Education Commons^™

Imaginary Friends: Using Guided Imagery, Line Drawings And Webquests To Incorporate Culture Into The Foreign Language Curriculum, J.E. Buckingham

MA TESOL Collection

This paper examines the integration of authentic cultural experience into the foreign language curriculum through the use of guided imagery, line drawings, and a WebQuest designed to facilitate the creation of an imaginary friend living within a country where the target language is spoken. The student uses these techniques to vicariously communicate with and experience a proscribed facet of that imaginary friend’s life. Through the use of the guided imagery and web-based research, the student will breathe life into a black and white line drawing by coloring in an appropriate complexion and by giving the character a name which would …

Teaching Spanish To Native Speakers, Silvia Guzman

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this project is to review the literature regarding the teaching program of Spanish for Native Speakers (SNS) since 1980. The rationale for the review of the literature regarding the teaching program of Spanish for Native Speakers is to examine the curriculum, issues, motivations, innovations and studies of Foreign Language Learners and then present Ms. Guzman's perspective about the curriculum of Spanish for Native Speakers at the Secondary level.

Factors That Contribute To The Educational Success Of Haitian-American Women, Magdana Louis

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influence academic success among Haitian-American women.

Methodology. A survey research method was used in this study. A quantitative approach was taken when analyzing the data. For this study, 213 Haitian-American women with college degrees completed the Inventory of College Success for Haitian-American Women. One descriptive analysis was conducted and 10 hypotheses were tested by one-way ANOVA.

Results. This study examined 16 dependent variables and 10 independent variables with 10 hypotheses. The results indicated that Haitian-American women perceived self-motivation, financial assistance, accessibility to resources, self-perception, time management, spiritual …

The Effectiveness Of Multicultural Based Social Stories To Increase Appropriate Behaviors Of Children With Developmental Delay, Ning Hsu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The needs of students from culturally and linguistically diverse background have become a growing concern in America. It is a great challenge for educators to provide appropriate education for culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities. Although there are some researchers that espouse effective principles of multicultural special education, there have been few empirical on the effectiveness.

Social Stories are a practical behavioral intervention which has been regarded as an individualized intervention since the student's needs, background and learning style should be took into consideration. This present research used an ABA design to compare the modified social story with and …

Mexican-American Concepts On Gender And Identity: A Teacher's Perspective In A Fifth Grade Classroom, Cynthia Soto

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study primarily focuses on fifth-grade Mexican-American students and the factors that influence their views on gender and identity. Gender perspectives in the classroom have the potential to improve instruction and can positively affect students' motivations to learn. Literature can also influence students' gender perceptions and also contribute to gender bias in the classroom. This study works toward creating a non-biased learning environment.

The Relationship Between Cooperative Learning And Physics Achievement In Minority Students, Victor Chester

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minority students lag Caucasian students in science performance and are underrepresented in the fields of science and technology. It is therefore pivotal for minorities, African American and Hispanic students, to show improved performance in science education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of cooperative learning strategy on physics achievement by high school minority students. Constructivism formed the theoretical framework for the study. Independent learning, the traditional strategy, and cooperative learning dyads, the novel intervention, were the independent variables, and the dependent variable was achievement in physics. A repeated measures design and a convenient sample group of …

Etude Comparee De L'Enseignement Des Langues Vivantes Etrangeres En France Et En Australie : Le Cas De L'Anglais En France Et Du Francais En Australie Occidentale Au Lycee, Elodie Mortet

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this thesis is to analyse French and Australian approaches to foreign language learning and teaching within their education systems through a comparison of English programmes for French high schools and French programmes for Western Australian high schools. The value and originality of this project lies in the absence of any previous study between the two countries in this field of research. It will be of interest to anyone involved in foreign language learning and teaching. This research is mainly based on official texts and publications (also available online) as well as on work by specialists in education …

Adult Esl Student Perceptions On Computer Assisted Language Learning, Jillian Burrus

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this research study was to explore my adult English as a second language (ESL) student's experiences with technology as a method of improving English acquisition. The area of computer assisted language learning (CALL) is increasingly becoming important within the second language learning arena. As the expansion of available technology continues to increase, insight into opinions about the effectiveness of CALL and specifically those opinions of the actual users will be needed.

As an instructor of adult ESL students, my study focused on providing information about my student's use of technology for future personal classroom praxis. This research …

Different Lattitudes, Different Attitudes: Educator Narratives Of A Professional Development In Honduras, Polly Stewart Holder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's abstract:The curriculum studies field is marked by two significant concerns-the desire for a complex conversation about connection and diversity and the drive to address structural inequities. Drawing from the rich theoretical field of post positivist realism and in the intellectually rigorous tradition of curriculum studies, this inquiry traces the socioemotional and pedagogical development of five educators before and after a brief professional development experience abroad as they explored what a pedagogy of hope (Freire, 2004; Hooks, 2003) might look like. These five participants traveled to Honduras during the summer of 2009 with Heifer Project International (HPI), a non-profit, non …

The Impact Of An International Healthcare Mission Experience On Healthcare Professional Students At The University Of Northern Iowa, Evelyn Adom-Boateng

