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Full-Text Articles in Education
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 …
How Can Science And Literacy Be Integrated In A Fifth Grade Cirriculum [Sic]?, Kathryn J. Hellen
How Can Science And Literacy Be Integrated In A Fifth Grade Cirriculum [Sic]?, Kathryn J. Hellen
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this capstone was, How can science and literacy be integrated in a fifth grade curriculum? This capstone describes current research in science education, reading motivation and engagement, and the science and literacy connection. The goal of this capstone was to create a unit that would captivate students’ interests in science and use that interest as a catalyst to grow their literacy skills. This unit is designed to be used in a 5th grade Spanish immersion classroom centered on the themes of life science and non-fiction reading. The accompanying curriculum utilizes the Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI) …
Best Practices For Co-Teaching Literacy In The Secondary Language Arts Classroom, Anne Robenhorst
Best Practices For Co-Teaching Literacy In The Secondary Language Arts Classroom, Anne Robenhorst
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to investigate the best practices for co-teaching literacy in the secondary language arts classroom. Participants of the study included 34 tenth grade students in a co-taught English class who completed anonymous questionnaires, and two language arts teachers, one special education teacher and one assistant principal were interviewed. Qualitative data was gathered regarding academic grades and state testing scores in the area of reading. The student survey feedback indicated positive perceptions related to the co-taught environment, primarily increased writing skills. Teacher interviews highlighted the most effective co-teaching models and stressed the importance of strong administrative …
How Anchor Charts Can Engage Students In Interactive Read-Alouds, Christine Simmet
How Anchor Charts Can Engage Students In Interactive Read-Alouds, Christine Simmet
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question explored and answered in this project was, can anchor charts make readalouds more interactive and engaging? This project documents the exploration and creation of anchor charts in a read-aloud setting. In conjunction with the Journeys’ (2009) curriculum the researcher created four anchor charts with a goal to create more engagement and increase the interactive quality of read-alouds. The researcher utilizes different types of anchor charts to see student engagement responses. She details the literature surrounding anchor charts as well as giving some background regarding read- alouds and engagement strategies for young learners. The researcher then describes the …
How Does The Development Of Early Literacy Skills And The Partnership Between A Child’S Home And School Promote Literacy Success?, Teri Greenstein
How Does The Development Of Early Literacy Skills And The Partnership Between A Child’S Home And School Promote Literacy Success?, Teri Greenstein
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this capstone was, How does the development of early literacy skills and the partnership between a child’s home and school promote literacy success? This capstone describes the foundational early literacy skills necessary for literacy success for students, and discusses ways that school and home can collaborate towards ensuring that students are effectively prepared for literacy learning as they begin their formal schooling. The goal of the capstone project was to provide families with tools and resources that can be used to help them develop more effective literacy learning for their children.
How Vocabulary Word Selection, Instructional Strategies, And Assessments Affect Student Retention Of Newly Learned Words, Amber Rustand
How Vocabulary Word Selection, Instructional Strategies, And Assessments Affect Student Retention Of Newly Learned Words, Amber Rustand
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Vocabulary word selection and instruction is hard for educators to grasp, with so many methods to choose from. Focusing on the question of How does the selection of vocabulary words, instruction, and assessment affect the retention of newly learned vocabulary? leads us to our answer. The capstone study focusing around this question made it evident that educators need to select words from text, differ instruction throughout a two-week time frame, and assess on between eight and twelve words for every two-week period. Students need to be given time to connect and work with the words that are new to them. …
What Effect Does Full Day Kindergarten Have On Student Achievement In Literacy?, Philip Lee Munkvold
What Effect Does Full Day Kindergarten Have On Student Achievement In Literacy?, Philip Lee Munkvold
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Kindergarten has undergone continuous change since its inception in 1837. Minnesota’s kindergarten program experienced a substantial transformation during the 2014-2015 academic year by offering full-day kindergarten at no cost. Students attending full-day kindergarten will receive twice the amount of instruction as years past, prompting a study on what effect this may have on student achievement. This capstone uses a combination of surveys, assessments, and interviews with to help answer the research question, What effect does full day kindergarten have on student achievement in literacy? Research concludes that full-day kindergarten has a positive impact on student achievement in literacy in kindergarten, …
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 …
Using Literacy Centers To Support A Balanced Literacy Program In A Pre-K Classroom, Jacquelin Ann Rowan
Using Literacy Centers To Support A Balanced Literacy Program In A Pre-K Classroom, Jacquelin Ann Rowan
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The question addressed in this research project was, how can using literacy centers support a balanced literacy approach in a Pre-K classroom? The author’s motivation for completeing this capstone was to learn more about balanced literacy and how the use of balanced literacy could support her student’s learning. This capstone describes, in detail, what balanced literacy is, what literacy centers are , and how to use both to create an engaging learning environment for Pre-K students. It also provides guidelines for how to manage literacy centers both in organization of materials and the literacy center time block. Finally, the capstone …
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 …
