Education Commons^™

Examining The Perceptions Of Early Elementary Classroom Teachers With Supplementary Literacy Certification, Theresa Boehm Marsicek

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher expertise can have a large influence on student experiences and achievement. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences, practices, and beliefs of early elementary classroom teachers who have supplementary literacy certification. Although characteristics of effective literacy teachers have been identified in previous research, a literature review indicated the current literature is lacking information regarding teachers with this additional literacy certification. In this phenomenological study, data was collected through semi-structured one-on-one interviews and analyzed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis procedure. The sixteen participants taught kindergarten, first, or second grade in Wisconsin (WI) and held a WI Reading …

Examining The Relationship Between Automaticity And Oral Reading Comprehension In English Learners, Annamaria M. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This doctoral dissertation examined the relationship between automaticity and oral reading comprehension in English Learners (ELs) by comparing outcomes with non-English Learners. High fluency rate, or automaticity, is often used as a predictor of reading comprehension in students. Much of the prior research conducted on the relationship between reading rates and oral reading comprehension involved monolingual populations. Few studies have investigated this correlation among EL populations. In this present study, secondary assessment data were retrieved for third-grade students (N = 1,583) across 13 public schools within a single diverse school district in southern Colorado during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school …

Effects Of Scripted And Teacher Generated Literacy Program On Middle School Students, Lindsay Blaszcyk

Theses and Dissertations

Will a teacher generated literacy curriculum be more effective for student literacy growth more than a scripted literacy curriculum? Archived data of pre- and post-testing of 535 public middle school students were analyzed to examine the effectiveness of these two approaches over a two-year time span. The data were gathered using the Benchmark Assessment System, second edition (BAS-2). Data were analyzed using an ANCOVA to determine the significance of difference in students’ literacy growth by two literacy programs. A series of ANOVAs were used to see any significant differences in literacy growth between groups based on students’ characteristics. Regression analysis …

Effect Of Increasing Literacy Skills To Improve Inmate Behavior: A Quantitative Study, Katie Lynn Millsap

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effect of increasing literacy skills during incarceration to improve adult inmate behavior, defined as a reduction in disciplinary reports received by participants. Male offenders, 18 years or older, housed in the Iowa Department of Corrections between July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2019 who completed two or more TABE Reading assessments met the inclusion criteria of the study. Multiple regression analyses were run to predict the correlation between the number of disciplinary infraction reports (dependent variable) each inmate received in a correlating timeframe of a TABE Reading assessment (independent variable). The results show that improved literacy …

A Mixed Methods Approach To Initiating A Critical Global Literacy Curriculum In The Rural High School English/Language Arts Classroom, Amy Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Contemporary society consists of emerging globalization where students will face global issues and will be expected to think critically in the professional realm. However, critical literacy and global literacy are often largely ignored in the rural high school ELA classroom where fewer cultural opportunities exist and less diversity is evident (Riley, 2015). The purpose of this study was to address a significant need for understanding the strengths and weaknesses of implementing a critical global curricular framework in a rural high school ELA classroom. Additionally, this study aimed to uncover both student and teacher perspectives regarding this implementation as well as …

Literacy Development Practices For English Learners With Interrupted Formal Education, Javier Francisco Oaxaca

Theses and Dissertations

English language learners (ELLs) are a diverse student group that continues to grow within schools all throughout the United States and those students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE) continue to lag behind their peers in academic achievement, particularly in literacy. Although there have been several studies to explore this complex phenomenon, a gap in the research continues to exist on specific conditions needed for academic success for SLIFE such as beginning/basic literacy instruction in secondary educational contexts. The purpose of this research study was to determine the extent to which teachers’ perception and knowledge of basic literacy skills …

The Impact Of A District Supported Mentoring Initiative On Reading Achievement Of African American Male Students, Brooke Wray-Fisher Rowe

Theses and Dissertations

This action research seeks to examine the impact of a district supported mentoring program and its effect on the reading achievement of a group of African American male students. The participants received routine, sustained mentoring during a three-year period of time. All of the schools involved are Title I and within the same county.

