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Equitable Identification Of El Students For Special Education By All Teachers, Hanna Winkelman
Equitable Identification Of El Students For Special Education By All Teachers, Hanna Winkelman
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project is: How do teachers refer EL students for special education services and how can the process be more equitable for students? The motivating factor for this research was one teacher’s frustration in referring EL students for special education services at a large urban school. The teacher felt as though the process was disorganized, inequitable and did not support EL students with the highest needs. The author interviews ESL, special education teachers and a bilingual educational assistant at one urban school to identify their perspective of the process and frustrations that arise from it. …
What Instructional Strategies Are Effective For Increasing Vocabulary For English Language Learners In A Preschool Classroom?, Nicole Carter
What Instructional Strategies Are Effective For Increasing Vocabulary For English Language Learners In A Preschool Classroom?, Nicole Carter
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project is What Instructional Strategies are Effective for Increasing Vocabulary for English Language Learners in a Preschool Classroom? Teaching students who are limited in their understanding of the English language can be a daunting tasks; since students speak their native languages at home, making it difficult for teachers to communicate with them. This topic is significant because there has been a rapid increase in English language learners in the United States with the gap in achievement between ELLs and their English speaking peers. The purpose of the research is to find ways to increase …
An Analysis Of Critical Thinking And Motivation In A Korean University Efl Classroom, Andrew Steven Parker
An Analysis Of Critical Thinking And Motivation In A Korean University Efl Classroom, Andrew Steven Parker
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This study was designed to determine what kinds of motivation students at a Korean university had for learning English, how the students would respond to intervention lessons with strong critical thinking components, and to what extent, if any, did those students feel that critical thinking would be advantageous to the study of English. It utilized a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data was collected in the form of Likert questionnaire items and analyzed in terms of Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System. Qualitative data was collected using open-ended questionnaire items. The findings were that the students’ strongest source of motivation was their Ideal …
How International Graduate Students Whose First Language Is Not English Describe The Impact Of Speaking With An Accent In Their Learning, Guadalupe Bañuls
How International Graduate Students Whose First Language Is Not English Describe The Impact Of Speaking With An Accent In Their Learning, Guadalupe Bañuls
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Every year thousands of international students come to the United States to study. Many who pursue advanced degrees are adults whose first language is not English, and they most likely speak English with an accent. Since social interactions are fundamental for learning, speaking English with an accent can be a barrier in communicating with others and impact their learning. This study had two foci: How speaking with an accent impacts the learning of international graduate students whose first language is not English and the impact of speaking English with an accent in their professional and academic environments. The study was …
Teaching English Rhythm: The Importance Of Rhythm And Strategies To Effectively Incorporate Rhythm Practice Within Content Lessons, Angela L. Reinard Haasch
Teaching English Rhythm: The Importance Of Rhythm And Strategies To Effectively Incorporate Rhythm Practice Within Content Lessons, Angela L. Reinard Haasch
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was how can professional development (PD) materials be developed to educate adult education (AE) English as a second language (ESL) teachers about English rhythm and to provide effective strategies to incorporate rhythm throughout content lessons? The motivating factor for this capstone was an observation of teachers’ insecurities regarding pronunciation pedagogy of suprasegmental features, specifically rhythm, a lack of focus on rhythm in ESL classrooms, and a need for PD surrounding teaching pronunciation. The research defines English rhythm, the way it differs from the rhythm of other languages, and its affect on intelligibility. Furthermore, …
Jiji Can Talk! An Oral Language Strategy Guide For Blended Learning Math Classrooms Using St Math, William Menz
Jiji Can Talk! An Oral Language Strategy Guide For Blended Learning Math Classrooms Using St Math, William Menz
