Education Commons^™

Phonemic Awareness Interventions And Their Effects On Fast Scores, Shari Lehnhoff

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to determine if there is a correlation between the implementation of phonemic awareness interventions in the transitional kindergarten classroom and the results of the Early Literacy Implementation (FAST) scores. Technology-enriched phonemic awareness interventions were provided weekly over a period of two months. Data was collected through qualitative observations and quantitative FAST test scores. Analysis of the data collected suggests that the transitional kindergarten student’s FAST scores increased as the phonemic awareness intervention is implemented in the classroom.

See Me Shine: Developing Character Through Books For Children Ages 3-6, Shelley Oakley, Rachel Schwedt, Janice Delong

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Selecting books for the preschooler and beginning reader that engage the young audience and yet teach values that parents and educators desire is an elusive task. This first volume of the See Me Shine series offers reading recommendations focusing on distinct character traits such as caring, courage, responsibility and more for ages 3 to 6. Each character trait offers 20+ book recommendations, as read-aloud or independent reading, and each recommendation includes a description of each title, critique, awards, list of related subjects, and the distinct character themes demonstrated in the text. Whether your role is one of parent, grandparent, guardian, …

Investigating Linguistic, Literary, And Social Affordances Of L2 Collaborative Reading, Joshua Thoms, Frederick J. Poole

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

This exploratory study analyzes learner–learner interactions within a virtual environment when collaboratively reading Spanish poetry in a Hispanic literature course at the college level via an ecological theoretical perspective (van Lier, 2004). The goals of the study are (a) to present empirical data that illustrate the theoretical construct of affordance in a virtual, collaborative reading environment, and (b) to investigate the pedagogical ramifications of using a digital annotation tool to involve learners in collaborative reading. Three distinct types of affordances emerged in the data: linguistic, literary, and social affordances. Our findings indicate that the number of literary and social affordances …

Using Imagination To Bridge Young Children’S Literacy And Science Learning: A Dialogic Approach, Huili Hong, Karin Keith, Renee Rice Moran

ETSU Faculty Works

Integrating children’s literacy and science learning has become a new focus in literacy instruction. Imagination, an integral part of children’s learning experience, remains marginalized in today’s early childhood education curriculum. Drawing on a yearlong ethnographic study in a first-grade classroom, this paper explores the potential affordance of imagination in integrating young children’s literacy and science learning. The findings showed that the integration opportunities were organically constructed in and through children’s natural engagement of imagination in their reading process. A dialogic approach is presented as one way to ignite children’s imaginations in their literacy and science learning.

Time Travel, Labour History, And The Null Curriculum: New Design Knowledge For Mobile Augmented Reality History Games, Owen Gottlieb

Articles

This paper presents a case study drawn from design-based research (DBR) on a mobile, place-based augmented reality history game. Using DBR methods, the game was developed by the author as a history learning intervention for fifth to seventh graders. The game is built upon historical narratives of disenfranchised populations that are seldom taught, those typically relegated to the 'null curriculum'. These narratives include the stories of women immigrant labour leaders in the early twentieth century, more than a decade before suffrage. The project understands the purpose of history education as the preparation of informed citizens. In paying particular attention to …

Closing The Door On Standardized Test Preparation And Opening The Door To Next Generation Literacy, Vicky Giouroukakis Ph.D., Maureen Connolly Ed.D.

Faculty Works: EDU (1995-2023)

These are the words of four graduate students who are excited about becoming English teachers as of September 2016. Notice anything about their reasons for teaching? No one mentions wanting to increase students’ test scores. We believe that you would be hard-pressed to find a teacher candidate or practicing teacher who chose this profession because of a passion for test preparation, but as teachers and students are facing mandated standardized assessments like PARCC, Smarter Balanced, the new SAT and ACT, as well as local measures to determine student growth, we are growing concerned that the level of importance placed on …

The Iallt Language Center Evaluation Toolkit: Context, Development, And Usage, Elizabeth Lavolette, Angelika Kraemer

Language Resource Center

In the summer of 2014, a committee composed of members of the International Association for Language Learning Technology (IALLT) began discussions toward accomplishing the following charge:

Design a tool that internal evaluation committees can use to evaluate and make recommendations for the improvement of their institution's language center. We emphasize the fact that it is the university appointed evaluation committee that will use this evaluation toolkit, not the language center directors themselves (although the LC Director should have input on how the toolkit should be deployed). Such evaluation committees might be composed of language department Chairs, TA/Language coordinators, Dean or …

