Education Commons^™

Parental Perceptions Of A Summer Esl Parent Institute: A Retrospective Case Study, John Scott Cascone

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Negotiating Literature Discussions In Multiple Contexts: Talking About Books With Latinas In Elementary School, Joanna L. Waggoner-Norquest

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study works to answer the primary research questions: How do Latina elementary school students negotiate literature discussions in both online and face-to-face contexts? In addition, it seeks to answer the subquestions: How does the chosen medium, face-to-face or online discussions, influence these discussions? How do students move between discourse/identities during these discussions? Through the use of mapping conversational turns and broad application of discourse analysis, based on the work of James Paul Gee, this study shows the ways Latina students negotiate in-person literature discussions largely by recreating traditional school-based power structures and blending home and school Discourses. It shows …

Signals The Interplay Between Literacy, Gender, And Semiotics, Patricia Parker

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this study is to examine adult literacy beyond its constraints as a social problem and instead consider the implications of illiteracy as a particular form of lived experience, analogous to women's oppression at large. Through a complex system of meaning making, the knowledge accrued by illiterate adults is qualitatively different, and examining these differences in terms of their correlation to coping mechanisms developed in the face of social alienation and diminished professional prospects yields a greater understanding of class privilege and how nontraditional learners fit into a larger social structure. From the perspective of academic feminism, adult …

Tracking The Basic Writer, Timothy Donohue

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Since the 1970s, composition teachers and theorists have been advocating the term “basic writer” to give a space and voice to underprepared students entering college by providing them with basic skills remediation. Despite the various pedagogical approaches to these classes that have been established and put into practice over the years, there is still large disagreement among educators on how to best prepare these students for entrance into the mainstream college environment.

This study begins by examining the history of the basic writing movement, acknowledging key figures and the salient ideas of their works. A broad overview is given to …

Reading Reform And The Role Of Policy, Practice And Instructional Leadership On Reading Achievement: A Case Study Of Grissom Elementary School, Faith Andrea Morrison

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The purpose of this study was to explore whether William Deming's 8 Step Model would increase reading achievement in 3rd grade students. The study investigated how well the process based plan-do-check-act model when used as a treatment with fidelity, coupled with the principal as instructional leader would result in success in the age of federal accountability.

A qualitative case study methodology was adopted for the study. A school in northwest Indiana was selected and data were collected from interviews, field observations, focus group interviews, a principal questionnaire, and data analysis of student test scores. The focus of the school was …

Musical Linguistics: How Music And Artistic Creativity When Delivered As A Linguistic Practice, Help Students Master Academic Skills In English Language Arts, Cynthyny Ann Lebo

Theses Digitization Project

This Masters project consists of two elements: 1) an integrated after-school program to improve student English language reading and academic outcomes for third graders' vocabulary development by incorporating music, artistic creativity and linguistics; 2) a pilot sample curriculum that demonstrates the approach for building student comprehension through musical theater and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) content experiences. Called "Water Buddy", this is an after-school program uses singing, dancing, writing, and play to build reading and vocabulary skills. The goal is to improve learner academic outcomes by mastering the elemental building blocks of words, letters, symbols by making memorable the …

The Effects Of Digital Technology On Basic Writing, Leslie Denise Norris

English Theses & Dissertations

At this study's research site—a small, Virginia community college—faculty, staff and students use digital technology to share information daily, which could cause a problem for some students: students may need digital literacy instruction before the college requires those courses. Another potential problem is that scholars (Stephens, Houser, and Cowan) indicate that some instructors across the academy treat students negatively if students do not demonstrate digital, rhetorical dexterity when communicating—particular digital skills that some students lack.

For this study, I surveyed basic writing (BW) instructors and students at the research site to learn more about their digital experiences. The surveys yielded …

Portuguese As A Foreign Language: Teaching And Learning In The United States: A Dissertation, Celia Bianconi

Educational Studies Dissertations

This dissertation reviewed the history of foreign language education in the United States relating it to political and economic world events. A quantitative study and a hypothesis generating case study revealed the motivation of learners of Portuguese as a foreign language. Portuguese teachers in higher education in the United States were surveyed and three recently published Portuguese textbooks were analyzed. The results showed that the main reasons that motivate students to learn Portuguese as a foreign language are interest in Brazilian culture, plans to travel in a Portuguese-speaking country, familiarity with Spanish language, skills needed to reach professional goals and …

