This study analyzed whether it was possible to successfully transfer an experience of dialogic literary gatherings (DLGs) developed in a prison in the Basque Country (Spain), which was found to enhance the participants' readiness to return to their communities. A case study was conducted in a different prison in Catalonia that comprised interviews and focus groups with a group of female prisoners and volunteers involved in the DLG. The communicative analysis conducted showed that the replication of the DLG allowed the participants to discuss and reflect on their biographies and their expected pathways upon release, thus opening possibilities for personal and social change. The results show that participants perceived the DLG as a helpful resource for social reintegration and suggest that DLGs can be transferred to different correctional institutions.
This article examines the interactions that occur in Dialogic Literary Gatherings (DLG), a cultural activity in which low literate adults read and debate classic literature. To respect the principle of egalitarian dialogue, participants agree on how to communicate and reflect on their communicative patterns. We analyse the actual interactional behaviour of participants and the pragmatic traits that evidence how this principle is implemented by identifying dialogic and power interactions in connection to (Im)politeness. This study shows the influence of the situated genre (DLG) over status in the prevalence of politeness and how the participants use polite mitigation strategies that favour dialogue in the conversation, regardless of the participants' position.
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 stresses the importance of offering all students an inclusive, quality education, so that they can develop necessary life skills, including academic and social skills. Students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) not only have greater difficulties in their academic development, but they also have some social development limitations. It is therefore necessary to identify which strategies are effective in helping these students develop social skills. Previous research has noted that dialogical learning environments can contribute to promoting inclusion. This paper provides a literature review of interventions, based on social interaction and their impact on the social skills of students with disabilities. A literature search was performed of scientific databases (Web of Science, SCOPUS, PsycINFO and ERIC) to identify research that used dialogue and interaction to promote the development of the social skills of these students. Twenty-nine studies were selected that yielded improved results in the increase and quality of interactions and the promotion of social behaviours, such as initiations, participation, collaboration, social connection, self-regulation and self-image. Based on these results, it can be concluded that interaction-based interventions with an inclusive approach nurture the social skills of students with disabilities, in line with previous research.
ArticleThis article presents an analysis of the contributions of communicative focus groups to the construction of scientific knowledge on gender violence, more specifically on the phenomenon of the mirage of upward mobility in affective and sexual relations among young people, identified as one of the causes of gender violence. First, we review the different research methods for analyzing the causes of gender violence among young people, identifying gaps in the field and adding new elements to the debate. Second, we introduce the concept of the "mirage of upward mobility" and the research that substantiates it. Finally, we discuss contributions from two communicative focus groups to the analysis of the reality and consequences of the "mirage."
AbstractThe concept of the mirage of upward mobility, identified as one of the causes of gender violence, has been analyzed in depth through different communicative fieldwork techniques that were designed dialogically. The development of each of these techniques has been crucial to identifying the roots of the phenomenon. This article addresses the implementation of communicative focus groups comprising adolescent girls and young people (aged 14-18 and 18-25) by highlighting different parts of the research process: (a) how the groups were configured and how the participants were selected, (b) the identification of preexisting barriers to discussing the issue and the different possible reactions, (c) how evidence from the scientific community was introduced to the groups, and (d) how the barriers to identifying the mirage of upward mobility can be overcome through dialogue within the focus groups.
Teacher induction has been an object of interest in teacher education and professional development, mostly as a result of the analysis of the difficulties faced and the coping strategies developed by newly qualified teachers. However, the specific mechanisms to facilitate teachers’ induction when being appointed by schools working under challenging contexts have been less explored. This study aims to explore the potential of a community-based school model named Schools as Learning Communities to induct new teachers and to help them embrace the school’s project. A single case study was conducted in a high-poverty school located in Barcelona (Spain). Data collection included observations and interviews with teachers and the school management team. Findings highlight two main features of the school model that facilitate teacher induction: the dialogic approach to teachers’ professional development and the participation of family and community members in the school, which operates as a pedagogical resource. Furthermore, our results reveal this model as a successful pathway for the new teachers to embrace the school mission and to become agents of transformation who contribute to the project’s sustainability. The study offers lessons on how to support the induction of teachers who join diverse schools serving students living in poverty.
In the international context of a progress toward more inclusive educational systems and practices, the role of Special Education teachers is being transformed. From an inclusive perspective, these professionals increasingly support students and their teachers in the mainstream classroom, avoiding segregation. However, Special Education teachers often struggle to reach and support all students with special needs and their teachers to provide quality inclusive education. For this reason, more research is still needed on in-service training strategies for the inclusion of students with special needs that effectively translate into evidence-based school practices that improve the education of all students. This article analyses the impact of two evidence-based dialogic training programs of Special Education teachers working in mainstream schools carried out in Mexico during the 2018–2019 school year. Through in-depth interviews with participants, it was identified how, after the training, teachers increasingly grounded their actions on scientific evidence and promoted interactive learning environments that improved the educational inclusion of their students with special needs. This training also became the venue to make evidence-based educational actions available to other students without special needs, improving the quality of education provided to all students.
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