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2017

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Full-Text Articles in Education

The Impacts Of Explicit Systematic Phonics Instruction On The Areas Of Decoding And Fluency For Students With A Specific Learning Disability In Reading, Marina Hingston Dec 2017

The Impacts Of Explicit Systematic Phonics Instruction On The Areas Of Decoding And Fluency For Students With A Specific Learning Disability In Reading, Marina Hingston

Capstones, Research Projects, and Curricula

The purpose of this embedded, mixed methods action research study was to examine the impacts of explicit, systematic phonics instruction on students with a specific learning disability in reading. A phonics intervention program, S.P.I.R.E., was implemented over the course of four weeks. The participants were two 4th graders and one 6th grader, all who had an identified specific learning disability in the area of reading. Data was collected on decoding accuracy pre and post intervention, as well as on reading fluency using timed one minute fluency drills. In addition, student perceptions of the S.P.I.R.E. program were also gathered using a …


250 Words Of I Don't Understand: Reading Struggles For Freshmen College Students, Alicia Bushey Dec 2017

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 …


Parental Workshops And Student Academic Success, Dwain C. Thompson Jr. Dec 2017

Parental Workshops And Student Academic Success, Dwain C. Thompson Jr.

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This qualitative participatory action research study analyzed the perceptions and experiences of parents regarding the effectiveness of their involvement in parental workshops along with their perceptions of their engagement in parent involvement activities and their impact on student behavior and academic achievement. The study took place in a local church. The targeted population was low socioeconomic status (SES) and African American parents. Twenty parents with children attending grades K-12 participated in the study. The results of the study paralleled with the review of literature, in researchers suggested that there is a lack of opportunities for parent involvement among low SES …


The Effectiveness Of High Frequency Word List Instruction On Star Reading Test Scores, Michael Foster Dec 2017

The Effectiveness Of High Frequency Word List Instruction On Star Reading Test Scores, Michael Foster

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to test the theory of using high frequency word list (HFWL)-based instruction when teaching beginning reading instruction. This study compared the reading fluency changes of eight classes across three different grades containing 115 students over 5 months as measured by the Standardized Test for the Assessment in Reading (STAR) when intervention students are given identical instruction using different popular HFWLs. One control group received no such intervention. The Fry HFWL was used. The resulting scores were analyzed using an independent-samples t test. The comparisons determined the effectiveness of teaching beginning reading using …


Academic Interventions In Secondary Schools: Examining Teachers' Perceptions Of Implementing A Multi-Tiered System Of Support, Shannon Mortrud Dec 2017

Academic Interventions In Secondary Schools: Examining Teachers' Perceptions Of Implementing A Multi-Tiered System Of Support, Shannon Mortrud

Theses and Dissertations

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2015) only 34% of eighth grade students in the U.S. scored at or above proficient in reading and only 33% were at or above proficient in math. Reading comprehension is essential for the acquisition of knowledge in all coursework and those students who have reading deficits may experience increased academic failure. Deficits in math skills may also increase core academic failure for secondary students expected to complete rigorous courses in algebra and beyond. In a review of the literature, Blount (2012) deduced that academic failure is one of the main predictive risk …


“Going The Extra Mile”: Perspectives And Experiences Of Coaches Supporting Primary School Teachers In Sierra Leone, Ashley Clayton Hertz Nov 2017

“Going The Extra Mile”: Perspectives And Experiences Of Coaches Supporting Primary School Teachers In Sierra Leone, Ashley Clayton Hertz

Doctoral Dissertations

Limited research exists that explores instructional coaching as a component of teacher professional development in low-income, developing countries. In response to this gap in the literature, I used an intrinsic case study design to explore the experiences and learning of a cohort of coaches supporting primary school teachers in a whole school development/ early grade reading initiative in Sierra Leone. Using an adaptation of Valsiner’s (1997) Zone Theory as a conceptual framework and analytical lens, I explored coaches’ perspectives of their knowledge and beliefs; coaching actions and experiences; constraints within their context; and professional learning and support needs. By examining …


Preserving Adolescent Readership Through Interest And Motivation, Gina M. Doepker, Evan Ortlieb Oct 2017

