Education Commons^™

Fish In A Tree Book Study Assignment Description, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

Individuals lead storied lives, and everyone has a story to tell. Our stories can be shared orally and documented in print. Often, learners are exposed to stories through novels and other trade books. Teacher educators may benefit from using the stories in novels and trade books as case studies in preservice teacher preparation course. This assignment description outlines how to use the novel, Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, as a case study to contextualize and understand the lived story of an individual living and learning with dyslexia. Through the novel, preservice teachers experience the dilemmas faced and …

Home Of The Brave Book Study Assignment Description, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

Individuals lead storied lives, and everyone has a story to tell. Our stories can be shared orally and documented in print. Often, learners are exposed to stories through novels and other trade books. Teacher educators may benefit from using the stories in novels and trade books as case studies in preservice teacher preparation course. This assignment description outlines how to use the novel, Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate, as a case study to contextualize and understand the lived story of an individual learning a second language and living in a new country. Through the novel, preservice teachers experience …

Instructional Practices That Promote Reading Growth In K-3 Students: A Qualitative Study Of Highly Effective Reading Teachers, Valora J. Unowsky

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The focus of this study was to examine the effective instructional practices, philosophies, values, and beliefs of highly effective reading teachers, as evidenced by their students’ rate of reading growth over the course of one academic year across all demographic subgroups. Teacher instructional strategies, approaches to tier one and tier two instruction, planning, preparation, and philosophical beliefs about teaching were investigated. The primary goal of this study was to identify and examine teacher practices and characteristics which result in high reading growth, so as to benefit students. This qualitative grounded theory study used targeted teacher interviews and extensive coding methodologies …

Missing Pieces And Voices: Steps For Teachers To Engage In Science Of Reading Policy And Practice, Kathleen S. Howe, Teddy D. Roop

Michigan Reading Journal

The current wave of dyslexia legislation backed by the science of reading is the latest literacy policy added to a decades-long list. Teachers, whose voices were largely excluded, are key stakeholders in any literacy policy initiative and are well-suited to inform policymakers about the complexities of teaching readers who struggle, including those diagnosed with dyslexia. This article previews the implications of legislation that narrowly focuses on “science” and disregards unique individual reader profiles. This article encourages teachers to get involved with policy that impacts their practices and provides suggestions to ensure their voices are included in this and future initiatives.

Perceptions Of Classroom Teachers On Read-Aloud Practices Implemented Within The Elementary Setting, Kimberly J. Perry

Doctor of Education Dissertations

A problematic imbalance of academic discrepancies continues to exist within our schools today, leading to school failure for many of our students. Teachers must be prepared to provide effective instructional methods that increase the reading outcomes for all students. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the perceptions of elementary teachers, as compared to observable data, regarding the implementation of teacher read-aloud opportunities within the classroom setting. This dissertation analyzed and compared how elementary classroom teachers described their read-aloud practices to the tangible practices implemented in their classrooms, in order to determine a relationship between perception and …

The Influence Of A Phonics-Based Program, Wilson Fundations®, On Primary Children's Reading Skills, Teresa Debrito

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This case study focused on the experiences of teachers who utilized a reading program, Wilson Fundations®, to teach phonics-based instruction to primary age children at an urban elementary school. Face-to-face interviews and a review of preliminary data verified for this community of educators that the phonics-based program was leading to significant improvements in reading for their students.

Based on brain imaging and significant intervention research, children with reading difficulties do benefit greatly from multisensory phonics-based instruction. Although the research is clear, children in the United States continue to struggle with reading. The National Association of Educational Progress (NAEP) results …

The Impact Of Shared Reading On 1st Graders’ Writing Using Author’S Craft, Kelsey Bolin

Masters Theses

This study was conducted in a first grade classroom with twenty participants. This study took place over five and a half weeks, where students were introduced to three mentor texts in a shared reading setting. The students asked and answered questions about the texts and participated in extension writing activities. Students were given opportunities to engage with the mentor texts and writing in whole group settings as well as individual settings. Students were expected to write a final assignment using the form of author craft portrayed in the final mentor text, which students were able to complete successfully.

Students practiced …

Toward A More Loving Framework For Literacy Education

Occasional Paper Series

No abstract provided.

Small Group Reading Instruction For English Language Learners In Grades 3-5, Emily Peters

All Graduate Projects

This project highlights best practices for small reading group instruction for third through fifth grade English language learners in the general education classroom. By completing a literature review, a journal article was developed to report the pros and cons of heterogeneous and homogeneous groupings for reading instruction. Data from the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) and the OSPI Report Card were used to discuss a need to raise student reading proficiency scores.

