Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Writing About Wolves: Using Ecocomposition Pedagogy To Teach Social Justice In A Theme-Based Composition Course, Michael S. Geary

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Elements of ecocomposition are employed to construct a course that uses the relationship between wolves and humans as a social justice metaphor. Students explore how mythmaking leads to dire consequences for any population being exploited. This approach to teaching first year composition allows students to acquire new knowledge about conservationism while focusing on developing their critical reading, writing, and researching skills.

Connecting, Christy I. Wenger, Monica Mische, Kristina Fennelly, Laurence Musgrove, Lindsey Allgood

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Finding Meaning in our Work and Writing, Christy I. Wenger

Response from Beyond, Monica Mische

Reflecting on Arguing and Listening in Digital Spaces, Kristina Fennelly

Sunday Morning Before Midterms, Laurence Musgrove

Honoring Impulse, Attending to Gesture, Lindsey All-good

Front Matter, Wendy Ryden, Peter H. Khost

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Front Matter

Seeking A Language That Heals: Teaching And Writing From A Ruined Landscape, Amy Nolan

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

I first heard Iowa referred to as a "ruined landscape" when I was riding a shuttle bus from an airport to a conference... The statement led me to wonder... what does "ruined" mean?

Racial Literacy Is Literacy: Locating Racial Literacy In The College Composition Classroom, Mara Lee Grayson

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

In order to develop pedagogies around racial literacy, we must first define the goals and bounds of racial literacy as praxis. In this paper, I synthesize the findings of a year-long teacher research project to explore the significance of racial literacy in the college composition classroom. Drawing from existing scholarship and my own research into racial literacy instruction, I offer four visions of racial literacy in the English classroom, the last of which is Racial Literacy as Literacy. I conclude by arguing that a racial literacy curriculum can teach students foundational concepts of textual analysis, audience awareness, authorial choice and …

Back Matter, Wendy Ryden, Peter H. Khost

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Back Matter

Relational Literacy, W. Kurt Stavenhagen

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

In this paper, I propose literacy practices that further shift us from subject-object dichotomies and exclusive language practices to a focus on relationships and multimodality. Based in large part upon Indigenous Scholar Shawn Wilson’s concept of relationality, I define a relational literacy wherein we counter an undue abstraction of the environment by mapping interspecies relationships and placing them within kinship narratives.

Book Reviews, Irene Papoulis, Dan Mrozowski, Jacquelyne Kibler, Christy I. Wenger, Mary Leonard, Sharon Marshall

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Present and Feeling, Irene Papoulis

Newkirk, Thomas. Embarrassment and the Emotional Underlife of Learning. Heinemann, 2017, Dan Mrozowski

Young, Shinzen. The Science of Enlightenment: How Meditation Works. Sounds True, 2016, Jacquelyne Kibler

Peary, Alexandria. Prolific Moment: Theory and Practice of Mindfulness for Writing. Routledge, 2018, Christy I. Wenger

De Luca, Geraldine. Teaching toward Freedom: Supporting Voices and Silence in the English Classroom. Routledge, 2018, Mary Leonard

Cooper, Brittney. Eloquent Rage, A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower, St. Martins, 2018, Sharon Marshall

Planning And Implementing Student-Led Ieps For Students With Ebd, Mariya T. Davis, Ingrid K. Cumming

Special Education Faculty Publications (Archived)

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have difficulties in transitioning to postschool environments. Research has documented that postsecondary outcomes for students with EBD in the areas of education, employment, and community participation continue to be limited and, therefore, in need of improvement. Some of the outcomes relate to how transition programs integrate effective practices to support students with EBD. In this article, we describe a student-led Individualized Education Program (IEP) practice and provide step-by-step directions that can be used for planning and conducting student-led IEPs.

The Two Faces Of Education: Educators' And Administrators' Perspectives On Collaboration And Co-Teaching, Lisa Penny

Dissertations

This phenomenological study investigated the experiences and perceptions of special education teachers, general education teachers, and administrators on inclusion, collaboration, and co- teaching in supporting the academic and behavioral growth of all students. The following themes were identified: (a) individual definition of collaboration, (b) school leader training, (c) support and feedback from administration, (d) teachers’ and principals’ perceptions, (e) student achievement, and (f) participants’ knowledge base of co-teaching models. The findings indicate that although co-teaching and inclusion has become common practice and educators generally believe in its virtues, there are some persistent difficulties based on limiting beliefs about students with …

Self-Control Training For Parents Of Children With Autism And Related Disabilities In Albania, Amanda Jane Petersen

Theses and Dissertations

Self-control can be defined as the ability to select a larger, later reward over a smaller, sooner reward. This ability, also known as gratification delay, has been highly correlated with academic competence and success. Studies that examine gratification delay have identified strategies that have been observed to increase the delay time to reward. This study examined the extent to which parents of children with Autism or a related disability could be trained to teach these strategies. Participants were seven mothers who were all ethnic Albanian. The results indicated that these mothers were able to teach the three strategies they were …