The action research involved the collection of various forms of achievement data such as the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP®) assessment, Fountas and Pinnell benchmark assessment, and the South Carolina College- and Career- Ready assessment, specifically in the area of reading. These assessments allowed the researcher …

Reading Instruction For Students With Intellectual Disabilities:Inservice Teachers' Perceptions, Agatha Lee Gibbons

Theses and Dissertations

Students with intellectual disabilities have at times been overlooked and denied effective reading instruction. Teachers tasked with instructing such students are often limited in the training, resources, and support necessary to effectively instruct these students in reading. These problems are further compounded by the fact that students with intellectual disabilities have historically been misperceived, often by the very educators tasked with instructing them, as either being unable to learn to read or that the prospect of teaching them to read is simply too daunting and complicated to be of sufficient worth (Aldridge, 2014; Kluth & Chandler-Olcott, 2008). Such misperception may …

Literacy 4 Brown Girls An Explorative Study Centered On The Identity And Literacy Of African-American Girls, Jendayi Mbalia

Theses and Dissertations

The academic needs of African-American girls too often are not linked to their intersecting identities. These interlocked identities often go unseen, thus are rarely addressed in K-12 schools. Specifically, their identities are neglected in some of their English Language Arts classrooms through the sole use of hegemonic literary practices. Literacy 4 Brown Girls was implemented at Midwest School for twelve weeks. The overall purpose of this case study was to explore the ways in which a literacy collaborative, designed with the identities of African-American girls in mind, could impact the identity construction and literacy skill growth of twelve, African-American girls …

Knowledge, Concerns, And Interventions Related To D / Deaf English Learners, Molly Beth Turner

Theses and Dissertations

In education today, there is an increasing population of individuals who are d/Deaf/Hard of Hearing and English Learners (d/DHH/ELs). This population of students need innovative teaching strategies to achieve optimal outcomes. Schools are challenged with providing education to these students, and there are many barriers to overcome. Teachers receive little to no education on how to teach this combined population of learners. Students who are d/DHH/ELs arrive to the educational setting with many barriers that are present in both the school and home.

A review of the literature revealed that minimal strategies exist to support the d/DHH/EL population. Literacy strategies …

Kindergarten Students' Interactions With Texts During Independent Reading, Tracy L. Schaper

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how emergent readers interact with texts during independent reading. Audio recordings of student talk, video taped observations, notes in a teacher research journal, a book selection chart, and concepts about print assessments were all analyzed to determine how emergent readers interact with texts. Findings were that students interact with familiar, unfamiliar, and leveled texts differently including varying levels of conventionality and prosody of language, the comprehension strategies and skills they use to make meaning, and the concepts about print they apply. Findings also included trends for the types of teacher support students …

Integrating Technology Into The Literacy Curriculum Within A First Grade Classroom, Christina M. Hargrove

Theses and Dissertations

Technology is ingrained in almost every part of our culture, affecting the way we live, work, play, and learn. Most careers in this day and age require professionals to be proficient in the new literacies of 21st-century technologies. Thus, it only makes sense that technology be used in classrooms with even our youngest learners to help prepare our students to be successful in their futures. This research explores what happens when technology is integrated into the literacy curriculum within a first grade classroom. To this end, technology was integrated into a multitude of literacy lessons and classroom routines. Results revealed …

Discovering Discourse: Utilizing Peer Mediation In Middle School To Achieve Literacy, Stephanie Van Hassel

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the impact of implementing a peer mediation program in a middle school setting through an action research framework, presented as a series of case studies. The group of students receiving the intervention are on one “team” in the middle school, sharing the same group of teachers. The team is on a lower academic track, and are marginalized due to this placement. The intervention’s impact on the participants’ Discourse will be explored.

Exploring Literacies In The Assemblage Of Adult Education English For Speakers Of Other Languages Classrooms, Susan Watson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a posthuman perspective of adult second language and literacy learning using the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and his collaborative work with Félix Guattari, Masny’s (2005/6) multiple literacies theory or MLT, and DeLanda’s (2016) assemblage theory. Thinking with these scholars, I employ a post-qualitative, posthuman MLT conceptual framework to study literacy as a process that flows through and connects with globally-diverse students, languages, worldviews, and texts in the assemblage of adult education, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classrooms. I posit this assemblage as a remarkable and important context for literacy research …

Teachers’ Experiences In A Charter School With English Language Learners’ Acquisition Of Academic Literacy, Estella Stephens

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers’ Experiences in a Charter School With English Language Learners’ Acquisition of Academic Literacy. Estella Stephens, 2018: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. Keywords: charter schools, English language learners, literacy, phenomenon, qualitative research, teachers.

