Education Commons^™

Teaching Literacy: A Puzzle-Based Approach, Johannah D. Baugher Dr., Robyn Akins

The Advocate

In an effort to achieve stronger, curricular alignment and establish a more concrete relationship between literacy theory and instructional practice, curricular redesign within an undergraduate, literacy methods course commenced. With a clear rationale for why course redesign was necessary, a collective vision rooted with intention and focused on student learning drove the redesign process. After much thought and critical reflection, instructional planning was complete and the Model of the Complete, Literate Student was born. This research-based model holistically identifies ten puzzle pieces critical to one’s literacy development and ultimately, became the framework that anchored all course content.

Course redesign was …

The Power Of Please: How Courtesy Scripts Improve Self-Control And Reduce Peer Conflict By Creating New Language Patterns, Michael J. Haslip

Networks: An Online Journal for Teacher Research

This teacher inquiry project describes how one first grade teacher learned to use coached language supports to improve children’s self-control and cooperation. Courtesy scripts were created in the process. The development of courtesy scripts and their application in early elementary classrooms is presented. Courtesy scripts are specific phrases explicitly taught (I do, we do, you do), reinforced, and used in conversations by both the speaker and listener. Children learned how to make requests while also honoring the needs of others. Use of these pragmatic language supports helped to create a peaceful classroom community. A practical method for teaching courteous language …

A Systematic Multisensory Phonics Intervention For Older Struggling Readers: Action Research Study, Elizabeth Henry

Networks: An Online Journal for Teacher Research

Upper elementary readers who persist with reading difficulties face both academic and emotional challenges when they do not make reading gains equal to their peers. Decades of research has shown that persistent treatment resisters respond positively to a systematic multisensory phonics intervention. In my action research study, I examined how 5th and 6th grade struggling readers responded to a multisensory phonics intervention. Following the eight-week intervention, students made gains in word reading accuracy and demonstrated increased confidence in word reading skills. Implications of the study bolster the importance of providing phonics instruction to older struggling readers.