Education Commons^™

Crossing Selma's Bridge: Integrating Visual Discovery Strategy And Young Adult Literature To Promote Dialogue And Understanding, Steven T. Bickmore, Gretchen Rumohr-Voskuil, Paul Binford

Middle Grades Review

Urban communities, separated by race and class, experience a disproportionate number of gun deaths, police shootings, crime, violent and nonviolent protests, as well as disparities in housing, education, and employment. These discussions are visual and textual, appearing in both traditional and social media outlets. How do adolescents read and make sense of these images? We discuss integrating a Social Studies practice, Visual Discovery Strategy, with Young Adult Literature to provide students with the skills to both critique images from the events in their lives and produce responses through both traditional and digital methods.

"That Sh*T Is Rude!" Religion, Picture Books, And Social Narratives In Middle School, Denise Davila, Allison Volz

Middle Grades Review

While the U.S. has a divisive history around the separation of church and state in public school, current national and state teaching standards do include curricular objectives related to the study of religion. This paper focuses on the ways a diverse group of sixth-grade public schoolchildren engaged with religious content in their English Language Arts class. Specifically, it examines the kinds of narratives the children constructed in response to diverse works of public art and children’s picturebooks, including Mora’s (2012) The Beautiful Lady: Our Lady of Guadalupe / La hermosa señora: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Señora), and Garza’s …

Learning French In Western Australia: A Hedonistic Journey, Celine Doucet, Sabine Kuuse

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

When learning a language, motivation and emotions are central to the learning process and have considerable importance in learning. In Australia, despite the growing economic impact of its Asian neighbours and the great physical distance to France, French remains one of the most taught languages in various educational settings at different levels, and it appeals to many Australians. This review focuses on the motivations of West Australian adult learners of French. The aim of this paper is to explore students’ motivation and emotions towards their learning of French in Western Australia, teachers’ perceptions of these feelings, and how they are …

The Power Of Multimodal Feedback, Breanne S. Campbell, Ann Feldmann

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

Abstract: Feedback to students is most effective when it is timely, relevant and meaningful. English teachers spend many hours providing feedback on student writing and are disheartened as students disregard it. An English teacher and a technology specialist, while using available technology, set out to find a way to make the feedback process more streamlined, efficient, and something students would actually employ in the writing process. We discovered that utilizing technology tools available to provide on demand and archivable audio and visual feedback transforms the writing process and student responses are favorable.

Motivation, Learning Strategies, And Language Competency In A Technology Facilitated Chinese As A Second Language Classroom, Xiongyi Liu, Lih-Ching Chen Wang

Chinese Language Teaching Methodology and Technology

The present study examines the effectiveness of a game-based mobile technology application Kahoot on the motivation and language competency of high school student learning Chinese as a second language, and the relationship among student motivation, learning strategy use, and language competency in such a technology-facilitated classroom. Data was collected using pre and post surveys from a class of 18 students taught by a teacher candidate in a Chinese teaching licensure program at a state university. The results indicate significant student improvements in two areas of Chinese language learning: reading and speaking, though no significant difference was found in the areas …

Empowering Refugees Through Self-Education, Ayanna Osborne

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project focuses on how to create easier access to education in refugee camps. This is discussed through the ideas of self-directed learning and cooperative learning. As well, the current need for education is explored. Several case studies are provided demonstrating that people without a formal education have successfully been able to seek information and teach themselves. As well, studies are discussed in which individuals have been shown to efficiently seek information and teach one another.

My website provided is still under construction as of 01/2018. It will be completed by the end of the year. Anyone is welcome to …

Maine Literature 101: A Course For High School Seniors, Courtney Hawkes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In various schools across the state of Maine are teachers devoting their classroom time to exploring the rich history of Maine. At the high school level, many schools now offer at least an elective course in “Maine Studies” and Maine state standards require that local history is covered to a certain extent in high school history. Missing from these courses, however, is a study of Maine’s literature. Literature puts a realistic face to the events of history in a way that helps students see through the eyes of the people from that time period. Literature reveals internal emotions and conflicts …

