Reading Literacy of Roma Pupils Thesis - Kateřina Šormová Abstract This work is a contribution to Roma pupils' literacy research. The importance of literacy for an individual today is absolutely crucial; applied research suggests that people with advanced literacy skills are more likely to have a higher self-esteem, improved health, more satisfying jobs and higher income compared to those with low literacy skills. Persons who are at greater risk of reduced literacy level are those from different cultural backgrounds, unemployed and unskilled people, those with very low level of education and people living in social exclusion. Roma pupils (very often) belong to such groups of people, therefore it is necessary to set up measures to eliminate these risks. The need to develop language competence of Roma pupils in the Czech language, including reading comprehension ability, is also included in the Roma Integration Strategy by 2020. This thesis examines whether and how the reading literacy test results of Roma and non- Roma pupils differ, and describes factors of home and school environment that influence the Roma pupils' literacy development. Based on these research questions hypotheses were set. Our research of Roma pupils' literacy was conducted in 4th and 5th grades of primary schools in socially excluded...

Learners in disadvantaged environments are less likely to do well at school. Yet some of the most successful schools operate in such environments. The purpose of this study was to establish the relative influence of various determinants of school success in disadvantaged environments. To this end literature study was done in two phases. The first resulted in a taxonomy of success factors, which was then used to guide the second in-depth phase. Thereafter an empirical study was done, involving qualitative field work at four successful schools in disadvantaged environments. Empirically it was discovered that there is no single most important success factor because all success factors are interrelated and interdependent. The over-arching success factor discovered in this study which was involvement of all stakeholders. / Education / M.Ed.

In this study, a literature review and qualitative research design are used in an attempt to establish the obstacles to the effective governance of schools in previously disadvantaged communities. From the research, it emerges that the SGBs govern their schools intuitively. This is because they lack knowledge of how schools should be governed. Various strategies to build the governance capacity of these SGBs are formulated in this study to assist them to govern their schools effectively. Effective governance is an important instrument that can restore order, protect the rights of both learners and educators, prevent discipline problems amongst learners and establish the provision of quality education in these communities. / Teacher Education / M.Ed. (Education Management)

The influx of Black pupils seeking admission to Indian schools began in 1990 after the Democratic Movement's "all schools for all people" campaign was announced. The medium of instruction in Indian schools is English which is also the mother tongue. Therefore Black pupils who come on transfer from schools in the KwaZulu township are immediately faced with a language problem as they are taught in the mother tongue untii standard three, when they switch to English. This research project arose as a result of the researcher's experience with Black pupils, whom he - felt were severely linguistically underprepared for academic study in the senior primary phase. Furthermore, most present day teachers were trained for monocultural schools and have little or no experience of multicultural education. The main problem that this research focuses on includes the learning problems encountered by Black pupils in Indian primary schools and the concomitant teaching problems their teachers experience. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Cette thèse de doctorat analyse les inégalités écologiques dans les villes africaines, à travers l’exemple de Cotonou au Bénin, à l’aune du choléra. En tant que pathologie liée à l’exposition à un environnement insalubre, le choléra constitue un marqueur pertinent des inégalités écologiques, qu’il s’agisse d’inégalités d’exposition aux nuisances environnementales, d’accès aux aménités urbaines, de pouvoir d’interpellation de la puissance publique face aux nuisances environnementales ou de participation aux projets environnementaux. A travers l’approche par « effet de lieu », nous avons montré que l’incidence différentielle du choléra entre les arrondissements et les quartiers de Cotonou est liée non seulement à l’effet combiné du milieu et des profils socio-économiques, aux pratiques sociales, mais aussi aux politiques publiques, inspirées parfois des recommandations internationales dans le domaine de l’environnement, et qui occultent le contexte socio-politique local. / This doctoral thesis analyses the ecological inequalities in the african cities, by focusing on the example of Cotonou in Benin, with regard to cholera. As a pathology related to the exposure to an unhealthy environment, cholera forms a relevant marker of the ecological inequalities under all their forms: whether they are inequalities of exposure to the environmental nuisances, access to urban amenities, capacity to question the public power as far as environmental nuisances are concerned or participation in environmental projects. Through the approach by “effect of place”, we showed that the differential incidence of the cholera between the districts of Cotonou is related not only to the combined effect of the environment and the socio-economic profiles, social practices, but also with the public policies, inspired sometimes of the international recommendations in the field of the environment, and that overlook the socio-political local context.

