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Connecting Graduate Level Non-Native English Speakers To Language Support Resources, Kathryn Korchik
Connecting Graduate Level Non-Native English Speakers To Language Support Resources, Kathryn Korchik
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This project addresses the question of how to build the capacity of student services staff and university faculty to connect graduate level English language learners to appropriate language-based resources. Because student support resources on larger university campuses are often dispersed and frequently targeted to undergraduate populations, it can be difficult for students to have knowledge of and access to resources and services. This project, utilizing previous research to support the foundational assumptions that international graduate students require special attention, documents the creation of a website to serve the needs of students, staff, and faculty at a large research university. The …
Advancing Communication And Collaboration Between Multilingual And Special Education Departments: A Web-Based Model To Serve Dual Eligible Students, Stacy Severson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
There was at the time the project commenced, an unmistakable chasm not only between the two departments within the author’s school district, but also in literature in general, and the author’s goal was to create a living document where the two areas of expertise converged. The research question asked in this project was, how can communication between ESL (English as a second language) teachers and special education staff be improved to better serve dual eligible students? It documents one teacher’s creation of a website designed to assist ESL teachers who work with students who qualify for both ESL and special …
From Small Talk To Academic Dialogue: An Online Professional Development Course For The English Language Proficiency Standards For Adult Education, Debra H. Cargill
From Small Talk To Academic Dialogue: An Online Professional Development Course For The English Language Proficiency Standards For Adult Education, Debra H. Cargill
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The purpose of this capstone project was to explore the English Literacy Proficiency (ELP) Standards for Adult Education (AE) (AIR, 2016). I studied the ELP Standards for AE in order to understand how to integrate academic language learning into instruction in order to support adult English language learners in transitioning to careers and postsecondary education. This knowledge was used to design an online professional development course that supported the use and implementation of the standards. The four-week online course engaged participants in course content through integrated discussions, assignments, and materials that utilized a constructivist approach to learning.
Political Speech, Doublespeak, And Critical-Thinking Skills In American Education, Doris Minin-White
Political Speech, Doublespeak, And Critical-Thinking Skills In American Education, Doris Minin-White
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The idea for this project was born during the 2016 US presidential election campaign, after noticing that my students did not seem to find anything questionable about statements of politicians, while at the same time it seemed apparent to me that not all the candidates spoke in a straightforward fashion. This disparity led to my research question: What patterns of doublespeak characterize selected discourse samples of the two most recent US presidents? In this project, I presented the analysis of the candidates’ styles of doublespeak based on the number of occurrences and a technique that I called “The Beguilement and …
Embedding Self-Regulation Strategy Instruction Into The Genre-Based Writing Curriculum, Peter Hagenson
Embedding Self-Regulation Strategy Instruction Into The Genre-Based Writing Curriculum, Peter Hagenson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed by this project is: how can teachers embed self-regulation strategies into their writing curriculum for students who struggle to write independently? This project documents the author’s attempt at merging genre-based pedagogy borrowed from Systemic Functional Linguistics with Rebeca Oxford’s Strategic Self-Regulation (S2R) model of learning. The resulting instructional unit, developed with the guidance of Wiggin’s and McTighe’s Understanding by Design framework, teaches secondary students how to write in the genre of persuasion. Additionally, it systematically engages students with opportunities to practice cognitive, affective, and sociocultural-interactive strategies that researchers have found to be characteristic behaviors of effective …
Training Adult Esl Volunteers In College And Career Readiness Standards, Cara Berger
Training Adult Esl Volunteers In College And Career Readiness Standards, Cara Berger
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
A significant number of instructors in adult education programs are volunteer, and the volunteer-led classrooms in which these volunteers serve face difficulties and challenges that staff-led classrooms do not (Belzer, 2006; Gomez, 2012). This project sought to answer the question: how can College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) be incorporated into lesson plans for an adult ESL intermediate volunteer-led class so that students may benefit from the same standards of instruction that staff-led classes follow? Research on the CCRS and various volunteer training methods was addressed to develop a project artifact intended to aid volunteers in their lesson planning. The …
