to explore perceptions of support for support staff and the role of educational psychologists. Questionnaires, focus groups and individual interviews were utilised to gather the views of secondary school support staff, senior management team members and educational psychologists. Thematic analysis identified key themes relating to enabling support staff to feel supported within their roles, and the role of educational psychologists in working with support staff. Findings suggest that, being valued, included and involved is important to support staff feeling supported. Relationships with other members of support staff and school staff in addition to a school’s overall ethos were identified to have considerable influence on facilitating these aspects. Lack of clarity regarding the role of educational psychologists and their role in supporting support staff was also identified. Tentative suggestions are made regarding how schools might enable support staff to feel supported, and how EPs might widen their roles with support staff. In light of the findings, areas for further research are considered.

<p> The purpose for this study was to examine the relationship between adolescent identity development, relevance, and rigor among high school students. The premise under investigation is rooted in the concept of building rigor through relevance. Students who have engaged in personal exploration and commitment to certain ideological and interpersonal issues, specifically personal and occupational identity (Erikson, 1982; Marcia, 2002; Super, 1980) are purported to find increased relevancy in their coursework (Crumpton &amp; Gregory, 2011) and in turn engage in more rigorous studies. This study used a profile of high school seniors to explore the relationship between adolescent identify development, student participation in relevance building activities, and engagement in academic rigor.</p><p> This cross-sectional study utilized quantitative methods to analyze archival survey, transcript, and performance data on student engagement in relevance, rigor, and identity producing activities (Fink, 2009). A Midwest school district, granting access to archival data, had engaged in extensive research on relevance, rigor, and identity. A review of literature resulted in the emergence of six factors related to college and career readiness. The focus on career exploration, adult guidance and support, career planning, occupational identity status, academic intensity, and performance benchmarks were aligned with the research questions for this study.</p><p> Findings of the study revealed students had positive experiences with adult guidance and support and career planning. Students reported parents or guardians and teachers as having a significant influence on their career aspirations, while counselors were viewed in a less significant role. Perceptions of career exploration experiences were reported low, however a lack of workplace experience was found as a key factor in that finding. Students in the study were found to have engaged in overall low levels of academic intensity which was consistent with the literature on academic rigor. A key finding was that adolescent identity status matters in relation to academic rigor and relevance. Exploration of individual passions and interests followed by commitment to an occupational identity was found to be related to engagement in rigor and relevance.</p><p> The study provided insight into the relationship between adolescent identity development, relevance, and rigor among high school students. However, additional questions about this relationship emerged during the study. Further research into the role of school counselors as leaders, impact of workplace experience on occupational identity development, exploration of how identity develops over time, analysis of career exploration variables related to identity, and exploration of findings for ACT composite will support more clarity in the arena of college and career readiness.</p>

<p> The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate teachers&rsquo; implementation levels of best practices in reading. This study examined the frequency of instructional reading strategies serving as predictors of student success in the End of Course Assessments (ECA) for Algebra I and English Grade 10. This study reviewed current literature to determine the depth of the problem and to study effective research strategies in order to provide a better understanding of the secondary reading issue. The study also reviewed the specific reading strategies in Indiana high schools in relationship to results of Algebra I and English Grade 10 of ECA in lowest poverty schools and highest poverty schools in Indiana. </p><p> A Qualtrics survey was constructed and emailed to teacher participants. The electronic survey was separated into two sections with the first asking information about the school and the teacher, and the second asking the teachers to respond to the frequency with which the strategies of vocabulary, summarization, prior knowledge, fluency, and visualization were emphasized in classes. Each strategy included four questions for a total of 20 questions. A total of 66 teachers responded to the survey; 29 teachers from low-poverty level shcools and 37 teachers from high-poverty levels schools. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regressions.</p><p> Multiple regressions were used to address the four research questions that were used to structure the research for this study. The predictor variables do explain a significant amount of variance within the Algebra 1 ECA scores. This was determined as the significance value was lower than the given alpha level (.05) with F (5, 23) = 2.66, p = .049. ANOVA results for all predictor variables in Algebra I ECA did not reveal that the use of reading strategies is related to the success of passing the Algebra I For low-poverty level schools. The multiple regressions conducted did not prove that frequency of research-based instructional reading strategies taught in high schools served as a predictor of standardized testing performance in English 10 ECA for low-poverty schools or high-poverty schools. </p><p> This study provided information as to the selection of reading strategies as they contribute to students&rsquo; ability to pass the ECA. This was significant because it did not suggest the importance of instructional reading programs and strategies in high school. The study, through quantitative data, did not prove whether the use of reading programs and strategies will improve the students passing scores in the ECA. The study provide a better understanding why some students get through their early years of school only, to get to high school and have a difficult time with reading and become one of the numbers of students who drop out.</p>

