Education Commons^™

Approaches To Narrative Instruction For Second Language Learners, Mathew Peters

MA TESOL Collection

Narratives have reemerged as a dominant form of rhetoric over the last fifty years. This dominant use of narrative discourse has only increased with the rise of social media. Walther Fisher (1987) proposed the narrative paradigm as a unifying theory of human communication. His major claim is that people are inherently storytellers and that people use a narrative rationality and a logic of good reasons to inform their beliefs, values, and actions. This paper utilizes his theories, along with recent findings in neuroscience, to establish an argument for greater inclusion of narratives into second language teaching. Narratives can have a …

Educational Neuroscience For Adult Education Students In The U.S. And Maine, J.Sean Chung

MA TESOL Collection

Cumulative scientific evidence over the last seventy years has established that the brain has a lifelong ability to change itself which has almost revolutionary implications for educators and mentors. No longer is the brain thought of as fixed, with a gradual loss of potentiality. Rather, experiences have been shown to have the ability to alter and prune the neural connections in the brain, allowing for lifelong learning, and, not as once thought, learning in youth only. This paper will explore such neuroplasticity from an educational perspective, in particular how various pedagogical approaches and experiences can sculpt the adult brain. The …

Critical Complexity: A Challenge To Engage For Educators, Elizabeth Johnson

MA TESOL Collection

Education is a means of ensuring the survival of the human race. By passing on knowledge and awareness, humans attempt to craft adaptability of future generations. Adaptability allows humans to respond to unforeseen events that may challenge their survival.

Education is a process that works to achieve change and growth of the individual and the regeneration and transformation of society. The outcomes of interactions in educational systems are uncertain and emergent. Educational systems are open, adaptive, complex, dynamic and non-linear.

In the near past, reducing the complexity of natural and social phenomena has allowed the human race to simplify and …

Abc Or Aei: A Comparison Of Approaches To Early Childhood Education In Samoa, Sofia Valbuena

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Due to discussion about the importance of early childhood education (ECE), the scene in Samoa has shifted. The present study compares and analyzes approaches to ECE in Samoa from three schools: Brilliant Star Montessori Preschool, Divine Mercy Preschool, and Saoluafata Preschool. Data was collected through participatory observation over the course of two and three days at each school. Results showed both similarities and differences within the preschools in themes such as play, academic curriculum, and classroom management. Analysis found ECE in Samoa is developing and potential tools to further improve the schools were presented. This study will provide a report …

My Neighborhood Is Changing: Positive Youth Development In The Historic Near East Side, Fevean N. Keflom

Capstone Collection

In this paper, I consider the impact of positive youth development in the lives of Black youth, in the Historic Near East Side of Columbus, OH. More specifically, I examine initiatives centered in cultural arts, holistic support, and African centered education in order to identify positive trends impacting urban Black youth. My research is guided by the question: How are Black youth impacted by urban development in a historic African-American neighborhood?

The Near East Side(NES) is a distinguished neighborhood, and in the past laid the foundation for some of the most prominent and successful African American owned businesses in Columbus, …

The Green Classroom Initiative: Developing A Non-Formal Educational Resource To Promote Positive Youth Development In An Elementary School In The Central Valley Region Of Costa Rica., Marlee Cea

Capstone Collection

While Costa Rica is not the most under-developed country in Central America, it still experiences poverty and school drop outs on par with neighboring countries and some exceptional regions of the United States. The primary focus of this thesis is to discuss how the “Green Classroom” initiative, a Peace Corps Volunteer’s attempt to create sustainable change, is rooted in modern educational theories; and how they have influenced the organizations and practical methodologies used to engineer this project. A secondary focus is on the process the volunteer and vital project partners experienced to create a sustainable educational resource for a primary …

Argument For Internationally-Focused Curricula In Us Primary Education Reform, Hector Santiago

Capstone Collection

The purpose of my research is to investigate the current climate within the field of International Education, create a meaningful connection to education reform efforts that shows the merit and necessity of internationally-focused curricula in a global society, and to argue in favor of attainable, effective cultural engagement programing in US primary education reform by which US students combine standard learning objectives with multicultural elements to improve cultural communication, awareness, understanding, and adaptation. By beginning cultural education and engagement in primary school, I will explain how students will develop a better understanding of other cultures, be more willing to invest …

Applying Systems Theory As A Lens On Teacher And Student Perceptions Of Assessment And Feedback In An Intensive English Program, Thomas A. Germain

