Elementary Education Commons^™

Words In Context: A Mixed Methods Description Of An Early Elementary Comprehensive Vocabulary Building Program, Cherrynn Kast Black

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Strong academic vocabulary is necessary for students’ success in school. Recent research has recommended studying integrated approaches for developing vocabulary, which is predictive of the long-term school success of all students. This dialectical concurrent mixed methods case study was designed to define and describe the early elementary vocabulary program of a fifteen-year-old southern Idaho public charter school recognized for high academic achievement of its high school students. In the tradition originally proposed for laboratory schools, this program was developed by innovative teachers with an idea for improving education and takes a classical approach to teaching. This includes an intentional culture …

Fourth-Grade Measurement Conversion Standards And Application, Allison Stauffer

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

System Support For Early Grade Teacher Mentors In Cambodia, Jana Scislowicz

Capstone Collection

The early primary education system in Cambodia is working to expand its teacher mentoring network. This quantitative and qualitative study examines the motivational factors of school-based early grade literacy mentors and master mentors who have played these roles in a pilot program implemented by a United States Agency for International Development-funded project during the 2021-2022 academic year in Cambodia. The study finds that mentors are motivated to perform the mentoring roles for intrinsic reasons such as improving student education and peer learning. It also finds that there are areas of improvement for mentor selection, workload assignment, financial remuneration, and recognition …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Elementary And Secondary Music Education, Colette Stefaniak

Student Theses

This paper will highlight several key effects the COVID-19 pandemic had on elementary and secondary music education. The 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic drastically changed music education for both elementary and secondary institutions. Changes made to music curriculums to adapt to an online teaching environment have had both positive and negative effects on post-pandemic music education. This paper will discuss how the 2020 pandemic has created a different learning environment for elementary music classrooms, music ensembles, and private lessons.

Engaging Drama: Does Drama Increase Student Engagement In A Second-Grade History Class?, Jasmine Villanueva

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This research investigated how drama integration benefitted students’ academic achievement and their engagement in history. This study integrated drama and history in a second-grade class, by allowing students to create tableaus to present and share information. The study used pre and post assessments, an attitudes survey to measure students’ attitudes towards history before and after integration, and the researcher also recorded student engagement at the beginning and end of drama integration. This study showed significant improvement in student content knowledge through the use of tableaus, and inconclusive results as far as engagement and student attitudes were concerned.

Stories In Motion: Integrating Creative Dance In A Language Arts Classroom, Amira Akam

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

As learning gaps have widened in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increased need for research-based strategies to improve student academic achievement and engagement. This study explored the integration of creative dance as a form of storytelling in a kindergarten language arts classroom. Students were introduced to an element of dance and used it to create short dance phrases in a unit on retelling. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected using pre/post tests and student interviews measuring students’ engagement and enjoyment. Students involved in this study showed significant growth in their ability to orally retell …

Strategies To Aid Multilingual Learners In Academic Language Acquisition In Elementary Science And Mathematics Classes, Mikayla Grumbacher, Sophia Sladic

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

This qualitative inquiry research study surveys academic language acquisition strategies for teachers of multilingual learners in elementary science and mathematics classes. We paired readings of recent peer-reviewed journal articles with video observations of three elementary school teachers and an interview with a Director of English as a Second Language for a county in Virginia. Thematic analysis helped us identify similar strategies across the different studies, classroom observations, and interview. Our findings suggest that utilizing sensory and interactive supports are especially helpful strategies for teachers seeking to help multilingual learners in academic language acquisition.

Impact Of Brain Breaks On Student Engagement In An Upper Elementary Classroom, Hannah Jaeger, Stephanie Mcwilliams

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Educators are constantly looking for ways to increase student engagement. Due to limited attention spans in students and the academic stress that is placed on them, students often become disengaged and distracted after extended periods of academic related tasks. Brain breaks, or short periods of movement or relaxation to break up academic tasks, can improve student engagement and focus. One specific benefit was improved focus, which has a positive impact on time-on-task behavior (Cline, et al., 2021). This study will concentrate on three different types of brain breaks; physical brain breaks that involve student movement, mindfulness brain breaks that involve …

Perspectives On Movement In The Classroom And Strategies That Keep Students Engaged, Darley Desormo

Honors College Theses

Within this study, the question of “what are teachers’ rationale for incorporating kinesthetic learning in the elementary classroom '' will be addressed. The purpose of this study is to gain insight from elementary teachers’ perceptions and their rationale on the use of movement-based learning in the classroom. To examine further into this research, interviews were conducted. Participants of the study were elementary classroom teachers. During seven online meetings, the researcher interviewed using consistent guiding questions asking elementary teachers about their implementation and rationale of movement-based learning in their classroom experiences. The researcher also asked questions to gain an understanding of …

Writing And Reading Connections: Giving Value To Both Sides Of The Same Literacy Coin, Zoi A. Traga Philippakos, Penelope Wiese, Adalea Davis

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

The purpose of this article is to comment on ways that writing-reading connections can take place enhancing reading comprehension and composition. Drawing from a genre-based instructional approach, examples are provided to explain such connections in the process of (a) a rhetorical analysis conducted on writing prompts and prior to reading, (b) examination of writing purposes and genres for writing and reading, (c) read alouds for retelling and monitoring meaning making, and (d) of critical reading for reviewing purposes and determination of clarity of written ideas. The article concludes with guidelines for classroom teachers and recommendations for the implementation of the …

Empathy Throughout The Curriculum: Using Picture Books To Promote Activism & Equity, Kathleen M. Olmstead, Peter Kalenda, Logan T. Rath, Jeffrey Xue, Jie Zhang

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

The authors—a panel of teacher educators, an education librarian, and a high school student activist, share classroom practices, recent research, and scholarship that centers on fostering empathy and activism through picture books as part of culturally relevant-sustaining practices. A variety of new children’s literature and practical ways to incorporate these inclusive picture books across the curriculum are shared. Useful strategies for teachers to locate culturally responsive & sustaining children’s literature and related resources for classroom use are also provided.