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was, how can an oral language strategy guide be created to support ELs language development in the elementary math classroom that uses ST Math. The capstone outlines strategies that can be paired with online content from ST Math to help ELs and native speakers develop oral language around the math puzzles presented in the standards based curriculum. By simultaneously addressing conceptual understanding of math content and English language development, the strategy guide works to meet the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and the Principles of Math Instruction for ELs using ST Math, …
Perceptions Of Co-Teaching, Ashlee Wicks
Perceptions Of Co-Teaching, Ashlee Wicks
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this research project was to investigate mainstream and ESL teachers’ perceptions of co-teaching. Electronic surveys were used to collect data. Teachers were asked to reflect on experiences they have had co-teaching. In addition, they were asked to share beliefs about ESL program models, co-teaching, and components they believe are necessary to make coteaching successful. Results show that a high percentage of mainstream and ESL teachers believe that co-teaching is a highly effective ESL program model and are willing to co-teach. However, both teachers with experience co-teaching and without acknowledge that there are many challenges to successfully co-teach. …
Teacher Identity, Motivation, And Career In The Efl Setting, Kevin Peter Gilman
Teacher Identity, Motivation, And Career In The Efl Setting, Kevin Peter Gilman
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This study looked at how English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ motives and identities changed throughout their careers. It looked at teachers’ initial motivations for entering the field, and how these motivations changed with regards to their ever-evolving teacher identity. It also looked at some of the roles and challenges EFL teachers encounter while working in foreign countries and how this contributes to their job satisfaction and desire to continue teaching. Data was gathered through interviews with four EFL teachers. Results concluded that EFL teachers’ motives frequently involve external factors not related to teaching and that their ongoing motives …
Aspect Instruction And Narrative Inferencing, Christine Marie Wytaske
Aspect Instruction And Narrative Inferencing, Christine Marie Wytaske
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The guiding questions in this research project are Does explicitly teaching aspect to advanced-level adult learners of English lead to greater understanding of causal inferences in narrative context? Does a delayed post-test show that teaching contributes to integration into learners’ knowledge base for later acquisition and not just lead to intake? Aspect is a complicated semantic domain so in many ways it remains difficult for students to learn, understand, and apply. The motivating factor for this research was to incorporate textual enhancement with explicit instruction in order to assist students in noticing aspect and in making correct inferences. This study …
A Text Analysis Of How Passive Voice In A Biology Textbook Impacts English Language Learners, Karli Jo Neilson
A Text Analysis Of How Passive Voice In A Biology Textbook Impacts English Language Learners, Karli Jo Neilson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
With so many ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers currently co-teaching, it is important to investigate how academic text interferes with the general understanding of the text for ELLs (English Language Learners). This study examined the use of the passive voice in a biology textbook in a high school co-taught biology ESL classroom. The general research questions were: how often does the use of passive voice occur and what does the use of passive voice look like in Biology (Nowicki, 2008); what types of issues can passive voice cause for teachers and students, including classroom expectations of using the …
A Correlation Between English Oral Language Proficiency And The Success Of The Reading Recovery Program For Karen Students, Heidi Wheelock
A Correlation Between English Oral Language Proficiency And The Success Of The Reading Recovery Program For Karen Students, Heidi Wheelock
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This case study explores how the success of Karen Reading Recovery students correlates to their English oral language proficiency. Three first-grade Karen students in the second round of Reading Recovery were assessed to find their English oral language proficiency. Their pretest and posttest scores from the program were analyzed as well as observation data about their success in the use of semantic and syntactic prompts. Interview data from the Reading Recovery teachers about the exit status of the students was analyzed for recurring themes. The results show that English oral language proficiency has an affect on the degree of success …
Environmental Education In A Dual Immersion Classroom, Annaka Marie Larson