Effective Curriculum To Accelerate Academic Reading Comprehension For High School English Language Learners, Lisa Menke Johnson
Effective Curriculum To Accelerate Academic Reading Comprehension For High School English Language Learners, Lisa Menke Johnson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, what is an effective curriculum for accelerating reading comprehension skills in secondary English Language Learner students. It documents one teacher’s creation of a unit that combined research based strategies for increasing reading comprehension skills in older students as well as second language acquisition strategies. It integrated vocabulary development, grammar forms and functions and intervention strategies proven to be successful with high school students. The author documents the details of the unit and uses related research literature to construct meaning and validate the study. The project provides a quarter long unit focused on …
Tier Two Reading Interventions For Elementary English Learners, Katherine M. Little
Tier Two Reading Interventions For Elementary English Learners, Katherine M. Little
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The guiding question for this Capstone project is What curriculum guide can be developed for Tier 2 Interventions within the RtI framework for elementary-level ELs with reading difficulties? The literature was examined for sources of EL reading difficulties, evidence-based practices for implementing Response to Intervention (RtI), for teaching reading, and for teaching ELs. The intersections of this research led to the formulation of several guiding principles that can be used in the development of curricula for Tier 2 reading interventions for ELs: Instruction and materials should be (a) scaffolded; (b) culturally and linguistically responsive; (c) focused on improving reading comprehension …
How Mainstream Teacher Attitudes Affect English Language Learner Student Learning In The Mainstream Classroom, Lauren Barbara Lippert
How Mainstream Teacher Attitudes Affect English Language Learner Student Learning In The Mainstream Classroom, Lauren Barbara Lippert
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The primary research question for this project is: do mainstream teacher attitudes towards English Language Learners affect student learning and how? This capstone project presents literature about the correlation between teacher attitudes and student learning, describes research surrounding mainstream teacher attitudes towards ELL inclusion, training, modifications, and language backgrounds, and identifies research-based information mainstream teachers should know about ELLs. The project following the research is a professional development training compiling strategies, resources, theories, and research for mainstream teachers teaching ELLs. The professional development is designed to be presented to K-12 mainstream teachers who are teaching ELLs in their classroom. The …
English Language Learner Considerations For Equitable Identification Of Needs And Referrals To Special Education, Melissa Persons
English Language Learner Considerations For Equitable Identification Of Needs And Referrals To Special Education, Melissa Persons
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Identifying learner needs for an English learner (EL) student has various factors to consider that a non-EL student may not. To explore what is needed to be analyzed prior to determining an EL student’s learner needs, the question being researched is: What are considerations to take into account when an EL student begins the Student and Teacher Assistance Team (STAT)? The framework the research was performed was analyzing resources from school districts and state departments of education, as well as guidance from personal communication with professionals in related fields. Taking all of the data from literature and information from currently …
Design Thinking In Esl Programming: Creating A Program Model For Newcomer Students, Clark Fredrickson
Design Thinking In Esl Programming: Creating A Program Model For Newcomer Students, Clark Fredrickson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in the project was, how can ESL educators design a program that best serves the needs of newcomer students? It documents a teacher’s use of design thinking to explore a current challenge in ESL education: newcomer programming. It integrated research in design thinking and ESL programming to create a basis for the project’s creation. Design Thinking for Educators was the selected design process. The author details how the design thinking process can be implemented particularly in secondary newcomer programs. Successes and challenges are both highlighted in the project’s description. The findings suggest that Design Thinking for …
Lesson-Plan Delivery Before Lesson-Plan Design: Defining, Sequencing, And Teaching The Essential Skills Of An English Language Teacher Development Program At Induction, Joel Hanson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research questions addressed in this project were: 1) What are the essential set of teaching skills/practices at the induction portion of teacher training that are applicable to my EFL teaching context? 2) In light of the specific teacher preparation and development needs of the staff in a 12-school network in Morocco, how should these skills be sequenced and taught during the induction portion of an English language teacher development program? Answering these questions involved an investigation—and integration—of four teacher development frameworks proceeding from the macro- to micro-level of teacher training, unpacking what Feiman-Nemser calls the central tasks of learning …
