Education Commons^™

Defining Readiness : For, Against, And An Appropriate View, Linda Harris

Graduate Research Papers

The appropriate time to begin kindergarten is no longer simply a matter of chronological age. Developmental readiness, or maturational readiness concern, has caused parents and educators to delay the entry of selected children into kindergarten programs. Some educators look to the developmentally appropriate kindergarten programs, or multi-age grouping in the primary grades, to solve the readiness dilemma.

This study reviews the most recent literature on the subject of readiness. It also looks at the benefits and problems concerning delayed entry. The study attempts to pull together an appropriate view of readiness for parents and early childhood teachers, and offers guidelines …

Value Of Self-Talk In An Early Childhood Setting, Althea Murphy

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to examine the self talk of the child and how it relates to the child's cognitive development. The views of Piaget and Vygotsky regarding self talk are compared. Development and varieties of self talk are examined. Factors that encourage and discourage self talk are discussed. The final chapter summarizes this study, draws conclusions from the literature, and this paper suggests guidelines for developing an effective program of self talk in the early childhood setting.

The Prospect Of Educational Technology In Tibetan Schools In India, Penpa Dorjee

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research paper was to determine the prospect of educational technology in Tibetan schools in India. In order to look at this, an attempt has been made to determine the present status of technology in Tibetan schools by collecting data through survey, telephone interview, electronic mail, on-line resources, and documents published by related organizations.

This paper also focuses on the present situation of the Tibetan schools, and looks at the primary problems of technology integration into the schools. Through survey and telephone interview, an attempt was made to determine the attitude and motivation of teachers, administrators, and …

Character Education In The Schools, Holly Mcleod Gilliland

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this master's paper is to familiarize educators with character education as a curricular entity and to demonstrate that it is worthwhile to intermingle character education into a program without detracting from students' core subjects. A review of literature indicates that there is a character crisis among youth in America. Although character education has been present in some form in the earliest schools up to now, this intervention is being resurrected in schools with assistance from national organizations such as Character Education Partnership and CHARACTER COUNTS!

Ideas for the inclusion of character education are presented followed by a …

Developing Literacy Through Symbolic Play, Lisa Kaiser

Graduate Research Papers

This study examined the effects of symbolic play on children's emerging literacy. Benefits, as well as problems, associated with facilitating literacy through symbolic play were discussed. Guidelines for teachers on the successful use of symbolic play as a tool for literacy development were presented. Conclusions were drawn from the literature and recommendations made for the future facilitation of literacy-based play.

An Instructional Development Project In Grade Two : The Theme Of Friendship, Trudy L. Lainson

Graduate Research Papers

The theme of friendship was extended through quality literature experiences and related expressive activities to second grade children at the beginning of the school year. The primary goals were to involve children in the language processes and to develop a community of friendly learners. Teacher-directed and student-initiated activities were provided. The student-initiated activities were presented as options through literature-based learning centers. The goals of the centers included ways to make friends and to be a friend, an understanding that friends can be of all ages, involvement in pals, ways to cope with difficulties encountered in friendships and to recognize each …

A Thematic Unit For A Reading Program In Grade Two Oral History, Tracy M. Daugherty

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to present the benefits of a literature-based reading program. Included in this paper is an example of a literature-based unit presented to a second grade class. This instructional development unit included several components for student learning.

Concerns Based Adoption Of Instructional Technologies For Learning For Russian Pre-Service Early Childhood Education Students : A Pilot Study, Garth D. Cornish

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in concerns toward the use of instructional media for pre-service Russian elementary education teachers. Participants were a combination of 16 second- and third-year students in the early childhood department of Herzen Pedagogical University located in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) was used to gather data for the study. A pre-test was administered before a specially designed series of seminars and workshops on instructional technologies for learning were conducted. Post-test results were gathered at the conclusion of the seminars and workshops. Findings indicated that awareness levels of …

A History Of The Development And Implementation Of A Whole Language Curriculum In A Rural Iowa Middle School, Anthony M. Pieper

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to examine the history of a whole language curriculum which was developed and implemented for grades five and six in a rural Iowa middle school and to discuss any insights gained from the process. This project presents a description of the whole language curriculum and a rationale for its development. It also explains the purpose of a whole language curriculum and its importance to students, teachers, administrators, and parents.

The project describes the procedures used by the middle school in the development and implementation of the curriculum. The project concludes with a description of …

Integrating Spelling Instruction In A First-Grade Balanced Literacy Classroom, Michele Smith

Graduate Research Papers

This article describes how one teacher integrated some explicit spelling instruction in her first-grade balanced literacy classroom. The purpose for this article is to give an overview of the latest research concerning issues that affect spelling instruction and describe activities that can be used to teach children strategies for effective word study. The spelling program described in this article provided students with a purposeful way to study words and provided them with authentic writing experiences. The conclusion states a need for a balance between authentic reading and writing and purposeful word study.

