Informed by, and seeking to contribute to, discussions about appropriate methodology (e.g. Holliday, 1994), my study as reported in this thesis was concerned with appropriacy of paradigms in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). It explored practitioner perspectives in Thai higher education (HE) in this era when English has become 'the' main international language for intercultural communication (IC). This linkage between English as an international language (EIL) and IC is evident in the strategy of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) - of which Thailand was a founding member in 1967 - for greater economic, cultural and socio-political integration among its members. For practitioners like me, this regional strategic move in conjunction with Thai policies and curricular documentation raises questions about the appropriacy of the established practices of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) in Thailand. My multi-method qualitative case study addressed such questions by exploring the perspectives of three Thai-national teachers of English working in a Thai public university regarding the purposes of, and assumptions underpinning, their teaching of English. As informed by an understanding of their perspectives, I then considered the possible influences which might have shaped these perspectives. The study identified the teachers' main purposes to be short-term, instrumental ones - i.e. for academic study and examination preparation purposes. As such, they tended not to attach much value to the teaching of the cultural dimension (i.e. the target culture of native English speakers [NESs], the students' home cultures and other cultures) or intercultural dimension (i.e. knowledge, skills and mindset needed for engaging people from differing cultural backgrounds). These purposes were underpinned by assumptions they held about the NES linguistic norms as testable norms in TEFL and Teaching English for Academic Purposes (TEAP). The teachers seemed unfamiliar with alternative paradigms - such as Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL) - that might align top-level policy statements and actual classroom practices. This unfamiliarity suggests the inadequacy of the teachers' educational and professional development experiences. The influences from their institution such as exams-oriented and English-medium academic agendas also had repercussions for the teachers' perspectives. Stepping back from the teachers' perspectives, my study suggested discourse inconsistencies across Thai HE regarding paradigms and purposes of TESOL. This situation is unhelpful vis-à-vis the ASEAN foregrounding of EIL for IC, and the consequent need, through TESOL, to prepare Thai students to engage in IC with people within and beyond ASEAN. My study has implications for a direction of change for TESOL in the Thai HE and possibly for similar contexts elsewhere. It offers some suggestions about teacher education that can be supportive of reorienting TESOL towards appropriate and purposeful paradigms.

A indÃstria da cerÃmica vermelha no estado do Cearà tem grande importÃncia socioeconÃmica por gerar renda, emprego e propiciar produtos com preÃos acessÃveis para a construÃÃo civil, contribuindo, assim, para a melhoria da qualidade de vida, principalmente por estar presente em todas as regiÃes do estado. Por outro lado, o setor industrial em questÃo ocasiona geralmente grande impacto ambiental ao realizar a extraÃÃo das matÃrias-primas (argila) sem planejamento tÃcnico prÃvio e fazer uso intensivo de lenha em fornos com baixa eficiÃncia energÃtica, o que contribui significativamente para a desertificaÃÃo, a erosÃo, a poluiÃÃo, a reduÃÃo da biodiversidade, o esgotamento das reservas minerais e florestais, a descaracterizaÃÃo da paisagem e a reduÃÃo dos solos agricultÃveis. Diante do exposto, estabeleceu-se como objetivo avaliar a situaÃÃo atual sob a dimensÃo tecnolÃgica e ambiental da indÃstria cerÃmica do municÃpio de Russas, onde existe a maior concentraÃÃo de empresas desse setor, atravÃs da aplicaÃÃo de questionÃrios a empresas e da pesquisa junto aos ÃrgÃos competentes, apresentando-se a maneira eficiente de empregar as tecnologias e as tÃcnicas. Chegou-se à conclusÃo de que a indÃstria cerÃmica de Russas, em geral, apresenta sua sustentabilidade comprometida em termos sociais, econÃmicos e ambientais. No entanto, com a implementaÃÃo de programas e projetos voltados para a utilizaÃÃo das tecnologias e tÃcnicas sugeridas, acredita-se que a situaÃÃo possa ser revertida. / The red tile industry of Cearà state is of enormous socio-economic importance in terms of income generation, employment opportunities and supply of products with prices which are accessible to the civil construction sector. This contributes towards improvement of quality of life in alI regions of the state. On the other hand, the aforementioned industrial sector generally causes a significant environmental impact upon extraction of raw materials (clays) without prior technical planning and as a result of making intensive use of wood- burning kilns of low energy-efficiency. This contributes significantly towards desertification, erosion, pollution, loss of biodiversity, devastation of mineral and forest reserves, as well as decharacterization of the landscape and reduction of arable soils. In view of the above, the aim was established of evaluating the current situation from a technological and environmental standpoint in the framework of the ceramic industry in the county of Russas, where there is a large concentration of enterprises in this sector. This aim was accomplished through application of questionnaires in companies and research at the entities responsible, in order to arrive at the most efficient way in which technology and techniques should be employed. It was concluded that the sustainability of the ceramic industry in Russas, in general, is compromised in social, economic and environmental terms. Nevertheless, with implementation of programs and projects geared towards utilization of the technology and techniques suggested, it is believed that the situation can be reverted.