Alternative Venues: An Efl Writing Center Outside The University, Brooke R. Schreiber, Snezana Djuric

Publications and Research

Recent years have seen an increasing presence of writing centers in diverse English as a Foreign Language (EFL) settings, particularly in East Asia and in Europe (Bräuer; Chang). These new centers face familiar issues such as a lack of resources, the need to adapt pedagogy to the local context (Reichelt et. al.; Broekhoff), and ideological resistance to the idea of peer learning (Turner) or even providing support for writing at all (Bräuer). In some cases, these difficulties may force potential writing centers to seek a platform entirely outside of the university, bringing both challenges and new possibilities as the center …

The Curriculum Development Of Experienced Teachers Who Are Inexperienced With History-Based Pedagogy.Pdf, John Bickford

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Times New Roman'} span.s1 {font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'} span.s2 {font: 7.0px 'Times New Roman'} Contemporary American education initiatives mandate half of all English language arts content is non-fiction. History topics, therefore, will increase within all elementary and English language arts middle level classrooms. The education initiatives have rigorous expectations for students’ close readings of, and written argumentation about, numerous texts representing multiple perspectives about the same historical event, era, or figure. Practicing English language arts teachers must adjust …

The Impact Of See The Sound Visual Phonics Has On Beginning Readers, Kelsey R. Dewes

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This paper takes a deeper look at the impact that See the Sound: Visual Phonics has for beginning reading instruction and early intervention instruction for young students. See the Sound: Visual Phonics is a strategy that incorporates hand cues and written symbols into every sound and letter in the English Language. This paper will compare the growth rates that students, who received the intervention and students who did not receive the intervention, made identifying letter names, letter sounds, and onset sounds. Throughout this paper research completed by Goldin-Meadow (2004) supporting the significance hand gestures have in development and student learning, …

Kinesthetic Movement Activities And Boys’ Engagement And Behavior In Literacy, Mallory Munden

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this paper is to share the results of an action research project that studies the effects kinesthetic literacy activities have on boys’ engagement and behavior in the classroom. The study was done using one kindergarten classroom that measured boys’ engagement and behavior doing a non-kinesthetic literacy activity versus a kinesthetic literacy activity. The boys were also compared to the girls level of engagement and behavior in both cases. The following paper will share the results of the study that looked at kinesthetic literacy activities to improve boys’ engagement and behavior.

How To Boost Literacy In Ages Birth To Three, Brianna Johnson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review explores the history, viewpoints, theoretical frameworks, and themes in literature of early literacy in the United States. It also discusses legislation on this topic, such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Literacy in ages birth to three has been a long time educational issue. The ‘pendulum’ has swung between different approaches to literacy instruction. It is important for every person to be informed on this subject because early literacy affects each life. What one learns or fails to learn in the first three years of life affects the rest of …

Integrating Technology Into Kindergarten Writing Program, Colleen K. Hahn

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to determine if incorporating technology into a kindergarten-writing program could increase their motivation and attitudes, and hence improve their writing abilities. Two types of technology were introduced to the writing program; one being an electronic portfolio to share their work and the second was a digital story writing software. Data was collected by use of attitude surveys, observational notes, and student writing samples. Analysis of the data suggests that students were more engaged during the writing time and were very motivated to write if they could publish it to their online portfolio.

"Off From Lost": Generation 1 Learners' Transition From Adult Esl To Developmental Education, Emily Kyungjin Suh

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Immigrant students access community colleges with increasing frequency (Teranishi, Suarez-Orozco, & Suarez-Orozco, 2011); however, the majority of research focuses on Generation 1.5 students who completed K-12 education in the U.S. Generation 1 learners are defined in this study as adult immigrants (Rumbaut, 2004) and adult learners (Knowles, 1970) who began American education in adult ESL. Learners’ unique experiences and social roles motivate their transition to higher education and produce distinct linguistic and cultural needs. Many immigrant students begin in developmental education (Teranishi, Suarez-Orozco, & Suarez-Orozco), which is strongly influenced by the adult learning theory of andragogy (Knowles, 1968). This multiple …

The Effect Of Technology On Student Achievement With English Language Learners In An Early Childhood Classroom Setting, Tiffany Vasquez-Dewein

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to determine if there was a correlation between the use of iPads to improve student achievement and traditional methods of teaching with four and five-year-old English language learners (ELLs). Two control groups of four ELLs were taught in math three times a week. Control group A was taught using iPad applications to support math teaching in alongside traditional teachings in math. Control group B were taught with age appropriate early childhood materials such as counting cards and manipulatives to support the traditional teachings in math. Data was collected at the end of …

