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Full-Text Articles in Education

"Beating The Odds": How Bi-Lingual Hispanic Students Work Through Adversity To Become High Achieving Students, Mark Hassinger Jan 2005

"Beating The Odds": How Bi-Lingual Hispanic Students Work Through Adversity To Become High Achieving Students, Mark Hassinger

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine characteristics of academically successful Hispanic students. Rather than ask ourselves why so many Hispanic students are failing, this study takes a more positive approach to this subject. Despite repeated failures and early academic difficulties, some Hispanic students continue to fight through the adversity. Some children have a positive attitude toward school although there are monumental barriers for these at-risk children. This study asks, "What piece of the puzzle do these students possess that the others do not?" In essence, this is an "asset-oriented" approach rather than a deficit-assessment approach. The purpose …


Dual Language: It's Effectiveness And How It Impacts Learning With Regards To Science Taught Thematicly In Elementary, Elsa J. Gonzalez Jan 2005

Dual Language: It's Effectiveness And How It Impacts Learning With Regards To Science Taught Thematicly In Elementary, Elsa J. Gonzalez

All Graduate Projects

The primary purpose of this project is to develop a month long integrated thematic unit for 2nd graders in a dual language program that address research findings in the area of effective student learning in dual language programs. Incorporation of science methodology, ESL strategies, and thematic teaching are also researched for effectiveness and addressed in the project. Dual Language and its effectiveness will also be compared to other bilingual programs. Dual language with appropriate implementation increases student achievement in learning a second language (Kirk, 2002).


Elementary Spanish Language Instruction, Norma Leticia Peralez Jan 2005

Elementary Spanish Language Instruction, Norma Leticia Peralez

All Graduate Projects

Foreign languages have always been taught in high school and in college. Students who are eager to learn a new language should not have to wait until they are older. This project will provide second grade teachers with three units that can be used to begin an elementary Spanish language instruction program. Teachers will be able to start their students with the basics and slowly move them into conversations. This project was selected due to high interest being shown from students and parents at a local second grade elementary classroom. The goal of this project is to have a second …


Second Language Acquisition Through Reading, Comprehensible Input, Limited Grammar, And Cultural Study: A Handbook For The Secondary Language Teacher, Judith A. Willis-Nicolai Jan 2005

Second Language Acquisition Through Reading, Comprehensible Input, Limited Grammar, And Cultural Study: A Handbook For The Secondary Language Teacher, Judith A. Willis-Nicolai

All Graduate Projects

Second language practitioners share the goal that their students reach communicative competence in the target language. Recent research findings regarding learning, however, have spawned a debate that has driven teachers to rethink the efficacy of the traditional practice of direct instruction of language usage. The Standards for Foreign Language Learning, as well as research that examines second language acquisition, support content-based instructional strategies that employ sustained language use, cultural infusion, and contextual grammar instruction in a constructivist classroom. This project reviews that research, then synthesizes and applies the findings of the research through the development of units that implement strategies …


Building Family Partnerships: A Series Of Workshops Focusing On Russian Family Involvement, Mark Christopher Pittrof Jan 2005

Building Family Partnerships: A Series Of Workshops Focusing On Russian Family Involvement, Mark Christopher Pittrof

All Graduate Projects

A series of workshop materials were developed to help educators meet the needs of an increasing Russian population, by increasing school, family, and community partnerships. The targeted families are those who's children are enrolled at Point Defiance Elementary in mainstream classrooms. The materials included in this series of workshops consist of assessments, cultural and historical understandings, current practices in education, and tools and strategies for continuous growth. The content of these workshops will provide all school staff in urban or rural communities skills to increase partnerships and positively effect student learning.