Preserving Adolescent Readership Through Interest And Motivation, Gina M. Doepker, Evan Ortlieb

Gina Doepker

Adolescent literacy has remained a relatively hot topic for several years in the field of reading education (Cassidy, Ortlieb, & Shettel, 2010/2011) however, educators remain conflicted about how to maintain high levels of reading motivation. A historical analysis of adolescent interests and motivations was conducted to determine what instructional techniques have had positive effects so as to meet the imminent needs of adolescent readers. Findings include information pertaining to: choice of a multitude of reading materials, substantial time to experience aesthetic and engaging reading experiences, and a relevant, challenging curriculum that addresses student needs, personal interests, and motivations.


Allison Singley, Director Of Parent Relations, Musselman Library, Allison C. Singley Oct 2017

Allison Singley, Director Of Parent Relations, Musselman Library, Allison C. Singley

Next Page

In our new Next Page column, Allison Singley, Director of Parent Relations, shares with us the three books she is currently reading and why it might take her a while to finish them, her two desert island books (one of which inspired her doctoral dissertation), how she maintains a habit of reading poetry daily, and why she doesn’t write in books anymore — or feel the need to finish one!


The Relationship Between Political Affiliation And Student Achievement In The Areas Of Reading And Mathematics, With Respect To Black Students, Steven Michael Smith Oct 2017

The Relationship Between Political Affiliation And Student Achievement In The Areas Of Reading And Mathematics, With Respect To Black Students, Steven Michael Smith

Dissertations

The role of politicians is integral within the public school system. Politician influence directly the policies that impact student achievement. The impact could be based on ideologies. These ideologies could influence a significant difference in Black student achievement. In preparing for this study, the researcher was unable to find investigations of the potential influence political affiliations of state and local officials may have on student achievement, and specifically on Black student achievement. This exploratory, correlational study analyzed the potential relationship between political party affiliation and student achievement of fourth and eighth grade students in the areas of mathematics and reading, …


An Evaluation Study Of Fifth-Grade Independent Reading And Reading Achievement, Kari Allen Oct 2017

An Evaluation Study Of Fifth-Grade Independent Reading And Reading Achievement, Kari Allen

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Independent reading has been implemented in elementary classrooms for decades. However, what independent reading looks like, teacher expectations related to it, and student attitudes toward it differ greatly depending on the individual classroom. Increasing demands on teachers to improve student achievement has resulted in more time spent in teacher-directed instruction and teacher-selected text, and less time for students to read self-selected, engaging text, resulting in lack of interest and purpose for reading (Gran & DeVoogd, 2008). Effective implementation of independent reading is necessary to improve student achievement, increase reader stamina, and build positive attitudes toward reading in general (Lee, 2011). …


Effective Early Literacy Interventions, Strategies, And Supplemental Programs For Primary Students, Anna Anderson Oct 2017

Effective Early Literacy Interventions, Strategies, And Supplemental Programs For Primary Students, Anna Anderson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

In education today, more and more children are being identified to have reading difficulties in classroom. This is one of the main reasons that wanted to obtain my Master of Arts in Literacy Education, and ultimately lead to the development of my research focus question: What interventions, strategies, or supplemental programs are available to address and aid, primary students who struggle in reading? While seeking the answer to this research question, I learned a lot about the development of literacy itself. I discovered how literacy has changed throughout time, and the major theorists who contributed to these changes. I also …


Political Speech, Doublespeak, And Critical-Thinking Skills In American Education, Doris Minin-White Oct 2017

Political Speech, Doublespeak, And Critical-Thinking Skills In American Education, Doris Minin-White

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The idea for this project was born during the 2016 US presidential election campaign, after noticing that my students did not seem to find anything questionable about statements of politicians, while at the same time it seemed apparent to me that not all the candidates spoke in a straightforward fashion. This disparity led to my research question: What patterns of doublespeak characterize selected discourse samples of the two most recent US presidents? In this project, I presented the analysis of the candidates’ styles of doublespeak based on the number of occurrences and a technique that I called “The Beguilement and …