Environmental Education In A Dual Immersion Classroom, Annaka Marie Larson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was, how can environmental education curricula be implemented in dual immersion classrooms? It describes how the author used a unit planning framework designed for dual immersion to adapt lessons from the environmental education curriculum Project WILD for her first grade Spanish immersion class. Both curriculum design and action research were incorporated into the project. She details the process of modifying the lessons, what happened when she implemented the lessons in her classroom, and how the lessons improved students’ content knowledge, language abilities, and appreciation for the environment. She concludes that environmental education can …
Improving Educational Practices For Karen Newcomers By Understanding The Schooling Experiences Of Karen Refugee Students, Alice Ramona Vang
Improving Educational Practices For Karen Newcomers By Understanding The Schooling Experiences Of Karen Refugee Students, Alice Ramona Vang
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The Karen people are one of the newest refugee populations to immigrate to the United States, but very little is known about them. The Karen have endured a civil war in Burma that has caused family separation, loss of loved ones, interrupted education and suffering from human rights violations. This research aims to gather vital information about the educational experiences of Karen students in order to inform and prepare educators to respond to the academic, cultural, and social needs of this population. Seven Karen high school students were interviewed to share their perspectives, and teacher observations are also included in …
The Intersection Of Collaboration, Critical Thinking And Technology: Implications For Adult Esl Learners Using An Inquiry Approach, Mary Elizabeth Zamacona
The Intersection Of Collaboration, Critical Thinking And Technology: Implications For Adult Esl Learners Using An Inquiry Approach, Mary Elizabeth Zamacona
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The primary purpose of this study was to determine the types and critical thinking skills used by adult ESL students as they learned technology skills through an inquiry approach. The results are based on the types of critical thinking skills that were utilized by adult students working collaboratively on an Excel computer project. Critical thinking was measured by coding audio recordings using the Transitions Integration Framework’s critical thinking skills category. Data were quantified by frequency of occurrence for each sub skill of critical thinking. Results show the most prominent critical thinking skills used by students in this study are problem-solving …
Tales For A Teacher’S Toolbox: Stories Of Emergent Bilinguals And Their Funds Of Knowledge, Erika Rae Bakkum
Tales For A Teacher’S Toolbox: Stories Of Emergent Bilinguals And Their Funds Of Knowledge, Erika Rae Bakkum
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Through a systematic review of ethnographic studies, this qualitative study collected stories that demonstrate the cultural wealth of emergent bilingual students. The stories collected demonstrate the aspirational, navigational, social, linguistic, familial, and resistant capitals (Yosso, 2005) as well as the experiential and social and emotional assets (WIDA, 2014) of emergent bilingual students. The narratives documented in this study can be retold as counter narratives that contradict commonly held deficit beliefs regarding emergent bilingual students, their families, and their communities.
Family Engagement Interpretations: A Comparison Of Primary Classroom Teachers And Chinese Families, Bridget Bergeson Gagnelius
Family Engagement Interpretations: A Comparison Of Primary Classroom Teachers And Chinese Families, Bridget Bergeson Gagnelius
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research questions addressed in this project were: How do primary classroom teachers interpret the roles of families in engagement in education? How do the families of primary-aged Chinese children interpret their own roles in engagement in education? How are these interpretations similar and different? In this project, the researcher discovered answers to these questions by administering a questionnaire to families of primary-age Chinese students and those students’ teachers. Using references to family engagement categories suggested by researchers Epstein and Dauber, Ho, and Berger and Riojas-Cortez, the researcher was able to determine that practices currently in place at this school …
How To Develop And Support The Academic Writing Of Our Students In The Science Classroom, Hannah Rose Hermanson Rivard
How To Develop And Support The Academic Writing Of Our Students In The Science Classroom, Hannah Rose Hermanson Rivard
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was how can we develop and support the academic writing of our students in the science classroom? A resource guide was created, designed for general education teachers in upper elementary classrooms. It uses the Teaching and Learning Cycle, created by Rothery, to incorporate the writing of procedural recounts into pre-existing science curriculum.