Leadership Distinctions : The Impact Of Leadership On Teachers Of Second Chance Reading, Rebecca Sue Williams

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Second Chance Reading (SCR), an instructional framework that targets and supports struggling adolescent readers and determined to be a sound and viably researched framework, can assist teachers in building and supporting proficient and lifelong learners when implemented as intended. This study examined educators from five unique communities who recently implemented the program. Four key questions guided the research and became the focus during semi-structured purposive interviews. (1) What was the relationship between Second Chance Reading teachers and principal leadership? (2) What leadership qualities were necessary to support Second Chance Reading teachers? (3) What barriers were preventing teachers from accomplishing their …

A Mixed Methods Study Of Special Education Teachers' Knowledge Of Reading Instruction And Perceptions Concerning Their Preparation To Teach Reading, Cynthia Darden Blakeslee

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Significant changes in requirements for reading instruction and special education teacher preparation have occurred in recent years due to provisions found in the No Child Left Behind legislation of 2001 and the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. This study examined the preparation for reading instruction that prospective special education teachers received during their teacher preparation and their beliefs concerning their preparation. Reading instruction preparation was examined in the context of the knowledge and skills associated with reading instruction acquired in two required university reading courses. Using a mixed methods sequential explanatory design-participant-selection model (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2010) …

Student-Centered Literacy Instruction: An Examination Of An Elementary Teacher's Experience, Carolyn Marie Wiezorek

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In this qualitative study, I examined and interpreted the literacy instruction of a fourth grade instructor who identified herself as a student-centered teacher. I sought to understand and interpret the beliefs and attitudes of my participant, Julie. Through seven unstructured interviews and five observations, I collected, and simultaneously interpreted, data. Julie freely shared her beliefs, successes, challenges, and frustrations regarding her literacy instruction.

Because of the contextual nature of the study I sought emerging themes through analysis and reflection. Four themes surfaced: attitude and philosophy, environment, instructional practices, and impact on students. Julie possessed an attitude that all students could …

La ProbléMatique Du Retour Dans Les Films Et Romans Africains : Analyse Comparative D'Œuvres Pré-IndéPendance Et Contemporaines, Anoumou Amekudji

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

L'évolution du monde de nos jours est à l'origine des migrations de plus en plus importantes entre les continents. Cet accroissement des flux migratoires fait que la thématique de l'immigration occupe depuis les années 1980 une grande place dans les oeuvres de cinéastes et écrivains africains francophones vivant en Afrique ou en Occident. Les oeuvres des années trente et soixante mettaient beaucoup plus l'accent sur le séjour des immigrés dans leurs pays hôtes, tandis que celles publiées à partir des années 1980 s'intéressent au retour dans leurs pays d'origine. L'objectif de cette thèse est d'étudier l'évolution de la problématique du …

The Effectiveness Of Etymological Elaboration As A Method Of Teaching Idioms To Adolescent English Language Learners, Julia L. Coryell

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The prevalence of idioms in both spoken and written English makes learning to comprehend and produce them important for English language learners. It may be particularly important for preadolescent and adolescent learners to become proficient with idioms because of their need to fit in with peers and the frequency with which idioms occur in classroom communication and academic texts. Idioms pose difficulties for non-native speakers because of their nature as both formulaic and figurative language, their cultural specificity, and the fact that their figurative meaning cannot necessarily be determined from the literal meanings of the constituent words.

The Viability Of Palestinian Efl Teachers To Effectively Apply Ict As An Educational Medium In Palestinian Basic Schools In The Gaza Strip : A Pedagogical Perspective, Wael A. S. Jebril

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The primary purpose of this research is to present a successful model of a Palestinian EFL ICT-using teacher; through investigating the viability of a Palestinian EFL teacher to effectively use ICT as a medium in the classroom in a basic school. The research presents a pioneering idea that focuses on the pedagogical ability of the teacher to design and teach governmental EFL material via technology in a developing, occupied and besieged area (The Gaza Strip: Palestine). The research is meant to present a successful demonstrative study that would address Palestinian EFL teachers, decision makers, school administrators and sponsors.

