The purpose of this study is to highlight how some teachers in the compulsory school for learning disabilities describe how they enable communication for pupils with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities. The study is a qualitative study based on two group interviews with three informants in each group. The informants are all working in the compulsory school for pupils with learning disabilities. The empirical data has been analyzed from a socio-cultural perspective, focusing on the concepts of mediation, appropriation, proximal development zone and scaffolding. The result shows that the teachers enable communication for students with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities in various ways, especially with visual support and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools. The study shows that it is important to have knowledge about autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability and how the disabilities affect communication with the pupils. My hope is that this study can contribute with knowledge of how communication is made possible for pupils with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities. / Syftet med denna studie är att belysa hur några pedagoger i grundsärskolan inriktning träningsskola beskriver hur de möjliggör kommunikation för elever med autismspektrumtillstånd och intellektuell funktionsnedsättning. Studien är en kvalitativ undersökning som bygger på två gruppintervjuer med tre informanter i varje grupp. Informanterna arbetar alla i grundsärskolan inriktning träningsskola. Empirin har analyserats ur ett sociokulturellt perspektiv med fokus på begreppen mediering, appropriering, proximala utvecklingszonen och scaffolding. Resultatet visar att pedagogerna möjliggör kommunikation för elever med autismspektrumtillstånd och intellektuell funktionsnedsättning på olika sätt, framför allt med visuellt stöd och alternativ kompletterande kommunikation (AKK) hjälpmedel. I studien framgår att det är viktigt att ha kunskap kring autismspektrumtillstånd och intellektuell funktionsnedsättning och hur funktionsnedsättningarna påverkar kommunikationen hos eleverna. Min förhoppning är att denna studie kan bidra med kunskap kring hur kommunikation möjliggörs för elever med autismspektrumtillstånd och intellektuell funktionsnedsättning.

O presente trabalho trata da percepção da Ciência e da Tecnologia dos estudantes de Ensino Médio de uma Escola Pública da cidade de São Paulo/Brasil e das relações destas percepções com a divulgação da Ciência. Como suporte teórico principal para esta pesquisa utilizou-se a Teoria Sociocultural de Vigotski e os estudos de Bakhtin sobre análise do discurso. A intenção principal deste trabalho foi discutir os aspectos que envolvem a Educação Formal e a Mídia, considerando que o indivíduo convive em um contexto sociocultural e, por meio de interações constantes construí significados. As significações atribuídas pelos indivíduos acontecerão tanto ao nível das percepções quanto ao nível da formação dos conceitos e, neste sentido, esta pesquisa traz não apenas algumas percepções de Ciência e Tecnologia que os estudantes apresentam, mas também contribui no sentido de entender como estes estudantes interagem com tais percepções e com as publicações em jornais e revistas que divulgam a Ciência e a Tecnologia. A metodologia de pesquisa utilizada baseou-se no paradigma interpretativo, o qual pressupõe que o mundo real vivido é uma construção dos atores sociais na busca de significados. A partir deste paradigma construímos uma fonte de dados por meio de duas abordagens de pesquisa: a abordagem quantitativa e a abordagem qualitativa. Para coleta dos dados utilizaram-se as técnicas de entrevistas estruturadas, entrevistas semiestruturadas, questionário sociocultural e registro das atividades em sala de aula. Esta ampla coleta resultou em uma vasta fonte de dados que, após analisadas, nos levaram a traçar alguns indicativos para pensar numa intervenção na sala de aula considerando as percepções de Ciência e Tecnologia dos estudantes e a influência destas nos processos de significação. Além disso, os resultados nos levam a concluir que existe uma necessidade real de uma leitura crítica da divulgação científica por parte dos estudantes e esta leitura pode e deve ser realizada por meio de interações com textos de divulgação científica nas aulas de Ciências. / This thesis deals with the perception that secondary students in a public school in São Paulo, Brazil, have of Science and Technology, and with the relationship of such perception with the divulgation of Science. The main theoretical support for the research employed Vigotskis Socio-cultural Theory, and Bakhtins studies on discourse analysis. The main purpose of the thesis is the discussion of the aspects that involve Formal Education and the media, considering that man lives within a socio-cultural context and by means of constant interactions, builds meanings. The meanings attributed by man take place both at the level of perceptions as well as at the level of the formation of concepts, and in this sense, this research not only deals with some perceptions of Science and Technology that students have, but also contributes in understanding how such students interact with such perceptions and the newspapers and magazine publications that promote Science and Technology. The research methodology utilized was based on the interpretative paradigm, which presupposes that the real world is a construction by the social actors in the search for meanings. Starting from this paradigm a source of data was built through two research approaches: the quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data was collected through the technique of structured and semi-structured interviews, sociocultural questionnaire, and recording of activities in the classroom. This broad collection of data resulted in abundant source of data which, after analysis, permitted the drawing of some guidelines for an intervention in the classroom taking into consideration the perceptions of Science and Technology of the students and the influence of such perceptions in the signification processes. In addition, the results lead to the conclusion that there is a real need for a critical reading of the promotion of Science by students, and that this reading may be carried out by means of interaction with scientific divulgation texts in Science classes.

