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Background: Most previous studies of teaching styles and reading skills have been cross-sectional. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify the direction of effects. The present longitudinal study examined the degree to which differences in teaching styles in the third grade predict the sixth-grade reading performance. The consistency of the findings was addressed by comparing results across students in two countries (Finland and Estonia). Methods: A total of 1,057 students (50.9% boys) were followed from the third to sixth grade. Teaching styles of third-grade teachers (N = 70) were examined as predictors of the development of reading (i.e., third-grade to sixth-grade reading fluency and comprehension). Results: Five patterns of third-grade teaching practices were found across two countries: "child-centred style," "teacher-directed style," "child-dominated style," "extreme child-centred style," and "mixed child-centred" and "teacher-directed style (mixed teaching style)." The mixed teaching style and the child-centred style in the third grade were related to the greatest increases in reading fluency from the third to sixth grade, over and above the contribution of age, gender and maternal education. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of the flexible use of child-centred and teacher-directed practices, which are both linked to the development of reading fluency during late primary school years.

Background: Adapting instruction to individual students' needs is known to be effective, but there is a lack of evidence whether students' reading skills are associated with literacy instruction activities at classroom-level. Both the content of the literacy instruction and teachers' instructional support through instructional management are considered. Methods: The data were collected in the context of Finland where first graders' reading skills show great variation at school entry but rapid progress. Students (n = 616) were individually tested on their reading skills, and literacy lessons in 35 classrooms were video recorded in the autumn of first grade. Multilevel path analyses were conducted to examine the classroom-level associations between reading skills (accuracy and fluency) and three types of literacy instruction activities (coded from the video recordings). The number of students present and the teachers' work experience were controlled in the analyses. Results: The results indicated that, at classroom-level, lower average reading skills were associated with more lesson time allocated to code-focused activities such as decoding and spelling tasks in which instructional management was directed for the whole group. In turn, higher average reading skills in classrooms were associated with more lesson time allocated to individual or small group assignments. The reading skills were not associated with meaning-focused activities such as text-level reading activities and class discussions with the whole group. Conclusions: In early literacy lessons, students' reading skills were associated with teachers' implementation of different literacy instruction activities at classroom-level. In classrooms with more students having already acquired basic decoding skills, teachers provided more classroom time for independent practice and individual support, which is likely to support consolidation of students' literacy skills.

This study explores music teachers' beliefs of student agency in whole-class playing and investigates what characterises student agency through teachers' values, actions and observations within this unique multimodal and -dimensional learning environment. Our abductive analysis of 11 interviews reveals that the role of teacher support is significant in enacting students' agency. This study provides insights into student agency through the eyes and actions of teachers within the context of whole-class playing and suggests that the enactment of different aspects of student agency is an essential feature necessary for whole-class playing to succeed.

The existing literature on early childhood education (ECE) quality is predominantly from the US or other developed countries. In low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs), systematic research on ECE quality, however, is very limited. In the present study, we explore variation in structural and process indicators of ECE quality in two Eastern European LMICs, Kosovo and Ukraine, using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System Pre-K (CLASS) as a measure of process quality for the first time in these countries. We also include Finland because governments in Kosovo and Ukraine show a particular interest in the Finnish education model to inform policy reforms. Participants were kindergarten teachers (n=177) from these three countries who were observed in their classrooms and asked to complete questionnaires. Results indicated variability in ECE quality at various levels, both within and across the three countries. Directions for future research and implications for practice and policy development in LMICs are discussed.

This study investigated teachers' focus of attention and stress in first-grade classrooms. Teachers' (n = 53) focus of attention was recorded in fall and spring with a mobile eye-tracking device, and the teachers reported stress via questionnaires. Correlation analysis was used to examine association between teacher stress (exhaustion, cynicism, and inadequacy) and focus of attention. Then, one teacher reporting more stress and one reporting less stress were selected for a case study to examine variations in their focus of attention. The results showed positive associations between teachers' perceived inadequacy and overall focus of attention (whole eye-tracking recording) both in fall and spring. Teachers' focus of attention during specific activity settings of management/routines and transitions correlated positively with all three stress domains in fall. In addition, a positive association was also found between teacher inadequacy and focus of attention during teacher-directed large group activity setting.

