Digital Commons Network^™

“The Dynamics Of Racial Politics In Louisiana’S German Coast”, Michael D. Stein

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Allende, Castro, And Pinochet: An Analysis Of Forms Of Address In Political Speeches, Sophie Green

LSU Master's Theses

The central discussion of this thesis concentrates on the uses of ‘we’ and ‘they’ within the corpus of six speeches given by Latin American political leaders in the mid-to-late 20th century. Existing research explains that one’s definition of self as well as a country’s national identity is largely based on the perception of ‘other’ (Costelloe 2014: 322). In other words, the manner in which political speakers discuss the collective ‘we’ and refer to foreign adversaries with the use of ‘they’ can greatly influence national identity. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the importance of address forms and …

Producing "Fabulous": Commodification And Ethnicity In Hair Braiding Salons, Sylviane Ngandu-Kalenga Greensword

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Black women wearing fabulous braids are a striking feature of the Afro-diasporic cultural landscape. However, the braiders and salon owners who enable this aesthetic engineering are seldom acknowledged. This dissertation investigates the experience and role of Caribbean and West and Central African women in the hair braiding industry, a rapidly growing business in the U.S. I address the complexity of these women’s multiple social roles and the multiple consciousness (King, 1988) associated with their demographic characteristics (color, ethnicity, gender, nationality, and immigrant status). The commonalities between the braiders and their mostly African American customers contrast vividly with their perception of …

Francolouisianais In The 21st Century: Redrawing Identity Lines In A Community Experiencing Language Shift, Marguerite L. Perkins

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The francophonie of south Louisiana today is characterized by a great deal of diversity - in terms of ethnicity, language practices, cultural practices, geography, and experience. The academic literature does not always reflect this diversity, however. Some ethnic groups are overshadowed by others in academic study, and the lines between them are often uncritically blurred. Discussions of language shift are regularly mired in assumptions of individuals’ complete linguistic and cultural assimilation based solely on their native use of English.

In this dissertation, I seek to problematize traditional accounts of assimilation and collective ethnic identity by highlighting the ways in which …

Teachers' Experience Of A Flood In Their School Community: Their Beliefs, Perceptions, And Thoughts About Practice, Caroline Tolentino

LSU Master's Theses

The increasing number of flooding incidences in Louisiana exposes a significant number of children to the possible traumatic effects of this natural disaster. Flooding takes a toll not only on families and children, but on teachers as well. While the effects of other types of disasters on children have been considered in previous studies, research has not thoroughly addressed the effects of flooding on children and on early childhood teachers. Teachers can be very instrumental in helping young children cope and making sure their needs are met after the experience of a traumatic event (Perry & Szalavitz, 2008; Le Brocque, …

Weather Communication On Twitter: Identifying Popular Content And Optimal Warning Format Via Case Studies And A Survey Analysis, Joshua D. Eachus

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The use of Twitter as a channel for weather information inspires a deeper analysis of key information nodes during episodes of high impact weather, especially local meteorologists. To optimize communication on the channel, it is important to understand what kinds of messages produce exposure and attention among users—which translates to knowledge that could improve the reach of a warning. Literature identifies two key models that well describe the cognitive processing of tweets and warnings. The Protective Action Decision Model (PADM) describes risk perception and the factors that enable or disable one from acting on a warning. Particularly through environmental and …

In Praise Of Miscues And The Comprehension Of Complex Texts, Stephen B. Kucer Dr.

The Journal of Balanced Literacy Research and Instruction

The reading of complex texts is a critical dimension of the Common Core State Standards. We have little knowledge, however, of the impact of reader miscues on the comprehension of such texts. This issue is explored through a look at fourth graders transactions with literary and scientific texts. The impact of two types of reading behaviors on comprehension are examined: (1) portions of text read with no miscues and (2) portions of text read with meaning maintaining miscues. It was found that readers were significantly more likely to comprehend and recall information that was read with meaning maintaining miscues than …

Profile Of An In-Service Teacher: Meredith Labadie, Kathryn Pole

The Journal of Balanced Literacy Research and Instruction

No abstract provided.

