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Full-Text Articles in Education
Teamwork In The Classroom: Peer Interaction In Latinx Transnational Athletes, Kaitlin Beltre
Teamwork In The Classroom: Peer Interaction In Latinx Transnational Athletes, Kaitlin Beltre
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The reasons adult learners enter into language programs are as varied as the countries, cultures, and backgrounds that the learners themselves come from. This project was designed with a very unique population of learners in mind: Latinx transnational professional baseball players who also come from lower or interrupted education backgrounds. Due to the simultaneous value of peer interaction in language classrooms but the lack of research related to both transnationational athletes learning English as well as Literacy Education and Second Language Learning for Adults (LESLLA) populations, the current project explores the following research question: How can explicit strategy instruction aimed …
Culturally Responsive Identity Project For A High School English Language Arts Classroom, Monique A. Plaster
Culturally Responsive Identity Project For A High School English Language Arts Classroom, Monique A. Plaster
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project is, what is necessary to empower and engage students in high school ELA classrooms to allow them to express themselves? It documents one teacher’s creation of an eight-week english language arts curriculum unit that will offer a method to engage students in self-discovery, self-expression, and cultural acceptance. The curriculum focuses on the concept of identity and integrates project-based learning, culturally responsive pedagogy, and Understanding by Design, based on Wiggins and McTighe’s (2011) framework. The author documents the details of the unit and uses related research literature to construct meaning and validate the creation …
The Power Of Translanguaging In American Schools, Tasneem Rattansi
The Power Of Translanguaging In American Schools, Tasneem Rattansi
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The concept of teaching English as a second language or multilingualism is something that the country has grappled with since the time of colonization. As we have become more aware of the globalization in our world, it has become quite evident that the basis of many of the theories and research conducted has a level of monolingual bias and is geared towards a system that is more fitting to what is known as monolingual norms. As more understanding is gained, the American education system is learning about translanguaging, an asset-based concept that is a heteroglossic ideology holding bilingualism to high …
Developing Culturally Responsive Curriculum For High School Hmong And Karen Ela Students, Alexandra Bolduan
Developing Culturally Responsive Curriculum For High School Hmong And Karen Ela Students, Alexandra Bolduan
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research consistently finds that for minority students, it is important that they see themselves reflected in the classroom curriculum; educators must celebrate and incorporate the unique perspectives and backgrounds that minority students bring to class rather than focusing solely on any perceived deficits (Gay, 2018; Hammond, 2014; Ladson-Billings, 2001, 2014, 2018; Muhammad & Mosley, 2021). Additionally, those who come from “Asian” families tend to be lumped together whenever demographic information is collected or used to inform policy. As a result, there are a lot of curriculum guides for Asian students that do not focus on Hmong or even Karen students, …
Tprs In Esl Programs: A Storytelling Approach, Karl Schaumann
Tprs In Esl Programs: A Storytelling Approach, Karl Schaumann
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This capstone project is an effort to incorporate TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) into a middle-school sheltered ESL curriculum. TPRS is a promising methodology that has been used in foreign language acquisition classes for decades, but has not yet had a significant impact on ESL education in the United States. The accompanying paper examines the process of adapting this methodology to best serve the needs of English learners, which are distinct from foreign-language learners in critical ways. Relevant topics in the literature review include an overview of ESL in the United States today, the principles of language acquisition, …
Developing A Deep Understanding Of Multiplication And A Growth Mindset In 5th Grade Students From Marginalized Groups, Rachael Johnson
Developing A Deep Understanding Of Multiplication And A Growth Mindset In 5th Grade Students From Marginalized Groups, Rachael Johnson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Traditionally mathematics has been taught with a focus of rote memorization of basic facts and procedures. Research has found that this often leaves students without the conceptual understanding behind procedures. This can prevent students from making the connections necessary to transfer their knowledge to other situations. It has also become clear that students from marginalized groups often score much lower on high stakes tests than their white counterparts. This project involved creating a multiplication unit that uses number talks, strategies from cognitively guided instruction as well as ideas on culturally relevant teaching. The goal of this project was for students …
A Parent Focused Bilingual Literacy Program, Jordan Perkins
A Parent Focused Bilingual Literacy Program, Jordan Perkins
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
While theories and methods surrounding English language teaching are continually evolving, the goal is almost always the same: help students acquire the English they need to be successful in their communication at work and the community. Adult ESL programs are often focused on work and community but leave family communication out of the curriculum. Inclusion of the first language (L1) in adult-focused curricula can help improve the language acquisition of the second language (L2) and improve the overall literacy of the learners. Although many family literacy programs are being created or researched to improve child literacy in the home, and …