Although core counseling processes are necessary for working with LGBTQ individuals, they are not sufficient. Given unique concerns, needs, and experiences across the lifespan, specialized awareness, knowledge and skills are needed for effective counseling service delivery for this diverse population. Awareness of personal and societal values as well as homoprejudice will be explored. Sexual and gender identity models, ethical and systemic issues, and unique LGBTQ concerns (including within group diversity) will be discussed. Through various activities, emphasis will be on skill development of appropriate counseling and systemic intervention strategies with respect to various counselor work settings (schools, agencies, higher education).

Finding appropriate and unique repertoire for the developing singer is a daunting task and ongoing challenge in the teaching profession. There are limited resources to help guide teachers in selecting varied, yet suitable repertoire that falls outside of the standard Western European musical canon. The early years, ages 17–21, are crucial to establishing a healthy and well-rounded vocal approach to singing, while also introducing the student to a wide variety of music. African-American art song is a great option for developing singers. Repertoire should allow a student to grow musically, vocally, and artistically according to the singer’s specific stage of learning and interests. Selecting repertoire through established criteria that considers the student’s personal and cultural interests (in addition to pedagogical needs) allows for a good foundation to support a healthy vocal development. Consideration of numerous elements, such as historical, musical, physical, emotional, and vocal characteristics offers a framework for a comprehensive approach in the selection process. In Literature for Teaching: A Guide for Choosing Solo Vocal Repertoire from a Developmental Perspective, Christopher Arneson provides a wonderful base for further study, and application into repertoire selection. Through the utilization of Arneson’s suggestions, I have created a rubric that quantifies key criteria important to the evaluation of repertoire. Through this rubric, a clear evaluation and assigned difficulty level is provided for each song in the collection. This compilation of songs is only the beginning to a proposed anthology entitled: African-American Art Song for the Developing Singer. Each song offers a historical and pedagogical summary that includes the following: composer and poet biographies, text and translations, basic form, original key and other keys available, performance notes, range, tessitura, suggested voice type, tempo suggestions, difficulty level, and other available editions. This unique anthology of African-American art song offers teachers with a resource that evaluates appropriate repertoire for developing singers, between the ages of 17–21, that is clearly accessible.

Research supports the knowledge that there exist many models on and definitions of school readiness within early education. Additionally, research shows that utilizing developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) produces positive short and long term results for students; indicating the effectiveness and necessity for DAP in the classroom. The study sought to inform teachers via presentation on the subjects of school readiness and DAP; as well as gain insight on the barriers teachers face in utilizing their school readiness and DAP knowledge base in the classroom. To accomplish this, the study used a pre-survey, presentation with discussion, and a post-survey to collect information on teachers’ knowledge and beliefs, teachers’ levels of professionalism and autonomy, as well as gain insight on how useful the presentation was for teachers. Results show teachers gained information from the presentation but may be unable to use this information in the public setting. These results are based on direct feedback from teachers, as well as the effect size of teacher’s responses on ranking school readiness characteristics and DAP/DIP items before and after the presentation. Regarding what teachers know about these topics, results indicate variance on teachers’ ideas on school readiness. Responses were sorted into three themes; specific skills, different areas of development, and the importance of early experiences. Teachers also had, on average, an appropriate ranking of DAP/DIP teaching practices in the classroom, with scores that grew stronger for some teaching practices after the presentation. Additionally, multiple-choice questions on teacher autonomy and teacher professionalism show that most teachers feel they are treated as professionals and autonomous in their positions. However, despite these results, a discussion on barriers of implementing an appropriate model of school readiness as well as DAP portrayed a much different scenario with teachers in the public setting. In fact, this study found that teachers in the public setting are very much limited by administrators in their ability to utilize ideas, curriculum, and assessments they view as appropriate in the classroom. As such, future research should seek to reach the school administrators to gain insight on the basis of their decisions, as well as educate them on the research supporting successful learning in the early education classroom.