Title: Tutoring of elementary school pupils outside school Summary: The diploma thesis provides complex analysis of pilot of National library focused on supporting pupils of elementary school with preparation for school tasks. Within the first part thesis is focused on methods of out of school tutoring in Czech Republic. Subsequently I have monitored the participation of pilot's volunteers within Municipal library in Prague - Bohnice and their interaction with pupils. Thesis describes individual approaches of particular tutors and try to identify drawbacks and finally evaluate ideal approach. Key words: Tutoring, elementary school pupil, disadvantaged pupil, library, project, out of school premises, preparation for school tasks, regular preparation, mentoring, volunteerin

TITLE: Specificity of education social disadvantaged child SUMMARY: This thesis deals with familiarity and experience of teachers and the principal of special education stream with the integration of socially disadvantaged pupils. The work deals with the reputation of so-called "Common Education" in the professional community of teachers, special education teachers and other educational staff. It also deals with experienced teachers with the integration of these pupils. It also dedicates level of awareness about who is a disciple of underprivileged knowledge and methods that can help this integration. Finally, the work deals with the familiarity of an amendment to the Education Act no. 82/2015 and knowledge of individual impacts on working with the student. Furthermore, the work deals with the degree of acceptance of compulsory attendance in the final year of nursery school and the abolition of preparatory classes. Also, the work deals with the possibilities that offers teachers plan educational support. KEYWORDS: Common education, amendment 82/2015, inclusion, special education, social disadvantage, socially disadvantaged pupils, plan educational assistance, canceling preparatory classes.

Une des priorités des gouvernements chiliens entre 1990 et 2005 était la réduction du déficit de logements. Les progrès ont été significatifs sur le plan quantitatif mais pas sur le qualitatif. Dans ce contexte, la première administration Bachelet a mis en place la Nouvelle politique du logement et d’amélioration de la qualité et l'intégration sociale, qui comprend le premier programme de réhabilitation des quartiers vulnérables, Quiero mi Barrio (PQMB). Une première étape d’étude reconstruit la généalogie et formulation du PQMB et une deuxième examine le développement, notamment à partir d’une étude de cas de deux quartiers. Les résultats indiquent qu’une intégration sociale à l’intérieur des territoires a primé sur une intégration sociale urbaine des quartiers par rapport au reste de la ville. PQMB apparaît comme un programme participatif d’amélioration d’espaces publiques, résultat qui renferme un processus dialectique provenant des décisions et des pratiques de tous les acteurs impliqués. PQMB a toutefois réussi à changer le référentiel des politiques de logement, de la satisfaction de la quantité à la considération de standards de qualité, ainsi qu’à introduire la participation comme un processus indispensable. Plutôt qu’une approche territoriale globale on observe une territorialisation des dépenses publiques, n’étant jamais suffisante pour répondre à la complexité du problème. Nous identifions ainsi trois impératifs pour la réhabilitation chilienne des quartiers défavorisés : le développement d’un système d’appui institutionnel collaboratif, riche et varié, un véritable travail interdisciplinaire, et une pratique d’échanges permanents entre chercheurs et praticiens. / One of the Chilean governments priorities between 1990 and 2005 was the reduction of the housing deficit. Progress has been significant quantitatively, but not qualitatively. In this context, the first Bachelet administration has implemented New housing policy of quality improvement and social integration, which includes the first rehabilitation program for distressed neighborhoods, Quiero mi Barrio (PQMB). A first research stage reconstructs the genealogy and formulation of the PQMB, and a second examines its development, in particular through a case study of two neighborhoods. The results show that a social integration within the territories took precedence over an urban social integration of the neighborhoods in relation to the rest of the city. PQMB appears as a participatory program to improve public spaces, which contains a dialectical process coming from the decisions and practices of all actors involved. However, PQMB has achieved a paradigm shift from quantity to quality in terms of Chilean housing policies, as well as the introduction of citizen participation as an indispensable process. Rather than a comprehensive territorial approach, a territorialization of public spending is observed, which is nonetheless never sufficient to tackle the complexity of the problem. We thus identify three imperatives for the Chilean rehabilitation of disadvantaged neighborhoods: the development of a collaborative institutional support system, rich and varied; a real interdisciplinary work; and a permanent exchange between researchers and practitioners. / Una de las prioridades de los gobiernos chilenos entre 1990 y 2005 fue la reducción del déficit habitacional. Los progresos han sido significativos en el plano cuantitativo, pero no así en el cualitativo. En este contexto, la primera administración de Bachelet implementó la Nueva Política Habitacional de Mejoramiento de la Calidad y la Integración Social, que incluye el primer programa de recuperación de barrios vulnerables, Quiero mi Barrio (PQMB). Una primera etapa de investigación reconstruye la genealogía y formulación del PQMB, y una segunda examina su desarrollo, particularmente a partir de un estudio de caso de dos barrios. Los resultados indican que una integración social al interior de los territorios primó por sobre una integración social urbana de los barrios respecto al resto de la ciudad. El PQMB aparece como un programa participativo de mejoramiento de espacios públicos, resultado que encierra un proceso dialéctico derivado de las decisiones y prácticas de todos los actores implicados. No obstante, el PQMB logró cambiar el referencial de las políticas habitacionales, de la satisfacción de la cantidad a la consideración de estándares de calidad, así como también introducir la participación como un proceso indispensable. En lugar de un enfoque territorial integral, se observa una territorialización del gasto público que nunca es suficiente para satisfacer la complejidad del problema. La tesis identifica tres imperativos para la recuperación de barrios vulnerables en Chile: el desarrollo de un sistema de apoyo institucional y de colaboración, rico y variado, un auténtico trabajo interdisciplinario, y una práctica de intercambio permanente entre investigadores y profesionales ejecutores.