This study investigated the effects of Dynamic Assessment (DA) training on the mediational strategies of experienced teachers of French as a foreign language. Moreover the strategies that mediators used for students at different levels of language experience were investigated. Last the ways in which mediators manifested mediational sensitivity, reciprocity and management was examined. Four mediators underwent DA training that exposed them to the theoretical underpinnings of DA as well as sound DA procedures. To determine the effect of this training, the way in which the mediators conducted their mediation was compared from pre-DA training to post-DA training. Three of these four mediators worked with 12 students of French as a foreign language at different levels of language learning experience. Their interactions were recorded, transcribed and analyzed. The results of this study show that the DA training did indeed have an affect on the way in which mediators conducted their mediation with students. Also there seems to be a difference, however minute, in the way that mediators mediate students possessing different levels of language experience. The implications of this study suggest that mediators would have benefitted from more robust DA training as well as an increased field experience with DA. Second students should also be trained in DA procedures so that they may be able to better participate in the dialogic activity that occurs during mediation. Third more foreign language practitioner focused definitions of DA and cognition, within a Sociocultural Theory framework, are offered. It is believed that more accessible definitions will facilitate DA's use in the foreign language classroom.

Early childhood research and policy are focusing increasingly on issues of 'quality' in early childhood education. Much of the focus, however, has been on adult-generated notions of quality, with little attention being devoted to children's own views of their experience in early childhood settings. Conducted in the context of early childhood education in Singapore, this research breaks new ground by contributing children's own insights into their experience in two early childhood classrooms in Singapore. Informed by the sociology of childhood conceptualisation of child competence (James & James, 2004), the research methodology drew on the mosaic approach to researching with children used by Clark and Moss (2001), whereby children's photography, mapping and conversations were used by them to consider their early childhood settings. The findings of this study were generated, beginning with the understanding that young children have the competence to articulate their ideas using a range of symbolic literacies. They formed views and constructed theories about their preschool experiences, in particular about the teachers, the curriculum, the physical environment and friends, and gave a clear indication of what constitutes good quality in those domains. When offered a platform to discuss the issue of quality in early childhood settings, the children articulated ideas about their own best interests. This study calls for those engaged with children, to act upon the contributions offered by this group of children to our understanding of quality.