How Do Student Responses Develop In Second Grade Reading Conferences, Lindsey Ervin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to investigate and track the development of student responses during individual reading conferences in second grade. Data was kept over a two-week period and tracked through individual student reading conferences, student jots during reading, reading logs and anecdotal notes. Throughout the study, the student responses developed through the use of question stems and prompts. Through the use of self-selected text and holding student accountable for the reading, the students remained engaged. The structure of the conference helped to build on students' strengths and provide a teaching point in order for the students to practice …

Upper Elementary Reading Instruction In The Age Of Accountability: Balancing Best Practices With Pressures To Achieve On High-Stakes Tests, Christina H. Saunders

Theses and Dissertations

The present study identifies reading instructional practices used in upper elementary classrooms during the age of high-stakes test accountability and compares reading practices among schools of varying accreditation status and socio-economic status (SES). The current study partially replicates and extends a study conducted by Baumann, Hoffman, Duffy-Hester, and Ro in 2000. The Baumann et al. (2000) study provides a frame of reference to compare instructional practices prior to high stakes testing with those used in the current high stakes testing environment. Third- through fifth-grade teachers in seven school districts in central Virginia were asked to complete an electronic survey. Descriptive …

Improving Reading: A Case Study Of The Accelerated Reader Program, Tammy K. Waters

Education Dissertations and Projects

Fidelity of program implementation of the Accelerated Reader (AR) program in relation to fourth-grade students’ achievement in reading was investigated. The relationship among students’ motivation to read, the role of parental support, and the reading success of students as measured by the fourth-grade end-of-grade reading test was also examined. Implementation fidelity of the AR program was determined through researcher observations and completion of an AR Implementation Checklist by participating teachers. Motivation to read was determined by administration of the ERAS to fourth-grade students. Parental support was measured through use of a parent survey and a teacher perceptions survey. Principals and …

An Examination Of Elementary Preservice Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs For Teaching Reading, Michele Miller Schaich

Education Dissertations and Projects

In the United States, an alarming number of students cannot read proficiently, though there is best-practice research on how to effectively teach readers at all levels. This study examined the impact teacher preparation courses as well as the student teaching experience had on preservice teachers’ self-efficacy for literacy instruction. An extensive review of the literature revealed there is not a large body of research that is literacy content-specific and focused on the preservice teacher efficacy. This study is significant in that the process of teacher preparation in universities is one of continuous improvement. Professors of teacher preparation courses must rely …

Sounds And Symbols : The Relationship Between Auditory Processing And Reading, Jacqueline Kohos

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This project explores the relationship between auditory processing and reading. Inspired by the students and teachers during the author's first year of teaching, this work analyzes five areas of reading challenge through the lens of auditory processing: letter names and sounds, phonological awareness, sight words, decoding, and fluency.

The Effects Of Interactive Strategies Approach On At-Risk Kindergarten Children's Spelling Development, Sun Hwa Lee

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study involved secondary analyses of an existing kindergarten developmental spelling data set which was collected using the Developmental Spelling Test (DST; Tangel & Blachman, 1992, 1995) in Scanlon and her colleagues' 2005 study (Scanlon, Vellutino, Small, Fanuele, & Sweeney, 2005). The purpose of the current study is to examine whether the early literacy instruction/intervention approach called the Interactive Strategies Approach (ISA; Scanlon, Anderson, & Sweeney, 2010; Vellutino & Scanlon, 2002) is effective for improving at-risk children's spelling development.

The Impact Of The “Universal Voyager Literacy” Reading Program On Reading Achievement And Instructional Practices In An Urban School District, Shanika L. Hope

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

Founded in 1994, Voyager Expanded Learning is a provider of K-3 in-school reading programs, as well as K-8 reading intervention programs for school districts throughout the United States. Voyager Universal Literacy's systematic, precise framework fully addresses the five elements of reading instruction, through an explicit succession of ability growth. Voyager Universal Literacy was developed to be a comprehensive program encompassing the subsequent requisites: in-school broad reading program, progress monitoring methods, extensive-day and summer activities, home learning syllabus, implementation monitoring, and on-going professional development. Voyager Universal Literacy Program activities are organized to provide a thorough range and progression for reading instruction. …

The Effect Of Literature Mapping Of Basal Vocabulary On Word Knowledge And Comprehension, Andrea Lynn Morris

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether two instructional interventions in reading that utilize literature mapping within a story element frame, T-CaPS MaP via transparency mapping, or computer-designed mapping via Inspiration, would affect reading ability of leveled sixth grade groups. T-CaPS MaP, designed by the researcher, is a combination of well-known story grammars that was used to expand and enhance basal vocabulary instruction. T represents the title of the story, C represents characters in the story; arepresents and; P represents point of view of the author; S represents setting of the story; M represents the mood of …

A Search, Through Educational Use, For A Definition Of Reading, Patricia Glover Landers

OBU Graduate Theses

The problem is to find a pragmatic solution to the question, "What Do I Teach?" regarding reading instruction. It is hypothesized that the answer can be found in a definition of reading held in universal agreement by reading methodology and testing. Also, because the results of the diverse methodologies are common; then, there must be some objective thought units (hence, commonly known as "skills") held in common by all methods gaining recognition in the field of reading education. If an horizontal analysis of all the skills contained in.the most educationally accepted methods were made, a group of common elements should …