This paper analyses the use of the Linguistic Landscape (LL) as a pedagogical tool within an international school that adopts the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. Scientific literature has highlighted the educational value of integrating LL into educational practices, particularly for developing students' multilingual awareness, enhancing literacy skills and supporting foreign language learning. Despite this, most studies on LL in international contexts have focused on university education, neglecting its potential in primary schools. The research presented here explores the potential of PL as a teaching resource in a Year 2 and Year 3 class at an international school in Italy. Using a qualitative approach, data was collected through classroom activities, photographs and reflections produced by the students, as well as through a semi-structured interview with the teacher who led the programme. The results highlight implications of both a pedagogical and political-educational nature. Although English, French and Spanish are the official languages of the IB, the school context analysed is strongly dominated by English. However, the PL-based activity challenged this monolingual dominance, stimulating greater awareness of linguistic diversity among students. Furthermore, the course proved to be fully consistent with the educational objectives of the IB curriculum and contributed to redefining the existing school landscape.
Sfidare il monolinguismo: attività basate sul paesaggio linguistico nell’educazione primaria internazionale
Il presente contributo analizza l’impiego del Paesaggio Linguistico (PL) come strumento pedagogico all’interno di una scuola internazionale che adotta il curriculum International Baccalaureate (IB). La letteratura scientifica ha messo in evidenza il valore didattico dell’integrazione del PL nelle pratiche educative, in particolare per lo sviluppo della consapevolezza multilingue degli studenti, per il potenziamento delle competenze di alfabetizzazione e per il sostegno all’apprendimento delle lingue straniere. Nonostante ciò, la maggior parte degli studi sul PL in contesti internazionali si è focalizzata sull’istruzione universitaria, trascurandone le potenzialità nella scuola primaria. La ricerca qui presentata esplora il potenziale del PL come risorsa didattica in una classe di seconda e terza primaria di una scuola internazionale in Italia. Attraverso un approccio qualitativo, i dati sono stati raccolti mediante attività in classe, fotografie e riflessioni prodotte dagli studenti, nonché tramite un’intervista semi-strutturata con l’insegnante che ha condotto il percorso. I risultati evidenziano implicazioni di natura sia pedagogica sia politico-educativa. Pur essendo l’inglese, il francese e lo spagnolo le lingue ufficiali dell’IB, il contesto scolastico analizzato risulta fortemente dominato dall’inglese. L’attività basata sul PL ha tuttavia messo in discussione tale predominanza monolingue, stimolando negli studenti una maggiore consapevolezza della diversità linguistica. Inoltre, il percorso si è dimostrato pienamente coerente con gli obiettivi formativi del curriculum IB e ha contribuito a ridefinire il paesaggio scolastico esistente.
Roja Nur Azizah, Saadillah Saadillah, Nida Mufidah
This study investigates EFL students' experiences using YouTube channels in their essay-writing learning. Ten fourth-semester English Education Department students from UIN Antasari Banjarmasin participated in the study. Interviews and documentation were used to gather data using a qualitative approach and the narrative inquiry method. The results indicated that YouTube videos provide visual aids and flexible access, which aid students in developing their writing abilities, increasing their vocabulary, and learning on their own. Nevertheless, problems including passive learning, distraction, and a lack of lecturer contact also surfaced. In general, YouTube's contribution to writing education was seen as advantageous.
The aim of this study was to review the self-perceived oral presentation anxiety and coping strategies of non-English majors of the University of Bengkulu. The research used a descriptive quantitative approach in sampling the 130 participants to gather information through the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) and Oral Communication Strategy Inventory (OCSI). Students reported a moderate anxiousness, which was associated with language and assessment. Use of social-affective measures, such as self-talk and relaxation, was most common in students and then by fluency-oriented measures. The results of One-Way ANOVA indicated that the difference in the use of strategies by level of anxiety was significant. Social-affective strategies and fluency-specific strategies were more common among high-anxiety students (F=26.70, p <.001; F=11.94, p <.001). Conversely, message simplification was popular among the moderate-anxiety students (F=15.78, p <.001). What the study determines is that there are special strategies, such as specially designed interventions, such as message construction workshops, fluency training, and relaxation methods, that can facilitate the quality of presentation. Such results shed light on the strategies that the non-English majors adopted to overcome presentation anxiety and offer ways in which the EFL learners can reduce the latter.
