Education Commons^™

Writing For Comprehension: How Does Writing Influence Informational Reading Comprehension In The Elementary Classroom?, Tori Golden Hughes, Roya Q. Scales, W. David Scales

Literacy Practice and Research

This quantitative study was conducted through a school and university partnership. Data from benchmark reading assessments and writing rubrics were gathered over five weeks in a third-grade classroom in the rural mountains of the southeastern United States. Results indicate student growth in reading comprehension and writing. Findings confirm the positive correlation between reading and writing, which suggests integrating explicit reading and writing instruction supports students’ reading comprehension. Based on these findings, we suggest ways teachers can improve reading comprehension skills, blend reading and writing instruction, and pique student interest through an informational writing unit.

Comparing Three Different Vocabulary Teaching Techniques For Retention, Nermin Punar-Ozcelik, Levent Uzun

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

In relation to all languages, communication is the key concept, so vocabulary and grammar are the basis of communication. There have been conducted some studies considering the effect of different techniques on vocabulary retention. However, these studies are mostly limited not to integrate skill-based activities to language teaching techniques for effective vocabulary retention. Based on this gap, the present study aimed to discover the differences among three vocabulary learning and teaching techniques integrated with skill-based activities (reading only, pictured reading with writing, and video watching with speaking) for vocabulary retention. Pre-experimental research was carried out, and the treatment based on …

Book Review Of A Young Writer's World: Creating Early Childhood Classrooms Where Authors Abound., Hannah D. Szatkowski

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

A Young Writer’s World: Creating Early Childhood Classrooms Where Authors Abound (Giles, 2020) provides early childhood educators with the knowledge and resources in order to create an immersive learning environment conducive for developing pre-school and kindergarten’s writing development. This book review evaluates the layout and key components of the text in order to identify the potential implications it could provide within an early childhood classroom.

Think Aloud Modeling: Expert And Coping Models In Writing Instruction And Literacy Pedagogy, Zoi A. Traga Philippakos

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to review the utility of think alouds in writing instruction and highlight the function of think-aloud modeling in the development of cognitive and metacognitive strategies that support learners’ independence. For these purposes, modeling with coping is also explained. Coping models, in which teachers encounter challenges and show how to resolve them using specific strategies, are more effective than expert models according to which tasks are completed at a level of mastery. The paper reviews learning theories and focuses on specific practices that can support learners’ self-regulation through the use of models that verbalize …

How Padlet Encouraged Student Collaboration And Engagement In My Virtual Classroom, Annie Yon

New Jersey English Journal

With the growth of virtual classes, it is crucial for teachers to integrate strategies and resources that foster student engagement and build a sense of community in an online environment. One way to augment synchronous and asynchronous communication is to implement an online discussion board, which can provide rich opportunities for students to share insights, ask clarifying questions, collaborate, create multimodal projects, and have their voices heard. By incorporating an interactive discussion board, such as Padlet, as part of class resources, teachers can facilitate discourse among students that transcends the physical boundaries of the classroom, create a motivational environment, improve …

Examining Pre-Service Literacy Teachers’ Perceptions About Providing Writing Feedback To Elementary Students, Roberta D. Raymond, Lillian Benavente-Mcenery, Rose M. Toman

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine pre-service teachers’ perceptions about providing writing feedback to fourth-grade students. A group of 102 pre-service teachers participated in the study. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The findings revealed four critical components to giving feedback, the importance of scaffolding for the writer, and the vulnerability of pre-service teachers regarding writing. Implications for teacher educators include the importance of providing authentic writing and feedback opportunities for pre-service teachers. Additionally, pre-service teachers would benefit from being exposed to a strengths perspective in order to nurture their growth as proficient writers and …

Cultivating The Strategy Of Summarizing Sequential Expository Text: Scaffolds And Supports For The Intermediate Grades, Jennifer M. Green, Jennifer Holman

Literacy Practice and Research

Fourth-grade students in the United States have notoriously experienced a fourth-grade slump in reading. This persistent trend has led researchers, school leaders, and teachers to seek ways to improve comprehension of expository text. Summarizing is a complex strategy that requires students to analyze, condense, and express information in their own words. This action research project explored the impact of three techniques (cloze summaries, graphic organizers, and paraphrasing) on students’ ability to summarize sequential text in writing. Explicit instruction led to marked growth in students’ ability to write summaries of expository text.

Extending Literacy Work Beyond Our Buildings: The Collaborative Work Of Creating A Community Writing Center, Catherine Calabro Cavin, Cathy Fleischer, Ann Blakesee, Mary Garboden

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

YpsiWrites, a community writing center that supports youth and adults, is a collaborative effort among 826michigan, Eastern Michigan University’s Office of Campus and Community Writing, and the Ypsilanti District Library. The authors share the background for this work, the partnerships that sustain it, and the day-to-day realities of operating it. They conclude with ideas for how others might create similar collaborations to extend literacy beyond the walls of schools.

Word Problems In The Mathematics Textbook: An Instructional Resource Guide To Support Writing Instruction., Christine Picot, Jenifer Jasinski Schneider

Transformations

Abstract

Mathematics textbooks typically include word problems or story problems that require students to develop extended written responses. Yet, the answers to these prompts can vary so widely that preservice and inservice teachers must be prepared for multiple levels of interpretation of the language used to capture mathematical thinking. Based on an analysis of word problems within two teacher’s editions of elementary mathematics textbooks, we describe a series of strategies and tasks to scaffold teachers’ understanding of planning for word problems during mathematics instruction. We detail the following components; (1) the use of the Instructional Resource Guide, which assists …