"What Color Are Our Hearts?" Challenging Social And Literacy Inequalities In An Elementary School Writing Club, Judith M. Dunkerly-Bean, Tom W. Bean, David Kidd, Elizabeth Johnson

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This longitudinal phenomenological study centers on an after-school writing club at an elementary school started by two high school English teachers and their students. Over the course of a school year, the writing club addressed local and systemic issues of inequality and facilitated the voice, agency and creative expression of the third to fifth grade students who chose to participate. Emerging trends and themes speak to the promise and possibilities of inter-age writing clubs that go far beyond traditional tutorial models. Rather than engaging in a banking method of tutoring, this project facilitates voice, agency and equality, as well as …

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself: Learning From Award-Winning Second Language College Teachers, Leendert Van Beek

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

What can we learn from award-winning second language teachers so that we can serve the students at our Christian institutions better? A wide spectrum of college teachers was interviewed about their perspectives on the qualities needed to excel, their classroom practices, and their theories of teaching and learning.

Reaching For The Heart: An Analysis Of Language As A Weapon Of Empathy For Three Capetonians, Sarah Mcdonald

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this paper, I examine the role that cross-cultural language study plays in the lives of three Capetonians in order to explore its capacity to foster empathy between people of different backgrounds. Framed in the context of South African history and modern academic discourse around language use in educational and public spaces in the country, I present the stories of my three interviewees and analyze particular experiences that they relayed in order to trace trends of empathy and understanding through their language use.

Through my discussion of this qualitative data, I reach the conclusion that language can be an effective …

Talking The Talk: The Effect Of Vocalics In An Interview, Marilena Phillips

Honors Projects in Communication

Our voices carry more than just content. People continuously make assumptions of one’s intelligence, credibility, personality, and other characteristics merely based on the way we talk. As the diversity of individuals in the workplace increases, so too do the differences in how those individuals talk. It is important that we understand how these different ways of speaking are being perceived in the workplace. More specifically, how are individuals being perceived prior to being hired via the interview process? This Honors Capstone project aims to understand the impact that vocal characteristics in an individual have on the interviewer’s perception of the …

Neighbors Link's Parent-Child Together Program: Supporting Immigrant Parents' Integration To Promote School Readiness Among Their Emergent Bilingual Children, Carola Otero Bracco, Judith Eisenberg

Publications and Research

The authors of this article describe Neighbors Link, a multi-service community and worker center in suburban Westchester County, NY. This organization created Parent-Child Together in the belief that supporting immigrant parents' integration and social inclusion, in activities that also engage long-term community residents, would improve school readiness outcomes for preschool children. A key assumption in the program design is that immigrant parents are best supported when teaching respects their home language and incorporates their home culture and customs. Among the program's positive results has been greater acceptance of the assets and strengths that immigrants bring to the community. The community, …

Personalized Outreach To University Students With A History Of Reading Difficulties: Early Screening And Outreach To Support Academically At-Risk Students, Hélène Deacon, Rebecca Tucker, Bradley W. Bergey, Annie Laroche, Rauno Parrila

Publications and Research

We examined whether identification of and personalized outreach to a group of students with a history of reading difficulties would impact their use of support services and academic outcomes. Using a brief self-report questionnaire, we identified students with a history of reading difficulties (n = 175) and a comparison group of university students without a history of reading difficulties (n = 100). One half of the students with a history of reading difficulties were individually invited to visit the Academic Advising Centre; the other students received standard university communications about and access to university support services. Students with …

"Ewondo In The Classes, French For The Masses." Mother-Tongue Education In Yaoundé, Cameroon., Parker Henry

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Cameroon is home to over two hundred eighty native languages coming from three language families, making it one of the most linguistically diverse countries on Earth. Despite this, native languages hold very few domains in Cameroonian society. In recent years, several experimental programs have begun to implement native languages in schools citing that children learn best in their mother tongue. Among these include ELAN-Afrique, an initiative put forth by La Francophonie with the main aim of helping students better learn French by way of their mother tongue. This paper seeks to differentiate the benefits prescribed or expected by overhead actors …

Sound And Waves: An Integrated K–8 Hands‐On Approach Supporting The Ngss And Ccss Ela, Chih-Che Tai, Karin Keith, Laura Robertson, Renee Rice Moran

ETSU Faculty Works

Receive practical ideas to build understanding about how to combine reading and hands-on activities as tools to understand the nature of wave movement.