MA TESOL Collection

The goal of this project was to apply systems theory, or more generally, systems thinking as a lens on the perceptions of teachers, students, and administrators who work together at an intensive English program (IEP). This goal necessitated a two-part project: a review of pertinent literature on systems theory and a limited qualitative study situated at the IEP. Sixteen participants, including seven teachers (more than half of the current faculty), two teacher/administrators, and seven students from different levels within the program, were invited to participate. The primary focus of the study was on participants’ awareness of and attitudes about two …

El Futuro Es La Historia: El Pasado Doloroso Y Las Generaciones Futuros En Los Espacios De Memoria En Buenos Aires / The Future Is History: The Painful Past And Future Generations In Memory Sites In Buenos Aires, Leslie Niiro

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Para contar una historia reciente y dolorosa a otros que no vivieron esta historia, con la esperanza de que no ocurra más, nunca puede ser objetivo en un ‘espacio de la memoria’. Casi siempre se lleva una agenda social, una mirada al futuro y para muchos, esta esperanza es en la próxima generación. En esta investigación, miro a la historia de la última junta cívico-militar (1976-1983) y las décadas después para entender de qué forma trabajan los espacios de la memoria para enseñar la historia reciente a estudiantes. Abordada por entrevistas, visitas guiadas, y observaciones participantes en espacios de la …

A Student Assessment In Value Of Cooperative Education Curriculum Integrated Through Character Development: The Greenwood School, Rebecca Clarke

Capstone Collection

Cooperative education programming as a model of teaching to varied learning styles, is based on a small scale school working to teach children to their specific learning styles centered around their brain function strengths and limitations. The Greenwood School is a boarding school located in Putney, VT specializing in teaching boys with academic, social, and behavioral differences. The school caters to about fifty boys from ages ten to eighteen. Within all of the programs operating on this campus, one of the newest is the internship program, which offers off-campus, community based work learning opportunities with adult mentors and small business …

Examining Student Motivation In Saudi Arabia, Sarah Marie Springsteen

MA TESOL Collection

Every year, thousands of people from all over the world travel to Saudi Arabia to teach English. As well, yearly, thousands of Saudi students receive a large portion of their English education from these expatriate teachers. Despite the millions of dollars spent on this educational process, the linguistic impact suffers greatly from a lack of understanding between teacher and student, often caused by undiscussed misconceptions. This paper is written in an effort to open a dialogue about the problems of motivation in the Saudi college and university prep-year programs. It analyzes student motivation using three different research techniques, and posits …

Movement In Learning: Revitalizing The Classroom, Marcus Van

MA TESOL Collection

Movement is a vital part of our every day lives, and it is also important for a healthy brain. The following paper examines the shift from movement based learning to a more restrictive rote format, which often has adverse effects on learning. This work discusses the ways in which teachers are under pressure to “teach to the test” instead of creating student-centered classrooms. Some of the side effects of a test-centered approach are low self-esteem (from not meeting strict academic requirements) and behavioral problems in students.

Adding more movement to lessons can provide variation and relief from the rote-only system. …

Consulting Cultural Informants: A Look At The Extent To Which Students Use Informants And Other Strategies To Learn From Their International Experiences, William Scott Leroy

Capstone Collection

This study explores the extent to which students from the United States consult with cultural informants while abroad when experiencing what Taylor (1994a, 1994b) refers to as “cultural disequilibrium”. The study also explores how this strategy compares to other learning strategies and which informants students most frequently consult.

Two research methods were used: a survey of 85 students who recently returned from an international program and interviews with nine students from the same sample. The survey sought to explore strategies students employ when facing cultural disequilibrium while the interviews aimed at uncovering why students preferred some learning strategies over others. …

Cooperation &Collaboration: Interactive Ways Of Learning, Tatiana Garasyuta

Sandanona

The presenter will investigate the efficacy of cooperation to facilitate learning in the EFL classroom. She will share the findings of the Russian educators working in this field. The presentation will highlight several interactive activities, which can be used to capitalize on cooperative learning.