Teaching And Understanding Phonemic Awareness And English Learners, Jennifer L. Wold
Teaching And Understanding Phonemic Awareness And English Learners, Jennifer L. Wold
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question for this paper and project was: Why is phonemic awareness important for English learners (ELs) and how can it be developed? The interest in this topic arose from observing English learners struggle with various English phonemes, especially the vowels, and the surprising difficulty of teaching students to acquire them. Research shows that phonemic awareness contributes to successful reading achievement and can affect intelligibility. English learners may struggle with phonemic awareness as phonemes that exist in English may not exist in their L1s. This paper and project focuses on native Spanish speakers and the distinction of the /i/ …
World History Instruction For English Language Learners: A Systemic Functional Linguistics Approach, Mary Engelun
World History Instruction For English Language Learners: A Systemic Functional Linguistics Approach, Mary Engelun
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was how can text analysis using a Systemic Functional Linguistic framework inform curriculum design in sheltered EL world history classes? Research in the theory and applications of systemic functional linguistics in education was described; emphasizing connections to instruction for secondary English language learners. The project was completed in parts: text analysis of theme progressions in history text, development of curriculum, and a pre-planning checklist for future unit development. This project documents one teacher’s creation of an integrated unit of world history content with language development lessons through a systemic functional linguistics approach. A …
What Teachers Need To Know About Translanguaging, Thomas Snell
What Teachers Need To Know About Translanguaging, Thomas Snell
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This project addresses the question, what do non-ESL teachers need to know about translanguaging in order to support their emergent bilingual students? Translanguaging has emerged in the last two decades as both an epistemology of language and a pedagogical imperative with broad implications for language teaching and learning. This project traces the design and implementation of a professional development experience for teachers on translanguaging, whose goal is to effect a shift in teachers’ thinking about language so that they can understand their students more fully. It was designed specifically for non-ESL teachers, assumes no prior knowledge of translanguaging, and emphasizes …
Curriculum For The Community: Creating A Community-Based English Learner Curriculum Framework, Danielle Celia Selcer
Curriculum For The Community: Creating A Community-Based English Learner Curriculum Framework, Danielle Celia Selcer
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Many schools and districts are experiencing a high influx of English Language Learners (ELLs), and a good number are experiencing difficulties with helping these students achieve at high levels, while at the same time fostering a sense of community in their schools. As a result of the author’s research and personal experience teaching English Language Development (ELD) in urban schools, the following research questions were posed. How well are Minneapolis ELLs meeting rigorous educational standards currently? How have personalized and community-based learning been approached in Minneapolis historically? What pre-existing, place-specific, and successful curricular frameworks exist which might provide a model …
Effective Vocabulary Instruction And Study Strategies For Adult Efl Learners, Daniel Todd Place
Effective Vocabulary Instruction And Study Strategies For Adult Efl Learners, Daniel Todd Place
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
In this capstone I seek the answers to two questions. What are some effective ways to teach vocabulary in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom? What are some effective ways students can use to study vocabulary outside of the classroom to help them learn and retain target vocabulary items? I start by explaining who my students are. I include information about the students, the university I teach at and the town where the university is located. I continue to explain: what recent research says about adult EFL learners` needs; the importance of vocabulary improvement for EFL learners; and …
Using The Focus On Form Method To Create A Grammar Resource Book For Ell Teachers, Julia Milne
Using The Focus On Form Method To Create A Grammar Resource Book For Ell Teachers, Julia Milne
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research conducted in this capstone discusses appropriate methods of teaching grammar to ELL students. The project arose from the author’s realization that explicit grammar instruction was seldom taught and in many cases omitted completely during instructional time. Furthermore, the author realized that there was a great deal of confusion about the appropriate role of grammar within the curriculum. This led the author to study the history of grammar instruction in order to understand the various methodologies that have been implemented throughout the years. The goal was to try and gain a better understanding of the different schools of thought …