An Extended Literature Base For An Integrated Unit: Forest Regions Of The United States, Barbara R. Wild

Graduate Research Papers

An example of extending literature-based language arts to an integrated social studies and science unit is presented in this paper. Justification for this type of learning environment is given by citing professional literature. Specific benefits to students are explained. The teacher and student roles in this unit are defined. Teacher-directed activities, literature groups, and student-selected center activities all work together to provide a learning environment in which students are engaged in learning, take responsibility for their learning, and find meaningful uses for language tasks--written and spoken.

The Development Of A Bilingual Program In The Heart Of Iowa, Lisa Wymore

Graduate Research Papers

In the article, the author reviews the process of programmatic change as services for limited English proficient (LEP) students at Woodbury Elementary School in Marshalltown, Iowa progressed from a pull-out English as a Second Language (ESL) program to a transitional bilingual program, and ultimately to an inclusive bilingual model. The author recounts the early stages of the program, its growth and history, and the conditions which led to the change. The author also provides a detailed snapshot of the current program, including goals, various implementation issues and their resolutions, and a summary of student performance results. Continual evolution of the …

Home Schooling, Julie L. Lange

Graduate Research Papers

This study addresses the issue of home schooling in our state and our nation. Benefits and disadvantages associated with home schooling are discussed. Guidelines for planning a successful home schooling program are outlined for parents. Conclusions were drawn from the literature review, and recommendations were made for the future of home schooling.

Expending The Content Of Curriculum : Implementation Of The World Wide Web Into Foreign Language Teaching, Ping Gao

Graduate Research Papers

This study investigated the factors that impact the decisions to integrate the World Wide Web into foreign language curriculum. This inquiry involved a combined approach -- including a survey and a case study. The current status of the technology application in foreign language instruction at a state university in the United States was assessed through the survey. It revealed that integrating the Web was the least immediate concern of most foreign language professors due to their limited knowledge, their inadequate training, and their ambiguous attitudes. A case study of an innovator's practice of integrating the Web in foreign language instruction …

The Future Of Educational Technology, Barbara F. Erlandson

Graduate Research Papers

Presents an overview of the role of educational technology. Inadequate teacher training, minimal technical support, limited money and time are seen as barriers to successful integration. The research involving each barrier is discussed, and suggestions are made for overcoming these barriers. The importance of classroom teacher is investigated. The current uses of educational technology are discussed as well as suggestions for the successful future use of educational technology. Concludes that technology will be partnered with education; the issue to be resolved by individual schools will be how to best use it to improve the educational process.

Integrating Technology Into The Science Curriculum : Environmental Studies Grade 5, Lois Diane Enger

Graduate Research Papers

The project was developed to illustrate a process for including hands-on use of technology in an environmental education activity. The requirements for an integrated curriculum identified by McRel are incorporated: science, technology, language arts, math, and life skills. Activities included are discussion of the topic, writing and editing a script, digital photography, computer usage including scanning, on-site visiting, and teacher and student evaluation. The on-site visit was conducted at a nature center.

Classroom activities involved planning, research, storyboarding, organizing visual materials, script writing, and creating a computer-generated presentation using mPOWER, a presentation software program. The completed computer presentation was converted …

Emergent Literacy : School To Home Connection, Barbara Grell

Graduate Research Papers

All homes have opportunities to influence young children's emerging literacy. Parents or other caregivers and teachers can work together to help children develop literacy abilities. Sharing this responsibility between the home.and school demonstrates to children the importance of learning. Establishing connections from home to school and from school to home will help children make sense of the world in which they live. The school can provide families with ideas to support literacy development in the home.

A project to support children's emerging literacy at home is provided through the use of literacy theme bags. This project is designed for first …

Integrating Literature-Based Language Arts And Mathematics, Lora L. Irvine

Graduate Research Papers

The National Counsel of Teachers in Mathematics in 1989 developed a list of 13 mathematical standards that would lead to a more effective way to teach mathematics. Before they began their list of standards, they made a list of goals. These goals stressed the importance of making learning relevant to the learner.

The goals that the NCTM developed are similar to the theoretical formulations that support instruction in the language arts. Many leading authorities in language arts advocate an instructional program that extends literature-based language arts across the curriculum. The content areas provide content and experiences with the functions of …

Literature-Based Language Arts Extended To Mathematics, Carrie L. Johnson

Graduate Research Papers

A literature-based language arts program provides opportunities for children to create meaning through quality literature experiences. Children's learning is integrated, and connections are made across the curriculum. The mathematics and language process are related and can be integrated into units of study through the genres of literature.

A unit of study on circles provided kindergarten children with quality literature and related expressive activities that facilitated the understanding of the concept of circle. As a result of this literature-based language arts program extended to mathematics, children's knowledge was integrated, peer interaction increased, and the reading-writing processes were connected. Children's enthusiasm for …

Parental And Community Involvement In Reading Education, Rhonda S. Johnstone

Graduate Research Papers

Research shows the effects of parental involvement in reading education to be beneficial to students, parents, teachers, and schools. Parental involvement can aid students in keeping up with (and possibly catching up with) grade level reading, learn to appreciate books, and about the various ways of communication in real life situations. Parent involvement helps parents gain the understanding of their children's strengths and weaknesses in literacy acquisition and the opportunity to assist in their development. Teachers may gain an insight into students, and their literate activities outside of school, which might help with curriculum development. At the same time, schools …

Children's Perceptions Of Older Adults : Past And Present, Mary Kathryn Hatcher Jones

Graduate Research Papers

This study compared more recent research findings, 1990s to present, with the results of earlier research studies, 1970s and 1980s, to determine whether children's perceptions of older adults have changed. Factors that contribute to and inhibit children's positive perceptions of older adults were identified. Guidelines for facilitating children's positive perceptions of older adults were suggested, and conclusions were drawn from the literature. Recommendations were made for further study of children's perceptions of older adults.

