Abstract/Notes: Communication and collaboration between classroom teachers and student support teachers are critical in supporting student outcomes, and effective and productive lifelong relationships. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate the current process of obtaining student support at a Montessori school to improve the communication and collaboration between classroom teachers and student support teachers to and strengthen and clarify the process and to better support one another as educators who use two different methodologies of instruction to support students struggling with academic or social-emotional issues in the classroom. Participants and data collected in Cycle 1 consisted of interviews with classroom teachers, student support teachers, and school administrators. Additionally, a document review of current resources and forms used at the research site were analyzed. Action steps including the creation of new materials and training. Cycle 2 launched a co-created framework for scaffolding the communication between classroom and their student support team partners outside of the classroom. Findings included a desire to collaborate, a need for support and training, and the necessity of systems and structures in the institution that can exist regardless of faculty and staff turnover. Implications for the organization included opportunities to re-engage teachers with professional development, training, and structure to support their work with students and each other.

Language: English

Published: Boston, Massachusetts, 2023

Abstract/Notes: This volume takes a broad view of multimodality as it applies to a wide range of subject areas, curriculum design, and classroom processes to examine the ways in which multiple modes combine in contemporary classrooms and its subsequent impact on student learning. Grounded in a systemic functional linguistic framework and featuring contributions from scholars across educational and multimodal research, the book begins with a historical overview of multimodality’s place in Western education and then moves to a discussion of the challenges and rewards of integrating multimodal texts and ever-evolving technologies in a variety of settings, include primary, language, music, early childhood, Montessori, and online classrooms. As a state of the art of teaching and learning through different modalities in different educational contexts, this book is an indispensable resource for students and scholars in applied linguistics, multimodality, and language education.

Language: English

Published: New York, New York: Routledge, 2019

Edition: 1st

ISBN: 978-0-203-70107-2 978-1-138-57440-3

Series: Studies in Multimodality

Language: English

ISSN: 1522-9734

Abstract/Notes: This article and the one that follows, "Quilt-Making in the Elementary Class" (EJ1077043), emerge from Mountain Laurel Montessori School and provide examples of the intrinsic links between the hand and academic lessons. This article features a compilation of artful recipes for young children (Soap Sculpting Clay, Easy Flour Paste, Face Paint, Homemade Sidewalk Chalk, and Great Fun Dough), craft activities (Sponge/Potato Printing, Felt Bead Necklace, Multi-Medium Collage, and Coffee Filter Flowers), as well as primary sewing activities (Preliminary Sewing Lessons, Greeting Card Lacing--for youngest children, Plastic Canvas Decorations--for older children, and Felt Pouches). Elementary activities such as Work Pouches, Prepositional Phrases, Pyramid with Name Research, Bilateral Symmetry and Names of Triangles, and Paper Quilts from Timeline of Life are also described. The article concludes with examples of adolescent projects (Timeline of Humanities Projects, Tree--World Religions Humanities Project, and Inventions--Simple Machines Occupation Project). [This article was written by the Teachers and Students of Mountain Laurel Montessori School.]

Language: English

ISSN: 1522-9734

Language: English

ISSN: 1522-9734

Abstract/Notes: Clarifies the meanings of the terms "normalization" and "normality," broadens the discussion of normality beyond Montessori's first plane of development, and explores the unique conditions conducive to normality in the second and third planes. (EV)

Language: English

ISSN: 1522-9734

Language: English

ISSN: 1522-9734

Abstract/Notes: One-on-one structured Montessori-based activities conducted with people with dementia can improve agitation and enhance engagement. These activities may however not always be implemented by nursing home staff. Family members may present an untapped resource for enabling these activities. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the Montessori activities implemented by family members on visitation experiences with people who have dementia. This study strengthens the evidence base for the use of the Montessori programs in increasing well-being in nursing home residents. The findings also provide evidence that family members are an additional valuable resource in implementing structured activities such as the Montessori program with residents.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1017/S1041610219001819

ISSN: 1041-6102, 1741-203X

Language: English

ISSN: 1522-9734

Abstract/Notes: Aims. To investigate the efficacy of applying a Montessori intervention to improve the eating ability and nutritional status of residents with dementia in long-term care facilities. Background. An early intervention for eating difficulties in patients with dementia can give them a better chance of maintaining independence and reduce the risk of malnutrition. Methods. An experimental crossover design was employed. Twenty-nine residents were chosen from two dementia special care units in metropolitan Taipei. To avoid contamination between participants in units using both Montessori and control interventions, two dementia special care units were randomly assigned into Montessori intervention (I1) and routine activities (I2) sequence groups. A two-period crossover design was used, with 15 residents assigned to Montessori intervention sequence I (I1, I2) and 14 residents assigned to Montessori intervention sequence II (I2, I1). On each intervention day, residents were given their assigned intervention. Montessori intervention was provided in 30-min sessions once every day, three days per week, for eight weeks. There was a two-week washout period between each intervention. Results. There was a significant reduction in the Edinburgh Feeding Evaluation in Dementia score for the Montessori intervention period but not for the routine activities period, while the mean differences for the Eating Behavior Scale score, self-feeding frequency and self-feeding time were significantly higher than those of the routine activities period. Except for the Mini-Nutritional Assessment score post-test being significantly less than the pre-test for the routine activities period, no significant differences for any other variables were found for the routine activities period. Conclusion. This study confirms the efficacy of a Montessori intervention protocol on eating ability of residents with dementia. Adopting Montessori intervention protocols to maintain residents’ self-feeding ability in clinical practice is recommended. Relevance to clinical practice. Montessori-based activities could provide caregivers with an evidence-based nursing strategy to deal with eating difficulties of people with dementia.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03858.x

ISSN: 1365-2702