Journal of Positive School Psychology

A Phenomenographic Study On The Use Of Strength-Based Pedagogy In The Context Of Special Education Teachers’ Professional Well-Being In Finland

Tuija Salminen, Jenni Pasi, Minna Saarinen, Rauno Huttunen — 2026-01-10

Teacher well-being and occupational endurance receive significant media attention and are widely discussed within professional communities in Finland. Teachers experiencing burnout is a societally concerning phenomenon. How could teacher well-being be improved?

Strength-based pedagogy has come strongly to the fore in the field of education and teaching. The core curriculum for basic education in Finland requires the utilization of strengths as part of teaching. Highlighting and utilizing strengths enables every student to experience their own uniqueness. A positive and strength-based atmosphere also helps teachers to endure better in their work and helps them discover their own strengths as well.

This study investigated the experiences and observations of special education teachers regarding the use of strength-based pedagogy in teaching, using a phenomenographic research approach. The results showed that the use of strengths supports not only student development but also teacher’s professional well-being using it, the development of professional skills, and creates a positive attraction towards the work.

The study examined the effects of using strength-based pedagogy on the professional well-being of special education teachers. The special education teachers experienced increased work motivation, strengthened professional self-esteem, and reduced workload. Additionally, the importance of collegial support emerged. The special education teachers emphasized the significance of support from the work community, as a teacher's work is strongly contextual and takes place within the school community.

A teacher's professional development is a continuous process during which the teacher's personality and identity develop. The special education teachers interviewed for the study had chosen strength-emphasizing teaching of their own volition and felt it had changed their entire way of thinking and acting as a teacher. This change in mindset positively affected their own professional well-being and provided new tools for challenging situations.

Self-Concept And Personality Correlates (A Review Of Indian Studies)

2026-01-10

Self-concept and personality correlates show an important relationship. Personality test measures different variables such as, intelligence, anxiety, adjustment, values, hostility and physical efficiency, etc. Some of our recent Indian studies in the field of personality are conducted in school/college settings, both with normal as well as handicapped students.

Different tests and techniques are used in relation to various personality correlates: Non-verbal test of intelligence, physical efficiency test, progressive matrices, personality word-list, anxiety scales, numerical ability test, general mental ability test, new forced choice inventory, and various adjustment inventories.

The data has been analyzed using a variety of techniques and statistics such as mean, standard deviation, SEM, SED, correlation, t-ratio, analysis of variance, critical ratio and percentage, etc.

An Exploratory Study On Learning Style Preferences Of Secondary School Students In Visakhapatnam District Of Andhra Pradesh

Rafia Sultana Abdul — 2026-01-10

Education is one of the most powerful instruments of social, economic and cultural transformation necessary for the realization of national goals. Students need to be educated by which their character is formed, minds are sharpened and their knowledge gets increased. In formal setting, the school provides varied learning experiences to the students by making them participate in curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. Confidence in learning will consistently rise when learners know how to learn. They should realize the fact that their learning is very much influenced by the learning style preferences they adopt. The researchers thought that it is necessary for the students to know their learning style preferences in the teaching-learning process in secondary schools. Further, it is also essential for teachers to identify these learning styles of different students with a view to tune their teaching suitable to the context. The present investigation is an attempt to explore the learning style preferences of students of secondary schools in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh.

Teacher-Student Relationships As Catalysts For L2 Behavioral Engagement: Exploring The Mediating Roles Of Positive Emotions And Academic Resilience

Yajun Wu, Yiyan, Li, Xiaoguang Zhao, Xia Kang — 2026-01-10

With the ongoing advancement of the positive psychology movement in second language (L2) education, there has been an increasing focus on the dynamics of L2 learning engagement and its principle influencing factors. Among these, the quality of the teacher-student relationship as perceived by L2 learners emerges as a crucial determinant of engagement. However, the potential mediating roles of positive emotions and resilience in this relationship have been inadequately explored in existing literature. This study seeks to clarify the structural relationships between L2 teacher-student relationships, resilience, positive emotions, and L2 engagement in a sample of 753 L2 students (N_male = 394, N_female = 359) in mainland China. Controlling gender, age, home educational resources, and L2 achievement, we utilized structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine the predictive effects of teacher-student relationships on behavioral engagement in L2 learning, with resilience and positive emotions acting as mediators. The results demonstrated that teacher-student relationships positively predicted both positive emotions and resilience. Moreover, these positive emotions and resilience significantly influence behavioral engagement of L2 learners. This study offers empirical evidence for the connection between teacher-student relationships and behavioral engagement, while also advancing the literature by clarifying the mediating mechanisms that connect these two constructs. The findings offer a framework for educators and policymakers to foster more effective learning environments that promote active participation among L2 learners.