Dynamic assessment, which is often characterised by the learning potential approach across the world and in South Africa, is receiving more and more attention from educators and research practitioners alike. The nature of dynamic assessment lends itself to application in areas where prior dependence on static (traditional) forms of psychometric assessment can no longer be sustained as viable options towards assessment. A main focus area within dynamic assessment is the field of tertiary selections and admissions. More research is needed in this field in South Africa and in order to progress within the field in this country in terms of designing, developing, norming and implementing dynamic assessment tests/batteries, previous research has to be investigated in detail in order to understand the areas which need attention and improvement more fully. In addition, it is not only the negative aspects which need to be investigated but also the success with which many studies have been greeted which needs to be looked at. Investigating the status of South African research into the field of dynamic assessment offers the interested practitioner a platform from which to view results that have emanated from this country in the past fifteen years. Past reliance on static measures meant that product-based assessment made no allowance for the detection and measurement of potential within individuals. It is not the contention of this study to state unequivocally that all disadvantaged students possess equal potential, but that a large pool of learners with potential are often passed over during selection for admission. In order to address these and similar issues, new tests will have to be developed but these can only be developed once past and current research is properly assessed. This is the aim of the present study. There is no document yet available on the status of dynamic assessment in South Africa which pays close attention to the research details of various findings within this field. The main findings indicate that although the field is still being researched today, there has been a decrease in the number of studies as well as a concomitant decrease in the implementation of dynamic research efforts. The reasons cited are lack of time, costs, inefficiencies and also confusion as to what dynamic assessment entails. There is, as yet, no consistent definition of dynamic assessment in South Africa, which makes it all the harder to entrench dynamic assessment as a methodology and implement it on as wide a scale as possible. Most research efforts in this field in South Africa presently comprise Master's and Doctoral studies and are, for the most part, efforts emanating from a handful of tertiary institutions. Some past research efforts have been successful but have since been disbanded, whereas there has been a growing awareness of the usefulness of dynamic assessment but it is not being implemented for the reasons stated above. This study investigates these results. Dynamic assessment is most certainly a prudent and effective partial solution to the issue of assessment in South Africa and can no longer be ignored. Yet, with cautious interpretation of the results, researchers and practitioners in the field will be better able to arrive at a more informed opinion of the advances in the field when allowed to scour past and present research. / Thesis (MA (Research Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Psychology / unrestricted

Adolescents living in the inner-city of Pretoria have their own special challenges that they must face everyday. These challenges entails a poverty context, communities of violence, difficult family circumstances and a developmental phase in which they struggle with their own identity. The focus of this research is to listen to the stories of adolescents that have not being listened to before, concerning HIV/AIDS and their experiences regarding care. These young people is infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS. The researcher does this research in the Narrative therapeutical paradigm, listening Practical Theologically to the stories of young people infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS regarding care. Other stories about adolescents and care will also be listened to. The research process is social-constructionally structured. The researcher is searching for a holistic understanding of care from the perspective of young people. Discourses about adolescents, about care, about the inner city and about AIDS will be discussed. Two separate groups of young people participated in the research. The researcher also listened to voices of the Sediba Hope AIDS Care Center about care and about young people. Reflection groups were used, consisting of teenagers and people from the academic community. The researcher used the method of reflection and self reflection throughout the research. Care is described after there were listened to the stories of the young people. The role of an African world-view is described as a resource to understand care holistically. The researcher spent time to reflect on the theological implications of the stories of young people and about the role they must play in the church and in the community. Different care narratives are described as an outcome of the research. Other outcomes are also named and reflected upon. / Thesis (PhD (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Practical Theology / unrestricted