Teaching Efl/Esl College-Level Learners Through Current Global Topics: Integrated Lessons For Efl/Esl Teachers, Chaiyeon Sylvia Lee

Master's Projects and Capstones

The importance of educating effective English users competent in communicating and interacting in a variety of social settings is highlighted in today’s highly globalized world. Being able to understand and discuss complex global topics related to current cultural, social, and business issues and events has become an integral skill of English learners to achieve greater international connectivity. Unfortunately, many EFL/ESL college-level students, specifically Korean EFL students, do not seem to have sufficient preparation to build English communicative competence and cultural awareness necessary to cope with various situations in which they need to communicate meaningfully and purposefully as effective English users. …

Creating An Energetic Classroom: A Handbook For Esl Teachers, Lusha Sha

Master's Projects and Capstones

Low classroom energy is a common problem in English language teaching. This field project discusses the problematic low-energy classroom from both the student side and the instructor side. The first aspect explored is the silence of students. Because speech shows the process of language acquisition and is also the precondition of language acquisition, it is crucial to discover and understand the reasons for some students’ unwillingness to speak (Baran-Lucarz, 2014). The project explains the willingness to communicate and the cultural variations in learning. The second aspect of a low-energy classroom in this project is the ESL teacher lack of enthusiasm. …

Can Addressing Language Skills For Fifth Grade Ells In A Multiplication Curriculum Help Address The Achievement Gap In Math? A Multiplication Workbook For Big Kids, Michelle Douglas

Master's Projects and Capstones

Currently, the state of California has 1,332,405 students from grades k-12 who speak a language other than English at home (Caledfacts, 2016). When I started my first year teaching fifth grade with 95% of my students being English language learners (ELLs), I was surprised to see an achievement gap of two to three years in my student’s reading and math skills. I found that my student’s developmental language and math skills contributed to a lack of engagement during math time. Upon further research, I found that these three factors play a role in the wide achievement gaps between ELLs and …

The Influence Of Participation In The Leveled Literacy Intervention Program On The Sustained Literacy Achievement For Students In Grades One Through Threev, Veronica Anne Glover

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study evaluated the efficacy of Fountas & Pinnell’s Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) program and its effect on struggling readers in the first grade, as well as the sustaining effects of the intervention over a two-year period. The students in the study attended an elementary school in a Central New Jersey public school district and received the LLI supplemental pull out reading program five days a week for 30 to 45 minutes per session as prescribed. The study hypothesized that the LLI program would have a significant effect on the reading progress of struggling first-grade students in the districts’ first …

The Impact Of Song And Movement On Kindergarten Sight Word Acquisition, Katy Martin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this naturalistic, qualitative study was to document the impact that song and movement had on kindergarten sight word acquisition. To investigate this, 18 kindergarten students were taught 20 new sight words using songs and movement over the course of four weeks. Data was systematically collected and analyzed to determine the specific benefits that song and movement had on kindergartner's sight word learning in regard to automaticity, motivation, and engagement. The kindergarten students were administered a pre-and post-sight word assessment along with a pre-and post-song and movement motivation and engagement student survey. Throughout the study, a qualitative journal …

Final Ma Portfolio, Jessica Goodman

Master of Arts in English Plan II Graduate Projects

A Final Portfolio submitted to the English Department of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the field of English with a specialization in English teaching. The first project is a syllabus for a course on American protest literature. The second project is a five-week major assignment plan focusing on identity and rhetorical writing choices. The third paper is a theory and practice synthesis of empowering literacy alongside a checklist for teachers who wish to include empowering literacy in their classrooms. Finally, the fourth item is a revision (re-vision) …

Pedagogies Of Possibilities: (Re)Designing Teacher Professional Learning To Support The Use Of Digital Technologies In Multimodal Pedagogies, Lori Mckee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Digital technologies have the potential to expand communication opportunities (Walsh, 2011), but challenges exist in including these technologies in early literacy instruction (Flewitt, Messer, & Kucirkova, 2015). The literature explains that teachers identify a need for support in using digital technologies in their teaching (e.g., Hill, 2010) and professional learning activities are herein key. Still, the research offers differing advice about the formats these activities should take and the types of literacy digital technologies can support. This exploratory multiple-case study was designed to create teacher professional learning (TPL) opportunities to support early primary teachers (kindergarten-Grade 2) in creating and enacting …