How Does Culturally Responsive Curriculum Impact African American Student’S Literacy Development In The Primary Grades?, Kaylan Louise Carlson
How Does Culturally Responsive Curriculum Impact African American Student’S Literacy Development In The Primary Grades?, Kaylan Louise Carlson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this capstone was: How does culturally responsive curriculum impact African American student’s literacy development in the primary grades? The work explores common classroom practice, culturally responsive teaching, multicultural education and the implications for a literacy curriculum that is culturally responsive. It documents an educator’s creation of a unit using the tenets of Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe, 1998) and involving elements of culturally responsive teaching through multicultural education, in addition to resources and text sets. The lesson plans and resources were created for use in the primary level but may be altered for use …
The Impact Of Environmental Education On Environmental Literacy And Motivation In Urban Communities, Amber Huston
The Impact Of Environmental Education On Environmental Literacy And Motivation In Urban Communities, Amber Huston
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed is does environmental education increase environmental literacy and motivation in urban communities in the United States? The motivating factor for this capstone was from evidence that environmental education can not only improve motivation and literacy, but also help improve academic achievement. This capstone details both historical and current data to support full integration of structured environmental education programs into urban academics. The author documents the results of a survey based on observations made by various academic instructors of both their personal experiences, as well as their view of their students’ experiences, both inside and outside the …
Using Evidence-Based Spelling Instruction To Support Elementary Students: A Self-Study, Brigid Ayn Berger
Using Evidence-Based Spelling Instruction To Support Elementary Students: A Self-Study, Brigid Ayn Berger
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Teachers have been slow to adopt research-based best practices for spelling instruction. The purpose of this project was to identify effective spelling practices and reflect on the practical implementation of those practices in a first grade classroom. The research question was, how can teachers use research-based strategies to support elementary students as they develop spelling skills? This paper provides a review of English orthography and developmental spelling instruction before contrasting effective and ineffective instructional strategies. The author, a first grade teacher, conducts a self-study in which she implements formative assessments into her spelling routines and reflects upon the process of …
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 …
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 …
How Can Implementing Oral Language Strategies Support First Grade Struggling Readers?, Alexandra Kraemer Askew
How Can Implementing Oral Language Strategies Support First Grade Struggling Readers?, Alexandra Kraemer Askew
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was, how can implementing oral language strategies support first grade struggling readers? In this project, action research was conducted in an urban first grade classroom with nine student participants. All of the student participants were categorized as first grade struggling readers and came from many different diverse backgrounds. During the research two oral language strategies were implemented during a four-week period with two reading groups. Pre and post assessments were given to monitor student progress and gauge the success of the strategy implementation. At the end of the four-week period, all students made …
An Effective Instructional Model For Teaching English Language Learners Within The Mainstream Classroom, Sofia Viktorova Vladimirova
An Effective Instructional Model For Teaching English Language Learners Within The Mainstream Classroom, Sofia Viktorova Vladimirova
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to determine an effective educational model for teaching language to English Language Learners as well as to determine effective instructional methods within the mainstream classroom. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the Integrated Services Approach. This approach involved a classroom teacher, an English Language specialist, a Special Education teacher, and a reading interventionist. All four educators taught ten English Language Learners within a mainstream classroom. The ten English Language Learners were periodically assessed to determine academic growth and language acquisition level. Assessment data suggests that the Integrated Services Approach is an effective …
How Can Text-Based Debates Increase Empathy In Upper Elementary Students, Melissa M. Ogden
How Can Text-Based Debates Increase Empathy In Upper Elementary Students, Melissa M. Ogden
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was, how can textbased debates increase empathy in upper elementary students? It explores research around critical literacy, socialemotional learning, and debates with a specific focus on alternative perspectives and empathy development. The researcher combines research around different forms of debate, argumentation and collaborative reasoning, to create a textbased debate protocol. The action research studies the impact on students’ empathy development for characters found in read aloud texts through participation in weekly textbased debates and written reflections. Students debated two opposing perspectives regarding a character’s personality and wrote reflections in which they explained both …
How Does Explicit Instruction Enhance The Understanding Of Academic Vocabulary For Middle School English Learners?, Katherine Marie Kermes
How Does Explicit Instruction Enhance The Understanding Of Academic Vocabulary For Middle School English Learners?, Katherine Marie Kermes
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
One of the barriers to English Learners finding success at school is proficiency with academic vocabulary. This paper documents the need for explicit instruction of academic vocabulary in addition to effective teaching and assessment strategies to use with students. The author describes an academic vocabulary unit which they implemented with middle school English Learners. The unit was based on the research of Graves and Beck, McKeown and Kucan as well as others. The author reaches the conclusion that explicit instruction positively impacts the ability of English Learners to understand and use academic vocabulary terms.