English Only? Examining The Use Of Students’ L1 In The Esl Classroom: A Systematic Literature Review, Erin Lynn Helland
English Only? Examining The Use Of Students’ L1 In The Esl Classroom: A Systematic Literature Review, Erin Lynn Helland
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Through the examination of existing research concerning the use of and attitudes toward students’ first language (L1) in ESL teaching environments, this project sought to answer the questions: how are students’ L1s used in the ESL classroom and what benefits are associated with their use? A background of the language ideologies in the United States provides a context for the use of students’ L1s and is used to explain the power relationships of language use. Findings indicate judicial use of students’ L1s in the classroom has multiple benefits relating to English acquisition, academic progress, and positive classroom environments where students’ …
How Reference With Demonstratives Creates Cohesion In A Physical Science Textbook, Amy Marie Petersen Sagrado
How Reference With Demonstratives Creates Cohesion In A Physical Science Textbook, Amy Marie Petersen Sagrado
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project is How are demonstratives used as reference in a 10th grade physical science textbook? The purpose was to inform the instruction of English learners when using a grade level text through a text analysis by understanding how demonstratives are used, whether as a determiner or pronoun, the direction the demonstrative points, the distance to the referent, whether the referent is a noun phrase, clause or inference and the clarity of the referent. Among the findings, it was concluded that demonstrative determiners are used more frequently in text than demonstrative pronouns and tend to …
Grade Retention And English Learners: A Literature Review And Teacher Interviews, Katie Jo Cordes
Grade Retention And English Learners: A Literature Review And Teacher Interviews, Katie Jo Cordes
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this study was, what is the effect of retention on English language learners (ELL)? The ELL student population has increased in United States schools and in this dynamic and heterogeneous group includes students that perform lower than grade level. This capstone provides research and teacher interviews regarding the efficacy of holding back struggling English learners. Following discussion of current research and teacher opinions, the author examines the results to form implications for educators considering using grade retention with English language learners.
The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy And Reading Test Score Improvement In Elementary English Learners, Daniel Patrick Sefkow
The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy And Reading Test Score Improvement In Elementary English Learners, Daniel Patrick Sefkow
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Despite funding from multiple sources, many upper elementary English Learners (ELs) in Minnesota struggle to reach grade level reading proficiency. This study examined the relationship between academic reading self-efficacy and improvement on two reading standardized tests taken annually at the school. Participants were 21 fourth and fifth grade intermediate or advanced ELs in a Midwestern town. Participants’ responses to a sixquestion Likert-style self-efficacy and reading survey were compared to two years’ worth of WIDA ACCESS and NWEA MAP reading data. Results indicated that students with lower reading proficiency had a greater standard deviation between their reading test score improvement and …
Supporting Traumatized Students: A Toolkit For Teachers, Emily Leichtle
Supporting Traumatized Students: A Toolkit For Teachers, Emily Leichtle
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
There is a large amount of research available about how childhood trauma may affect the brain and education. However, there are few practical resources that teachers can take back to their classrooms. This capstone is the preliminary step in creating a toolkit for teachers to help them better serve traumatized students. A survey was administered to teachers of a variety of disciplines at the high school level. Responses indicated that teachers had a good deal of knowledge about how trauma might affect their students. They could also identify areas where traumatized students were struggling, both academically and socially. However, they …
How Graphic Novels Affect Reading Comprehension And Memory Recall Of Story Elements For Language Learners, Stephen Jerome Meuer
How Graphic Novels Affect Reading Comprehension And Memory Recall Of Story Elements For Language Learners, Stephen Jerome Meuer
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
English Language Learners can experience a range of issues in regards to reading and comprehending text due to their language interference, and therefore require an arsenal of tools, scaffolds, and differentiation to be employed by EL and content teachers alike. A possible tool includes graphic novels, as both a visual aid and literary text, in terms of reading comprehension and memory recall of the plot elements read. My research attempted to measure differences between scores on student written retells of each chapter of a class novel read, with some chapters being independently read by the student in the traditional novel …
How Does Learning About Affixes (Prefixes And Suffixes) Help English Language Learners (Ells) Understand The Meaning And Use Of Affixes?, Melissa Jean Cook
How Does Learning About Affixes (Prefixes And Suffixes) Help English Language Learners (Ells) Understand The Meaning And Use Of Affixes?, Melissa Jean Cook
