Education Commons^™

An Analysis Of High School Students' Self-Efficacy In Second Language Acquisition Through Digital Language Lab Learning: Exploring New Pathways To Proficiency, Lorna A. Fairess

Theses and Dissertations

Students are often faced with barriers acquiring a second language due to various factors such as language anxiety, learning differences, and a lack of speaking time with the language. The purposes of this qualitative study were to: a) determine students' perceptions of the effectiveness of a digital language lab on their self-efficacy in second language acquisition at the secondary level, and b) discern teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the lab as well as recommendations for best practices in teacher training and implementation. Twenty-seven Italian and Spanish students and 12 world language teachers from two fairly rural high schools in …

The Effects Of Technology Use In A Third Grade Inclusion Classroom, Jamie C. Ott

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this single-subject, ABAB research design study was to examine if the integration of Google Classroom and digital texts on Chromebooks promotes student academic performance, specifically their reading level, and active engagement in an inclusive setting. This research was designed to identify the effects that introducing digital texts and comprehension response items in Google Classroom has on students' comprehension and engagement. This study was conducted in an inner-city public k-8 grade school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The scores gathered from students' TDA responses and engagement were converted into percentages and put into tables. The data from these two variables …

The Effects Of Using Mini Whiteboards On The Academic Performance And Engagement Of Students In A Tenth Grade Resource English/Language Arts Classroom, Elizabeth Catherine Gimbutas

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to: (a) examine the effectiveness of mini whiteboards in increasing engagement, (b) examine the effectiveness of mini whiteboards in increasing academic achievement, and (c) determine if students in a tenth grade English/Language Arts resource center classroom are satisfied with the use of mini whiteboards. The research was conducted using an ABAB single-subject design methodology. Student achievement was evaluated through weekly assessments, while daily engagement was evaluated using interval recording in 5-minute increments. Results suggest that the use of mini whiteboards may help increase the engagement and academic achievement of students in a tenth grade …

The Implementation And Effectiveness Of Tier 2 Response To Intervention Reading Comprehension In 4th Grade, Christine Renee Reichert

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation is to examine whether the use of the two strategies "Stop and Jot" and "Learning Ally" delivered as part of tier-2 Response to Intervention model, will improve the reading comprehension deficits of fourth grade students with reading difficulties. Participants in this study varied in their results, but overall there were positive outcomes. Students were assessed during the pre-intervention phase, intervention phase and post-intervention phase using the Fountas and Pinnell Reading Benchmark Assessment.

The average participant increased their reading level by one on the Fountas and Pinnell Reading Benchmark Assessment. Two students in this study …

Self-Questioning In Writing, Erin Lynn Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the self-questioning strategy, using student-generated questions when writing narrative and expository text. Six eighth grade students, diagnosed with a disability, were measured on their achievement in their quality of writing, through a 6-point holistic rubric and a feature checklist, their quantity of writing through the number of words written, and their creation of literal, direct, and evaluative questions. Students participated in a narrative and expository cycle over the duration of four months. In Phase A, of each cycle, students wrote an essay of the specified genre, establishing the baseline. In Phase …

Implementation Of Literacy Strategies And The Impact On Word Problems, Lindsey R. Glick

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the implementation of literacy strategies in a fifth grade mathematics classroom would affect comprehension. The specific aim is to see what happens when students utilize literacy strategies when solving mathematical word problems. Three literacy topics were the focal point in this study: vocabulary, writing, and comprehension. Literacy strategies from each topic were introduced and applied during a mathematics class. Surveys, math journals, graphic organizers, classroom discussions, and interviews were analyzed. The limitations and implications for incorporating literacy instruction in a mathematics class are discussed.

Reading Recovery With Guided Reading Supplementation, Katelyn Barok

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Reading Recovery, an intervention program for first graders, and whether the skills were being transferred into their general education classroom. Specifically, the reading abilities of students in the program were analyzed. Three students participated in the study, one female and two male first grade students. All three students were not classified and came from an inclusion classroom co-taught with a general education and special education teacher. The design of this research was pre-post, post-test group design and teacher surveys were individualized for all participants. Twenty weeks of intervention was …

Using Multisensory Instruction To Support Reading Growth In A Fifth Grade General Education Classroom, Alexis C. Cassese-Pawlowski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to engage fifth grade students in multisensory instruction in order to improve reading, specifically at the complex word level. Embedding multisensory techniques can be effective in promoting engagement in reading for students in fifth grade. The goal of this research project was to determine the effects that multisensory instruction has on readers in fifth grade. The main research question that guided this study was: How does multisensory instruction support growth in reading for 5th grade students? Five students in fifth grade participated in a five-week study where data was gathered to determine their …