Aim This review describes the ways in which individuals experience chronic illnesses in resource-limited settings; to define the concept and understand its attributes, antecedents and consequences. Methods A comprehensive analysis of the databases CINAHL, PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted. During literature search the following limits were applied: articles published in English with available full-text; articles that focused on living with chronic illness in adults from the patient’s perspective. Results The following three attributes of chronic illness experience were identified: transformational experience, acceptance and self-management. Prominent predisposing factors (antecedents) were: genetic inheritance, malnutrition and poverty, high levels of stress and unhealthy lifestyle. The most dominant consequences were as follows: impact on quality of life; self-management burden; burden to others and economic stressors. Conclusions The findings underscore the need for health-care professionals to understand the chronic illness experience in the context of resource-limited settings and its consequences. The greater insights into the concept of chronic illness experience in resource-limited settings will guide nurses to support people in the realities of chronic illness experience in resource-limited settings in developing countries. This knowledge can guide nurses in providing competent care to chronically ill individuals, including meeting their individual needs with such illnesses.
Abstract Background Vitiligo is a disease that affects people of all skin shades and can impact their quality of life. Reliable evidence on the effectiveness and adverse events associated with the recent use of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors to treat vitiligo is needed. This protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis seeks to collect evidence from both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies to determine the effectiveness and patient-centered outcomes concerning treatment with JAK inhibitors. Methods We will conduct a systematic review of the literature for RCTs and observational studies that used upadacitinib, ritlecitinib, brepocitinib, ifidancitinib, cerdulatinib, deglocitinib, baricitinib, tofacitinib, and ruxolitinib JAK inhibitors as treatments for vitiligo compared to placebo, no treatment, or combination therapies. We will systematically search from inception in Epistemonikos, MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, ClinicalTrials.gov, PsycINFO, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Web of Science Core Collection, relevant preprint servers, and the gray literature. Ethics approval was not sought as the protocol and systematic review will not involve human participants, but rather summarized and anonymous data from studies. Primary outcomes include quality of life, percentage repigmentation, decreased vitiligo within 1 year or more, lasting repigmentation after a 2-year follow-up, cosmetic acceptability of repigmentation and tolerability or burden of treatment, and adverse events. Secondary outcomes are patient and study characteristics. We will include full-text articles, preprints, and clinical trial data in any language and all geographic regions. For data sources unavailable in English, we will obtain translations from global collaborators via the Cochrane Engage network. We will exclude articles for which sufficient information cannot be obtained from the authors of articles and systematic reviews. At least two investigators will independently assess articles for inclusion and extract data; reliability will be assessed before subsequent selection and data extraction of remaining studies. The risk of bias and certainty of evidence with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation guidelines will be assessed independently by at least two investigators. We will estimate treatment effects by random-effects meta-analyses and assess heterogeneity using I 2. Data that cannot be included in the meta-analysis will be reported narratively using themes. Discussion The proposed systematic review and meta-analysis describe the methods for summarizing and synthesizing the evidence on the effectiveness and patient-centered outcomes concerning the treatment of vitiligo with JAK inhibitors that were recently approved for this indication. To disseminate further the results of our systematic review, we plan to present them at international conferences and meetings. Our findings will provide robust evidence to facilitate decision-making at the policy or practitioner level. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42023383920.