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this paper is: How does learning about affixes (prefixes and suffixes) through games and songs help English Language Learners (ELLs) understand the meaning and function of affixes? It documents one teacher’s teaching of common prefixes and suffixes to 3rd grade ELLs with the use of games and songs in the classroom to increase student learning and engagement. The data includes pretests, posttests and a survey. The findings of this study include, 1) some students were secure before the lessons in their knowledge of prefixes re- and mis- and suffix -er ; 2) the data was …
How Can Obstacles To Adult English Language Learners With Low Levels Of English Proficiency Participating In Distance Learning Be Reduced?, Anne Elizabeth Fern Ryan
How Can Obstacles To Adult English Language Learners With Low Levels Of English Proficiency Participating In Distance Learning Be Reduced?, Anne Elizabeth Fern Ryan
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was: How can obstacles to adult ELLs with low levels of English language proficiency participating in distance learning be reduced? Focus groups were conducted with Vietnamese and Somali students to examine their experiences with distance learning. Students spoke of issues of access, difficulty of navigation, and literacy level of online learning content as major frustrations. Translation of computer instruction and increased opportunities to receive computer instruction were among the suggestions students offered for improving distance learning. The student suggestions would be costly for ABE programs to fully implement. Possible avenues for future study …
Engagement Of Kindergarten English Learners During The Dramatic Play Center, Megan Marie Morin
Engagement Of Kindergarten English Learners During The Dramatic Play Center, Megan Marie Morin
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent different activities within the dramatic play center engage English Learners in order to help increase oral language proficiency scores. Three kindergarten ELs were observed during their time at the dramatic play center and interviewed afterwards by the participant observer of the study to see what activities within the dramatic play center were the most engaging. This research was carried out using a mixed methods approach with an emphasis on the qualitative paradigm. The main findings were: students are more engaged when the dramatic play center is centered on a …
Can A Speaker Of Syllable-Timed L1 (Spanish) Recognize The Stress-Timed Pattern Of The English Language?, Masooma Naqvi
Can A Speaker Of Syllable-Timed L1 (Spanish) Recognize The Stress-Timed Pattern Of The English Language?, Masooma Naqvi
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This is an action-based case study focusing on the ability of a Spanish speaking adult female learner (Lucy) to recognize her incorrect sentence stress in English and recognize what the target stress pattern should be. Following a pre and post-test procedure to collect data over the course of four consecutive once-a-week sessions the participant of the study is interviewed and recorded on the first and the last session while the sessions in between are interventional. The results of the study revealed that adult learners of English are able to recognize and be aware of the English sentence stress pattern but …
An Analysis Of English Language Learning Needs For Latino Adults Associated With A Church Outreach Program, Ellen Elizabeth Keesling
An Analysis Of English Language Learning Needs For Latino Adults Associated With A Church Outreach Program, Ellen Elizabeth Keesling
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study is to examine the English language learning needs of Latino adults in a rural suburb of a large metropolitan area in the Midwest United States. Participants in the research are primarily of Mexican heritage, ranging in age from 20 to 62. The target population for this study is Latino adults associated with a local church outreach program who are not currently attending ESL classes. Barriers to attending existing ESL classes are identified and hypothetical scenarios for community-based, family-oriented programs are investigated. Data were collected primarily from personal interviews with seven Latino adults who act as …
Thematic Learning And English Learners: Integrating Authentic Literacy In An Experience-Based Summer Program For English Learners, Miranda Michelle Gamayunov
Thematic Learning And English Learners: Integrating Authentic Literacy In An Experience-Based Summer Program For English Learners, Miranda Michelle Gamayunov
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Research indicates that the most successful summer programs and after school experiences do not simply mimic the school year but rather complement it. The purpose of this capstone was to create a stronger connection between the district’s school year literacy curriculum and its summer program for English Learners while maintaining the experience-based nature of the program. The research question explored: How can I best integrate authentic reading and writing into a hands-on, experience-based summer program for English Learners resulted in a series of six lessons complementing the program’s varied experiences and the district’s units of study thereby allowing for an …
Investigating Text Talk As A Tool For Improving Vocabulary And Comprehension Skills For English Learners In Response To Intervention Groups, Roshawn Terese Sook
Investigating Text Talk As A Tool For Improving Vocabulary And Comprehension Skills For English Learners In Response To Intervention Groups, Roshawn Terese Sook
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to determine if Text Talk is a viable vocabulary-teaching tool for English Learners. The students of the study were provided additional support in vocabulary and reading skills based on formal and informal grade level assessments. The children received supplemental instruction within the RtI framework. The research approach was an action research project that took place during an extended reading period. The Text Talk program was tested with first, second and third grade students as an intervention strategy. The study was carried out over a four-week period. The first two weeks the Text Talk guide …