Word Study Promotes The Application Of Spelling Skills Within Elementary Students’ Independent Writing, Sarah Kay Rabideau
Word Study Promotes The Application Of Spelling Skills Within Elementary Students’ Independent Writing, Sarah Kay Rabideau
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was how does a balanced literacy program that includes word study promote application of spelling skills within elementary students’ independent writing? It documents the implementation of effective word study components within an elementary setting. The action research project included whole group lessons, followed by guided practice using interactive writing and writing conferences, and also individualized, hands-on, independent word work. These strategies were based off of the research of Fountas and Pinnell and the resource Word Matters (2001). Through the implementation of these components the author developed a deeper understanding of effective word study …
The Impact Of Reading Fluency Instruction On Reading Fluency, Abdul Wright
The Impact Of Reading Fluency Instruction On Reading Fluency, Abdul Wright
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this capstone was, how does reading fluency instruction impact reading fluency? The inspiration for this capstone sparked from the first year-end summative assessment that one teacher proctored, and the struggles those students faced on that assessment. Moreover, the author of this research study looks to examine the impact that reading fluency instruction has on students’ ability to read fluently. The majority of students at this charter school in Minneapolis are students who come from low income families. This study documents the impact that fluency instruction had on reading fluency and determines the following: 1) Reading …
Form And Function Focused Language Activities And Their Effects On Student Writing In A Spanish Immersion Classroom, Brian John Rice
Form And Function Focused Language Activities And Their Effects On Student Writing In A Spanish Immersion Classroom, Brian John Rice
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was, how does implementing (Spanish) form and function focused language activities during independent reading time affect subject-verb agreement and opinion formation in third grade students’ writing? The study was grounded in the idea of cross-curricular transfer (Meyer & Schendel, 2014; Zwiers, 2006). Students utilized scaffolded form and function focused Spanish language frames in a peer-to-peer reciprocal teaching setting during reading, with the intent that the linguistic learning would transfer to students’ writing. Using Brown's (1973) Obligatory Occasion Analysis method as outlined by Ellis and Barkhuizen (2005) the researcher found substantial improvement in subject-verb …
The Impact Of Collaborative Professional Development Between Classroom Teachers And Reading Recovery Teachers, Tessa Abrahamson
The Impact Of Collaborative Professional Development Between Classroom Teachers And Reading Recovery Teachers, Tessa Abrahamson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This capstone explores the impact that collaborative professional development between classroom teachers and reading recovery teacher can have on the quality of instruction and on student growth. A mixed-methods approach was used in this action research study including a literacy assessment that was administered to students before and after professional development, observations, and surveys. The data were examined and revealed that working collaboratively is beneficial for teachers and students. Professional development is a powerful tool to help improve instruction when used appropriately.