IntroductionDepression is a pervasive mental health challenge with substantial global ramifications. Contemporary therapeutic strategies predominantly consist of psychological interventions and pharmacological treatments. Acupuncture, deeply rooted in ancient traditions and bolstered by a plethora of clinical trials, demonstrates considerable efficacy in depression. This study aims to elucidate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture as a standalone therapy for depression patients by reviewing randomized controlled trials that compare acupuncture treatment with conventional drug therapy.MethodsComprehensive searches were conducted across six databases in both Chinese and English: CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, Embase, Medline, and CENTRAL. The literature search spanned from 1 July 2013, to 1 July 2023. Two researchers independently carried out literature screening and data extraction. Review Manager 5.4 was utilized for data analysis and bias risk assessment. A total of 20 randomized controlled trials were included in the qualitative synthesis, involving 1,376 participants and 43 relevant acupoints.ResultsThe Meta-analysis results, based on the HAMD scale scores, revealed that acupuncture regimens (RR: −1.63; 95% CI: −2.49 to −0.76; P = 0.0002; I2 = 86%; n = 1,668) were significantly more effective compared to standalone medication. Moreover, efficacy metrics from the HAMD highlighted a substantial advantage of acupuncture (RR: 2.6; 95% CI: 1.6 to 4.23; P = 0.0001; I2 = 0; n = 614). Further assessments utilizing SERS and TESS demonstrated a lower incidence of side effects and adverse outcomes in the acupuncture group.ConclusionsAcupuncture, when compared to conventional pharmacotherapy, exhibits significant efficacy as a standalone treatment after four weeks of intervention, with fewer side effects and adverse reactions. However, further investigation is needed to determine the most effective acupoints and appropriate types of acupuncture techniques for treating depression.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42023443711.
Powell was the ninth and final recruit to the One Nation Group (ONG) created in 1950 to effectively counter Labour social policies. Their strategy was to produce a number of pamphlets while reappropriating the rhetoric, myth and legacy of Disraeli to promote One Nation Conservatism. The ONG was heterogeneous, resulting in the promotion of ideas and proposals for compromise. However, Powell played an increasingly prominent role within the group, pushing more and more for a free market ideological positioning. The purpose of this paper is to analyse Powell's contribution and role within the ONG, showing that redefining conservatism through the prism of One Nation could provide an effective way to oppose Socialism in the battle of ideas. Powell and Macleod also sketched out a One Nation vision of the Welfare State in 1952. This was a very important date for Powell, as it marked a serious free market inflection in his thinking which was clearly felt in the pamphlet drafted by the ONG in 1954. The study of the ONG through Powell's lens will show the plasticity and fluidity of One Nation Conservatism from the 1950s onwards.
Cultural competence is a phenomenon that straddles many disciplines and fields of study. There is no settled definition of the term, and it is argued that this is not necessary to explore or discuss the phenomenon as it is context-dependent across diverse societies. Explorations of cultural competence in clinical education and training are well-established, but there has been less attention towards its expression in the field of developing healthcare leaders. There is a debate about whether cultural competence is best achieved primarily through training-based educational inputs or by being infused in all areas of curriculum development. Using an exploration of selected literature followed by the case of an ambitious set of leadership development programmes in the English National Health Service, this paper explores the balance and interdependencies of cultural competence in healthcare leadership development as knowledge, skills and attitudes. The paper concludes that it is important for educators in this field to provide space for reflection, develop skills of reflexivity and facilitate sensitive discussions of sometimes contested ideas and concepts. A further evaluation of the impact of teaching and learning interventions, while mapping developments in perceptions of knowledge, skill and attitudes would be an area ripe for future research.
Adhering to a structured process of the flow of given to new topic information within academic written discourse is a significant challenge for most tertiary-level non-native EFL students. The progression of given to new topic information in written academic text is equally difficult for many non-native academic English writing teachers to distinguish, much less assess. This research seeks to determine if given to new information progression can be significantly identified, and explore the possibility of such topic progression being utilized as a practical form of academic writing assessment by experienced Thai tertiary teachers of academic English. Multiple Linear Regression was employed to determine the relationship between the Thai writing teachers' identification of the flow of given to new topic information and a preliminary analysis of topic information flow by a qualified native English writing teacher. The insights gained from this study show that the Thai academic English writing teachers could not significantly detect the presence of given to new topic information progression within the academic texts. The implication of this research suggests that at this time, the practical utilization of a given to new progression analysis may not be a feasible evaluative measure in written assessments for Thai academic English writing teachers.