Using Their Own Stories: A Culturally Relevant Response To Intervention, Maggie Struck, Mark D. Vagle

The Journal of Balanced Literacy Research and Instruction

Driven by sociocultural theories, First Author, Maggie conducted a critical action research study of her attempts to enact culturally relevant practices in a Response to Intervention (RtI) reading group. A grounded theory approach informed the analysis of her data. In this paper, we theorize three themes that were generated from the data analysis. We assert that in order to prevent RtI from becoming another unsuccessful, de-contextualized, large-scale effort, teachers and students would benefit from a culturally relevant response to intervention—a commitment to locate the contextual contingencies in which RtI is being implemented; to pay attention to what happens in the …

Balancing Literacy With Other Curricular Demands: An Autobiographical Account, Mary F. Rice

The Journal of Balanced Literacy Research and Instruction

This paper is an autobiographical account of one junior high teacher’s attempts to teach a Balanced Literacy curriculum with an emphasis on her experiences with English language learners (ELLs). The account is framed chronologically from her first days of teaching through her final semester and is organized by her attention to her state’s old English/language arts core, her state’s new English/language arts core, the World-class Instructional Design Association (WIDA) standards for ELLs and finally, the Common Core Curriculum Standards (CCSS). At the end of her autobiography, the author emphasizes the lessons she learned about trying to overlay Balanced Literacy with …

Using Balanced Literacy For Delivering Culturally Relevant Pedagogy To Prepare Teachers: A 20-Year Perspective On Dreamkeepers, Nicholas Daniel Hartlep, Tatiana Joseph

The Journal of Balanced Literacy Research and Instruction

The purpose of this article is to highlight the teaching practices of two teacher educators who teach at universities in the Midwest. The authors detail the myriad ways in which they use a balanced literacy approach that is culturally relevant in their courses at Illinois State University (Normal, IL) and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Milwaukee, WI), to more effectively prepare PK-12 urban educators. The authors point to the demographic imperative, as shifting demographics continue, the need for highly effective teachers who can teach our nation’s culturally and linguistically diverse PK-12 students becomes ever more critical.

Text Selection For Read-Alouds: The Influence Of Topic In Children’S Discussions Of Literary Texts, Kim Skinner

The Journal of Balanced Literacy Research and Instruction

In today's classrooms, the teacher’s text selection for read-alouds directly impacts students’ opportunities to systematically participate in higher order thinking about texts. This ethnographic study examined the discursive processes and practices over time of elementary students (and their teacher) before, during, and after teacher-led read-aloud discussions of literary texts in an after-school philosophy club. The study investigated the student opportunities for talking, thinking, and understanding provided by discussing the controversial topics of the texts. The analyses illustrate the consequences to student thinking and meaning-making when controversial texts are used in read-alouds as a springboard for discussion, as well as the …

English Language Learners: Problems And Solutions Found In The Research Of General Practitioners Of Early Childhood, Douglas Bell, Barry L. Bogan

The Journal of Balanced Literacy Research and Instruction

Increasing numbers of English Language Learners (ELLs) in early childhood classrooms have created challenges for in-service teachers in the general education setting. Traditional teacher preparation programs tend to lack a curriculum that focuses on second language teaching and learning. This paper reviews the problems facing teachers with regard to teaching at the level of research based best practices for ELLs. In addition, a critical examination of the literature has yielded basic solutions for practitioners. These solutions encompass programmatic (classroom) aspects, teacher training, and classroom pedagogy. The authors have concluded that based on the present literature, more research is needed to …

Infusing Technology Into The Balanced Literacy Classroom, Jennifer Shettel, Kevin Bower

The Journal of Balanced Literacy Research and Instruction

This article focuses attention on how technology is being utilized in classrooms, with an emphasis on literacy learning. The authors explore the integration of technology within a balanced literacy classroom and identify three levels of technology integration commonly found within a typical K-12 classroom. Specific examples are provided for each level and classroom vignettes from the second author’s classroom are utilized. In addition, the authors provide suggested resources throughout the article for further exploration.