Review: Adjectives Forms;First, Second, And Third Forms, Kate Garrison

Open Educational Resources

This worksheet offers a quick, five minute review of positive, comparative, and superlative forms of adjectives and models for correct usage. Sometimes students will apply the "add er" rule to all adjectives in the superlative form, even those of three or more syllables that require only "more." Sometimes students will confuse "than" and "then" when making a comparison.

Pirls 2016: Reporting Australia's Results, Sue Thomson, Kylie Hillman, Marina Schmid, Sima Rodrigues, Jessica Fullarton

Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS)

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is an international comparative study of student achievement directed by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). PIRLS 2016 represents the fourth such study since PIRLS was first conducted in 2001. Australia has participated in the two most recent cycles – PIRLS 2011 and 2016. In Australia, PIRLS is managed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and is jointly funded by the Australian Government and the state and territory governments. The goal of PIRLS is to provide the best policy-relevant information about how to improve teaching and …

A Case Study Of Two Taiwanese Students With Hearing Loss Navigating The English As A Foreign Language Requirement At Their University, Yu Chen

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

Many institutions of higher education (IHE) students in Taiwan now need to meet the English proficiency requirement to earn their higher education degrees. In this case study, I intended to a) provide the opportunity for IHE students with hearing loss in Taiwan to share their opinions, thoughts, and experiences of learning English as a foreign language in higher education institutes; and b) understand how English as a foreign language policies and educational practices contribute to create opportunities and barriers for IHE students with hearing loss. The research question I intended to examine was “what are the perceptions of the lived …

Pre-Service Foreign Language Teachers’ Perceptions Of Research Skills: A Qualitative Study, Eda Elmas, Selami Aydin

The Qualitative Report

While research skills seem significant for effective and successful foreign language teaching and learning, few studies focused on how English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers perceive research skills in the EFL teaching and learning processes. Research also lacks how EFL teachers perceive research skills and to what extent they are aware of the role, teacher as researcher. Thus, this study aims to explore pre-service EFL teachers’ perceptions of research skills for a deeper understanding of how their perceptions of research skills affect or contribute to the teaching and learning processes. The sample group in the study consisted of 44 …

250 Words Of I Don't Understand: Reading Struggles For Freshmen College Students, Alicia Bushey

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone project is on the reading struggles of first year college students. This is important because reading is a fundamental need in secondary education and in our society. If people are challenged in this area, they will struggle both in higher education, as well as certain aspects of daily living. The three primary stakeholder perspectives examined were college teachers and tutors, because of their relevant expertise, as well as their roles and responsibilities. Based on an analysis of the data and the relevant research literature, action was taken to help first-year college students overcome their reading …

Using Multicultural Children’S Literature To Address Social Issues: The Power Of Interactive Read Aloud, Rebekah E. Piper, Ramona T. Pittman, Tasha A. Vice

Reading Faculty Publications

As the demographics of U.S. schools are changing, educators have to embrace this change and prepare students to adopt diversity and inclusivity as a means to increase students’ understanding of their peers. Not only are race and ethnicity identities at the forefront of these changes, gender identity and ability identity must also be supported, as more students are challenging traditional gender roles and as more students are mainstreamed into regular education classes. This article seeks to address usage of interactive read alouds of multicultural literature as a means to help bridge students who need inclusive
and equitable pedagogical practices in …

Gichi-Ayaa Mashkawziiwin, Suzette E. Lacasse (Anishinaabe-Ojibwe)

Conspectus Borealis

No abstract provided.

Happiness Is...Poetry!, Ann M. Ellsworth, Julie Papp

The Montana English Journal

This article shares one teacher's story of how her fifth graders were inspired to write poems after she shared aloud a mentor text.

Hold Steady In The Wind: Reclaiming The Writing Workshop, Sheryl A. Lain Ms.