This article traces Paul Auster’s shift in sensibility after the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. While his earlier novels where paradigmatic of postmodern self-referentiality, several critics have argued that his post-9/11 production turned towards realism. This might be interpreted as subsidiary evidence in favor of the polemic debate around the death of postmodernism. However, the aim of this article is to outline the transformation of the writer and offer explanations as to why that change in sensibility does not respond to a divestiture of postmodernism, but to an intensification of it. I trace Auster’s alternative to postmodern relativism, that is, transcendentalism, to arrive at the conclusion that his stance towards it is the same in his later novels.
Janice Linton, Mandy Archibald, Sandra Wiebe
et al.
Introduction Healthcare is increasingly challenged to meet the demands of user involvement and knowledge mobilisation required by the 21st-century patient-centred and knowledge-based economies. Innovations are needed to reduce problematic barriers to knowledge exchange and improve collaborative problem solving. Living labs, as open knowledge systems, have the potential to address these gaps but are underexplored in healthcare.Methods and analysis We will conduct the first systematic review of living labs across healthcare contexts. We will comprehensively search the following online databases from inception to 31 December 2020: Scopus, the Cochrane Library (Wiley), Medline (OVID), Embase (OVID), Web of Science, PsycINFO (OVID) and EBSCOhost databases including Academic Search Complete, Business Source Premier, Canadian Reference Centre, CINAHL, MasterFILE Premier, SPORTDiscus, Library & Information Science Source, Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, AgeLine, EconLit, Art Full Text, Women’s Studies International and Social Work Abstracts. We will search for grey literature using Google advanced techniques and books/book chapters through scholarly and bibliographical databases. We will use a dual-reviewer, two-step selection process with pre-established inclusion criteria and limit to English language publications. Empirical studies of any design examining living lab development, implementation or evaluation in health or healthcare will be included. We will use the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) for methodological quality appraisal and Covidence software for review management, and we will extract data on pre-established variables such as lab context and technological platforms. We will create evidence tables and analyse across variables such as focal aim and achievement of living lab principles, such as the use of cocreation and multimethod approaches. We will tabulate data for descriptive reporting and narrative synthesis to identify current applications, approaches and promising areas for living lab development across health contexts.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was not required for this review. This review will inform research into living labs in health environments, including guidance for a living lab in paediatric rehabilitation. Academic publications shared through collaborative networks and social media channels will provide substantive knowledge to the growing tech-health development sector and to researchers, practitioners and organisations seeking enhanced patient/stakeholder engagement and innovations in knowledge translation and evidence-based practice.PROSPERO registration number CRD42020175275
This paper deals with how English literature can help EFL learners acquire English like ESL speakers. EFL learners usually learn English by learning its vocabulary and grammatical rules from books. ESL speakers, on the other hand, pick up the grammatical rules and vocabulary of English by directly getting into the environment where English is the medium of communication and acquire the language like the native. ESL speakers can speak English with native-like fluency and express their ideas in English like the native, but EFL learners, despite being capable of writing and speaking grammatically correct English, most often fail to speak with native-like fluency. Words seem to get stuck in their throats, and they often fumble and falter when speaking because their vocabulary remains poor in content. Nor can they express the true spirit of their ideas in their cultivated, grammatical English because they learn it in isolation without seeing how a native uses it. This paper argues that by studying English literature, EFL learners can grow awareness of the culture of the English and see how the English speak, feel, dream, and express their heart in English, and thus they can learn English like ESL speakers.
Introduction: midface fractures are a serious medical problem due to their complexity, frequency and socioeconomic impact.
Objective: conduct a literature review about the anatomical considerations, diagnosis, classification, treatment and complications of midface fractures.