How To Integrate Vocabulary In A Fourth Grade Classroom Of English Language Learners To Accelerate Reading Achievement, Randi Kay Weiland Oct 2017

How To Integrate Vocabulary In A Fourth Grade Classroom Of English Language Learners To Accelerate Reading Achievement, Randi Kay Weiland

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

English language learners are prevalent in modern American schools, yet educators are often still grappling with how to best teach these unique students. Unsurprisingly, vocabulary plays a fundamental role in reading comprehension. This capstone presents the existing research on the foundational relationship between vocabulary and reading comprehension as well as effective vocabulary instruction for English language learners. The research was then used to design a vocabulary curriculum for a fourth grade thematic literacy unit on Mexican Heritage. The curriculum focuses on four major aspects of vocabulary instruction: 1) the direct instruction of Tier II words, as defined by Isabel Beck; …


A Cross-Curricular, Reading-Focused Learning Program And School Culture, James Maclachlan Oct 2017

A Cross-Curricular, Reading-Focused Learning Program And School Culture, James Maclachlan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this capstone project was how does a reading-centered academic program and culture affect achievement throughout content areas? The paper documents the development and implementation of a school-wide, cross-curricular reading program by a team of teachers at a small “Teacher-Powered” charter public school in the Metro Area of Minnesota serving an at-risk population of students. The author documents the details of the reading program as it pertains to the unique learning program of the school and references relevant research literature to provide context and justification for the tools and strategies used in the program. Description of …


Effective Curriculum To Accelerate Academic Reading Comprehension For High School English Language Learners, Lisa Menke Johnson Oct 2017

Effective Curriculum To Accelerate Academic Reading Comprehension For High School English Language Learners, Lisa Menke Johnson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was, what is an effective curriculum for accelerating reading comprehension skills in secondary English Language Learner students. It documents one teacher’s creation of a unit that combined research based strategies for increasing reading comprehension skills in older students as well as second language acquisition strategies. It integrated vocabulary development, grammar forms and functions and intervention strategies proven to be successful with high school students. The author documents the details of the unit and uses related research literature to construct meaning and validate the study. The project provides a quarter long unit focused on …


Giving Students The Opportunity To See Themselves And Diverse Cultures In Literature: A Multicultural Literature Wiki, Maria E. Effertz Oct 2017

Giving Students The Opportunity To See Themselves And Diverse Cultures In Literature: A Multicultural Literature Wiki, Maria E. Effertz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

As our student body becomes more and more diverse, the literature we use in class must change in order to best represent them. The purpose of this capstone project was to create an online database to provide teachers with the multicultural literature they might need to best represent the diverse student voices in their classrooms. The research question addressed in this project was, how can literacy teachers more readily access multicultural texts for their curriculum that both reflects their students' backgrounds and cultures as well as gives students the ability to gain access to and recognize themselves in other cultures? …


What Are Effective Strategies To Enhance Motivation And Engagement Of Secondary Struggling Readers To Grow Reading Achievement?, David Hemmesch Oct 2017

What Are Effective Strategies To Enhance Motivation And Engagement Of Secondary Struggling Readers To Grow Reading Achievement?, David Hemmesch

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The question addressed in this project was, what are effective strategies to enhance motivation and engagement of secondary struggling readers to grow reading achievement? Research was done on current reading instruction trends for secondary students and on the principles of motivation and engagement for students and people in general. The findings suggest that teaching struggling readers about cognitive strategies is more important than specific reading strategies. An e-learning curriculum project was created based on fixed and growth mindsets with the goal being for learners to discover his or her current mindset, to learn to recognize the difference between the two …


How Can An Intermediate Elementary Educator Use Critical Literacy To Promote Social Justice Through Book Clubs?, Grace Shields Mevissen Oct 2017

How Can An Intermediate Elementary Educator Use Critical Literacy To Promote Social Justice Through Book Clubs?, Grace Shields Mevissen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research is to better understand, “How can an intermediate elementary educator use critical literacy to promote social justice through book clubs?” The author researched and defined social justice, critical literacy and book clubs. After, the author administered a pre assessment, helped facilitate book clubs and a post assessment. The action research was conducted in a suburban school that is mainly comprised of white students. Two groups, having selected the same text, were chosen as a focus group. The author notes and highlights themes across all seven of the students’ experiences throughout the unit. The author …