Bridging The Gap Between Language Learning, Technology & Community: The Importance And Viability Of A Language Learning Mobile Application That Will Connect Users To Each Other Based On Location To The English As A Second Language Community, Parinaz Kassemi
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this study was: what is the importance and viability of a language-learning mobile application that will connect users to each other based on location to the English as a Second Language Community. The topics explored in the review of the literature include what a mobile application is, the current language learning applications that are available, the openness to technology in education, and the future of mobile apps. Six different adults who spoke more than one language took a short survey in which I collected some feedback on the perceived usefulness of having a language learning …
Culturally Sustaining Social Studies: Practical Applications To A High School Elective Course, Emily Thomas
Culturally Sustaining Social Studies: Practical Applications To A High School Elective Course, Emily Thomas
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Scholars including Delpit, Ladson-Billings, Chandler, Paris and Alim remind us that schools must be a place where students’ cultures are validated, centered, and sustained. Social studies classrooms are optimally positioned to allow students to explore issues around race, class, gender, and other forms of (in)justice. Yet while many social studies teachers wish to teach in alignment with the theory of culturally sustaining pedagogy, powerful factors make its tenets difficult to enact in the classroom. This project embedded culturally sustaining pedagogy into curriculum design for a high school Environmental History elective. Using Tomlinson and McTighe’s (2006) Understanding by Design + Differentiated …
Implementing Translanguaging Pedagogies To Promote Academic Success Of English Learners In An Eighth Grade English Language Arts Classroom, Jenna Kotula
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Many mainstream educators in the United States are under the impression that immersing students in English is the best practice in helping students excel academically. Monoglossic ideologies, which only place prominence on one language in the classroom, can send English Learners (ELs) the message that their cultural and linguistic funds of knowledge are not accepted or valued in the school community. As educators, it must be our mission to create a safe space where learners feel tolerated and eager to share about their unique backgrounds and experiences. Translanguaging practices compete with the common misconception that only the target language should …
Critical Race Theory: Measuring Anti-Black Sentiment In South Korean English Education, Kenya Nelson
Critical Race Theory: Measuring Anti-Black Sentiment In South Korean English Education, Kenya Nelson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This research study examines how anti-Black sentiment influences Black teachers’ experiences in South Korea, using the critical race theory (CRT) framework to analyze various forms of anti-Black sentiment (ABS) and explore correlations between major tenets of CRT and types of ABS. Previous research has concluded that Black teachers continue to face overt racism in South Korea. Also, there continues to be a lack of empathy or disinterest in discussing racism in Korea. Unfortunately, the amount of research that focuses on the experiences of Black teachers teaching English in East Asia, primarily South Korea, is scarce. This study will add to …
Raising The Awareness Of Somali Families: The Positive Impact Of Dual Language Education On Student Success, Khaleef Warsame
Raising The Awareness Of Somali Families: The Positive Impact Of Dual Language Education On Student Success, Khaleef Warsame
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Studies have found that dual language education is powerful for all learners and particularly essential for the success of first- and second-generation immigrant learners in the United States. The learning model enhances students’ academic achievement, school participation, and healthy identity development. Students proficient in both their heritage language and culture and their new homeland’s dominant culture and language are also more likely to gain higher upward mobility and enjoy advanced cognitive development. While the benefits of dual language education (DLE) are explicitly illustrated in the literature, there are currently no Somali dual language programs found to be existing in Minnesota …
Culturally Sustaining Indigenous Education Within Agricultural Education Curriculum, Emily Trout
Culturally Sustaining Indigenous Education Within Agricultural Education Curriculum, Emily Trout
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
When Agricultural Education was founded in 1917 from the Smith-Hughes Act, it was not inclusive to all students. Agricultural education and the National FFA Organization have excluded people based on their race, gender, and religion in the past. Though steps are being made today to right the wrongs of the past, there is still progress to be made. One group that has been left out and excluded from the agricultural education archives, are Indigenous students. Indigenous students face many challenges within the school system that stem directly from the intergenerational trauma that the westernized educational system has created. This capstone …
More Than White Boys And Their Dogs: Diversity In Children’S Literature Professional Development, Britt Johnson
More Than White Boys And Their Dogs: Diversity In Children’S Literature Professional Development, Britt Johnson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The creation of this professional development was based upon the research question: What is the best way to decenter whiteness and decolonize elementary literature, while empowering teachers and students to use literature as a tool for social justice? This professional development involves an exploration of the current diversity in children’s literature. It then focuses on developing an understanding of social identities and social justice. Participants will complete a social identity wheel and use their newfound knowledge of social identities to examine their own personal privilege. With this understanding, educators will learn how to assess their classroom library and begin to …