How Reading Comprehension Strategies Support English Learners In A Primary Integrated Environment, Amanda Roberg
How Reading Comprehension Strategies Support English Learners In A Primary Integrated Environment, Amanda Roberg
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
English Learners (ELs) are an important and growing population of students in schools nationwide, and how they are taught can have a major impact on their academic success (of course). The overall purpose for this study is to ensure that ELs in my own classroom are taught reading comprehension strategies from an effective curriculum that meets their specific needs. The curriculum used in the school in which this study was conducted was a combination of Daily 5 and the Treasures curriculum. The question posed for my research is: “What instructional strategies are appropriate for teaching reading comprehension to second language …
Designing A Language-Modified, Trauma-Informed Know Your Rights Training To Prepare And Empower Refugees With Beginning To Intermediate English Language Skills To Interact With The Police, Elizabeth Miyoung Kaufman
Designing A Language-Modified, Trauma-Informed Know Your Rights Training To Prepare And Empower Refugees With Beginning To Intermediate English Language Skills To Interact With The Police, Elizabeth Miyoung Kaufman
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This study examined the experiences of Beginning to Intermediate English level adult refugees with the police, in order to inform the design of a language-modified, trauma-informed Know Your Rights training. Results of a student survey indicated a need for information and culturally-appropriate resources. The purpose of this curriculum is to prepare participants to interact with the police using English so that they can understand communication and advocate for themselves, whether they are being approached, detained, or arrested by law enforcement, or they are seeking emergency help. The context for this community education initiative is rooted in the traditions of people’s …
Maintaining A Culturally Responsive And Engaging Classroom For Students From Eastern And Western Cultures, Chloe E. Delwiche
Maintaining A Culturally Responsive And Engaging Classroom For Students From Eastern And Western Cultures, Chloe E. Delwiche
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question in this paper and project asks the question: How can I create a classroom environment that is engaging and interactive for students from both Eastern and Western cultures while maintaining a culturally responsive classroom that respects, accepts, and incorporates all cultures into content and instruction? This is a project that examines the differences in student engagement and interaction between students from Eastern and Western cultures. Social and cultural norms in Eastern and Western cultures are examined in this paper, as well as engagement in classrooms in Eastern and Western cultures and how this affects the classroom environment. …
How Explicit Vocabulary Instruction Leads English Language Learners In Early Elementary Ages To Become Proficient Readers, Angela Kaye Nixon
How Explicit Vocabulary Instruction Leads English Language Learners In Early Elementary Ages To Become Proficient Readers, Angela Kaye Nixon
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The number of English Language Learners (ELLs) continues to increase nationwide. Early elementary teachers are tasked in laying a foundation of reading, and ELLs face a gap in their literacy journey compared to their English speaking peers. The research question for this project was: how does explicit vocabulary instruction lead English language learners in early elementary ages to become proficient readers? The literature review focuses on vocabulary instruction, proficient readers, ELLs, and professional development. It discusses research with ELLs in the classroom and in reading instruction. Within the extensive world of literacy, explicit vocabulary instruction has been shown to have …
Empowering And Equipping Hispanic Immigrant Parents To Actively Engage In Their Children’S Education, Fernando G. Rogante
Empowering And Equipping Hispanic Immigrant Parents To Actively Engage In Their Children’S Education, Fernando G. Rogante
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, how can Hispanic immigrant parents be effectively equipped to support their Pre K-3 children’s education in order to reduce the existing achievement gap? The idea of this Capstone was born with the fact that there is an educational achievement gap. The research shows that this gap is influenced by SES and different views of the concept of involvement. As a result, the Capstone develops a comprehensive view of involvement and how the implementation of some strategies by low SES immigrant families from birth to early elementary years can help their children be …
Negative Attitudes Toward English As A Second Language: Refusal To Participate In Esl Services In The Somali Community, Rebecca C. Kipchumba
Negative Attitudes Toward English As A Second Language: Refusal To Participate In Esl Services In The Somali Community, Rebecca C. Kipchumba
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was: Why do some Somali parents refuse ESL services for their qualifying children? With a goal to start the conversation on what we can do as educators, to reduce the instances of parents declining services for their children. The refusal of service can potentially hinder their success in school. Three adults from the Somali community were interviewed. The findings suggest that, not all Somali parents have adequate information about the importance of ESL services in their children's' schools and in turn do not see the benefits. My conclusion after this study is that …