Transitioning From Teachers' Words To Students' Words: Strategies To Promote Comprehension During Literature Circles, Tiffany Tozke Brian Oct 2017

Transitioning From Teachers' Words To Students' Words: Strategies To Promote Comprehension During Literature Circles, Tiffany Tozke Brian

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Literature circles can be a powerful tool for motivating students to take part in discussions around text. The power of these literature circles lies in the success of the conversations students have. Those conversations are shaped by the words the teacher uses to facilitate them, and by the words students use within them. This capstone addresses how teachers can focus on words in a student-focused manner that supports students in having in conversations that deepen their understanding and connection to novels.


Tier Two Reading Interventions For Elementary English Learners, Katherine M. Little Oct 2017

Tier Two Reading Interventions For Elementary English Learners, Katherine M. Little

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The guiding question for this Capstone project is What curriculum guide can be developed for Tier 2 Interventions within the RtI framework for elementary-level ELs with reading difficulties? The literature was examined for sources of EL reading difficulties, evidence-based practices for implementing Response to Intervention (RtI), for teaching reading, and for teaching ELs. The intersections of this research led to the formulation of several guiding principles that can be used in the development of curricula for Tier 2 reading interventions for ELs: Instruction and materials should be (a) scaffolded; (b) culturally and linguistically responsive; (c) focused on improving reading comprehension …


How To Make Read-Aloud In Language Arts Engaging To Students In A Fifth-Grade Classroom, Elizabeth M. Burgos Oct 2017

How To Make Read-Aloud In Language Arts Engaging To Students In A Fifth-Grade Classroom, Elizabeth M. Burgos

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Read-aloud is a strategy that is used in many fifth-grade language arts classrooms, although more often than not it is used to fill time and the only expectation of students is to listen passively. Therefore, the research question addressed in this capstone focused on how to make read-aloud in language arts engaging to students in a fifth-grade classroom. Components and best practices to create an effective read-aloud were explored so that students can participate more actively through different responses during read-aloud. A complete read-aloud guide including sixteen lessons to lead a class through the book The War That Saved My …


Teaching And Understanding Phonemic Awareness And English Learners, Jennifer L. Wold Oct 2017

Teaching And Understanding Phonemic Awareness And English Learners, Jennifer L. Wold

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question for this paper and project was: Why is phonemic awareness important for English learners (ELs) and how can it be developed? The interest in this topic arose from observing English learners struggle with various English phonemes, especially the vowels, and the surprising difficulty of teaching students to acquire them. Research shows that phonemic awareness contributes to successful reading achievement and can affect intelligibility. English learners may struggle with phonemic awareness as phonemes that exist in English may not exist in their L1s. This paper and project focuses on native Spanish speakers and the distinction of the /i/ …


Choice And Its Effects On Motivation To Read, Kayla Cantu Oct 2017

Choice And Its Effects On Motivation To Read, Kayla Cantu

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research study was to determine if there is a connection between the implementation of choice in the classroom and students' motivation to read. Research-based literacy framework and a choice model were used over an eight week period of time. Qualitative data was collected at the beginning and the end of the study in the form of surveys. Analysis of the data concluded that kindergarten students when given opportunities for choice in the classroom their motivation to read increased.


Discovering The Learner Profile: An Interactive Read-Aloud Curriculum For K-2 Students In The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, Dannika Wright Oct 2017

Discovering The Learner Profile: An Interactive Read-Aloud Curriculum For K-2 Students In The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, Dannika Wright

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Interaction with quality picture books is a powerful way for young students in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) to develop understanding of the Learner Profile. The Learner Profile is a set of ten attributes that define the “internationally minded learner” and is an integral part of the PYP curriculum framework. The author of this capstone examines existing literature on the history and structure of the IB and PYP, character education, and interactive read-alouds to create a curriculum that focus on attributes of the Learner Profile. Using the PYP curriculum framework and elements of the Fountas and Pinnell …