The Montana English Journal

Abstract of Article:

This article, rooted in the knowledge of pioneer researchers and practitioners, urges teachers to hold on to their writing workshop, because this classroom method not only promotes student voice and choice, but also achieves the fundamental aim of the education reform movement: to foster student success. As students become better writers, their test scores improve. The writing workshop offers students the opportunity to explore their own voices, to write all kinds of modes of writing, and to experience some autonomy, so important if they are to persist in the hard work of learning.

From The Boston Stone Jail, 1775, Jean C. O'Connor

The Montana English Journal

Primary sources can open doors to stories we can only imagine. I share the discovery of an actual letter written by American patriot James Lovell in September of 1775, the more startling because in my research for my historical fiction novel The Cause I had already read a clerk-written version of the letter. I encourage teachers to utilize primary sources to entice their students’ development of narrative, and offer links to excellent sources from the Montana Historical Society.

Writing Coaches Of Montana: Providing In-Class Support To Middle And High School Writers, Beverly Ann Chin Ph.D, Catherine Filardi Ph.D

The Montana English Journal

Teachers of writing know the importance of giving students feedback throughout the writing process. Teachers of writing also know the value of having students write for authentic audiences. However, classroom teachers often face challenges in these two areas. Writing Coaches of Montana (WCM) is a non-profit, independent, community-based organization that addresses these challenges. WCM’s mission is to help Montana students write competently, think critically and express themselves confidently. WCM supports teachers by recruiting, training and supervising community volunteers who work individually with students in middle and high school classrooms on writing assignments that require critical thinking and revision. The success …

Fostering Effective And Engaging Literature Discussions, Kayla Lewis

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Literature discussion groups are a widely used practice in many classrooms. Creating literature discussions that are both effective and engaging can be a rewarding experience for both the students and the teacher. As a part of a larger study examining the scaffolding that took place during literature discussions, this article focuses on the strengths of three teachers implementing literature discussion groups within their fifth grade classrooms. Through an analysis of these teachers’ strengths, a scale was developed to help other teachers as they reflect on their own literature discussions.

Editorial Review Board Rh V.56 N.4

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

No abstract provided.

Understanding Parents’ Attitudes Towards Complexity In Children's Books, Dorit Aram, Deborah Bergman Deitcher, Gali Adar

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Experts in children's literature and child development value complexity in the language, socio-emotional content, and structure of books, yet little is known regarding parents’ attitudes towards these aspects. The study thus examined how parents’ gender, education, and profession, children's age and gender, and frequency of parent-child reading interactions predict parents’ support for complexity in children’s books. Participants were 104 parents to children aged 4-7. Parents completed questionnaires measuring frequency of shared book reading and levels of support for complexity of children’s narrative books in three areas: language, socio-emotional content, and structure. Results showed that parents supported complexity of socio-emotional content, …

Teachers’ Experiences Providing One-On-One Instruction To Struggling Readers, Meghan D. Liebfreund, Steven J. Amendum

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This study examined the experiences of 12 kindergarten, first-, and second-grade classroom teachers who provided one-on-one intervention instruction for struggling readers within the general classroom context. Teachers were interviewed at the end of the project. Interview statements clustered into four themes: Managing One-on-One Intervention, Observing Student Growth, Acquiring Knowledge about Teaching Reading, and Discovering Specific Characteristics of Good Teaching. Results indicated that positioning the classroom teacher at the center of a reading intervention with support may be a beneficial form of professional development. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

"It Teaches Them To Have A Conversation In The Real World" : An Analysis Of How Identity Performances Shape Classroom Discussions., Ashley Lauren Shelton Arnold

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although discussion has long played a role in classroom learning, recent focus on moving discussion away from the evaluative and toward the dialogic is key to understanding how discussion can be driven by multiple, shared understandings. Adopting a sociocultural perspective, this dissertation explores the ways in which identity performances shape one teacher and his students’ participation in classroom discussions. The theoretical framework guiding this study draws on the relationship between discourse and identities construction, with further attention given to improvisations of identities, figured worlds, and the ways in which power shapes discourse. This dissertation argues that performed identities shape the …