Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Language

Designing a Longitudinal, Quantitative Measurement of Teachers’ Beliefs about Multilingualism: A Research Protocol

2024-08-04T13:12:41+01:00

An increasing necessity to prepare future teachers to cater for the needs of multilingual learners has led to growing research in education and educational linguistics across the world. This paper presents the methodological design of a longitudinal research project that measures the affective-motivational competence development of pre-service teachers with regard to multilingual learners. The project is based within a large German teacher education programme during which pre-service teachers attend several compulsory modules on multilingualism as part of their early professionalisation. The affective-motivational competence development of two full cohorts of prospective middle school teachers (n = 499) is observed in four test intervals across their five-year programme. The present paper limits itself to reporting on the complex design, the measurement instruments, and the methodological challenges of a longitudinal observation of relevant competence facets. The paper closes with a critical reflection of both the opportunities and the limitations of the research design presented here.

Teacher Perceptions about the Culturally Responsive Education Approach of the Turkish Education System: Q Methodology Study

2024-06-20T16:39:47+01:00

The aim of this study is to examine which issues teachers' perspectives focus on in culturally responsive educational practices within the Turkish education system, identifying points of consensus and disagreement, and exploring the reasons behind the most extreme statements. Q methodology was used to collect and analyze the data. Twenty-one volunteer teachers participated in the research. Q statements regarding culturally responsive education were created based on opinions in the literature. As a result of the analysis, it was found that teachers agreed with the statement "students' cultural competence skills for different cultures are increased." Conversely, teachers disagreed with the statement "measures are taken against discrimination towards different cultures." Teachers felt hesitant to share their opinions on the statements they strongly agreed or disagreed with due to the sensitivity of the subject. The research findings recommend that teachers be provided with concrete practices and good examples of culturally responsive education.

The Relationship Between Obesity and the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Environment in Children Aged 5-14 Years

2024-12-23T21:04:41+00:00

This study was conducted with a study group consisting of parents to define the relationship between obesity and the family environment related to nutrition and physical activity in school-aged children aged 5–14 years and to determine the relationship with the variables of school level, gender, and parental education level affecting this environment. The study was conducted online with 531 parents—289 male (father) and 242 female (mother)—who have children in preschool, primary, and secondary school during the fall semester of 2024. Data were collected with questions designed to determine sociodemographic characteristics, and the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Screening Scale (FNPA-TR) was adapted into Turkish. The relationships between the scores obtained from the FNPA scale and children's body mass index (BMI), as well as some socio-demographic variables, were examined using the appropriate variance model and correlation analysis according to the structure and distribution of the data. When examining the results of this study, it was revealed that the higher education level of parents contributes to children having lower BMI values. In addition, it was observed that family and child activities play an important role in children's BMI, and children with lower BMI were more active. A healthy environment and family sleep patterns were also found to positively affect BMI. The gender of the children did not make a significant difference in BMI. It is clear that family dietary habits and physical activity levels are important factors influencing childhood obesity risk, but family eating patterns and dietary habits do not directly influence BMI in interaction with environmental factors.