By Professor Karen Guldberg, Director of the Autism Centre for Education and Research (ACER) School of Education, University of Birmingham “In this new reality, it is crucial to find ways to support autistic children to reduce their anxiety. Without making this a priority, learning will be seriously compromised and mental health will suffer.” Originally posted … Continue reading “How can parents help autistic children to reduce anxiety during isolation?”
Category: Education
Escape the room, take the facts!
By Chris Roche, Senior Research Partner of the Developmental Leadership Program School of Government, University of Birmingham Back in June 2019, the DLP team participated in a team-building exercise in Birmingham – an escape room in which the team had to escape the Lab. After we had successfully saved the world, we wondered if we … Continue reading “Escape the room, take the facts!”
Generation Equality: The changing experience of women
By Professor Jane Martin, Director of Domus Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Histories of Education, Executive Editor of Educational Review School of Education, University of Birmingham On the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action for the empowerment of girls and women everywhere, the theme for International Women’s Day for 2020 is … Continue reading “Generation Equality: The changing experience of women”
The results are in for adult education
By Steve Gulati, Senior Lecturer in Health Services Management Centre School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham It’s that time of year again – lots of media chatter about A-Level and GCSE results. For some, the beginning of an exciting journey and a significant life event. But, what of those who find their academic voice … Continue reading “The results are in for adult education”
Fair-weather friends? Aristotelian friendship in the present-day
By Jason Metcalfe, Research Associate in the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues School of Education, University of Birmingham July 30th marks the United Nations (UN) ‘International Day of Friendship’. The authors of the UN webpage state that friendship is essential to forming mutual trust and overcoming all of the world’s challenges, disasters, and divisions. … Continue reading “Fair-weather friends? Aristotelian friendship in the present-day”
Brexit ‘hitting foreign languages in schools’
By Dr Adam Cooke, Lecturer in Languages Education School of Education, University of Birmingham I am sure, at some point, that many of us in the UK language teaching community has had to defend the place of language learning in our schools. Thankfully we have always been mightily equipped to justify modern foreign languages in … Continue reading “Brexit ‘hitting foreign languages in schools’”
No better tonic than fresh air?
By Victoria Saunders, Lecturer in Primary Teacher Education School of Education, University of Birmingham I am reflecting on this as I am stood in my street watching my three-year-old daughter attempt to ride her bike. An 8-year-old boy who lives at the top of the road, and who my daughter has never met before, is … Continue reading “No better tonic than fresh air?”
Teachers and Knife Crime
Professor Colin Diamond CBE, Professor of Educational Leadership School of Education, University of Birmingham When government ministers are looking for a soft target to test out their latest ideas or deflect blame for the failure of their policies, you can guarantee that they will turn to schools. In recent years secretaries of state have pronounced … Continue reading “Teachers and Knife Crime”
How to bridge the gap between theory, research and what’s unravelling in the everyday life of individuals with autism?
Dr Lila Kossyvaki Department of Disability Inclusion and Special Needs (DISN), School of Education, University of Birmingham April is the month when autism comes to the forefront and many people work on raising awareness. Although, beyond any doubt autism should be visible all year long, establishing international days or longer periods of time to mark … Continue reading “How to bridge the gap between theory, research and what’s unravelling in the everyday life of individuals with autism?”
Should dogs be introduced to the classroom?
By Alison Broad, Director of Primary Education School of Education, University of Birmingham Dogs have traditionally assisted humans and their supportive roles continue to evolve and diversify. There are now courtroom facility dogs (Kaiser 2015) and even funeral therapy dogs, offering ‘love and support to the bereaved’ (Snead, 2018). More than half of Canadian universities … Continue reading “Should dogs be introduced to the classroom?”