Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

The Dyslexic Issue: Resources For Parents, Teachers, And Related Professionals, Shawn D. Murphy

All Graduate Projects

This handbook and website project gives a thorough explanation of dyslexia, the history of dyslexia, and the latest resources available for parents, teachers, and related professionals who support students with dyslexia. The handbook and webpage will provide parents, teachers, and related professionals information which they may access in order to support students with dyslexia throughout their academic career. These resources will offer much-needed support for parents, teachers, and related professionals in learning how to properly identify the characteristics which are most often associated with dyslexia. Furthermore, they will provide an important myriad of resources for intervention for students with dyslexia …

A Washington State Elementary Teachers’ Guide To Bilingual Education, Maria G. Garcia-Bautista

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to create an elementary teacher's manual which explained the history and laws of bilingual education, first and second language development theories and approaches, bilingual education models and what research says about the various models. Proponents of English only/ Sheltered Instruction programs argue that immigrants and their descendents should assimilate to the customs and cultural norms of the United States as expeditiously as possible. Those same proponents believe that acquiring English is a prerequisite for success in education. Without a doubt English language proficiency can lead to immeasurable success. In this manual Two-Way Dual Language …

Creating A Schedule That Increases Instructional Time, Heather Macey

All Graduate Projects

This project was designed to help elementary schools create a master schedule that increases direct instructional time by forming large blocks of uninterrupted time for all classroom teachers. Many teachers struggle with how to structure their daily schedule. Often times there are things other than good quality instruction driving the decision of the structure of school schedules that create very choppy and ineffective schedules that do not support the best learning environment for the children. This project will combine several different approaches in scheduling taken by others that were researched and found to be effective in increasing instructional time and …

Educational Games Increase Learning Effectiveness: A Case Study, Shonda R. Hoyt

All Graduate Projects

Educators of all age groups-whether they be elementary, secondary, or postsecondary- have long recognized and known that there is a strong connection between student engagement in the learning process and student success. Given the environment in which we teach in today, with its growing diversity, larger class sizes, increased focus on high-stakes testing, and ever- expanding poverty levels, it is essential that teachers incorporate new teaching techniques into their classrooms as a tool for better engaging students in their own learning. To that end, this paper reviews the purported benefits of educational games in the classroom setting as a tool …

Motivating Students: Identifying And Motivating Reluctant Learners To Reach Their Academic Potential, Kim Yeager

All Graduate Projects

Motivation plays an important role in determining how well a child will perform in school (Philips & Lindsay, 2006). Regardless of how intelligent or capable a student may be if the student is not motivated to do well then their academic performance will be less than it could have been with some motivation. Teachers need to understand why some students are motivated to try hard in school and why some students are not. This understanding will lead teachers to understand why their students are not reaching their academic potential. The purpose of this project was to design a guide that …

A Personalized Art Curriculum That Promotes Art Advocacy, Nicole Marie Walters

All Graduate Projects

The following project shows the development of a personalized drawing curriculum that will encourage students to become art advocates. The curriculum is based upon art history and is designed for students to relate historical ideas to their own lives. This personalization will help students learn more about art as a form of communication. Through this art experience, students will see the value of art in their own education and it is hoped that in the future, when these students are adults they will be advocates for the arts.

The Effectiveness Of Student Led Conferencing In An Intermediate Setting, Mindy Fitterer

All Graduate Projects

The studied focused on the communication between parents, teachers and students and the student self-reflection of strengths, weaknesses, and goals during Student Led Conferencing. Twenty-five students in a sixth grade classroom created student led conference portfolios and participated in fall and spring conferences with their teacher and parents. The specific parts of each of the pieces of the portfolio and conferences are examined. The results showed a highly effective rate in the desired areas.

Animals And Biographies: Integrated Units For Third/Fourth Looped Classes, Kimberly Lynn Bonsen

All Graduate Projects

This handbook was designed for teachers in a third-to-fourth grade looping classroom. The lessons integrate reading and writing, and the second year (fourth grade) builds upon skills and strategies introduced in the first year (third grade). The third grade set of lessons focuses study on animals while the fourth grade set of lessons focuses on biographies. The handbook contains a OLE/Lesson plan matrix, information for teachers before beginning both sets of lessons, twelve third grade lessons, thirteen fourth grade lessons, and extension activities for both animals and biographies. The final section in the handbook is an appendix that contains every …

Academic Remediation Of Non-Disability, Middle School Students, Merilee Ann Redberg

All Graduate Projects

Strategies were developed to address perceived teacher practitioner concerns regarding three areas considered to be negatively impacting student academic performance and three skills perceived to be crucial to student academic success. The six categories addressed were identified through the author's development and implementation of a survey used among middle school teachers.

