There is a growing body of research documenting the impact of traumatic stress on child development, which has resulted in a call to action for trauma-informed practices as a priority, yet implementation within schools and training for educators is lacking (American Academy of Physicians, https://www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/ttb_aces_consequences.pdf, 2014). Understanding teachers’ perceptions regarding current levels of knowledge, self-efficacy, and trauma-informed training can help guide future professional development experiences for both pre-service and practicing teachers. This study investigated the knowledge, self-efficacy, and training of trauma-informed practices as self-reported by primary educators, serving in grades kindergarten through third-grade, within two regions of Tennessee and Virginia. The Primary Early Childhood Educators Trauma-Informed Care Survey for Knowledge, Confidence, and Relationship Building (PECE-TICKCR) scale was adapted from the TIC-DS scale (Goodwin-Glick in Impact of trauma-informed care professional development of school personnel perceptions of knowledge, disposition, and behaviours towards traumatised students, Graduate College of Bowling Green State University, 2017), validated, and created for the purpose of this study. The sample consisted of 218 primary educators who completed an online survey regarding personal knowledge, self-efficacy, and training experiences of trauma-informed practices. Correlations revealed a statistical significance between the Knowledge of Trauma factor and the Confidence in Providing Trauma-Informed Strategies factor. There was also a statistical significance between the Knowledge of Trauma factor and the Confidence in Creating Supportive relationships factor and between the Confidence in Providing Trauma-Informed Strategies factor and the Confidence in Creating Supportive Relationships factor. The findings indicated that teachers need more knowledge regarding community resources for families and students but feel confident in providing supportive relationships. Teachers also are interested in more training events related to strategies to use when working with students exposed to trauma. Implications for teacher preparation programs and professional development training for practicing teachers is discussed.

Teachers (n=14) at four high schools in North Carolina were interviewed about their perspectives of evaluation policy at two time points during the 2016-2017 school year. This study specifically examined statements teachers made about feedback from observations using de-identified interview transcripts. Teachers discussed feedback from formal observations along with other sources of informal observational feedback (e.g., coaches, peers). Overall, teachers described useful feedback as that which provided actionable recommendations informed by the observer’s knowledge of three domains: the classroom context (as aided by the frequency and timing of observations), subject area, and pedagogy. Teachers also identified two aspects of formal evaluation that interfered with feedback: breadth of the observational standards and use as a growth measure.

The purpose of this study is to determine if teachers perceive evaluation as providing the motivation and feedback to change classroom practices in a context where teacher evaluation carries varied stakes for tenured versus untenured teachers. This mixed methods case study of four high schools in a single district in North Carolina uses survey and interview data collected from teachers in the 2016–2017 school year to explore teacher perceptions and examine differences between career (tenured) and probationary (untenured) teachers. A conceptual framework is developed utilizing research on how teachers changed practice based on other accountability initiatives. The overall sample of teachers did not perceive the evaluation policy to be high stakes or impacting their practice; however, there were statistically significant differences between the perceptions of tenured teachers and untenured teachers on the survey. Interview statements supported the quantitative findings. The results highlight a need for a better understanding of how evaluation policies may influence teacher practice, particularly among those who have limited career protections, including beginning teachers who lack tenure.

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The purpose of this study was to provide an examination of the relationships between general education teachers, special education teachers, and paraprofessionals and the influences of these relationships on students with disabilities. This study was conducted through the process of semi-structured interviews with general education teachers, special education teachers, and paraprofessionals working in two Tennessee school districts. The researcher found that communication practices, training, perspectives, time, role expectations, development of partnerships, and the creation of supportive environments affect the development of working relationships among special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and general education teachers. The researcher found that these relationships influence the experiences of students with disabilities in a significant and meaningful way. The researcher provides recommendations for current practices to promote the development of successful working relationships and provides suggestions for future research.