Methods: A literature review was conducted in September 2016. The evaluation included high impact journals from the Web of Science (25 journals) and 2 books. The databases MEDLINE, PubMed and SciELO were consulted, using the descriptors "maxillary fracture", "treatment", " lefort fracture". Papers written in English in the last five years were included. Of the 98 papers obtained, the study considered 40.
Data analysis and integration: the middle third of the face is characterized by anatomical weakness, since it is formed by scantily protected spongy bone with multiple sutures. There are many classifications for midface fractures, and diagnosis is based on clinical findings, particularly ophthalmological, which alongside those of auxiliary diagnostic devices, make it possible to choose the most appropriate therapeutic mode and prevent complications.
Conclusions: the anatomical characteristics of the facial middle third justify the frequency and impact of these fractures. Diagnosis should be based on interrogation, physical examination and the use of auxiliary diagnostic imaging, mainly tomography. Upon classification of the fracture, a treatment plan may be devised based on individual assessment of each case to prevent future complications.
Elahe Delshad, Mahdi Yousefi, Payam Sasannezhad
et al.
Background: Carthamus tinctorius L., known as Kafesheh (Persian) and safflower (English) is vastly utilized in
Traditional Medicine for various medical conditions, namely dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, postpartum abdominal
pain and mass, trauma and pain of joints. It is largely used for flavoring and coloring purposes among the local
population. Recent reviews have addressed the uses of the plant in various ethnomedical systems.
Objective: This review was an update to provide a summary on the botanical features, uses in Iranian folklore
and modern medical applications of safflower.
Methods: A main database containing important early published texts written in Persian, together with electronic
papers was established on ethnopharmacology and modern pharmacology of C. tinctorius. Literature review was
performed on the years from 1937 to 2016 in Web of Science, PubMed, Scientific Information Database, Google
Scholar, and Scopus for the terms "Kafesheh", "safflower", "Carthamus tinctorius", and so forth.
Results: Safflower is an indispensable element of Iranian folklore medicine, with a variety of applications due to
laxative effects. Also, it was recommended as treatment for rheumatism and paralysis, vitiligo and black spots,
psoriasis, mouth ulcers, phlegm humor, poisoning, numb limbs, melancholy humor, and the like. According to
the modern pharmacological and clinical examinations, safflower provides promising opportunities for the
amelioration of myocardial ischemia, coagulation, thrombosis, inflammation, toxicity, cancer, and so forth.
However, there have been some reports on its undesirable effects on male and female fertility. Most of these
beneficial therapeutic effects were correlated to hydroxysafflor yellow A.
Conclusion: More attention should be drawn to the lack of a thorough phytochemical investigation. The potential
implications of safflower based on Persian traditional medicine, such as the treatment of rheumatism and
paralysis, vitiligo and black spots, psoriasis, mouth ulcers, phlegm humor, poisoning, numb limbs, and
melancholy humor warrant further consideration
This paper presents a small case study that recorded developing intercultural understanding amongst advanced EFL students in a high school in Serbia as a result of studying The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht. The novel deals with the recent Balkan war and captures the mindset of people who live in the Balkans. The novel was studied over three months with a group of eight 17- to 18-year-old students of different nationalities. It provided a starting point for students in the class to come together and re-examine their views and feelings. Because the group was small, the main instructional format was classroom discussion with open-ended prompts. Host country students had stronger views on the war in their region and reacted with more intense emotion compared to their foreign peers. The host country students benefited from sharing their views, and the foreign students were motivated to explore the story through the eyes of their peers. Thus, this work of literature allowed for social constructivist negotiation. This reinforces the premise that learning takes place because of interaction in a group and highlights the potential for literature to act as a bridge for intercultural understanding.
English historical linguistics has changed considerably over the last twenty years: not only has it devoted more attention to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, but it has also developed new approaches to historical pragmatics and historical sociolinguistics by taking into consideration such genres as diaries, correspondence and schoolbooks. Within this framework, Native American studies can be shown to have great potential to contribute useful interdisciplinary takes on the investigation of Late Modern times; in particular, innovative insights and findings may derive from such connections in the study of vocabulary, of teaching materials, and of cultural representations.