Effect Of Increased Exposure To Informational Text On Teacher Attitude In The Elementary Classroom, Heather D. Kindall, Janet Penner-Williams

The Journal of Balanced Literacy Research and Instruction

Common Core State Standards and our changing society requires that informational text, an often neglected genre, receive an equal proportion of time in K-4 classrooms. Research has shown that teacher attitude and belief play a central role in teaching practice, and informational text has historically been viewed in a negative light by elementary teachers. In this study the authors look at pre-service elementary teacher education as an avenue for an attitude change in regards to informational text. Attitudes toward specific genres were analyzed using a pre/post survey with a treatment group receiving focused instruction on using informational text. The results …

Proverbs: Wisdom Of The Ages In Contemporary Literacy Instruction, Bonnie Johnson

The Journal of Balanced Literacy Research and Instruction

Proverbs, sayings that give advice or offer insights about life, are found in all countries and cultures. They are used in societies with writing systems and in those whose communications rely on oral traditions. Proverbs are concise, some rhyme, several use alliteration, and many are metaphorical. They can be found in ancient and contemporary literature. This article discusses the multicultural nature of proverbs and gives examples from various locales. The article also illustrates how proverbs lend themselves to interdisciplinary literacy integration. The use of proverbs in implementing specific grade-level Common Core State Standards is addressed. Resources for proverb study are …

Building On What Children Bring: Cognitive And Sociocultural Approaches To Teaching Literacy, Catherine Compton-Lilly

The Journal of Balanced Literacy Research and Instruction

This paper examines what is meant by “building on what children bring.” While many educators maintain that teachers need to build on what children bring to classrooms, the field of education has constructed different understandings of what this entails. This paper explores two different conceptions of what children bring: those grounded in cognitive theories about reading and those grounded in sociocultural theories of reading/literacy. I suggest that despite historical splits in the reading/literacy field that educators must balance cognitive and sociocultural considerations in order to access the vast range of knowledges that children bring to literacy learning. After exploring cognitive …

A Comparison Of Pass Rates Across Three Language Screeners For Spanish-English Bilingual Children, Mariajose Bosanko

LSU Master's Theses

There is limited research regarding the efficacy of the language screening process, especially for bilingual populations. The purpose of this study was to examine the pass rates of three language screeners when administered to Spanish-English bilingual and ELL children. A total of ten Spanish-English bilingual children enrolled in either Pre-K, kindergarten, or first grade completed each screener. The screeners were: the Preschool Language Scales Spanish Screening Test-Fifth Edition (PLSSST-5; Zimmerman et al., 2012a), the Bilingual English Spanish Oral Screener (BESOS; currently in development; Lugo-Neris et al., n.d.), and the Diagnostic Evaluation of Language Variation-Screening Test (DELV-S; Seymour et al., 2003). …

Critical Multicultural Education As An Analytical Point Of Entry Into Discussion Of Intersectional Scholarship: A Focus On Race, As Well As Class, Gender, Sexuality, Dis/Ability, And Family Configuration, Christine Clark, Mara Sapon-Shevin, Mark Brimhall-Vargas, Tarryn Mcghie, Sonia Nieto

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.

Lesbophobia As A Barrier To Women In Coaching, Tracy Keats

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.

Education For Whom? Word Problems As Carriers Of Cultural Values, Anita Bright

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.

Abo-Digitalism: Youth Identity, Critical Pedagogy, And Popular Media, Colin Scheyen

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.

Who And What Should We Educate Our Students To Be? An Inquiry Into The Curriculum Of Multiculturalism In Education, Liping Wei

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.

Perspectives On The Editor’S Mentoring-For-Democracy Role In Publication, Caroline R. Pryor, Carol A. Mullen, Tricia Browne-Ferrigno, Sandra Harris

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.

Preparing Teacher-Researchers For Local-Global, Multicultural Classrooms: Prospects For Postcritical And Feminist Qualitative Methodologies, Katharine Sprecher

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.

“Can We Just Get Rid Of The Classroom?” Thinking Space, Relationally, Sophia Rodriguez

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.

Ricanstruction Sites: Race, Space, And Place In The Education Of Diasporican Youth, Jason G. Irizarry, René Antrop-González

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.

Dreaming And Surviving In Heterotopia: First-Generation Immigrant Girls’ Pursuit Of The American Dream In New York City, Kaoru Miyazawa

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.

Sonic Cartography: Mapping Space, Place, Race, And Identity In An Urban Middle School, Walter S. Gershon

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.

Students’ Bodily Carvings In School Spaces Of The Post-Apartheid City, Aslam Fataar

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.