Previous research shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and other (LGBTQ+) students can experience substantial emotional- and health-related issues at school, but research into LGBTQ+ students' experiences of school nursing is limited. This qualitative study describes the experiences of Finnish LGBTQ+ students engaging with junior high school nurses. Data were collected from 35 LGBTQ+ students using an online survey tool comprising of a set of open-ended questions. Two interconnecting themes were identified following thematic analysis: (1) junior high school nurse engagement: a mixed or unsatisfactory experience and (2) LGBTQ+ students' needs for diversity-affirming junior high school nursing. Findings show that LGBQT+ students felt junior high school nurse engagement was often unsupportive with issues around their sexuality and gender identity. LGBTQ+ students expressed the need for diversity-affirming information and support in school settings. Further research from school nurses' perspective is needed to increase understanding of this topic.

The aim of our study was to compare implant survival rates of different total hip arthroplasty (THA) bearings in the Nordic Arthroplasty Register Association. All conventional primary THAs performed between 2005 and 2017 in patients aged more than 55 years who had primary osteoarthritis were studied. Metal-on-highly cross-linked polyethylene (MoXLP), ceramic-on-highly cross-linked polyethylene (CoXLP), ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC), and metal-on-metal (MoM) bearings were included. The outcome was a revision. Kaplan-Meier (KM) estimates were calculated at 5 and 10 years. The risk for revision was analyzed using a flexible parametric survival model adjusted for nation, age, sex, femoral head size, and femoral fixation. A total of 158,044 THAs were included. The 5-year KM estimates were 95.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 95.8 to 96.1) in MoXLP, 95.8% (95% CI 95.6 to 96.1) in CoXLP, 96.7% (95% CI 96.4 to 97.0) in CoC, and 93.9% (95% CI 93.5 to 94.4) in MoM. The 10-years KM estimates were 94.2% (94.0 to 94.5) in MoXLP, 94.3% (93.9 to 94.8) in CoXLP, 95.4% (95.0 to 95.9) in CoC, and 85.5% (84.9 to 86.2) in MoM. Compared with MoXLP, the adjusted risk for revision was lower in CoC (hazard ratio [HR] 0.6, CI 0.5 to 0.6), similar in CoXLP (HR 1.0, CI 0.9 to 1.0), and higher in MoM (HR 1.3, CI 1.2 to 1.4). We found that MoXLP, CoXLP, and CoC bearings evinced comparably high implant survival rates up to 10 years, and they can all be regarded as safe options in this patient group. The MoM bearings were associated with clearly lower survivorship. The CoC bearings had the highest implant survival and a lower adjusted risk for revision compared with highly cross-linked polyethylene bearings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR)–based training has not yet fulfilled all expectations placed on it in the nuclear domain. Therefore, it is important to try to understand and identify possible causes of disappointments and difficulties in the adoption of VR technology in the training of nuclear operations. We conducted a case study, including expert interviews (on training and technological development points of view) and an explorative VR simulator test (involving field operators, i.e. user perspective), in one Finnish nuclear power plant that can be considered a pioneering agent in the field of VR training in the energy industry. A detailed examination of their participatory development approach for designing VR training for field operators revealed that a close collaboration between different stakeholder groups is required to optimize the VR training design process as well as the resulting outcomes. According to the interviews with technical developers, some technological advancements are needed before VR technology can be more extensively adopted in field operator training. However, they expect that further development of VR technology soon will pave the way for a more extensive application of VR in training of operative personnel. The trainers saw VR technologies as one possible option among many other tools and methods for learning. However, their main concern in the application of VR in training was about the added value and cost effectiveness of VR-based training. The usability of the VR training tools was another source of criticism. Even though the end users perceived the VR environment and training as positive, their opinions differed in terms of the value placed on VR training. Some participants thought that VR has a lot of potential for field operator training, whereas some of them were more skeptical and considered the less immersive alternatives as more viable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated cross-lagged associations between parental trust in a child's teacher and children's academic interest across Grades 1-4 in primary school. Parents rated trust in their child's teacher, and 576 children reported their interest in reading and math at each grade. The results showed that high parental trust in a child's teacher predicted the child's high interest in math. In addition, the child's high interest in reading in Grade 2 was related to the father's subsequent trust in the teacher.