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

U.S. Demographic changes have had an impact on health education, care, and promotion. The best health education, promotion, and care can be delivered by culturally sensitive health professionals. The importance of addressing the issue of culture is widely acclaimed by educators from various health disciplines. Participation in an international healthcare mission (IHM) is one means to expand cultural awareness and sensitivity. Little research exists regarding methods for preparing culturally sensitive healthcare professionals. Little published research documents the impact of an IHM experience on the preparation of healthcare professionals.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of an …

Joshua And The Education Of A Nation: Jamaica Educational Reform In The Manley-Era, 1972-1980, Dionne Dean

Master's Theses

Former Jamaican Prime Minister, Michael Manley and the Peoples National Party were concerned with the future manpower needs of the developing nation. They were also concerned with what education meant for the political process in Jamaica. World financial organizations such as the IMF and World Bank loaned the country millions of dollars to aid in the development of educational programs. However, they also expected a return on investment in the form of an educated labor force to be utilized by foreign investors. Foreign aid organizations such as CIDA and UNESCO also contributed greatly to educational advancement on the island. They …

Even In The Face Of History: The Experiences Of Gifted African-American Students, Rivian Segal Bass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While schools are experiencing unparalleled racial, linguistic, and ethnic diversity, gifted programs do not reflect these changing demographics. In fact, African-American students are less than half as likely to be in gifted classes and programs than are their European-American counterparts. In addition, little is known about the impact of gifted programs on students.

This qualitative study incorporated oral history interviews to examine the experiences of four gifted African-American students who attended full time programs or schools designed for gifted students. In telling their stories through narratives, participants constructed past events with a focus on the personal meanings ascribed to their …

Teacher Candidates' Attitudes Toward Immigration And Teaching Learners Of English As A Second Language, Midena M. Sas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

While in theory, democratic ideals promise the equal participation of all its citizens in the decisions that affect them, in practice some populations, i.e., those who do not possess membership to the dominant cultural group, often miss out on the privileges a democratic society is supposed to ensure. Critical theorists pointed out that "democracies like ours exhort equal opportunity but often ignore ways in which our schools operate unconsciously and unknowingly to guarantee that there will be no real equality" (McLaren, 2007, p. 176). In the education arena, inequitable treatment has received significant attention, perhaps due to the glaring repercussions …

Perceptions Of Race And Academic Success In An Affluent Suburban Middle School, Robyn Ashley Duran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Public school districts across the nation are organizing to eradicate the racial predictability of academic achievement between African American and Hispanic children and their White and Asian peers, (Ferguson, 2001). This phenomenological study was designed to better illuminate the phenomenon of the racial achievement gap in an affluent educational setting. The story of race and academic achievement was told through perceptions held among minority and non-minority parents in an affluent educational setting.

Parents are a large piece of the bedrock which determines the academic success of all students. The role of the parent is particularly important in shaping the academic …

Military Children And Holistic Education: A Narrative Reflection On Classroom Practice, Edith Allison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation uses autobiographical narrative inquiry as a source of knowledge-generating reflection to examine how the educational needs of military children might be met through the use of holistic educational practices rather than a (well-intentioned) traditional, standardized curriculum. Data were gathered through observation; personal experience as a military child, military member, mother of military children and teacher of military children; journal entries and vicarious experiences shared by students, parents, educators and other invested in this population of learners. Experiences were compiled into fictional composites to protect the identity of all parties as well as national security. These composites were then …

"Courageous Conversations": Rural South Georgia Teachers Reflecting On The Role Of Race And Racism In The Education Of Rural South Georgia Students, Lawanda P. Gillis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's abstract: The requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has forced school systems throughout the United States to consider the achievement gap between White students and non-White students, which had not previously been a factor in determining school success for federal and state funding. However, acknowledging the gap is not enough. Schools must move beyond acknowledging the gap to developing strategies to close the gap. A professional development course entitled Courageous Conversations About Race, written by Curtis Linton and Glenn E. Singleton was taught to thirty-seven teachers in a rural South Georgia school system. Eight of …

The Relationship Between Cultural/Ethnic Identity And Individual Protective Factors Of Academic Resilience, Dale E. Weaver

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Common Strategies Used By Kindergarten Teachers To Instruct Reading To English-As-A-Second-Language Students, Emma Kaye Penn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research was designed to describe, analyze, and interpret what reading strategies experienced kindergarten teachers believe are essential to instruct English-as-a-Second-Language learners how to read. Through in-depth interviews, experienced kindergarten teachers were given a voice to describe what they consider essential reading strategies to instruct English-as-a-Second-Language learners to learn how to read.

The participants were four licensed, non-probationary kindergarten teachers instructing reading in English to a minimum of 51% English-as-a-Second-Language population. Selected kindergarten programs were consistent in program design. Processes were influenced by the gateway approach. The stories teachers told about their experiences in teaching ELLs how to read was …

Cross-Cultural Competence Assessment Instruments For The U.S Military Academy's Semester Abroad Program, Scott E. Womack

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Students’ Expectations And Attitudes Towards Nonnative-English-Speaking Teachers In Esl And Efl Settings: Teachers’ And Students’ Own Perspectives, Lindsei Pereira Da Silva

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The number of nonnative-English-speaking English teachers (non-NESTs) has been increasing tremendously both in EFL and in ESL settings and so has the number of language learners who are taught by these professionals. As a result, the interest among researchers in the field in investigating the characteristics of this group of language professionals as well as the challenges that they have been facing in the world of second/foreign language teaching has increased.