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Research Article
The Journey of Language in Childhood
Danyal Alper*
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 6, December 2025
Pages:
270-276
Received:
26 October 2025
Accepted:
6 November 2025
Published:
9 December 2025
Abstract: This study aimed to review and synthesize the current understanding of children's language acquisition by examining the cumulative effects of biology, cognition, environment, and social interactions. It focuses on three major theories—behaviorism, nativism, and interactionism—and explains their core contributions to the understanding of language development. Within the nativist perspective, the critical period hypothesis suggests that language learning is most effective before puberty, when neural flexibility facilitates natural fluency and precise pronunciation. Beyond theoretical frameworks, environmental and social interactions significantly shape the development of language. For instance, children experiment with sounds, gestures, and words through play, storytelling, and imitation, which form the foundation of grammar and meaning. It is possible to learn multiple languages simultaneously, which can lead to opportunities for improvisation, understanding, and creative thinking in future communications. Studies in linguistics, psychology, and education have consistently found that children's language instruction is dynamically influenced by their innate abilities and environment. To achieve the highest level of performance in learning outcomes, children must interact with others, receive feedback, and engage in genuine conversations. Language skills are strengthened by these interactions, which also enhance cognitive and emotional functioning. Language acquisition occurs through experience in a diverse linguistic and cultural environment. Language acquisition is not merely an innate capacity or passively absorbed; rather, it actively develops through practice and immersion in diverse linguistic and cultural environments. Parents, educators, and policymakers must understand how children's language skills are acquired and improved, especially when it comes to their language skills. In order to ensure that children reach their full communication and cognitive potential, Communities can create spaces that encourage interaction, curiosity, and empathy to ensure that children's full communication and cognitive potential are reached. This means that language is not just a means of expression but also a foundation for learning, connections, and global comprehension.
Abstract: This study aimed to review and synthesize the current understanding of children's language acquisition by examining the cumulative effects of biology, cognition, environment, and social interactions. It focuses on three major theories—behaviorism, nativism, and interactionism—and explains their core contributions to the understanding of language de...
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Research Article
The Impact of Gamified Learning on Students' Learning Engagement
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 6, December 2025
Pages:
277-282
Received:
22 October 2025
Accepted:
10 November 2025
Published:
11 December 2025
Abstract: With the rapid advancement of information technology, teaching models have undergone profound transformations. However, the issue of insufficient student engagement remains prominent in practical classroom teaching today, manifested by inadequate learning concentration, learning burnout, and diminished learning enthusiasm. As an innovative learning approach, gamified learning centers on applying elements, mechanisms, and principles of games to non-game teaching environments, aiming to stimulate learners' interest and motivation and enhance their learning initiative. To address this problem, this study adopted a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative research, selecting two parallel classes—Class 1, Grade 8 and Class 2, Grade 7 of M Middle School—as research objects. Among them, Class 1 served as the experimental class adopting the gamified teaching model, while Class 2 was the control class using the traditional teaching model. Data analysis tools were employed to conduct pre-tests and post-tests on both classes, analyzing the impact of gamified learning on learners' engagement from three dimensions: cognitive engagement, behavioral engagement, and emotional engagement. The results indicated that gamified learning can promote students' cognitive engagement, strengthen their behavioral performance in the learning process, and foster their positive emotions toward learning. This study not only provides practical references for future educational and teaching research but also offers theoretical support for the reform direction of teaching methods.
Abstract: With the rapid advancement of information technology, teaching models have undergone profound transformations. However, the issue of insufficient student engagement remains prominent in practical classroom teaching today, manifested by inadequate learning concentration, learning burnout, and diminished learning enthusiasm. As an innovative learning...