The Best Uses Of Digital Resources To Support And Engage Struggling Readers At The Middle School Level, Dianne Dorle Oct 2017

The Best Uses Of Digital Resources To Support And Engage Struggling Readers At The Middle School Level, Dianne Dorle

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The author chose to explore the question what are the best uses of digital resources to support and engage struggling middle school readers? Many students in middle school find themselves struggling with comprehension skills. As many schools are moving to the 1:1 iPad model it is easy and necessary to incorporate digital resources in the teaching instruction. The current middle school students, through exposure, are fluent with using digital resources. Some of the main inquiries that were researched in this paper are why middle school students are struggling in reading, what motivates middle school students and what are digital resources? …


What Alternative Reading Curriculums Are Available For Students Who Have Not Made Adequate Progressing Using Tier 1 And Tier 2 Interventions?, Lorinda Unger Oct 2017

What Alternative Reading Curriculums Are Available For Students Who Have Not Made Adequate Progressing Using Tier 1 And Tier 2 Interventions?, Lorinda Unger

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was: What alternative reading curriculums are available for students who have not made adequate progress using Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions? The purpose of this inquiry was to create a system to provide students who are below their grade level peers in reading an intervention that matches their specific reading need. Current research confirms there are five essential reading elements that students need to master to become efficient readers. Each reading element is explored with curriculums, interventions, and learning activities provided.


Independently Implementing Best Practices In Flexible Guided Reading At The Elementary School Level, Ashley Teare Oct 2017

Independently Implementing Best Practices In Flexible Guided Reading At The Elementary School Level, Ashley Teare

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Guided reading is a vital part of a balanced reading program in the elementary classroom. Guided reading should be flexible to meet readers where they are. Unfortunately implementation of differentiated guided reading varies from district to district, leaving learning and understanding of the reading processes of children up to the teacher. This project examines the question: How can best practices in flexible guided reading be independently implemented at the elementary school level? The literature review emphasizes the importance of guided reading and how flexible grouping can be implemented to accommodate readers strengths and needs. Research shows that guided reading can …


Improving Literacy And Reading Comprehension Through Music Instruction In An El Sistema-Inspired Violin Program, Teresa Campbell Oct 2017

Improving Literacy And Reading Comprehension Through Music Instruction In An El Sistema-Inspired Violin Program, Teresa Campbell

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

My research questions were: how can I use the content area of music in an intensive, El Sistema-inspired after school string program to increase literacy and improve reading comprehension for my students and how do goals for increased literacy and improved reading comprehension align with an El Sistema-inspired program with goals for social change? To answer these questions I present four areas of research: the connection between prosody and reading comprehension, critical pedagogy and critical literacy, El Sistema, and correlations between music training and enhanced prosodic awareness. I end by discussing my Capstone project, a music curriculum written for my …


Integrating Comprehension Strategy Instruction Into Literature Study For Primary Students, Traci Lee Taylor Oct 2017

Integrating Comprehension Strategy Instruction Into Literature Study For Primary Students, Traci Lee Taylor

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this curriculum design project was: How can I redesign a current second grade literature unit by integrating explicit comprehension strategy instruction while maintaining a focus on meaningful interaction with text? It documents one teacher’s foray into the field of reading research, beginning with the historical and theoretical underpinnings of reading comprehension and then moving onto how research on proficient readers has impacted current views on effective reading comprehension instruction. The literature unit that was designed focuses on key strategies used by proficient readers including activating and building schema, making connections, visualizing, inferring, and summarizing. The …


Creating A Culture Of Independent Reading Among African American Students, Especially Black Males, Donna Carol Franklin Clemenson Oct 2017

Creating A Culture Of Independent Reading Among African American Students, Especially Black Males, Donna Carol Franklin Clemenson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project is: How can I create a culture of independent reading among African American students, especially black males? The goal is to help motivate students to become lifelong readers who will be prepared to develop their life choices into great successes. The author examines the history of education of African Americans and the ensuing achievement gap. She discusses literature on the topic of motivating African American students, especially males, to see the value of reading and education, and includes literature on culturally relevant teaching. She documents three areas of teaching that influence the development …