<p> Students who are relegated to highly stigmatized, remedial alternative education settings experience forces of school pushout and institutional neglect along their educational and life trajectories. This qualitative research study explores the ways in which former continuation high school students negotiated, made meaning of, and resisted processes of school pushout and broader experiences of institutional neglect. Through life history interviews with recent graduates of a California continuation high school, this study examines the impact of systemic injustice on students&rsquo; educational and life trajectories and highlights the ways in which these students exercise agency and engage in practices of resilient resistance along their path toward high school graduation. Guided by the theoretical frameworks of symbolic violence and Critical Race Theory constructs of student resistance, this study reveals how structures of oppression impact the lives of continuation high school students and illuminates the voices of marginalized students who are seldom heard in the existing body of research.</p>

<p> Educational leaders are tasked with finding the best practices for motivating students and accurately reporting progress (Popham, 2011). Additionally, the alignment of curriculum, assessment, and pedagogy can facilitate changes in education (Klenowski &amp; Wyatt-Smith, 2014). Therefore, as districts align curriculum to assessment standards, students&rsquo; scores on assessments should increase (Squires, 2012). The purpose of this study was to determine if a correlation exists between Missouri English II end-of-course (EOC) exam scores and student grade-point averages (GPAs) earned in English II. Moreover, data were examined to determine if a correlation exists among student gender, Missouri English II EOC scores, and student GPAs earned in the course. Additionally, perceptions from high school principals concerning grades, standardized assessments, and gender bias were analyzed. Seven southwest Missouri schools from the same conference were chosen to participate. Schools submitted secondary data including gender, Missouri English II end-of-course exam scores, and GPAs earned in the English II course. Additionally, secondary principals from participating districts were asked to complete a survey. The study revealed a positive correlation between Missouri English II EOC exam scores and GPAs. Furthermore, the study showed a higher percentage of females than males earning a 3.0 or higher average GPA in English II. However, despite the correlation of EOC scores and GPAs, the majority of principals surveyed disagreed standardized tests are an accurate representation of students&rsquo; subject knowledge. Likewise, a majority of principals surveyed expressed course grades are free of gender bias and the best practice for accurately reporting student progress.</p><p>

<p> Students with disabilities have a disproportionately higher rate of dropout compared to typical peers. This study was intended to investigate the predictive factors of dropout for youth with disabilities. Specifically, this study examines how disability classification and demographics impact dropout rates for youth with disabilities. Participants in this study were all students in a large urban school district who were identified with a disability (as defined as having a IEP) in grades 9-12 (N=1439). As most variables were categorical, nonparametric analyses were used, including cross-tabulations and contingency table analyses. In addition, a binary logistic regression model was used to isolate the variables associated with dropout. Findings suggest that youth with serious emotional disability (SED) have a high risk of dropout compared to students who fall under other disability categories. Additionally, students who did not qualify for free and reduced lunch and students who were never retained (repeated a grade) were more at risk for dropout. Practical implications and future directions are discussed.</p>