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Research Article
Bridging Classrooms and Living Rooms: How Teacher Leaders Foster Positive, Culturally Responsive School Family Relationships
Louis Langdon Warren*
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 6, December 2025
Pages:
283-289
Received:
29 October 2025
Accepted:
12 November 2025
Published:
17 December 2025
Abstract: Family engagement is widely recognized as essential to student success, yet many existing approaches remain limited in scope, episodic in nature, and insufficiently responsive to the cultural diversity present in today’s schools. When family engagement efforts fail to acknowledge and honor the backgrounds, values, and experiences of diverse families, particularly those from historically marginalized groups, participation can become uneven or exclusionary. This study examines how teacher leaders who intentionally cultivate cultural sensitivity and inclusivity can serve as vital connectors between schools and families, transforming engagement from isolated events into sustained, collaborative partnerships. Using a methodological review of current literature, this study identified several key themes that illuminate the potential of culturally responsive teacher leadership. Findings indicate that teacher leaders must develop and employ a leadership repertoire grounded in cultural awareness, relational trust, and inclusive communication practices. Such competencies enable teacher leaders to design family engagement models that are accessible, affirming, and adaptable to the needs of all families. The review also highlights the importance of creating safe, welcoming spaces where families feel valued as co-educators and contributors to their children’s academic growth. When teacher leaders intentionally elevate family voices, honor cultural strengths, and foster equitable participation, families shift from occasional attendees to active partners in decision-making processes that shape the educational environment. This transition not only strengthens home–school relationships but also promotes shared responsibility for student learning and well-being. The outcomes of this research have meaningful implications for schools, districts, and policymakers. Culturally responsive teacher leadership can inform professional development, guide the creation of inclusive engagement frameworks, and influence policy initiatives designed to increase equity and family participation. By positioning teacher leaders as catalysts for culturally grounded partnerships, schools can cultivate environments where all students and families feel seen, respected, and supported.
Abstract: Family engagement is widely recognized as essential to student success, yet many existing approaches remain limited in scope, episodic in nature, and insufficiently responsive to the cultural diversity present in today’s schools. When family engagement efforts fail to acknowledge and honor the backgrounds, values, and experiences of diverse familie...
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Research Article
Exploring the Nexus Between Tramadol Abuse and Psychosocial Well-being of Students: Evidence from Junior High Schools in Ghana
Iddrisu Bariham*,
Kuubetersuur Vida,
Edward Bonnituo Kankpog
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 6, December 2025
Pages:
290-302
Received:
23 September 2025
Accepted:
4 October 2025
Published:
24 December 2025
Abstract: Tramadol misuse has emerged as a critical social and public health conundrum among adolescents in Ghana, with limited evidence on its prevalence and psychosocial implications at the Junior High School (JHS) level. This cross-sectional survey was therefore conducted in JHS across 16 circuits in the Sagnarigu Municipality. Structured Questionnaire (SQ) was employed to collect the data from 60 students randomly sampled for the research. The internal consistencies of the items in the questionnaires was tested using Cronbach Alpha formula which yielded α=.81 which was acceptable for the research. The data were analyzed using inferential statistics such as chi-square tests, logistic regression analysis, and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to examine the prevalence, predictors, and the impact of tramadol abuse on psychosocial outcomes such as behavior, mood, interpersonal relationships, and anxiety. The findings revealed that 43.3% of respondents reported tramadol use, with varying frequencies from occasional to daily. Logistic regression identified age (p < 0.01) and grade (p < 0.05) as significant predictors of tramadol use. Chi-square tests discovered a significant correlation between tramadol use and interpersonal relationship changes (p < 0.001) as well as increased anxiety levels (p < 0.05). Similarly, the MANOVA results demonstrated that tramadol uses significantly affects behaviour, mood, relationship dynamics, and anxiety level of users (Wilks’ λ = 0.3855, p < 0.001). Based on these findings, it has been recommended that the GES support school-based intervention programmes that incorporates drug education into the school curriculum for awareness creation, family-centered intervention that empower parents with knowledge and skills to monitor their children and communicate effectively to them about tramadol consumption risks, strengthening drug regulations by law enforcement agencies to cut the supply of tramadol drugs, and provision of counselling, psychosocial support and rehabilitation to tramadol drug addicts.
Abstract: Tramadol misuse has emerged as a critical social and public health conundrum among adolescents in Ghana, with limited evidence on its prevalence and psychosocial implications at the Junior High School (JHS) level. This cross-sectional survey was therefore conducted in JHS across 16 circuits in the Sagnarigu Municipality. Structured Questionnaire (S...
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