Advocating For Equity In Teaching And Learning, Marrielle Myers

KSU Distinguished Course Repository

Learners in this course will use a critical lens to examine the challenges and opportunities that students, teachers, families, and leaders in urban contexts face related to opportunity gaps, classroom management, assessment, special education, gifted education, and retention. Learners will complete field-based assignments and will think analytically about and develop a research-based advocacy plan to advocate for change regarding a critical issue in urban schools.

Korean Dual Language Immersion Programs: Perspectives Of Parents, Students And Teachers As Stakeholders, Bridgett Stafford, Nicole Rivera

Symposium of Student Scholars

While dual language immersion (DLI) programs are relatively new in the United States, they have been heavily researched. However, the majority of the research focuses on Spanish and Mandarin programs. Korean, as a less commonly taught language (LCTL) and a language with a different typography as English has not been thoroughly researched. Being a LCTL, there are possible cultural and social factors that influence the program. There are also concerns that because Korean has a different typography as English, it would take more time to learn and maintain, causing differing results from programs that share the English typography. Despite Korean …

Developing Understanding Of Science Process Skills Through Research And Practices, Faith Ebling, Savannah Cessna, Adria Lindemann, Noelia Lopez, Charleen Sawin, Kyndal Smith

ATU Scholars Symposium

The research examines out first-hand experience of conducting experiments in science and conceptualizing the experimental design process for teaching science concepts in elementary grades. We used Drosophila, the fruit fly as a model organism for studying the phenomenon that animals have traits inherited from parents. The phenomenon is a performance expectation in the Next Generation Science Standards (3-LS3-1). We observed the phenomenon, developed hypothesis, conducted experiments , collected data, analyzed and communicated our findings through discussions and presentations. We utilized our knowledge acquired from the process in developing lesson plans for teaching in elementary grades. In this presentation we will …

Allowing And Using Low Nutritional Value Foods For Celebrations, Rewards, And Motivators In K-12 School Classrooms: Teacher Candidates’ Beliefs At The University Of Mississippi, Chandler Cohn

Honors Theses

Objective: Identify University of Mississippi teacher candidates’ beliefs and observations about offering low nutritional value foods for student events from their K-12 school placements.

Methods: A twenty-two-item, cross-sectional survey was developed with Qualtrics based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. The survey was distributed to juniors and seniors at the University of Mississippi, with a response rate of 79%.

Results: A majority of teacher candidates (69%) observed that their clinical instructor currently uses low nutritional value foods in the classroom to reward academic achievements, while only 38% agree that this is the right decision.

Conclusions and Implications: A greater focus …

How International Student Teaching Benefits A Classroom, Kasey Donahue

Honors Program Theses and Projects

In this day and age, more students are considering whether or not they should student teach abroad. International student teaching is not a program that all universities offer. However, at the universities that have the program, student teachers are noticing the effect that the experience has on them in the long run. Interviews with five different teachers who considered completing their student teaching abroad and followed through with it have reflected positive outcomes. The makeup of our classrooms are rapidly changing with many different cultures and nationalities being represented. In order to provide an equitable and inclusive classroom environment, teachers …

Powerful Partnerships: Examining Home-School Engagement In The Virtual Setting, Joshua Scott-Pineda

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Over the years, establishing, maintaining, and expanding partnerships with families has proven to be a challenging task. Although there have been legislative efforts to improve the situation, they have been ineffective. Researchers have identified two possible causes: inadequate communication, or low parent self-efficacy. Then, a global pandemic upended everything, and schools had to completely shift to remote option, prompting a need to reevaluate engagement strategies altogether. This project aimed to investigate the views of experts, examine the communication strategies implemented by skilled teachers, and propose small modifications that could enhance the bidirectional relationship between schools and families.

The Reality Of Teaching English Virtually: Esl Teachers' Perspectives And Experiences During The Covid-19 National Pandemic, Natalia Guerrero

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the dilemma ESL teachers experienced as the educational system shifted from the usual modus operandi of in-person lessons to the uncharted virtual learning environment (VLE). ESL teachers, in one of the largest urban districts in Louisiana, accumulated additional roles and responsibilities that were unique to the teachers of the English learner (EL) population enrolled at their schools.

Data collected to answer the research questions were the product of single and focus group’s interviews with five ESL elementary and middle school teachers in Freedom District. State and district emergency response to COVID-19 guidelines, along with instructional artifacts, were …

Science Club, Danielle Gibson, Krista Andersen

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

Honors After School program for elementary age children to engage with scientific principles. Students performed hands-on experiments to explore various STEM fields. Each weekly lesson consisted of a different concept to be learned or explored by early elementary aged students.

Development Of The Emirati Child Adaptation Scale (Ecas) For Assessing The Behavioral Adaptation Skills Of Children With And Without Disabilities In The Uae., Ousha Almuhairy, Efthymia Efthymiou, Hala Elhoweris, Mahmoud Alshathly, Abdelaziz Sartawi

All Works

Behavioral problems cause limitations in the social skills of children without disabilities and affect the functionality of children with disabilities. The Emirati child adaptation scale (ECAS) was developed in the UAE to provide reliable and valid information on the behavioral adaptation skills in children with and without intellectual disability (ID). The scale’s item pool consists of 651 items that identify behavioral adaptation deficits across the 10 domain–skill areas of communication, pre-academic, listening, social, self-care, self-orientation, motor skills, operational society, life, and health and safety. The scale was administered to 1542 children with disabilities and 920 children without disabilities. The scale …