Education Commons^™

Casa De La Solidaridad: A Pedagogy Of Solidarity, Kevin Yonkers-Talz

Doctoral Dissertations

Casa de la Solidaridad has been recognized as an innovative and effective educational model within Jesuit higher education yet, until now, there have only been verbal presentations of the unique attributes of the Casa de la Solidaridad model. In addition, there has been a lack of information regarding the influence of the Casa experience on the lives of alumni. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to thoroughly describe and document the unique attributes of the Casa de la Solidaridad model, and 2) to provide some insight into how the Casa program has influenced the lives of Casa alumni. …

Teaching Dilemmas: Language Development For English Learners In A Hyper-Segregated Dual Immersion Program, Allison Briceño

Doctoral Dissertations

English learners (ELs), a growing population in U.S. schools, generally

underperform as compared to their monolingual English peers. One potential solution to this EL achievement gap has been the implementation of Dual Immersion (DI) programs. However, given that ELs are often densely concentrated in schools with limited access to native English-speaking peers, some schools do not have enough native English-speaking

students to constitute a true DI program.

This qualitative study explored language development practices in both Spanish and English in a Northern California hyper-segregated DI elementary school, where almost all the students were English learners. The participants were four Latina …

The Impact Of Transactional Strategies Instruction On The Reading Comprehension Of A Diverse Group Of Second Graders, Sunjoo Shawn Kim

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of TSI in teaching reading comprehension to a diverse group of second graders. The diversity included various levels of readiness in reading, language status such as English learners and native speakers of English, and various levels of participation by children in a whole-class setting. Part One of this study used teacher action research as its methodology to address reading comprehension and student autonomy. Part Two of this study used participatory action research, involving children as co-researchers, to investigate how second graders perceived Literature Circles as their reading comprehension instruction and …

The Effect Of Sequent Input On Speech Accuracy And Fluency In Adults At The Intermediate Level, Salah Farah

Doctoral Dissertations

To help students achieve their potential, input/feedback must be sequenced by the level of complexity that immediately follows the student's actual developmental level. I assert that effective input/feedback has to follow a set of suggested but not directly expressed rules that represent basic criteria for the development of communicative competence. This study made these criteria explicit, and converted them into ready-for-use input/feedback specifications. Such specifications allow instructors to provide effective remedies to treat particular interlanguage errors. Thus, it is important that instructors understand how to sequence input/feedback to target students differentially in response to their different proficiency levels.

The study …

"These Rights Go Beyond Borders And Pieces Of Paper": Urban High School Teachers And Newcomer Immigrant Youth Engaging In Human Rights Education, Juliet A. Schiller

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the ways that two ninth and tenth grade teachers and their newcomer immigrant students engaged in HRE using elements of critical pedagogy at an urban pubic high school. Research data included eight months of classroom observations and interviews with two teachers and nineteen of their students across four of their classrooms. In this study, the complexity of engaging in HRE with newcomer students was brought to light as two teachers enacted their vision of critical pedagogy, human rights content and learning goals, as well as English language instruction.

The findings in this study conveyed that engaging …

Being In Deep, Authentic, Dramatic Celebration: Narratives Of Community Cultural Workers For Social Change, Mi'jan Celie Tho-Biaz

Doctoral Dissertations

The common discourse in the field of education in the United States during the years 2002 through 2013 centered on the approach of making schools accountable for their students' performance, while aiming to bring proficiency to all students regardless of their socio-economic background. Prior to this study, little research existed on cultural workers who teach, and their associated outcomes with marginalized populations of learners. To fill this gap in the research literature, this study explored the question: How do cultural workers define their work, and in what ways do they connect their stories to the current academic discourse on the …

Diversity Among Latino/A College Students And Its Impact On Student Organization Involvement, Enmanuel Mercedes

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Measuring Success For English Language Learners From A Multi-Dimensional Perspective, Randy Haley