The Impact Of Program Structure On Language Acquisition And Intercultural Competence: A Comparative Study Of Study Abroad Programs In Kunming, China, Samantha Bergman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

According to the Project Atlas study conducted by the Institute of International Education, China is the world’s third most popular study abroad location. With over 390,000 international students currently studying in China, there are more opportunities for cultural exchange and mutual understanding than ever before. However, there is still relatively little existing research on how different study abroad program structures impact students’ Chinese language skills and cultural literacy.

This study examined the impacts of experiential learning and intensive language study abroad program structures on students’ language acquisition and intercultural competence development. Two study abroad programs based in Kunming, SIT China: …

Integrative Pedagogy And Foreign Language Learning, Adam Konczewski, Patricia Bolanos-Fabres, Ana Conboy

Forum Lectures

This presentation explores different opportunities outside of the classroom setting that enhance the learning and practice of a second language (L2), as well as the intercultural competency of learners of L2. The use of academic technology available at CSBSJU and of interactive online platforms allow for students to practice their language skills with native speakers from around the globe, respond to aural and written cues, discuss readings, view films, and take tests and quizzes outside of the classroom. As a consequence, instructors can delve into more nuanced language and cultural topics as language proficiency is achieved. We address strategies currently …

The Effect Of Employing Cultural Criticism In The Teaching Of British Literature For Chinese Undergraduate English Majors, Yu Zhang

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The traditional literature teaching methods for Chinese English majors are formalism and biographical criticism. These criticisms use an objective approach focused on details about the author, historical context and literary mechanics to analyze literature. These methods neglect the fact that literature comprehension involves readers’ active participation. Cultural criticism, as a critical approach, considers influences that readers bring to their engagement with a given literary text. This approach is supposed to fit the classroom settings for cross-cultural literature teaching and learning.

This study was conducted to examine the effect of utilizing cultural criticism to teach British literature among Chinese undergraduate English …

Becoming Bilingual: Examining Teachers' Perceptions And Practices For Achieving Bilingualism And Biliteracy In English And Spanish In A Two-Way Dual Language Bilingual Education Program, Carolyn O'Gorman-Fazzolari

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bilingualism characterizes not only people, but homes, schools, and communities across the United States. While some bilingual people are forced to suppress their bilingualism, others are encouraged to develop their skill set to a level of becoming biliterate. Bilingualism and biliteracy are key features in dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs where students are provided daily opportunities to develop two languages simultaneously, along with grade-level academic content. Research in DLBE suggest closure of the achievement gap (Valentino & Reardon, 2015). Traditionally, DLBE programs were designed to keep the two target languages (for example, Spanish and English) separate as designated by …

Revision Crítica Del Concepto De Género En El Discurso Escrito Y Su Aplicación Didáctica A La Enseñanza De Las Lenguas Con Propósitos Específicos. Critical Review Of The Genre Concept In Written Discourse And Its Pedagogical Application To Language Teaching For Specific Purposes, David Sánchez-Jiménez

Publications and Research

This paper provides a theoretical review of how the concept of academic and professional discursive genres has evolved, from a linguistic perspective when it first emerged to its current sociocognitive perspective. The stage it has reached is due to intertextuality and interdiscursivity processes caused by the contact between different disciplines. Similarly, the paper discusses some of the most current didactic recommendations on genre teaching proposed by the languages for specific purposes (lps) approach. The discursive genre has been regularly used in lps since learning how to develop the typical genres of a discourse community is a fundamental requirement to succeed …

The Mathematics Of Nutrition Science, Lana Zinger, Jonathan Cornick, Jennifer Maloy

Open Educational Resources

The Mathematics of Nutrition Science is a workbook designed to integrate and contextualize developmental mathematics into an introductory college level Nutrition class. Definitions and skills from Community College Level Elementary Algebra and Quantitative Literacy courses are explained through examples analyzing the nutritional content of different foods. The book contains exercises for students to practice these skills, and also to reflect on the concepts through short writing assignments aligned with developmental English. These materials could be used by Nutrition course instructor in many different ways, and are designed to be self-contained and require minimal mathematical instruction.

Pisa 2015: Reporting Australia's Results, Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli, Catherine Underwood

OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Australia

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an international comparative study of student achievement directed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). PISA measures how well 15-year-olds, who are nearing the end of their compulsory schooling in most participating educational systems, are prepared to use the knowledge and skills in particular areas to meet real-life opportunities and challenges. PISA 2015 is the sixth cycle of PISA since it was first conducted in 2000. Seventy-two OECD countries or partner economies participated in PISA 2015. In Australia, PISA is managed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and …