This qualitative applied dissertation was designed to investigate and give voice to the lived experiences of mainstream teachers at charter schools where the English language learner (ELL) population increased significantly. It replicated McCoy’s (2013) study. A phenomenological design was used to interview kindergarten-Grade 8 mainstream teachers in 3 charter schools. Interviews were conducted by a noninterested party due to the positionality …

Towards A ‘Pedagogy Of Hybrid Masculinities’: The Effects Of Teacher-Selected Vs. Student-Selected Informational Texts On The Literacy Achievement And Masculine Identities Of Middle-Level Males, Elizabeth Coen Welch

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether teacher-selected informational texts or student-selected informational texts best contribute to literacy achievement and engagement for middle-level males and to examine middle-level males’ perception of the relationship between masculine performance and literacy practice. For the purposes of this study, literacy achievement was measured using pre-test/post-test comparison on an assessment which measured participants’ ability to determine the central idea of an informational text while engagement and the relationship between masculine expression and literacy achievement were analyzed using observational field notes and semi-structured focus group interviews. Over a nine-week period during the first nine-week …

The Power Of Partners: A Qualitative Study On The Effects Of Long-Term Partnerships During Writing Workshop, Nicole Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine how long-term partnerships will support second grade students during Writing Workshop. The specific goals of the study are to examine the effects long-term partnerships utilized during Writing Workshop will have on both student achievement and student engagement. Student interviews pre and post study, student writing, along with weekly student reflections were analyzed. The group of students who were the focus of the study demonstrated increased engagement when participating in Writing Workshop. The students also demonstrated increased writing proficiency throughout the duration of the study. The benefits of utilizing long-term peer partnerships during …

Impact Of Mindset On Literacy: What Happens To Literacy Skills When A Growth Mindset Is Taught To First Graders, Katherine Saia

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the type of mindsets held by first graders and to determine what happens when they are exposed to ways to have a growth mindset. The goal is to see what happens when children use a growth mindset when asked to engage in challenging literacy activities. First graders were first evaluated using a mindset survey and reading levels were determined. Logic puzzles were given and timed to determine if work effort matched that of the mindset survey. Students showed a change in mindset and growth in reading abilities. Implications for future research are …

The Effects Of Orton Gillingham Instructional Techniques During Small Group Instruction, Kathleen Tiver

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of leveled literacy through guiding reading and leveled literacy reading in conjunction with supplemental small group instruction utilizing Orton Gillingham techniques. This study was completed in a first grade inclusive classroom. This study was created by results from beginning of the year (September) independent reading assessments. Students who were incorporated into this study as part of the instructional group read at least three grade below excepted level, and were not classified students. Students were monitored and formally assessed at each marking period of the school year to measure successes. Students …

A New Approach: Closing The Writing Gap By Using Reliable Assessment To Guide And Evaluate Cross-Curricular Argumentative Writing, Jody Bauer

Theses and Dissertations

Educational standards emphasize cross-curricular literacy and complex skills at the secondary level. These standards align to the heightened priority of argumentative writing across disciplines. With increasingly complex and shifting writing expectations, assessment practices need to be implemented to mirror these expectations. Two primary components to effective assessment are the ability to inform teaching and improve student learning. This study is designed to test the reliability of a process-oriented rubric as a tool to evaluate argumentative writing in the cross-curricular context, and as a tool to guide classroom practices based on student readiness.

The purpose of this study is to observe …

Literacy Choice In A First Grade Classroom, Lisa Marie Maletta

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to observe and note student performance on choice literacy activities. Students were given choice pertaining to writing assignments and publishing preferences as well as guided reading material. Students completed an interest inventory at the start of the research to better understand the types of literacy activities that may interest them. The students were allowed to exercise choice in their literacy activities when choosing a guided reading book from appropriately leveled choices and choosing their writing topic as well as publishing option such as a big book, a little book, or a step book. Student …

Will It Change Their Reflection? A Culturally Responsive Reaction To Literacy Failures, Idalis J. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This teacher research study was conducted in a second grade classroom. The teacher set out to find out: What happens when students who are faced with repeated literacy failures receive culturally responsive instruction in place of basic skills instruction? Children that struggle with reading often receive basic skills support as a form of intervention; yet still struggle in reading and other areas of literacy. Students often develop a negative identify of themselves as a reader and this leads to diminish and sometimes a lack of self-efficacy. The students in this study are at risk for falling below grade level in …

What Can The Lit Lab Do For You? A Qualitative Analysis Of High School Literacy Lab Participants, Bridget P. Jaensch

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to document the changes in student progress, motivation, and achievement. The specific aim is to see what happens when students replace a traditional study hall with small group guided instruction in a literacy lab. Motivation profiles, goal setting, and reflection are all analyzed. The focus group of students demonstrated changes in how they viewed themselves as learners and in their academic endeavor to achieve goals. The implications for teaching in a literacy lab environment are discussed.