O presente trabalho trata da percepção da Ciência e da Tecnologia dos estudantes de Ensino Médio de uma Escola Pública da cidade de São Paulo/Brasil e das relações destas percepções com a divulgação da Ciência. Como suporte teórico principal para esta pesquisa utilizou-se a Teoria Sociocultural de Vigotski e os estudos de Bakhtin sobre análise do discurso. A intenção principal deste trabalho foi discutir os aspectos que envolvem a Educação Formal e a Mídia, considerando que o indivíduo convive em um contexto sociocultural e, por meio de interações constantes construí significados. As significações atribuídas pelos indivíduos acontecerão tanto ao nível das percepções quanto ao nível da formação dos conceitos e, neste sentido, esta pesquisa traz não apenas algumas percepções de Ciência e Tecnologia que os estudantes apresentam, mas também contribui no sentido de entender como estes estudantes interagem com tais percepções e com as publicações em jornais e revistas que divulgam a Ciência e a Tecnologia. A metodologia de pesquisa utilizada baseou-se no paradigma interpretativo, o qual pressupõe que o mundo real vivido é uma construção dos atores sociais na busca de significados. A partir deste paradigma construímos uma fonte de dados por meio de duas abordagens de pesquisa: a abordagem quantitativa e a abordagem qualitativa. Para coleta dos dados utilizaram-se as técnicas de entrevistas estruturadas, entrevistas semiestruturadas, questionário sociocultural e registro das atividades em sala de aula. Esta ampla coleta resultou em uma vasta fonte de dados que, após analisadas, nos levaram a traçar alguns indicativos para pensar numa intervenção na sala de aula considerando as percepções de Ciência e Tecnologia dos estudantes e a influência destas nos processos de significação. Além disso, os resultados nos levam a concluir que existe uma necessidade real de uma leitura crítica da divulgação científica por parte dos estudantes e esta leitura pode e deve ser realizada por meio de interações com textos de divulgação científica nas aulas de Ciências. / This thesis deals with the perception that secondary students in a public school in São Paulo, Brazil, have of Science and Technology, and with the relationship of such perception with the divulgation of Science. The main theoretical support for the research employed Vigotskis Socio-cultural Theory, and Bakhtins studies on discourse analysis. The main purpose of the thesis is the discussion of the aspects that involve Formal Education and the media, considering that man lives within a socio-cultural context and by means of constant interactions, builds meanings. The meanings attributed by man take place both at the level of perceptions as well as at the level of the formation of concepts, and in this sense, this research not only deals with some perceptions of Science and Technology that students have, but also contributes in understanding how such students interact with such perceptions and the newspapers and magazine publications that promote Science and Technology. The research methodology utilized was based on the interpretative paradigm, which presupposes that the real world is a construction by the social actors in the search for meanings. Starting from this paradigm a source of data was built through two research approaches: the quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data was collected through the technique of structured and semi-structured interviews, sociocultural questionnaire, and recording of activities in the classroom. This broad collection of data resulted in abundant source of data which, after analysis, permitted the drawing of some guidelines for an intervention in the classroom taking into consideration the perceptions of Science and Technology of the students and the influence of such perceptions in the signification processes. In addition, the results lead to the conclusion that there is a real need for a critical reading of the promotion of Science by students, and that this reading may be carried out by means of interaction with scientific divulgation texts in Science classes.

The purpose of this study is to contribute knowledge of preschool teachers’ views on democracy and how the mission is expressed in preschool activities. The democracy commitment is seen as a difficult and complex assignment in relation to the work with children in preschool. Democracy is part of an everyday work in preschool activities and it is important that this is visible as it is what the preschool's policy instrument are based on. To study how the democracy commitment is expressed in preschool activities, the study's results are derived from semi-structured interviews. In the interviews, the starting point is to find out how preschool teachers view at democracy in preschool, how preschool teachers work with democracy in their daily activities and if there are any conditions and challenges they express in their work with the democratic assignment in preschool. The result presents a aspekt of how preschool teachers think and work with democracy in preschool activities. The result has been analyzed with socio-cultural theory and in the discussion; the result is related to previous research on democracy work in preschool. Keywords Preschool teachers, preschool, democracy, democracy commitment, socio-cultural theory. / Syftet med denna studie är att bidra med kunskap om förskollärares syn på demokratiuppdraget och hur uppdraget tar sitt uttryck i förskolans verksamhet. Demokratiuppdraget ses som ett svårt och komplext uppdrag i relation till arbetet med barn i förskolan. Demokrati ingår också i mycket av det vardagliga arbetet i förskolans verksamhet och är viktigt att göras synligt då det är det som förskolans styrdokument grundar på. För att undersöka hur demokratiuppdraget tar sitt uttryck i förskolans verksamhet är studiens resultat framtaget ur semistrukturerade intervjuer. I intervjuerna är utgångspunkten att få reda på hur förskollärare ser på demokrati i förskolan, hur förskollärare arbetar med demokrati i den dagliga verksamheten och om det finns några förutsättningar samt utmaningar som de uttrycker i deras arbete med demokratiuppdraget i förskolan. Resultatet presenterar en bild av hur förskollärare tänker och arbetar kring demokrati och demokratiuppdraget i förskolans verksamhet. Resultatet har analyserats utifrån den sociokulturella teorin och i diskussionen relateras resultatet till tidigare forskning av demokratiarbete i förskolan.   Nyckelord Förskollärare, förskola, demokrati, demokratiuppdraget, sociokulturell teori.

