Latest research

Most researchers agree that high-quality teaching can help students excel. But what exactly makes a good teacher?

That's what a school district in Tennessee, US and a non-profit education foundation have teamed up to find out in an in-depth study of about 100 high-performing teachers.

"The single most important factor in student achievement is the person in front of the child," said one of the researchers.

So far, the foundation has interviewed and videotaped more than 90 high-performing teachers. They learned that those teachers:

¤ Tend to have slightly more experience than the school district's average.

¤ Were attracted to teaching in their teens. Most were classroom teachers by the age of 25.

¤ Set high expectations for students.

¤ Avoid sitting in front of the class and delivering lectures. Instead, they move through the classroom while students work on activities in small groups.

Truants worried about looks

One in five teenagers say they skip school because they are worried about their appearance, a new British study suggests.

The BBC reported that researchers at the University of the West of England found that 75 per cent of 15-year-olds questioned said they were upset by teasing about the way they looked.

The study was carried out by Dr Emily Lovegrove, who was quoted as saying: "This research shows that teasing and bullying about appearance undermines global self-esteem and affects academic confidence.

"But if we can teach social skills to deal with psychological bullying - which is the most common form - then this may stop physical bullying from ever starting."

As part of the study Dr Lovegrove developed a programme to help teenagers cope with bullying about appearance, including the importance of body language. Among those children, perceived levels of bullying fell by about two-thirds in the six months after the course.

Fizzy drinks can affect children's behaviour

Doctors in the United States say soft drinks with caffeine disrupt children's sleep and leave them feeling tired during the day.

The study of almost 200 teenagers found that boys are most at risk because they consume more soft drinks than girls.

Doctors said the findings raised questions over whether fizzy drinks should be sold in schools.

They also suggested that manufacturers should be forced to reduce caffeine levels in drinks or to stop targeting their products at children.

Backpack dangers

Children are more likely to be hurt tripping over backpacks or being hit with them than they are using the bags to lug around heavy books, according to a study reported by CNN.

While there has been growing concern about back trouble in children who carry loaded packs, researchers found the back was one of the least likely places where children were injured.

When children did get hurt, about 23 per cent of all injuries in the 247 children studied were caused by wearing, lifting or taking off a backpack, according to the study by researchers from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

"This result shows that the actual use of a backpack is not exceptionally dangerous, and efforts should be directed towards educating children on proper backpack safety habits rather than restricting loads and redesigning backpacks," concludes the study, published in the January issue of the Journal of Paediatrics.

Dyslexics see light

Flashing lights are being used in a computer programme designed to help dyslexics improve their reading and writing skills, the BBC has reported.

The makers say trials have shown a dramatic improvement in both adults and children with dyslexia.

They claim children who went through the six-week programme advanced their reading age by 11 months.

Under the programme, the children are shown flashing lights and colours. The makers of the technology - called Brightstar - say watching the lights trains structures in the brain to work more efficiently and so helps word recognition.