¿Aprendemos Juntos? Guiando Educación Comunitaria En Oaxaca, Raisa Slutsky-Moore

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project seeks to describe how the educators of the “Secundarias Comunitarias Indígenas” (“Comunitarian Indigenous Secondary Schools”) in Oaxaca, Mexico foster independent, motivated learning in their classes and which of these characteristics should or can be replicated at the high school level at the Bachillerato Integral Comunitario (BIC) #26 of San Andres Solaga, which was recently founded with intention of providing continuity to the graduates of secundarias comunitarias through the use of an existing educational model. I begin discussing the investigation by describing the three educators of the secundaria in San Andres Solaga, where the majority of my research was …

Basic Social Math: A Linguistic Upgrade For Decision Analysis And Social Dynamics Research., Jared Hanson

MA TESOL Collection

There are foundational errors in the mathematical frameworks currently used in Economic and Decision Theories. Recent systemic failures in the interdependent business and educational sectors also show that many practices based on these theories are unsustainable in the changing dynamics of the global economy. A new approach is needed in social science research and systems engineering. This paper examines how the new understandings of complex systems, the role of emotion in cognition, and the core dynamics of decision making can help us correct these errors and to create a general framework for systemic innovation. It argues for the development of …

Learning For Life At Escola Comunitária Luiza Mahin: Integrating Classroom And Community Experiences In A Neighborhood’S Mission For Social Change, Alexa K. Catao

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Traditional authoritarian-based education practices are arranged in an oppressive structure—one which sees students as sterile receptacles whom should be rid of as much subjective interpretation of the deposited material as possible. This paper is an ethnographic and participatory-observatory study of a school which, contrary to this oppressive system, prioritizes and celebrates the complex personal identities of its members. Born of a local social movement to provide the systematically-marginalized population with pre-primary education, Escola Comunitária Luiza Mahin in Uruguai, Bahia strives to create conscientious, active, and informed future citizens through liberatory education. The educators at this school utilize an integrative approach …

Attending To Your Needs As A Teacher: The Impact Of Being An Introvert When Teaching Foreign Languages, Gretchen B. Livingston

MA TESOL Collection

This paper explores the role that being an introvert plays in foreign language teaching. As a Spanish teacher and an introvert, I expend extraordinary energy to compensate for my natural tendency to recede. The profession I have chosen requires exceptional and constant effort.

I define introvert in the context that I understand it. I recognize the limitations of the label and try to look beyond those.

I share different pieces of my own life story and share different contexts to illuminate how I have become a successful introvert teacher.

I speak to the paradox that what I love most about …

The Meeting Of The Rivers: A Teacher’S Search For The Confluence Of Beliefs And Practice, Dian Marie Henderson

MA TESOL Collection

In an effort to identify and define what beliefs and values exist in her classroom, Dian Henderson weaves together stories, from her childhood and her current day practices both inside and outside the classroom, along with journal entries of more recent musings, and poetry that has inspired and sustained her. The resulting tapestry reveals the inner workings and life of a teacher seeking to bring soul into the classroom and searching for an authentic path where the process of learning is fully honoured. The reader is invited to witness the process of an educator trying to find the words to …

Proprioception Of The Mind: Balancing Science And Spirit Through Emotional Intelligence, Debra Ann Fowler

MA TESOL Collection

This paper purports to demonstrate that teaching is an art form that not only relies on knowledge of theory and practice, but, even more importantly, also depends on a sensitivity to the needs of the individual student and the needs of the group. It is important for us, as teachers, to understand that in order to teach our students we need to reach them on an emotional level by implementing emotionally intelligent judgments throughout our interactions with them. It is not sufficient to be totally versed in the subject we are teaching, we must be continually aware of the emotional …

Hana Wani, Hana Kai Hausa Proverb: To Refuse Another Is To Refuse Yourself. The Quest For Liberatory Efl Teaching In West Africa, Althea Danielski

MA TESOL Collection

What happens when an American tries to do Freirean-based liberatory teaching in the post-colonial, EFL context of West Africa? This independent professional project (IPP) explores the background of liberatory teaching practices in English language teaching, focusing on critical pedagogy, problem posing and the Participatory Approach. The author describes her education and development as a liberatory English teacher. As an American working in developing countries, she questions her ability to act as a supporter of liberation. Does her inherent position of privilege and power prevent her from promoting social justice and freedom from poverty? The author explores these questions, her own …

Making Meaning: A Teacher’S Journey, Joanne Griffin Yorks

MA TESOL Collection

This thesis shows how one teacher gained an increased understanding of the way she learns, discovered a theoretical support base for her learning style and found validation for her way of making meaning. Melding this new awareness with what was for her a new theoretical approach to teaching reading, reader-response theory, and then adapting the theory for the ESL classroom, she sought to offer her students opportunities similar to those she’d had to use reading to bring about new understandings of self and increased confidence in one’s ability to make meaning for oneself. The first chapter is an introduction to …