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of African orphaned learners in relation to their educational experiences with the view of establishing whether the type of education received and the inferred quality of that education correlate with official conceptions of quality education as articulated in government policies. The study interrogates policy intentions geared to improving the quality of education in South African schools and juxtaposes the intended policy with the lived experiences of orphaned learners. This is a qualitative case study focusing specifically on four African primary school learners. Data were collected from interviews, observations and written stories of orphaned learners, as well as interviews with the orphaned learners’ teachers and caretakers. The claim I make in this study is that all learners living in impoverished communities and subjected to the kind of disadvantages in operation in their home environment are at risk of education of an inferior quality. However, being an orphan can aggravate this in that orphaned learners bring to school peculiar attributes which would produce outcomes that differ from those envisaged in policy documents. The findings of the study indicate that:<ul><il> (a) the behaviour displayed by orphaned learners, the emotional changes resulting from changing family circumstances, grieving the loss of parents and fear of losing the caregiver may impact negatively on the intended quality of education </il><il> (b) the socioeconomic and cultural contexts of orphaned learners have an influence on the received quality of education</il><il> (c) orphaned learners raised in sibling-headed households, where the primary educators (e.g. parents or surrogate parents) are non-existent, have impoverished educational experiences </il><il> (d) the support provided by the extended family can contribute positively to the educational experiences of orphaned learners </il><il> (e) the community can serve as a critical resource in enhancing the educational experiences of orphaned learners. <br> </ul> Finally, the study indicates that, by studying the lived experiences of African orphans, a better understanding of the quality of education received is made possible and this in turn could influence the conceptualisation of quality education and support structures required to achieve this ideal at higher levels of the education system. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

Many immigrants in Sweden have not had the chance to learn to read and write, for various reasons. In Sweden, literacy is a prerequisite to being able to function in the cultural community, and for many immigrants this is the first time that they experience their inability to read and write as a handicap or see themselves as “illiterate”. The aim of this study is to use a socio-cultural, second language and gender approach to describe, analyse and understand how a number of adult, illiterate, immigrant women experience their situation when they are expected to simultaneously learn to speak, read and write Swedish. The study focuses on two literacy groups in two Swedish municipalities. In one of the groups I act as both teacher and researcher. The thesis is a case study of the learning process of five illiterate immigrant women in Sweden. The results are based on interviews, carried out with the help of an interpreter, and observation of teaching and texts ritten by the students. The study is based on the assumption that human learning is an activity that takes place in a cultural community in a social context. When learning a language, the language is simultaneously the tool that facilitates social communication and the object of the learning process. The study shows that cultural communities influence the women in different ways. Gender structures are firmly planted in a patriarchal value system, which means that women are seen as inferior to men, and women are expected to “meet the demands of others”. The women have no time to study at home, as their household duties are prioritised. However, there are subtle indications that there is a wish to change the situation in accordance with Swedish values and norms. This can be seen in the Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) lessons. As they have little contact with Swedes, school is the only arena in which they have a chance to use Swedish. They are positive towards teaching and school as an institution. Here they are able to develop an alternative identity. The study also shows that teaching in the literacy groups is to a great extent based on a technical approach, in which the teacher tries to elicit a correct answer from the students. Social interaction involving contemplation and negotiation is either not included or not prioritised. the women’s experience and knowledge is not made use of. There are,however, occasions when collaborative discussions take place between the teacher and students. On these occasions an exchange of experiences takes place. Learning is based on the students’ own experiences and thoughts. Linguistic concepts gain meaning in the collaborative discussion. Initially the concepts may be unclear, but the group works on them together, adapting and adjusting them until they finally make sense. Finally, I conclude that women immigrants bring their own socio-cultural values and experience to the school situation, which affects their learning process to varying degrees. Furthermore, immigrant women need more time at school, as it is the only arena in which they can spend time on studying and personal development. another conclusion is that the school must become a learning community that recognises the immigrants’ cultures, makes use of the students’ experience and allows the students to participate in collaborative discussions, so that they can develop their ability to speak, read and write Swedish.