Creating A Web Page For The Professional And Scientific Council At The University Of Northern Iowa, Rochelle Lee Gehrke Loonan

Graduate Research Papers

A web site was created for the Professional and Scientific Council at the University of Northern Iowa. This site can be visited at www.uni.edu/ps_council. This site was created as a resource for the Professional and Scientific Staff. It includes links to payroll and benefits, along with background of the council, listing of the council members and information on meetings and monthly events.

The methodology used to create the site will be addressed which will include discussion of why to build a site, categories of sites, planning the site, the design process, design principles and the presentation of information on …

Literature Circles, Diane Maclennan

Graduate Research Papers

This paper is a review of the literature concerning the use of literature circles in elementary classrooms. The purpose of this paper is to present all aspects of literature circles, both the pros and cons, within the context of elementary classrooms. The content of the paper deals with the historical aspect of reading instruction, variations of literature circles, advantages of literature circles, and suggested guidelines for successful literature circles. This paper concludes that literature circles are a unique format for successful book discussions in which· students and teachers work collaboratively to enable optimal educational success.

Reading Recovery And Its Issues, Carole L. Neary

Graduate Research Papers

The Reading Recovery Program, an intervention program for young school children who are literacy delayed, and the in-service program for teachers who will deliver the program are described. Teachers' views of the in-service program, the cost of the program, and an analysis of the program's effectiveness are presented.

Nurturing At-Risk Students' Writing Abilities, Carol A. Schmidt

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this journal article was to review current professional literature on the writing process and the importance of voice in writing and then to design and implement a writing program for at-risk sixth grade students. The writing process is an effective means for children to create meaning, especially for at-risk students.

In the writing process, the writer's voice gives the best sense of a writer's potential. This driving force was the basis of the instructional project in writing developed for at-risk sixth grade students.

Writing Portfolios In A Second Grade Classroom, Cheryl R. Schwery

Graduate Research Papers

Assessment of a student's writing ability should entail descriptive qualitative techniques. One way to provide a qualitative assessment is through the use of portfolios. In using portfolios, students are actively immersed in their own learning and in establishing goals for future learning. In doing this, instruction is more closely related to assessment. The value of writing portfolios, implementation, and introduction of portfolios within a second grade classroom will be discussed. Focus will be on three second grade students, with varying abilities, as they progress in their writing and instructional needs.

Spelling: A Review Of Literature, Tammy Uhlenhopp

Graduate Research Papers

This is a review of the literature on spelling. The purpose for this review is to give an overview of the latest research concerning issues that affect spelling instruction. The topics discussed are complexities of the English language, how children learn, differences between good and poor spellers, how to assess children's spelling knowledge, activities designed to teach children strategies for word ~solving, and ideas for organizing for instruction. This paper. indicates principles of effective spelling instruction. The conclusion makes a call for more research regarding visual memory and states the need for teacher in-service.

Impact Of Fatherlessness On A Child's Needs Based On Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs, Ivy S. Thompkins

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review is to provide readers with an insight into one of the things that impacts a child's needs. That one thing, unfortunately, is the absence of a father in his or her life. This paper reviews literature on the different needs (Physiological, Safety, Love and Belongingness, Esteem, and Self-Actualization) that a child has according to Abraham Maslow. After each need has been determined and defined, then the impact of fatherlessness on those needs are discussed. The role of the single mother and society are also mentioned. Guidelines of how fathers, mothers, and society can impact …

Writing Portfolios In A Resource Room, Marcquelyn S. Allensworth

Graduate Research Papers

Much attention has been given to the issue of assessing students' writing. The trend to view writing as a process has prompted educators to use qualitative assessment techniques to describe children's writing progress and instructional needs. The writing portfolio, one qualitative technique, provides an ongoing assessment that can be used throughout the year and extended throughout the school career of the child. In portfolio development, students can be actively involved in reflecting on their approach to the writing process and can, in collaboration with the teacher, set goals for future learning. Therefore, this type of assessment closely connects instruction and …

The Lifelong Learner And Technology, Dia L. Davis

Graduate Research Papers

The teaching strategies of the educator alter to suit the needs of the students and technology. The content integration process takes time. It has been stated that teachers' first technology projects generate excitement, but often little content learning. Often it takes a few years until teachers can use technology effectively in core subject areas.

Teachers learn to use computer technologies and learn how to bring content learning to the forefront with, in some cases, impressive results on the part of the students. Teachers eventually learn to view the learning process in concert with their new technologies and come to understand …