An Integrated Approach To Acculturation: A Personal Journey, Douglas C. Stone

MA TESOL Collection

The intention of this professional paper is to propose a new, integrated model for acculturation which brings psychological understanding to this process. The first section of this paper gives a brief introduction and several necessary definitions. The second section introduces several existing acculturation models which I found applied to aspects of my experience, but which were inadequate in important areas. In the third diction I outlined a number of psychological models which I used to cope with acculturation and understand my experience before having contact with the acculturation material from the second section. In the fourth section I give an …

Movement, Rhythms, And Music: Active Curriculums For Teaching Foreign Languages To Beginning Learners, Patricia Guillemin Gregory

MA TESOL Collection

Our task as educators is to fit our teaching methods to our learners. Middle school students have specific characteristics that can seem to interfere with learning. Among these characteristics are a bounty of energy and restlessness. The key for the teacher is to channel this energy into learning activities.

To understand a class and develop a teaching strategy for that class, the teacher should analyze the learning styles of the students. From the results of this analysis, the teacher can build effective lesson plans which match the trends that appear in the class.

With this data in hand, the teacher …

Dictation: What And How Students Learn From It, Marilyn C. Fisher

MA TESOL Collection

In the cycle of preferred English language teaching techniques, dictation is currently out of favor. Today, anything inviting the term “old-fashioned” is passed over without consideration as to what qualities made it popular in the past.

This paper reconsiders the merits of dictation use in the classroom, pedagogical theory, and supportive research, and the author’s experimental work with student group dynamics centered on dictation exercises.

My own classroom research shows interesting ways students catch or miss language clues and meaning in dictation exercises and how their minds are directed to analyze the incoming language both during the exercise and after, …

Well Begun Is Half Done: Preparing For The Start Of A New Class, Stephanie C. Downey

MA TESOL Collection

This paper explores the critical learning moment that occurs on the first day in a new language class as the individual students, group and teacher interact for the first time. It states that the first day can influence the entire direction a course takes and asserts that the learner, the group, the teacher and the cultural context are key variables that determine how the first day turns out. It argues that by being aware of the impact each of these variables has on learning, the teacher can direct the emotional, mental and social energy of the group positively and create …

Rising Off The Plateau In Learning Arabic, Daniel Scott Linquist

MA TESOL Collection

Experiencing plateaus in second language learning is a common experience, especially for language student studying Arabic or one of the other languages considered more difficult. Some of the causes for the plateau experience in Arabic are its complex grammar, its vast amount of vocabulary, and the different roles of Modern Standard Arabic and the spoken dialects of Arabic.

Rising off the Plateau in Studying Arabic is a thesis project, which analyzes this second language learner’s attempt to make significant progress in studying Modern Standard Arabic. The project was based on a self-directed, semi-intensive Arabic language program, which prioritized the reading …

The Effect Of Educational Kinesiology On Second Language Acquisition, Tina Lynne Haverstick

MA TESOL Collection

This thesis is a summary of my experience working with the theory of Educational Kinesiology (Edu-K) in the foreign language classroom environment. It may serve as a guide for anyone who is interested in tapping into the full potential of students’ brains within a structured learning environment.

A case study is presented here examining the effects of educational kinesiology on two groups of kindergarten students I taught simultaneously in my EFL classroom in Taiwan.

I chose to assess their attitudes toward different classroom activities, including those geared toward improving listening, speaking, reading and writing, as well as the overall attitude …

Reflective Teaching: In-Sights Into The Process And Development Of The Skill Of Reflection, Marie-Claude M. Durand

MA TESOL Collection

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate and document the stages and levels of reflection based on the Millett, Rogers, & Stanley Framework for Reflection as they manifested in the working lives and professional contextual realities of three experienced teachers. Their Framework is a four-step model of reflection that looks at the reflective cycle in terms of the stages of Experience, description, Analysis, and Intelligent Action. It further categorizes the skill of reflection in terms of Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels. The second goal of the study was to examine the development of the reflective process in a …

Council In The Classroom: New Ways Of Knowing, Being And Interacting, Ximena Allub

MA TESOL Collection

This paper examines my learnings on Council, an ancient form of communication, currently being revisited and remolded to suit modern needs. In this vein I explored its application in a school environment. I describe here a year-long study of Council that took me to both Argentina and the United States. The focus is primarily on a different form of classroom management and its impact on students and their learning.

In chapter one, I give an introduction to Council, outlining its history, and providing a brief explanation of the philosophy behind it.

In chapter two, I look at my experience as …