An Intergenerational Literacy Project For Migrant Families, Sandra E. Harmening, Amy C. Kiesz

All Graduate Projects

The relationship between student achievement and parental involvement was reviewed and found to be significant. A model project was developed to include seven migrant families intergenerationally within the context of the classroom. The purpose was to enhance the relationship between students and parents/guardians and between these low literacy families and the school institution. The result was projected to be a better understanding of each family's heritage, an increase in volunteerism at the school site, more interest in school work and accomplishment, and the possible residual effect of parental desire to improve their literacy skills.

Techniques And Strategies For Educating And Accommodating Students With Hearing Loss In The Classroom, Stacia H. Thompson

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to develop a teacher and administrator's handbook of techniques and strategies for educating and accommodating students with hearing loss in the classroom. To accomplish this purpose, a review of literature and current research on mainstreaming, educating, and accommodating students with hearing loss was conducted. Additionally, information from selected schools serving students with hearing loss was obtained and analyzed.

The Development Of Student Personal Education Plans Into Portfolios Through The Use Of The Pathway Model, Brad L. Sprague

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to create a Personalized Education Plan and portfolio system to support secondary students in quest for successful skill development and job employment upon graduation. The project was specifically designed for freshmen students and the teaching staff at Auburn High Schooi in Auburn, Washington.

Teaching Comprehension By Incorporating Story Grammar Into A Drta Lesson Format, Sharon Kay Neal

All Graduate Projects

This project presents a teaching procedure which should improve primarylevel reading comprehension. This procedure combines a framework of story grammar as a guide for implementing the Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) lesson format. Literature is reviewed which illustrates the effectiveness of story grammar when used to teach comprehension, and describes the effectiveness of DRTA to promote active comprehension. By combining both story grammar and DRTA, a procedure is developed and ten example lessons are produced.

Cedar River Mini-School, Judy Anne Rene

All Graduate Projects

A mini-school was set up in Cedar River Elementary School in Maple Valley, Washington. The mini-school will keep the same students and teachers together for a three-year period of time. There will be a fourth, fifth, and sixth grade classroom, each with its own teacher. Research suggests that students in small schools perceive a closer, warmer relationship with their teachers, fellow students and other adults and a stronger connection with the school. This project presents a justification for and a description of the mini-school. The only conclusions reached come from the development of the mini-school, not in an evaluation of …

Promoting Children's Writing For Publication, Minnie Mary Mckay Merrill

All Master's Theses

The main emphasis of this project was a description of a writing program "Promoting Children's Writing for Publication" as it evolved at Grass Lake Elementary School, Kent School District, Kent, Washington.

Study Skills For School Success, Terry Mills Tanneberg

All Graduate Projects

"Study Skills for School Success" is a project study focusing on the skills characterized by effective study. The specific nature of study skills and the influence of the home environment are also examined. A major product of this project study is a handbook entitled "Study Skills for School Success." Focusing on the parents of elementary children, the step-by-step handbook is designed to serve as a resource guide for the effective implementation of a home study skills program.

Evaluating The Effect Of Project H.O.P.E.: An After-School Study Hall, Eugene Joseph Schmidt

All Graduate Projects

The effectiveness of Project HOPE, an acronym for Helping Our People Educationally, was tested to determine if improved academic achievement would result from an after-school study hall. Intended for ninth grade students that fall behind because of uncompleted daily work and missed assignments, Project HOPE was created to give students "a last chance." It was thought that daily work scores would rise and that students would realize an overall increase in their final course grades. The actual experiment was run from November 19, 1984 until January 17, 1985. The experimental group was the writer's tenth grade English class. Despite improvements …

The Development And Implementation Of A Program Of In-School-Suspension, Loren Grunenfelder

All Graduate Projects

This study concentrates on suspension of students and in-school suspension programs. The end product of this project is a program of ISS which will fit the needs, resources, and facilities of Tumwater Junior High School. This ISS program is to be used to strengthen our existing discipline program.

Personalized Reading Program For Intermediate Grades, Pamela Kay Kelly

All Graduate Projects

As the reading specialist in an elementary school, it was my responsibility to assist the classroom teachers with their reading program; specifically, with those students who were having difficulty. It was not feasible for me to meet with all who needed help; at the most, I could help forty-three students per week. The pace at which I had to function to assess and meet their individual needs became too great. In view of this situation, the following program was designed to stimulate every intermediate student's desire to read and to do so at his own pace.