There is little evidence in the literature that early childhood (EC) teachers are using developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) in implementing computer applications in their classrooms. The purpose of this study was to identify EC teachers' perspectives about the use of developmentally appropriate computer applications and to identify their perspectives on strategies for implementing change toward greater use of developmentally appropriate computer applications. The study was based upon Joseph and Reigeluth's conceptual framework of systemic change processes, which provides educators with the foundation to achieve sustainable changes. The research questions that guided this qualitative case study were designed to obtain teachers' perspectives about the use of DAP while embedding technology into EC classrooms and strategies that might be used in encouraging use of DAP computer applications. Data collection included semistructured interviews with 10 EC teachers in one school and reviews of relevant documents. Data from interviews and document reviews indicated a perceived need for more integration of developmentally appropriate computer technology in the classroom and for increasing teachers' knowledge of DAP through training and staff development. Recommendations for schools included finding more and varied technology funding sources, placing greater school emphasis on the importance of a learning organization, and increasing stakeholder involvement. For teachers, recommendations were to develop additional instructional strategies for embedding DAP technology into the classroom. This study has the potential to help stakeholders and EC teachers enhance the fidelity of instruction and students' learning in the classroom.

No description available.

The thesis aims at establishing what teachers of programme specific subjects state is the foundation for their assessment at the Hotel and Restaurant Programme (HR-programme). The theoretical framework of the thesis is based on social constructionism. The respondents were practising teachers of programme specific subjects at HR-programme. The empirical data based on interviews and video interviews was analyzed with: types of knowledge, key qualifications, specific vocational knowledge and skill and levels of expertise. Seven key qualifications have been discerned: independence, planning skills, problem solving skills, co-operation, customer contact, communication and power of initiative. These can be divided in three dimensions: personal, cognitive, and social/interactive. For the student, the most important to focus on for getting a higher grade is independence. Five categories of programme specific subjects have been identified: understanding the vocational area, skills in working techniques and methods, hygiene and handling work tools, as well the ability to see the whole and to act simultaneously. Differences in qualifications between levels of expertise can be identified in skills, speed and comprehensive thinking which appear to be valued more by the respondents. Key qualifications include all types of knowledge, theoretical knowledge, practical mastery and appropriate action but also a keen mind for reflection over ones actions. Appropriate action in general is assessed on the level of overall focus, the highest level of expertise, and theoretical knowledge the lowest level of expertise. There’s concordance between respondents on assessment of knowledge and skills. Students have to have a great part of specific vocational knowledge and skills to achieve the degree of Pass. The respondents’ descriptions and appraisements of what is assessed reflect their vocational culture where experience has a master role which could be the main reason why an inexperienced student cannot achieve higher grade levels.

<p>Speciallärarprogrammet med inriktning mot utvecklingsstörning</p>

This investigation examined the effects of instruction, within the context of the Headsprout Reading Basics program, on the oral language and early reading skills of at-risk preschool students, and their teachers perceptions of the program. Random assignment was used in a pretest-posttest, control group design to assess the effects of this program. Thirty-one students, across two preschool settings, participated in the experimental group, and 31 students participated in the comparison group. The experimental group received instruction through the Headsprout Reading Basics program, which teaches the alphabetic principle, decoding strategies, print awareness, vocabulary, and deriving meaning from texts. The comparison group received instruction through Millies Math House, which teaches numbers, shapes, counting, sizes, patterns, quantities, sequences, addition, and subtraction. Daily instruction was provided for 30 minutes over a period of eight weeks. Oral language skills were measured using the Test of Language Development-Primary: 3rd edition (TOLD-3) and early reading skills were measured using the Test of Early Reading Ability- 3rd edition (TERA-3). Teachers and teachers assistants perceptions of the Headsprout Reading Basics program also were assessed through analysis of their responses to a structured, open-ended interview. Results indicated that students who received instruction through the Headsprout Reading Basics program exhibited gains in oral language and early reading skills that were statistically higher than the students who did not receive this instruction. Effect sizes associated with these gains were found to be large. Examination of the effects of gender, and minutes of instruction received did not yield significant statistical differences. Analysis of interview data indicated that the teachers and teachers assistants viewed Headsprout Reading Basics as a desirable way to increase the oral language and early reading skills of their students and would continue to use the program if given the opportunity. Implications for future research are discussed.