Teaching The Language Of A Lab Report: A Guide For Science Teachers, Lori A. Ward
Teaching The Language Of A Lab Report: A Guide For Science Teachers, Lori A. Ward
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Academic language in the register of science is often challenging for students to compose, and their science teachers may struggle to support their language development. This project explores the question, what are the language structures science teachers must teach for secondary students to be able to write successful science lab reports? In this paper I report the strong link between language and knowledge in science. Students must develop strong language skills in science not only to communicate scientific ideas but also to gain understanding of scientific concepts. Supporting the development of language in the register of science is a challenging …
Using Culturally And Racially Relevant Curriculum To Close The Opportunity Gap, Carmen Higueros
Using Culturally And Racially Relevant Curriculum To Close The Opportunity Gap, Carmen Higueros
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The purpose of this research Capstone and project was to examine the “achievement gap” between students of color, including EL students, and their white counterparts. By examining the trends found in student achievement, the legislation around accountability and the assessments used to determine proficiency, the “achievement gap” is prevalent across the country and in Minnesota. In an effort to find new solutions to closing this “achievement gap”, culturally and racially relevant curriculum and teaching are being utilized across the field of education. The project portion of the Capstone utilizes “Backwards By Design” to create a curriculum kit that is culturally …
Sing If You Know It: Songs With Gestures Used To Reinforce Tier-2 And Tier-3 Content Vocabulary To Early Elementary English Learners, Catherine C. Ragsdale
Sing If You Know It: Songs With Gestures Used To Reinforce Tier-2 And Tier-3 Content Vocabulary To Early Elementary English Learners, Catherine C. Ragsdale
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
In Minnesota, the state standards require that all students, including English learners of all proficiencies, demonstrate knowledge of complex academic and content vocabulary. This can pose obvious problems for students with limited English proficiency. Research has shown that music and gestures can play an integral part in the retention of difficult vocabulary. It can also increase a student’s motivation, while building their confidence and minimizing their anxiety. Furthermore, music can create solidarity in the classroom. Many teachers, though at times intimidated by its implementation, agree that using music in the classroom can enhance learning and increase retention. That being said, …
Curriculum For Teaching Relative Constructions To Somali-Speaking Learners Of English, Kelly M. Rynda
Curriculum For Teaching Relative Constructions To Somali-Speaking Learners Of English, Kelly M. Rynda
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, how do relative constructions in Somali compare to relative constructions in English, what difficulties do Englishlanguage learners have acquiring relatives, and what teaching strategies are most appropriate for these learners? It documents one teacher’s creation of a unit focused entirely around the acquisition of relative constructions, using strategies that have been identified as most effective, such as learning subject relatives and object relatives in sequence and utilizing repeated timed reading. The author provides lesson plans and activities that align with the best practices outlined in the research, with particular consideration given to …
Effective Whole Group Literacy Instruction For Teaching English Language Newcomers Through Total Physical Response And The Use Of Visuals, Nicole Holmes
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The purpose of this curriculum development was to create whole group literacy lessons that would benefit all students, especially English Language newcomers. In-depth research in Total Physical Response, the use of visuals, literacy and English Language newcomers drove the findings to implement the use of three vocabulary words at the beginning of each lesson. There are a total of twenty lessons, five lessons in four units, with the implementation of three vocabulary words at the beginning using TPR and visuals to get the meaning across to students. There are assessments to better support English Language newcomers within each unit.
The Impact Of Trauma And Refugees: Resources For Educators, Deanna Taylor
The Impact Of Trauma And Refugees: Resources For Educators, Deanna Taylor
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, how can professional development be provided to assist educators in working with refugees and immigrants who have experienced trauma? Hos, 2016; DeCapula, et al, 2011 concur that the number of refugees with trauma is on the rise throughout the world. Research by Hurley, et al, 2014 explains that previous research indicates that teachers have limited experience in working with refugees and trauma; there is a lack of training to support these students. My method of study was on the work on adult learning by Malcolm Knowles (2005). His work assisted me in …