Education Commons^™

Empowering All Students To Participate: Utilizing Aac To Respond During Lessons, Robbie Cromwell

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Previous research indicates that frequent and active participation of all students (including diverse student groups) improves student outcomes, as does using a variety of methods to respond during classroom instruction. Current research is limited in examining two key areas: 1) Increasing active participation of AAC users by encouraging engagement through frequent response opportunities during instruction and 2) Utilizing a variety of response methods to enable participation during instruction. Given the gaps that exist in the research, the purpose of this study is to examine whether incorporating a variety of opportunities to respond has an impact on AAC user’s engagement and …

Cultivating Lifelong Readers: A Study Of How English Teachers Can Bring Pleasure Back Into The Reading Lives Of Students, Kaylie Jo Schertzing

Culminating Experience Projects

Research has revealed that many of today’s students are not reading for pleasure. Although research shows that recreational reading is linked with academic success, educational policies have left reading for pleasure out of focus and instead emphasize a particular type of reading that is assessed on mandated tests. As a result of curriculum reforms, English Language Arts curriculum has been narrowed and left reading for pleasure out of focus. This project explores the history of curriculum reform in the United States as it relates to the teaching of English Language Arts as well as recent research surrounding how recreational reading …

Expectancy-Value Theory During Challenging Moments: A Narrative Inquiry Into Classroom Dialogic Discussions, Malka Alter Ungar

Theses and Dissertations

This problem solution narrative inquiry explored how expectancy-value theory impacts teachers’ decisions during dialogic discussions. This paper delved into challenging moments teachers faced during dialogic discussion implementation. The purpose was to use this data to better inform the development of teacher-centered and more supportive professional learning opportunities. Participants from two parochial schools were invited to be interviewed about their dialogic discussion experiences. Data was coded using constant-comparative coding and was then restoried within problem solution narrative framework. The narratives were then coded for themes of expectancy, value, and self-efficacy. This study was intended to impact professional development to guide teachers …

Exploring Arabic Emergent Literacy Instruction In Al Ain Private Schools: A Case Study Of Two Teachers, Iman Nader Alamirah

Curriculum and Instruction Theses

The concept of emergent literacy reflects a view of children’s development and learning of language in which the emerging language skills gradually progress in alignment with the developmental aspects of children (Sandvik, van Daal, & Adèr, 2014). This case study aimed at delving into the nature of Arabic emergent literacy instruction by exploring the perceptions and practices of a case of two teachers in one private school in Al Ain city. The questions this study attempted to answer were: (a) what are the perceptions of private schools’ teachers’ in Al Ain regarding the Arabic emergent literacy instruction? (b) What are …

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions About Reading Achievement, Brenielle Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading skills assessments have demonstrated that middle-grade Mississippi school children are on average two full grade levels or more below grade reading levels. This qualitative case study in one urban county Mississippi school district with decreasing literacy scores examined teachers' perceptions of evidence-based literacy instruction methods, which may improve literacy problem in this district. The constructive learning theory provided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions addressed teacher perceptions regarding recommended instructional strategies, limiting factors in student literacy, and suggestions about improving literacy teaching. Ten middle-grade teachers from 3 district schools participated in semi-structured interviews on research-based instructional …

A Case Study Of Teachers Implementing The Framework For 21st-Century Learning, Tabatha Sue Stover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Framework for 21st-Century Learning (The Framework) is focused on the mastery of core subjects and been found to be essential to student success. Teachers in a suburban school district in Ohio were struggling to address the challenges associated with the implementation of The Framework. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how teachers implemented the program in their classrooms. Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development guided the exploration of how elementary teachers were implementing critical elements of The Framework to scaffold literacy instruction. A qualitative case study design was used to allow the researcher to examine the …

High School Teachers’ Perceived Self-Efficacy In Teaching Literacy Across The Curriculum In Tennessee First Core Region 1 High Schools, Ashley N. Keys

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

At the high school level teachers are often departmentalized by their content area and do not teach subjects outside of their specialties. Common Core State Standards (CCSS) introduced literacy standards across the curriculum requiring reading and writing instruction in all courses. The adoption not only affected traditional literacy teachers but also science, math, social studies, and career and technical education teachers who may have had little or no training or experience in teaching literacy to adolescents. These teachers, because of little training or experience in teaching literacy, may feel unprepared for the CCSS literacy shifts or inadequate in delivering literacy …

The Effects Of Ipad Apps On Student Achievement In Literacy For Children In 2nd And 3rd Grade, Deena M. Reyes

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Many educators consider using educational iPad apps to supplement literacy curriculum and facilitate greater student engagement. Student literacy achievement is crucial at the lower elementary level. Students who do not progress through the grade level literacy standards of the Common Core State Standards need intervention instruction to achieve mastery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of using iPad apps based instruction in reading intervention programs for second and third grade students.

This study followed a mixed method approach, a pretest, post-test quasi experimental design where students enrolled in an after school reading intervention program used iPad …

An Exploration Of Influences Affecting The Selection Of Leveled Readers For Early Literacy Instruction, William K. Morelan

Dissertations

Problem

Educators have substantive concerns about the quality of children’s literature in general and leveled readers in particular. Though thousands of titles are now available, educators appear to be searching for something better than the text and illustrations found in many of these books. But before educators, authors, and publishers can respond to this perceived need for better beginners’ books, they need a clearer understanding of influences affecting the selection of leveled readers for early literacy instruction.

Research Design

This qualitative study was based on a narrative inquiry approach. Nine participants were purposefully chosen to represent three distinct groups (university …