https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/3966 2026-04-16T04:17:20Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/58523 Title: Book reviews [International Journal of Emotional Education, 1(2)] Abstract: Welcome to the first book reviews section of the International Journal of Emotional Education. Our aim in this part of the journal is to provide frank reviews of the latest publications in this rapidly expanding field. In this and future issues we will be reviewing a wide range of academic and practitioner-oriented texts. The reviews provided below have all been completed by colleagues at the University of Manchester, UK. However, we would greatly welcome offers from other ENSEC members who feel that they can spare the time to read and review one of our new books for a future reviews section. If you are interested in volunteering to act as a book reviewer, please email neil.humphrey@manchester.ac.uk and I will send you a list of our available texts. 2009-11-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/58522 Title: Editorial [International Journal of Emotional Education, 1(2)] Abstract: Welcome to this edition of the International Journal of Emotional Education which is focused on the promotion of mental health and social and emotional learning in schools. We present five papers dealing with these issues in the diverse international contexts of Australia, Japan, Malta and the United Kingdom. The first paper by Helen Cowie (UK) presents a comparative study of the contemporary phenomenon of cyberbullying amongst young people in the UK and Japan. The paper underlines the need to address the multidimensionality of cyberbullying in seeking to prevent and reduce this problem, and presents various strategies in how this may be effected. In the second paper, Helen Askell-Williams and her colleagues (Australia) write about KidsMatter, a mental heath promotion, prevention and early intervention initiative in Australian primary schools. The authors explore ways in which mental health promotion initiatives are implemented in schools, and emphasize the ways in which the effective delivery of such interventions take account of the contextual features of the schools where they are being implemented. 2009-11-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6092 Title: Teaching assistants and pupils' academic and social engagement in mainstream schools : insights from systematic literature reviews Authors: Cajkler, Wasyl; Tennant, Geoff Abstract: The last twenty years have seen a huge expansion in the additional adults working in classrooms in the UK, USA, and other countries. This paper presents the findings of a series of systematic literature reviews about teaching assistants (TAs). The first two reviews focused on stakeholder perceptions of TAs’ contributions to academic and social engagement, namely the perceptions of pupils, teachers, TAs, headteachers and parents on four principal contributions that teaching assistants contribute to: pupils’ academic and socio-academic engagement; inclusion; maintenance of stakeholder relations; and support for the teacher. The third review explored training of TAs. Against a background of patchy training provision both in the UK and the USA, strong claims are made for the benefits to TAs of training provided, particularly in building confidence and skills. The conclusions include implications for further training and the need for further research to gain an in-depth understanding of the way TAs engage with children. 2009-11-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6012 Title: Venturing into schools : locating mental health initiatives in complex environments Authors: Askell-Williams, Helen; Lawson, Michael J.; Slee, Phillip T. Abstract: Schools provide viable settings for mental health promotion initiatives, such as programs to develop students’ social and emotional capabilities (SEC). Complexity in the school environments into which initiatives are introduced, such as diverse student capabilities, school structures, and teachers’ knowledge and confidence, will play an integral role in the success of those initiatives. This paper investigates the environments of schools about to receive the KidsMatter mental heath promotion, prevention and early intervention initiative in Australia, using information sourced from questionnaires about 2598 students and their teachers in 50 Australian primary schools. The focus of the report is on the status of the schools’ work in one of the key focus areas for the intervention, namely students’ SEC. Analysis showed relatively high levels of students’ SEC across the whole sample, but with sub-group differences. Teachers’ attitudes towards SEC learning were highly positive. Teachers’ self-rated knowledge and approaches in dealing with SEC were moderate, and point to requirements for additional pre-service and professional development. The extent of regular and sustained delivery of SEC programs and mental health initiatives in general showed variability, suggesting the need to attend to school systems and structural supports. Implications of these areas of diversity in school environments on the selection and methods of delivery of mental health promotion programs in schools are discussed. 2009-11-01T00:00:00Z