The Lived Experiences Of Black Males In Special Education: A Phenomenological Study Of Parents And Students, Ashonta Lashonda Wyatt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black males rank highest among students who choose to leave school; are suspended, expelled, or kicked out of school; score poorly on tests; have low GPAs and high rates of referral and placement in special education; and are underrepresented in gifted education (e.g., NCES, 2005; Whiting, 2004) as cited in Whiting (2006a). The purpose of this study was to generate an understanding of the attitudes and beliefs related to special education referral and placement of Black males as perceived by six Black students and their parents. The focus of this phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of six …

Co-Teaching As A Vehicle To Inclusion In A Diverse Suburban Middle School: A Case Study, Luis Correa

Dissertations

Many school districts across the United States have adopted, or are considering adopting, full inclusion to meet academic and social-emotional needs of increasingly diverse student populations. Co-teaching has become a popular approach for districts committed to inclusion. This study is about a Midwestern school district which more than 10 years ago committed itself to inclusion and co-teaching. The primary research question was: How do we make co-teaching more effective in the Fairview School District? A survey was sent to 120 co-teachers from three middle schools about their experiences with co-teaching in the areas of sharing responsibilities, co-teaching relationships, planning time, …

Teachers Use And Perceptions Of The Impact Of Response To Intervention (Rti) On Co-Teaching At The Secondary Level In General Education Classrooms, Hawazen Alasiri

Dissertations

When working together, Response to Intervention (RTI) and co-teaching can serve the needs of teachers and their students in a duet that Murawski and Hughes (2009) called “a logical combination for successful systematic change” (p. 267). According to the U.S. Department of Education, the number of students with disabilities, ages 6–21, who spent most of the school day in general classrooms in regular schools increased from 33% in 1990 to 62% in 2014 (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). With twice as many students with disabilities attending general education classrooms today, it is essential that all stakeholders in the education field …

Professional Learning Communities In Michigan’S Center-Based Schools: A Mixed Methods Study, Benjamin L. Oakley

Dissertations

In 2018 the The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), a program of the U.S. Department of Education (DoED), issued a letter of determination to the State of Michigan concerning compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA) Parts B and C. States are evaluated for compliance with IDEA 2004 based upon a set of 20 State Performance Plan Indicators (SPPIs). Michigan was the only state in the union to receive the lowest rating possible, “needs intervention,” for the 2016-2017 school year.

Over 10% of students with disabilities in the State of Michigan spend less than …

The Effectiveness Of Google Classroom In The Self-Contained Chemistry Classroom, Steven J. Gross

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to ascertain the effectiveness of Google Classroom in the self-contained Chemistry classroom in terms of student turning in of assignments, student performance on summative assessment, student satisfaction with the use of Google Classroom, student contribution to class discussion in terms of frequency and quality, and the student acceptance of Google Classroom as a system of technology. Results suggest increased growth on summative assessments, turning in of assignments, and less regression in turning in of assignments with the implementation and use of Google Classroom. Results also suggest that the student population performs better through …

An Exploratory Investigation Of The Effect Of Reading Strategies On Science Assessment Scores, Suzanne K. Lynch

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of literacy strategies in a content area improves a summative assessment score. All of the students in this research had Individual Education Plans. Most of the students have specific learning disabilities that include reading comprehension, reading fluency, basic reading skills, and inferencing skills. Both pre-reading and during reading strategies were used for the study. Students were exposed to the use of graphic organizers and close reading strategies on given topics. Data gathered from the experiment showed that the use of a graphic organizer in addition to notes and labs …

Impact Of Professional Development On Accessible Early Literacy Content For Preschool Children With Disabilities In Public Library Storytime, Melissa Pebly

Dissertations and Theses

Library storytime programs provide opportunities for preschool children to develop readiness skills in early literacy that are linked in research to later success in learning to read and write. Children with disabilities that do not demonstrate school readiness skills upon entry to kindergarten are often placed in self-contained special education settings where opportunities to learn to read and write are diminished. English Language Learners (ELL) who have disabilities face additional challenges in benefiting from the models of language that are optimal for learning literacy when placed in self-contained settings. Despite the critical role that storytime programs play in equalizing the …

Cooperative Grouping In The Inclusive Stem Classroom, Catherine M. Elsey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if using cooperative group role assignments impacted on-task behavior in an inclusive STEM classroom. This study investigated if students were positively engaged, remained on-task, and completed STEM challenges with their group. There were two 5th grade classes, each with sixteen participants, involved in the study. In the experimental class, students had role assignments in their cooperative group of four members. The other class, was a control group, and students did not have role assignments in their group of four members. Data was collected through observation procedures of on-task and off-task behaviors for …

The Effectiveness Of The Question Formulation Technique On Open-Ended, Written Response Questions In Mathematics, Jessica M. Mannion

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) on students' open-ended, written response questions in mathematics in a 4th grade inclusion classroom. Four students, three male and one female, participated in the study. All students were classified with specific learning disabilities (SLD) or other health impaired (OHI). Experimental research design was used. A baseline was collected using students previous written response scores.

The QFT was implemented over the course of three math chapters. Students were assessed after each chapter with three open-ended, written response problems. The results show that each students average …