Effect Of Latinos In Action Peer Tutoring On Elementary Student Oral Reading Fluency Scores, Darren M. Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

The Latino population is the largest minority group in the United States, making up 16.3% of the total population. As the Latino population of the US grows, the Latino student population within schools across the nation is also growing, accounting for 10.5% of the student population. While the Latino student population continues to grow, there is evidence that this group is not achieving academically at the same rate as other groups. Latino statistics in Utah showed a similar situation within public schools. Fifty-one percent of Latino fourth graders were reading below the expected levels, compared to 22% for Caucasian students. …

English Learners' Participation In Mathematical Discourse, Lindsay Marie Merrill

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the increasing diversity of mathematics classrooms today, teachers need guidance on how to support English Learners (ELs) in mathematics classes in a way that situates language learning within mathematical activity. Unfortunately, neither mathematics education research nor EL education research is sure how to navigate the complexity of teaching ELs mathematics while supporting both their language development and their mathematical development through their participation in mathematical activity. This study examined ELs' participation in mathematical Discourse, investigating both the mathematical purposes ELs accomplished by using multiple symbol systems, and the way ELs used non-English language (NEL) symbol systems to support …

The Role Of The Learning Community In The Professional Development Of Literacy Teachers, Abbey Spoonmore Duggins

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored a learning community in action. The purpose of this study was to investigate the professional conversations that teachers in a learning community had and the impact of those conversations on the practices and beliefs of the individual teachers in the community. Specifically, the study sought to discover how and why facets of professional learning transferred (or did not transfer) into classroom practice. The researcher spent five months with a learning community comprised of six middle school literacy teachers and attended their learning community meetings, visited their classrooms, and videotaped them teaching. Each classroom visit was …

There Is An App For That: Uses Of Print And Digital Materials In The Lives Of Three Preschoolers, Rebecca Hickman Mccraw

Theses and Dissertations

This ethnographic study examined the uses of print and digital materials in the lives of three preschoolers over a five-month period of time in the children’s home and community contexts in the southeast region of the United States. The research question asked: What can I learn about the literacy practices of three preschoolers as they use print and digital materials in their worlds? The children were the primary focus of the research, but adults (specifically, the children’s mothers) also served as informants. Grounded in sociocultural theory and informed by constructivist and media theories, the study is important because, while we …

Grammar Enhanced Biliteracy: Naskapi Language Structures For Facilitating Reading In Naskapi, William Joseph Jancewicz

Theses and Dissertations

The Naskapi language is the language of instruction in the early primary grades of the school in the Naskapi community. Only recently have Naskapi-speaking teachers received formal instruction in pedagogy, with a cohort of Naskapi teachers following courses for their Bachelor of Education degree towards careers teaching in the Naskapi language in their local school. These adults are highly motivated to become literate in their mother tongue in order to teach or prepare curriculum materials in the Naskapi language. This thesis explores how basic grammatical structures can be mastered, and provides insight into the form that pedagogical grammatical instruction should …

Effects Of The Integrated Symple Readers Curriculum On Expressive Vocabulary Acquisition In Elementary Students With Developmental Disabilities, Loralene Edvalson

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the emphasis society places on literacy, most students with developmental disabilities remain illiterate. One cause for this illiteracy may be that these students lack foundational language skills that contribute to being able to read. Research has shown that, among other contributions, multiple exposures across time increase students' abilities to acquire knowledge. The Symple Readers integrated curriculum plans for multiple exposures to novel picture vocabulary words by building them into all activities across the students' day and week. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the Symple Readers integrated curriculum on expressive vocabulary development. During the …

Discovering Regalos: A Case Study Of Saint Anne's Middle School, Nicole Jenks May

Theses and Dissertations

Saint Anne's Middle School is a Catholic, bilingual, bicultural, middle school for girls that participates in the Milwaukee Parental School Choice Program. This case study explored reading and language arts as experienced in the school through the lens of a school library media specialist. The students’ social, emotional, and intellectual needs appeared to be met at the school for the most part. The school also exhibited best practices for teaching reading at the middle school level to bilingual students. However, to improve reading, the school would want to consider changing the school’s focus from reading comprehension to reading engagement so …