Mitt arbete syftar till att utveckla förståelse för och kunskap om hur lärare arbetar med muntlig kommunikation i klassrummet. För att belysa detta har jag intervjuat fem verksamma lärare i grundskolans lägre åldrar, samt observerat en lektion av vardera lärare. Jag valde triangulering som metod för min undersökning, då jag är nyfiken på hur lärare betraktar ämnet vad gäller undervisning samt de mål eleverna ska uppnå. Genom observationer fick jag studera muntlig kommunikation i närmiljö. Undersökningen är kvalitativ, där ett sociokulturellt perspektiv använts som teoretisk utgångspunkt. Sociokulturellt perspektiv har använts då muntlig kommunikation sker via samspel med två eller fler individer. Lärarna arbetar aktivt med muntlig kommunikation både synligt, och osynligt i undervisningen. Det gäller att både ge samt ta muntliga instruktioner. Undervisningen har likheter, dock med olika tillvägagångssätt. Det finns ett flertal bedömningsstöd att luta sig mot för att säkerställa att eleverna uppnått kunskapsmålen, dock inget lärarlyft så kallat som kan utveckla undervisningen. / My work aims to develop understanding and knowledge about how teachers work with oral communication in the classroom. To illustrate, I interviewed five active teachers in the primary school lower ages, and observed one lesson for each teacher. I chose triangulation of my survey, as I´m curious about how they view the topic in regards to teaching. Trough my observations, I got the chance to study oral communication in a local environment.  The survey is qualitative, where a socio-cultural perspective has been used as a theoretical starting point. That`s when oral communication occurs via interaction with two or more individuals. Teachers work actively with oral communications both visibly, and invisibly in teaching. It applies to both giving and taking oral instructions. The teaching has similarities, though with different approaches. There are several assessments supports to lean on to ensure that the students reach knowledge targets, however no teacher boost that can develop the teaching.

The present study examines the relationship between the practices of schooling and classroom teaching and learning on the one hand and learners’ cognitive development and functioning on the other. The study uses innovative system of ideas in developmental and educational psychology, originally formulated by Lev Vygotsky to investigate the interrelations between learning, instruction and development. Carried out in a rapidly changing socio-cultural context of Venda, South Africa, the study examines the realities of schooling practices that exhibit both continuity with the past practices of society and some profound transformations that together lead to a multi-dimensional and a complex picture of cognitive development in learners. By examining the relations between the cultural practices of schooling and its socio-historical context on the one hand, and the consequent psychological process on the other hand, the present study offers an opportunity for exploring processes that may be more opaque in relatively stable socio-cultural contexts of schooling. The observations on the history of schooling in South Africa in general, and in Venda in particular, support the theoretical formulation that particular practices of schooling, themselves originating from and continuing larger social-historical processes, represent contexts in which learning and development take place and are shaped. The empirical investigations revealed that even the socio-cultural contexts of schooling characterized by strong ruptures, such as in South Africa, nonetheless carry on some vestiges of their past practices that affect today’s learning and development of learners. The study concludes, extending the prevailing theoretical formulation, that the social and cultural setting of schooling in Venda is multifaceted; manifesting xvi. instances of indigenous practices, the traditions of past missionary practices, as well as the traditions of the past, apartheid schooling. By taking into account these socio-cultural influences, the study provides crucial insights into the regularities of cognitive and conceptual developmental processes taking place in conditions of rapid social change in the course of the schooling of today’s children in Venda. The study furthers our understanding about the regularities of the socio-cultural and historical processes of schooling in conditions of rapid social change, and concludes by proposing ways of improving contemporary educational practice in South Africa, grounded in sound psychological knowledge and research about school transformation and classroom teaching and learning improvement.