Need Not Apply: A Systematic Literature Review Re-Evaluating English Prestige And Its Retribution On Foreign English Language Leaders And Their Learners’ Identity, Jessica Ibarra-Gambrill
Need Not Apply: A Systematic Literature Review Re-Evaluating English Prestige And Its Retribution On Foreign English Language Leaders And Their Learners’ Identity, Jessica Ibarra-Gambrill
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This comprehensive literature review aims to progress the dialogue on the influence of English prestige in the ESL field related to hiring practices, pedagogical practices, and consideration for how it impacts learner success. Traditional interpretations of cultural capital from Bourdieuean theory form a deficit view of Communities of Color with an extension to immigrant families and those for whom English is not the first language. Further to that, Bourdieu's concept of linguistic capital measures against the knowledge of the ability to speak the official language. The English language has served as a gatekeeper worldwide as the demand for English language …
Creating An Esl Curriculum In A Type C International School In China, Song Yang
Creating An Esl Curriculum In A Type C International School In China, Song Yang
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question for this capstone project was: what does an ESL curriculum look like in a Type C Chinese international school and how will it reflect the cultural and linguistic needs of its students? The Type C international school is a relatively new kind of school that has become more common in the last few years that caters to affluent families who want their children to gain a Western curriculum and at the same time still maintain their national curriculum. Research on Type C international schools is scarce, but Bala Kumaravadivelu’s postmethod theory would insist that this author’s experience …
How To Be An Antiracist Educator, Veronica Myers
How To Be An Antiracist Educator, Veronica Myers
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Every educator should be antiracist. Racism, both overt and inadvertent, in the classroom leads to students entering the school to prison pipeline, the widening of the opportunity gap, and lack of support for English language learners. This capstone project works to answer the research question: How can educators be antiracist and incorporate antiracist practices into teaching elementary students? Antiracist strategies in the classroom include developing strong and positive relationships with all students, using culturally relevant pedagogy in the classroom, and providing ESL students with language support. This project also provides educators with the opportunity to engage in a series of …
Engaging Hmong Learners With Oral Storytelling And Flipgrid, Tang Xiong
Engaging Hmong Learners With Oral Storytelling And Flipgrid, Tang Xiong
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, Minnesota had to make the decision to temporarily close schools. Many school districts resorted to online distance learning in order to protect the community from covid-19 spread. There are so many teachers that have not been prepared to teach from an online model. Moreover, teachers were losing engagement from students. Hmong students face a unique challenge where engagement is highly absent due to the switch of an online learning setting. This capstone explored a curriculum design that supports the cultural tradition of oral storytelling using Flipgrid to enhance engagement in the online classroom …
Asset-Based Kindergarten Readiness For Black Children In Preschool And The Implications For Racial Equity, Jocelyn Mcquirter
Asset-Based Kindergarten Readiness For Black Children In Preschool And The Implications For Racial Equity, Jocelyn Mcquirter
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Early childhood education represents both a significant and formative moment in a child’s entry into the K-12 education system. While preschool children learn from well-meaning educators, inequities persist in kindergarten readiness outcomes for Black children. Some of the most saliently known disparities include the preschool to prison pipeline (i.e., discipline and suspension practices), poverty, and literacy rates. The Capstone Project sought to answer the research question: How might teacher preparation utilize an asset-based approach to reduce bias in Kindergarten readiness for Black children in lower socioeconomic status households? Explored were effective instructional and curriculum practices to increase learner engagement, empowerment, …
Guided Reading Adaptations For Multilingual Learners, Ashley Morlock
Guided Reading Adaptations For Multilingual Learners, Ashley Morlock
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Elementary educators continue to face the challenge of providing an equitable education for all students. As more multilingual students are seated in the classroom, the challenge to support literacy and language development becomes increasingly important. This capstone seeks to answer the question: How can elementary educators improve guided reading instruction, and what adaptations support multilingual learners? The research concludes that guided reading modifications should be made through the additive approach to language, translanguaging, teacher and student participation, corrective feedback, and assessment. Using these modifications during guided reading can have many positive benefits on a student’s academic achievement and linguistic identity.
Implementing Phenomenon Based Learning Into English Language Development Curriculum, Makenzie Johnson
Implementing Phenomenon Based Learning Into English Language Development Curriculum, Makenzie Johnson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Finland has one of the most successful education systems in the world, and a significant reason behind that is their utilization of Phenomenon-Based Learning. Students work together to solve real-world problems in project-based learning units, while using language to problem solve alongside their peers. This capstone answers the question, How can a professional development workshop be created that teaches educators in the United States how to build an English Language Development curriculum that is centered around PhenoBL and language domain incorporation while being as culturally inclusive and responsive as possible? Collectively, these pillars of instruction promote a learning environment that …