Problem Solving Ability And Effective Group Behavior Of Introductory Education Students, Gary Lewis Lord

All Master's Theses

The need to understand group processes in the classroom and to use them to develop more effective learning is growing among educators. The group and its dynamics comprise significant conditions for learning and work either for or against the individual's development. One of the most significant learning developmental characteristics that is readily influenced by group variables is the individual's ability to solve problems. Not only is problem solving ability influenced by group variables, but it is through group process methods that this ability is most effectively learned. Thus, problem solving is believed to be a social skill. That group variables …

The Effects Of Conferencing On Teacher And Pupil Verbal Behavior In The Classroom, Dwayne B. Fickel

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the behavioral effects of conferencing with high school teachers following observations of their behavior in the classroom. The basis of observation, feedback, and conferencing was Flanders' System of Interaction Analysis. All observations were recorded, but feedback was given only to the experimental group.

Contingency Management In A Language Development Program, James E. Clark

All Master's Theses

The problem was two-fold. The first part of the problem was the investigation of whether a person with no formal training in speech could successfully administer Gray's (1970) language development program. The second part of the problem was the investigation of whether the two subjects involved would gain the ability to use new language structures.

Group Counseling The Underachieving New College Student, Kenneth F. Burda

All Master's Theses

The present study will deal with underachievement on the college level. A critical examination of the progress and process of underachievers in a group setting will be attempted. The major difference will be this experiment will be geared to help underachievers before they become probationaries.

Reading Interests In Relation To Vocational, Extracurricular, And Academic Interests Of Boys In Grades Two Through Six, Diane C. Mccarty

All Master's Theses

Educators are continually seeking ways of aiding children in preparation for their adult lives. There has been much research involving the interest and aspirations of the secondary and college student, often leaving the elementary child behind. The writer felt the need to explore the possibilities of a positive relationship between reading, vocational, academic, and extracurricular interests within the elementary grades. If a correlation could be established, this would aid the teacher in developing the necessary skills in a strong foundation for future use by the student. The three-part research hypothesis would determine (1) if a significant relationship exists between the …

Operational Expression Of Attitudes In A Self-Selecting Curriculum, James Richard Carnes

All Master's Theses

The goal of this study was to describe the operational expression of attitudes in a self--selecting curriculum. Information was revealed concerning children's attitudes toward specific curricular areas, how those attitudes are expressed behaviorally, and how attitude changes are reflected in behavior patterns.

A Study Of The Reading Background And Current Program Practices In Reading Used By Elementary Principals In Washington's Second Class School Districts, Kenneth William Anderson

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the degree to which the training and backgrounds possessed by elementary principals affect their actions as leaders of reading instruction with their buildings.

Effects Of Controlled Reading Reinforcement On Junior High Students, Earl Albertson

All Master's Theses

The initial purpose of this investigation was to design a motivating environment based upon operant reinforcement theory. The second purpose of this study was to show how a high degree of structure and systematic application of operant reinforcement theory works in a junior high school reading class.

A Survey Of Changing Of Units Of Measure In First Grade Through Eighth Grade Mathematics Materials, Thomas E. Anderson

All Master's Theses

It was the purpose of this study (1) to compare the ability of eighth grade students to change units of measure in the English system and in a fictional system of measurement; (2) to survey four mathematics textbook series, grades one through six, and four series, grades seven and eight, on changing of units of measure; and (3) to survey three college level textbooks, which could possibly be utilized in an arithmetic methods course, to see how changing of units of measure is suggested to be taught to children.

A Comparative Investigation Of The Affects Of Parental Cooperation And No Known Parental Cooperation In Children’S Reading Skills, Suzanne Dorothea Lorain

All Master's Theses

Due to the low economic area from which the subjects for this experiment were chosen, many were lacking in environmental experiences which contributed to their growth in reading skills and interests in the primary grades. This experiment was devised as a means to study reading difficulties in children from a low socioeconomic area, while, at the same time, parents were used to help overcome those problems. The main purpose of this study was to compare and contrast improvement in reading interest and reading skills in matched groups of subjects of an experimental and a control group.

Implementing Team Teaching In First Grade At South Auburn Elementary School, Linda Scarvie

All Master's Theses

A review of the literature reveals a lack of information on planning and implementing team teaching at the first grade level. From the interest shown by visitors to South Auburn and the questions asked about the program, it is apparent that information on implementing team teaching is needed by educators considering similar implementation.

The purpose of this study is to record the preliminary planning accomplished prior to the initiation of team teaching in first grade at South Auburn Elementary, and the continuous planning accomplished throughout the year which was necessary to implement team teaching at the first grade level.

This …