First Graders Identify Sight Words In Self-Selected Texts During Independent Reading, Michelle L. Mangaro

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how first-grade students recognize sight words in self-selected texts during independent reading. The context of the study was a suburban school district in South Jersey involving four first-grade students below grade level in at least one reading area. The four first-grade students, two boys and two girls, selected texts during independent reading. The participants engaged in pre-assessment and post-assessment surveys and initial participant interviews and exit participant interviews. The purpose was to analyze how first graders approach sight words in texts using metacognitive strategies. The students were audio recorded reading …

Using Critical Literacy With 4th And 5th Graders In A Book Club Format, Danielle N. Barbato

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to research how fourth and fifth grade students interact in a book club when presented with the provocative text, Bud, Not Buddy (Curtis, 1999). Students were provided with an open forum to discuss controversial topics such as race and social class during one of the most difficult times in American history, The Great Depression. The study was an open observation of the evolution of the book club, individual student responses, and peer communication. The study evaluated (1) how provocative text play a role in the discussions that the students have, (2) how teacher questioning …

Kindergarteners' Use Of Oral Language When Interacting With Texts, Carrie Lee Owens

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research inquiry is to study how kindergartners use oral language when interacting with texts during guided reading, read aloud books, and literacy discussions. Six students were selected from a Basic Skills Instruction (BSI) intervention program to participate in this study. As the academic demands have increased in the kindergarten classroom, it appears that there is a decline in the oral language skills that are the foundation for success as an emergent reader. This study examines the effects of engaging students in talk about books to promote their oral language and reading skills. Characteristics of literacy talk …

Kindergarten Students' Interactions With Texts During Independent Reading, Tracy L. Schaper

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how emergent readers interact with texts during independent reading. Audio recordings of student talk, video taped observations, notes in a teacher research journal, a book selection chart, and concepts about print assessments were all analyzed to determine how emergent readers interact with texts. Findings were that students interact with familiar, unfamiliar, and leveled texts differently including varying levels of conventionality and prosody of language, the comprehension strategies and skills they use to make meaning, and the concepts about print they apply. Findings also included trends for the types of teacher support students …

How Third Grade Students Respond To The Multiple Perspectives In Read Alouds Of Critical Texts, Kathryn Elizabeth Zeck

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how students respond to weekly read alouds of critical literacy texts. The specific aim was to see what type of critical stances students adopt as they respond to the multiple perspectives present in the texts. Student written reflections, audio recording of student talk, and anecdotal notes are all analyzed. The implications for implementing weekly read alouds of critical literacy texts as it relates to students' social awareness are discussed.

Integrating Technology Into The Literacy Curriculum Within A First Grade Classroom, Christina M. Hargrove

Theses and Dissertations

Technology is ingrained in almost every part of our culture, affecting the way we live, work, play, and learn. Most careers in this day and age require professionals to be proficient in the new literacies of 21st-century technologies. Thus, it only makes sense that technology be used in classrooms with even our youngest learners to help prepare our students to be successful in their futures. This research explores what happens when technology is integrated into the literacy curriculum within a first grade classroom. To this end, technology was integrated into a multitude of literacy lessons and classroom routines. Results revealed …

College Readiness: The Disconnect Between High School And Community College, Elizabeth C. Giacobbe

Theses and Dissertations

The proportion of students attending college continues to increase and college remediation rates remain considerably high, particularly at community colleges. This study explored high school teachers and community college perceptions of college readiness in the area of English. An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was employed to develop a better understanding of teachers' perceptions of students' preparedness for the academics rigors of college English. This study was motivated by three research questions. How do community college professors describe college-readiness in the area of English? How do high school teachers describe college-readiness in the area of English? What aspects of college-readiness …

Disciplinary Literacy Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Dlpck) Today: An Exploration Of Disciplinary Literacy Pedagogical Content Knowledge Of Middle And High School Science, Social Studies, And English Language Arts, Linda M. Saraceno

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this exploratory qualitative study were to a) gain an understanding of middle and high school science, social studies, and English language arts teachers' disciplinary literacy pedagogical content knowledge b) explore teachers' dispositions towards disciplinary literacy and c) to determine whether teachers dispositions influenced disciplinary literacy instruction in the classroom. Using a pre - and post-survey, semi-structured interviews, professional development workshops, teacher reflections, and classroom observation field notes, this study discovered teachers' disciplinary literacy pedagogical content knowledge was a combination of generic literacy and disciplinary literacy skills knowledge. Teachers dispositions towards disciplinary literacy were found to be favorable …