Theoretical And Practical Implications Of Multicultural Music For Additional Language Learning In South Africa, Nolan Keven Krull

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The South African Department of Basic Education has outlined general goals for the country's education system as well as specific goals for each school subject in a Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for Grades R to 12. This research focuses on how the use of multicultural South African music can support the goals and objectives of the curriculum for English as a First Additional Language in Grades 10 to 12. The proposed introduction of multicultural music creates a third culture that stems from the novel integration of cultural elements and takes advantage of learners' prior knowledge and cultural experiences. …

The Effects Of Interactive Strategies Approach On At-Risk Kindergarten Children's Spelling Development, Sun Hwa Lee

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study involved secondary analyses of an existing kindergarten developmental spelling data set which was collected using the Developmental Spelling Test (DST; Tangel & Blachman, 1992, 1995) in Scanlon and her colleagues' 2005 study (Scanlon, Vellutino, Small, Fanuele, & Sweeney, 2005). The purpose of the current study is to examine whether the early literacy instruction/intervention approach called the Interactive Strategies Approach (ISA; Scanlon, Anderson, & Sweeney, 2010; Vellutino & Scanlon, 2002) is effective for improving at-risk children's spelling development.

Reading For Deep Understanding : Knowledge Building And Conceptual Artifacts In Secondary English, Marc Nachowitz

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this design-based experiment is two-fold: to see if classroom pedagogies can be developed to improve student achievement in English literature as well as prepare them for 21st Century literacies. Applying Bereiter and Scardamalia's theory of Knowledge Building to English curricula, this experiment tracked the progress of a sixth grade Language Arts class as they engaged in creating theories of literary interpretation supported by Knowledge Forum, a computer-supported, on-line learning environment. The study revealed several key findings concerning how knowledge-building can support student's attainment of "high literacy" in the reading of literature, including maintaining idea diversity, the importance …

Anatomy Of Process-Based Writing Center Tutorials With Nnes Writers : What Writers Take Away, Jason C. Vickers

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Non-native English speaking (NNES) students in higher educational settings face difficulties writing academic papers and, in response to these difficulties, often seek assistance in understanding cultural, rhetorical, linguistic aspect of writing in English (Harris & Silva, 1993; Powers & Nelson, 1995). One resource available to them is writing centers, which Leki (2009) believes may be "ideal learning environments whose first or strongest language is not English" (p. 1). Writing centers in higher education contexts are places, usually operated by English departments, where students can go to receive assistance at all stages of writing their academic papers. Tutorials are typically collaborative …

The Role Of Elementary School Principals Supporting Teachers In The Instruction Of Reading For English Language Learners: A Dissertation, Nadene B. Stein

Educational Studies Dissertations

This study utilized data gleaned from on-line surveys of primary level teachers and elementary school principals to understand what principals need to know and be able to do to support teachers in their instruction of reading for English Language Learners (ELLs). A review of five areas of literature provided a theoretical foundation for this study. Twenty-six primary level teachers and four elementary school principals, from eight Massachusetts schools, participated in separate, three-part online questionnaires. Participants answered questions about licensure, experience, and professional development focused on teaching English Language Learners. In addition, participants responded to questions about their perceptions of (1) …

Program Evaluation Of A School District's Multisensory Reading Initiative, Michael Patrick Asip

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this study was to conduct a formative program evaluation of a school district's multisensory reading initiative. The mixed methods study involved semi-structured interviews, online survey, focus groups, document review, and analysis of extant special education student reading achievement data. Participants included elementary special education teachers of high incidence students with disabilities, elementary assistant principals, central office special education leaders, and contracted training partners. Facilitating conditions that supported multisensory reading instruction included supportive school administrators, professional learning communities, intensive initial professional development, plentiful instructional materials, and supportive central office personnel. Constraints included school master schedules, limited time for …

Special Issues In Engaging And Collaborating With Families Of English Language Learners, Stephanie Allison Strouse

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Research demonstrates positive outcomes associated with family involvement (Fl), but little exists specific to English Language Learners' (ELLs) FI. Factors impacting FI are identified, but it is unclear which educators view as most significant and what practices are implemented to address them. This study utilized survey data to examine educators' attitudes within an Iowa Area Education Agency regarding FI of ELLs, current practices, perceptions of practices' effectiveness, and professional development (PD) related to ELLs. Participants reported positive relationships with families of ELLs and that ELL families value education, yet only moderate satisfaction with ELL FI. Results indicate incongruity between common …