This study examines the association between teacher--child interaction quality and children's self-regulation in Finnish and Portuguese toddler classrooms. The participants included 230 Finnish (M = 29; SD = 3 months) and 283 Portuguese M = 30, SD = 4 months) toddlers and their teachers (n = 43 Finland; n = 29 Portugal). The children's behavioural self-regulation (attention, working memory, and inhibition control) was individually tested, and the teachers evaluated the children's self-regulation skills in the classroom. The quality of the teacher-child interactions (i.e., emotional and behavioural support and engaged support for learning) was evaluated using the CLASS-Toddler observation instrument. The analyses were conducted with path models using a complex option. The results for Finland show that the engaged support for learning was positively associated with children's attention and inhibitory control, and emotional and behavioural support was positively associated with children's inhibitory control. For Portugal, engaged support for learning was positively associated with children's attention. The results aid in recognizing the characteristics of teacher support that is beneficial to the development of children's self-regulation skills in two sociocultural contexts, hence being of relevance for teacher in- and pre-service training.

This study investigated bidirectional links between the quality of teacher-child relationships and children's interest and pre-academic skills in literacy and math. Furthermore, differences in the patterns of bidirectionality between boys and girls were explored. Participants were 461 Finnish kindergarteners (6-year-olds) and their teachers (n = 48). Teachers reported their closeness and conflict with each child twice throughout the kindergarten year. Children rated their interest in literacy and math, and were tested on their pre-academic skills. Cross-lagged path models indicated that teacher-perceived conflict predicted lower interest and pre-academic skills in both literacy and math. Results were similar for boys and girls. Implications for reducing conflictual patterns of relationships, together with promoting other factors, are discussed.

According to the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLP) model, high individual academic performance in a particular subject is related to high self-concept in that subject, whereas high average classroom performance has a negative effect on self-concept. In the present study, data from Finnish primary school students in grade 3 (504 students), grade 4 (487 students), and grade 6 (365 students) are used to examine whether the assumptions of the BFLP effect model hold already in primary school. Furthermore, we examined gender differences in BFLP effect. The results showed that as expected students' high performance in literacy and in mathematics was related to high self-concept in the same subject. Support for the negative classroom effect was small and it depended on the school subject and student's gender. That is, a high average classroom performance already in grade 3 had a negative but small effect on boys' self-concept in mathematics. In literacy and among girls, only little support was found for the negative classroom effect.

The present study aimed to investigate the associations between teachers' observed emotional support and social competence among Finnish pre-schoolers (6-year-olds). The quality of emotional support was observed using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System Pre-K in 47 preschool classrooms twice across the preschool year. Teachers rated children's social competence in autumn and again in spring, using the Multisource Assessment of Social Competence Scale (MASCS), which produced sum scores for cooperating skills, empathy, impulsivity, and disruptiveness. Consistent with the transactional model, we specified reciprocal (auto-regressive and cross-lagged) relationships within a Multilevel Structural Equation Models (MSEM) framework. The results showed that higher quality of emotional support in preschool autumn was related to more prosocial behaviours typical of the classroom during spring of the preschool year. Children's antisocial behaviours typical of the preschool classroom were not associated with quality of emotional support or vice versa. The results emphasize the importance of responsive and sensitive classroom interactions in promoting prosocial behaviours.

Research Findings: The aim of this study was to examine associations between two aspects of teachers' occupational well-being, i.e., teaching-related stress and work engagement, and the quality of teacher-child interactions in Finnish kindergarten classrooms. Participants were 47 kindergarten teachers with their classrooms of 6-year-old children. Teacher-child interactions (i.e., emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support) were observed twice during the kindergarten year (fall and spring), using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). In addition, teachers completed questionnaires on stress and work engagement. The results indicated that teaching-related stress negatively predicted the quality of emotional support and classroom organization while teacher's work engagement was positively associated with the quality of instructional support. Practice or Policy: The findings can be used to inform teacher education and professional development in order to promote in- and pre-service teachers' occupational well-being and support them in their work with children in the classroom.