Paper One: Social and emotional literacy has become an educational agenda on a national and international level. Schools universally are addressing deviant behaviour through a social learning perspective. Emotional literacy (EL) reflects three of the five outcomes for “Every Child Matters: Change for Children” (DfES, 2003): to be healthy, to enjoy and achieve and to make a positive contribution. EI is also embedded in the legal framework for the associated reform that is set out in the Children Act (2004). The five outcomes for Every Child Matters are statutory demands on educational institutions and welfare services. Since EL is reflected in the outcomes, it suggests that it too needs to be addressed. However, schools have the flexibility in how they chose to address it. This study aims to evaluate a personalised approach in promoting EL in Key Stage Two (KS2) children in one primary school. A pre and post design was used to evaluate the school’s new approach (NA). Class teachers completed Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs) for 75 children pre-NA and post-NA. Statistical tests were used to: 1) Compare the pre SDQ scores to the post SDQ scores to determine whether the NA produced a significant change. 2) Determine where there was a significant difference between the research sample scores and the expected value scores according to the classification of the SDQ scores. 3) Compare the research sample SDQ scores to the SDQ scores from the norm data of the British population. Results of the statistical analysis suggest that the NA was effective as there was a significant improvement in the overall general behaviour according to the total difficulties scores. The statistical analysis revealed mixed results for the five scale scores. The hyperactivity scale, the peer problems scale and the emotional symptoms scale showed significant improvements. However, the pro social scale showed a significant decline and the conduct problems scale was the only scale that showed no significant difference between pre-NA and post- NA. Further tests conducted to strengthen the quality of the sample showed the pro social scale was in line with the British norms even with the significant decline. Similarly, the conduct problems scale was in line with the British norm post-NA. The research has produced encouraging statistics for the effectiveness of NA on the children’s behaviour, however, it calls for a re-evaluation of the NA in order to improve the pro social behaviour and lessen conduct problems. Section One Introduction 1.1 Purpose Personal, social and emotional development is as much a concern as academic development in children. Research suggests that social and emotional skills are needed to succeed in school (Thompson, 2002) to establish and sustain relationships, reduce aggressive behaviour (Nagin & Tremblay, 1999) and create an ideal learning and teaching environment. The objective of this research is to determine whether the school’s personalised EL programme (NA) produces favourable behavioural outcomes in children. Paper Two: Social and emotional literacy has become an educational agenda on a national and international level. Schools universally are addressing deviant behaviour through a social learning perspective. Emotional literacy (EL) reflects three of the five outcomes for “Every Child Matters: Change for Children” (DfES, 2003): to be healthy, to enjoy and achieve and to make a positive contribution. EI is also embedded in the legal framework for the associated reform that is set out in the Children Act (2004). The five outcomes for Every Child Matters are statutory demands on educational institutions and welfare services. Since EL is reflected in the outcomes, it suggests that it too needs to be addressed. However, schools have the flexibility in how they chose to address it. This study aims to evaluate a personalised approach in promoting EL in Key Stage Two (KS2) children in one primary school. A pre and post design was used to evaluate the school’s new approach (NA). Class teachers completed Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs) for 75 children pre-NA and post-NA. Statistical tests were used to: 1) Compare the pre SDQ scores to the post SDQ scores to determine whether the NA produced a significant change. 2) Determine where there was a significant difference between the research sample scores and the expected value scores according to the classification of the SDQ scores. 3) Compare the research sample SDQ scores to the SDQ scores from the norm data of the British population. Results of the statistical analysis suggest that the NA was effective as there was a significant improvement in the overall general behaviour according to the total difficulties scores. The statistical analysis revealed mixed results for the five scale scores. The hyperactivity scale, the peer problems scale and the emotional symptoms scale showed significant improvements. However, the pro social scale showed a significant decline and the conduct problems scale was the only scale that showed no significant difference between pre-NA and post- NA. Further tests conducted to strengthen the quality of the sample showed the pro social scale was in line with the British norms even with the significant decline. Similarly, the conduct problems scale was in line with the British norm post-NA. The research has produced encouraging statistics for the effectiveness of NA on the children’s behaviour, however, it calls for a re-evaluation of the NA in order to improve the pro social behaviour and lessen conduct problems.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka och beskriva variationer av lärarnas uppfattningar om läsundervisning i grundsärskolan. Den valda metoden för studien är fenomenografi. En fenomenografisk studie beskriver hur människor uppfattar ett fenomen i sin miljö. Sex lärare som för närvarande arbetar med läsundervisning i grundsärskolan har intervjuats. En fenomenografisk analys i sex steg har använts för att analysera intervjuerna.  Resultatet i studien redovisas i tre olika utfallsrum. I utfallsrummen beskrivs lärares uppfattningar av sitt ansvar, lärares uppfattningar av god läsundervisning och lärares uppfattningar av utmaningar i grundsärskolan. Slutligen beskriver denna studie hur lärare uppfattar sitt uppdrag, vad de anser vara viktiga inslag i läsundervisning och hur lärare uppfattar elevernas förmåga att lära sig läsa. En viktig slutsats är att de intervjuade lärarna anser att det är viktigt att tro på elevers förmåga att lära sig att läsa. En annan slutsats är att undervisningen bör planeras utifrån elevers intressen. Nuvarande forskning om lärares läsundervisning har diskuterats liksom om läroplanen främjar elevers läsutveckling. / The purpose of this study is to examine and describe variations of teachers' perceptions of readinginstruction in the compusory school for pupils with learning disabilities. The chosen method of the study is phenomenography. A phenomenographical study describes how people perceive a phenomenon in their environment. Six teachers currently working with reading instruction in the compusory school for pupils with learning disabilities have been interviewed. A six-step phenomenographical approach has been used to analyze the interviews. The results of the study are reported in three different outcome spaces. In the outcome spaces describes the teachers’ perceptions of their responsibility, teachers’ perceptions of good reading instruction and teachers' perception of challenges in the compusory school for pupils with learning disabilities. Finally this study describes how teachers perceive their mission, what they deem as key elements of reading instruction and how teachers perceive students' ability to learn to read. An important conclusion is that the interviewed teachers mean that it is important to believe in pupils' ability to learn to read. Another conclusion is that they also favor work planned around student's interests. Current research on teachers´ reading instruction are discussed as well as if the curriculum directing today's training school promotes students reading skills.