The Impact Of Critical Literacy On The Moral Reasoning Of Adolescents, Sierra Mae Gilbertson
The Impact Of Critical Literacy On The Moral Reasoning Of Adolescents, Sierra Mae Gilbertson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this study was, in what ways does the implementation of critical literacy impact the moral reasoning of adolescents? It documents one teacher’s use of action research to create a unit that integrated critical literacy methods based on the research of McLaughlin & DeVoogd with moral education methods based on research by Kohlberg. The author documents details of the unit and uses related research literature to construct meaning and validate the study. She describes the effectiveness of each critical literacy activity in terms of the impact it had on the moral reasoning of her students and …
Motivating First Grade Struggling Readers Through Comprehension Strategy Instruction, Jessica Annmarie Nivala
Motivating First Grade Struggling Readers Through Comprehension Strategy Instruction, Jessica Annmarie Nivala
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this capstone was, how does the explicit teaching of comprehension strategies to first grade struggling readers increase their motivation to read? It documents one teacher’s experience of implementing explicit comprehension strategy instruction during reading workshop through the use of the gradual release of responsibility model and examines its effect on motivation of struggling readers. The project integrates whole group and small group instruction and motivational practices for three first grade struggling readers. The author details the comprehension lessons that were taught, and documents observations of the participants’ engagement. She describes her successes and concludes that …
21st Century Literacy: Blending The English 12 Classroom, Natalie Nelson
21st Century Literacy: Blending The English 12 Classroom, Natalie Nelson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was, how can the use of formative and summative assessments be used to understand student achievement and learning within a 12th Grade Language Arts blended environment? It documents one teacher’s creation of a unit that uses technology in combination with assessment to determine student success within a Language Arts classroom unit. This research project integrated multiple kinds of technology to help understand if this type of assessment creates better or higher levels of learning for students. The author documents the application of the unit after creation. She describes both the outcomes of the …
Teacher Training To Identify Students With Dyslexia. Implementation Of Accommodations To Help Students Be Successful, Brita Marie Gibart
Teacher Training To Identify Students With Dyslexia. Implementation Of Accommodations To Help Students Be Successful, Brita Marie Gibart
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This curriculum-based capstone provides educators with an in-depth review of how teachers are being trained to identify students with dyslexia. It can be used as a guide to the implementation of accommodations to help students with dyslexia be successful in the classroom. The research question for this capstone is: What is being done for students with dyslexia in our schools? A review of the literature included the definition dyslexia through misconceptions, diagnosis procedures and brain imaging techniques. Dyslexia is identified in the classroom through a person’s rights, the stigma associated with dyslexia and a teacher’s role in identification. The strategy …
The Effect Technology Has On Student Comprehension And Motivation, Paul Richard Holland
The Effect Technology Has On Student Comprehension And Motivation, Paul Richard Holland
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was, why do students in a sixth grade classroom using an electronic device to read display different comprehension and motivational levels than students with printed texts? The motivating factor for this capstone was the increased use of electronic devices in the classroom. It documents the changes in students’ comprehension and motivation over a six week time period. Data was collected in a variety of ways such as surveys, student interviews, journals, and comprehension quizzes. Although there were limitations and areas to improve in future studies, results showed student choice plays a significant role …
How Formative Assessments Can Be Utilized To Respond To Student Needs Within A Balanced Literacy Framework, Amber Ann Steinmeyer
How Formative Assessments Can Be Utilized To Respond To Student Needs Within A Balanced Literacy Framework, Amber Ann Steinmeyer
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The guiding research question of this capstone project was, how can formative assessments be utilized within a balanced literacy framework in order to respond to the reading needs of 5th grade students? The key motivation for formulating this research study was the constant struggle to find a framework for teaching reading that could address the diverse learning needs of students. The author defines formative assessments, in terms of a process, and then explores the balanced literacy framework. The study continued by exploring how the formative assessment process can be utilized within a balanced literacy framework, as it relates to the …
Integrating Standards And 21st Century Skills To Increase Engagement, Andrea Michelle Peterson
Integrating Standards And 21st Century Skills To Increase Engagement, Andrea Michelle Peterson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was, how can I create curriculum using the principals of project based learning and the Language Arts Common Core State Standards in a fourth grade social studies setting that may increase student engagement? The purpose of this capstone was to create a curriculum that integrates the Language Arts Common Core State Standards and Minnesota Social Studies Standards with project based learning so that students are actively participating in their learning to strengthen life-long and critical thinking skills. The capstone provides an explanation of how project based learning integrates 21st century skills and Common …