Purpose: This study aims to explore what causes stress to day care center directors and what their coping strategies are. In addition, the study examined the extent to which directors experience work-related stress and burnout, and the factors associated with their work-related stress, engagement and recovery from work. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed method approach was used. Findings: The results showed that the main sources of directors' stress were connected to leading oneself, leading others, managing change and lack of social support. Moreover, the main coping strategies with stress were leading oneself, social support and leading others. In addition, both pre- and in-service leadership training played a significant role in the experience of stress. The nature of factors causing stress and coping strategies with stress may imply that directors need further support in self-management and developing their internal competences. Research limitations/implications: The present study has limitations that need to be considered when making generalizations. First, a small sample size limits the generalization of the findings. Second, the study relied solely on one source of information, i.e. directors' self-reports. Third, data were collected only at one time point at the end of the year when stress levels might have accumulated. Finally, the study has been done in the Finnish educational context where day care center directors' job description varies depending on municipality. Practical implications: The findings provide important information about the causes of directors' work-related stress as well as their coping strategies and about factors that might be related to those. Social implications: Because directors' stress impact on children's development and well-being through teachers' well-being, it is crucial to pay attention on directors' well-being and provide more support for them. Originality/value: The current study is among the few ones focusing on the stress of directors at early childhood education (ECE) settings.

Gleysol profiles of five southern Finnish sites dominated by Norway spruce ( (L.) H. Karst.) were described according to the Canadian system of soil classification, and the total contents of five metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe) were analysed in each soil profile. Lead, zinc and manganese showed highest concentrations in the organic surface horizons with a decrease towards mineral soil horizons. Vopper distribution was somewhat irregular. Iron had maximum values in the mineral soil: in A-horizon of Rego Gleysols and in B-horizon of Fera Gleysols. A preliminary comparison of metal pools in soil (root layer) with annual atmospheric input shows that the role of atmospheric deposition is relatively greater in the case of Cu, Zn and Pb than for Fe or Mn.Picea abies

This cross-lagged longitudinal study examines the evocative impact of a child's psychological adjustment on teachers' affective response and instructional support for a child, and the influence this support and response has on the child's subsequent adjustment. A hundred and seventeen Finnish teachers self-rated the instructional support they gave, and the affect they experienced while teaching 307 children from school grades 1, 2 and 3. Teachers also rated the level of prosocial and externalizing problem behaviour among children. Results showed that the more children exhibited externalizing problem behaviour in grades 1 and 2, teachers not only did provide more instructional support for them a year later but, at the same time, they reported feeling less positive affect. Low levels of positive affect were also reported by teachers a year later with regard to children who had received more instructional support from them in grades 1 and 2.

This study investigated the cross-lagged associations between teacher-student relationships and problem behaviors in a sample of 440 Finnish students (half of them identified as being at risk of reading difficulties). The degree to which these associations were moderated by a child's gender, academic performance, risk for reading difficulties, parental education, and having the same teacher over 2 years was examined. The teachers evaluated the students' problem behaviors and reported closeness and conflict with a particular student. The results showed that the higher the students scored on externalizing problems in Grade 4, the more conflict teachers reported 2 years later. Moderator analyses revealed that internalizing problems predicted higher levels of closeness for boys only. Conflict predicted internalizing problems among students who had the same teacher across the 2 years. The results emphasize the importance of investigating the transactional links in different subgroups.

This study examined the reliability and validity of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System-Secondary (CLASS-S) in Finnish classrooms. Trained observers coded classroom interactions based on video recordings of 46 Grade 6 classrooms (450 cycles). Concurrent associations were investigated with respect to teacher self-ratings (e.g., efficacy beliefs and teaching-related stress). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the hypothesized three-factor structure of the original CLASS-S (Emotional Support, Organizational Support, and Instructional Support), with some modifications, provided a better fit for the data compared with one- and two-factor structures. Structural validity was demonstrated by mostly high factor loadings. Except for two interrater intraclass correlations, all item, scale, and interrater reliabilities were either acceptable or good. The study found some evidence for concurrent associations between the three CLASS-S factors and teacher self-ratings. The results provide evidence of the applicability of the CLASS-S instrument in educational contexts (Finland) outside the United States.