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This research study used a sequential mixed methods design to examine the perceptions and assumptions of educators working with ELL students in Southwest Minnesota. The study employed a conceptual lens based in critical education research with the intention that the results can be used to transform ELL education and promote equality for ELL students. The study is grounded in a multi-dimensional perspective for measuring success which incorporates four main constructs: parental involvement, quality instruction, school climate and student's sense of belonging. The participants in the study included building administrators and ELL teachers working in K-12 public schools in Southwest Minnesota. …

Students' Perceptions Of The Usefulness Of Glossing Sheets In Revision Process, Erin Johnson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This research explores student perceptions of the effectiveness of grammar glossing sheets. Research methods included the creation of two surveys that were administered to ninth grade students at an American high school in Kuwait. The first survey sought background information on students' perceptions of their abilities when using grammar and the second asked if the students found the grammar glossing process beneficial to their writing and understanding of grammar. Research findings suggest that students do believe there are benefits to the grammar glossing process. Student response shows that grammar glossing sheets are a practical tool to help students increase their …

The Relationship Between Musical Ability And The Perception And Production Of L2 Prosodic Features, Jun Akiyoshi

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Studies in L2 acquisition have indicated that musically trained individuals are apt to demonstrate better L2 pronunciation skills. As for music, it was recently clarified that some amusiacs demonstrate selective impairment in L1 prosody discrimination. The purpose of this study was to investigate a relationship between amusical L2 learners and their perception and production of L2 prosody. To investigate this, 24 native-Japanese learners of English either in EFL (n=22) or ESL context (n=2) were examined in terms of their musical ability and L2 intonation perception and production. The musical test indicated that there was one amusiac and 10 low-level musical …

Cross Cultural Pragmatics: A Study Of Apology Speech Acts By Turkish Speakers, American English Speakers And Advance Nonnative Speakers Of English In Turkey, Mehmet Aydin

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The study aims to identify and compare apology strategies used in Turkish, American English, and advanced non-native speakers of English in Turkey. In order to identify and compare the norms of apologizing in Turkish, English, and non-native English speakers in Turkey, apologies given to the same situations from these three different groups of participants were analyzed. The results from the Native Speakers of Turkish (NST) and Native Speakers of English (NSE) groups were used to identify the norms of apologies in these languages. Then, NNSE participants' responses were compared to the norms to be able to identify transfers from L1 …

The Development Of An International Medical Education Program With An Emphasis On English For Specific Purposes, Qian Chen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Medical international programs are becoming a new trend across China. With this trend comes the difficulty of implementing and designing an international medical program to meet the educational, cultural, and social needs of the students and teachers within a given context. The present case study researched the factors that contributed to successful international medical programs and through a survey and interviews, found both strengths and needs of a specific international medical program in the College of Medicine at Shihezi University. Specific recommendations are then given in order to assist the program and school with the design and implementation of their …

English For Science And Technology In The German Technical Industry - A Needs Analysis, Kristin Hueneburg

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In light of the recent financial and Euro crisis, many immigrants have arrived on the German employment market with adequate English, but no German language skills, requiring German natives to use content-specific English in their work environment. This thesis seeks to explore the bases for potential curriculum and course design with a focus on English for Science and Technology (EST) in the German technical industry. This needs analysis in the form of an online survey was administered to a maximum variety sample in the German technical industry, which included different sizes and products/services of companies and position variations of employees …

Study Abroad And Identity: The African American Experience, Alicia Ranney

Capstone Collection

Not all students are alike, nor should they be treated as 'one size fits all' in study abroad. Students have different backgrounds, goals, and expectations of what they will gain from an international academic experience. Minority students face different types of challenges in study abroad than their non-minority counterparts.

This paper seeks to answer the question “does study abroad change the identity of African American students?” and examines the challenges of identity and racism and how those two factors may decrease participation rates of African Americans in study abroad. Students from Marygrove College in Detroit, Michigan were surveyed before and …

Are Best Practices In Literacy Culturally Relevant? An Investigation Into What Primary Literacy Teachers Do To Teach Literacy Skills To Minority Students, Tammie Pittsley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine if average primary (K-3) teachers were implementing best practices in literacy with culturally relevant teaching in their classroom practice. The cooperating district is located in southeastern Georgia and is a majority minority district. The school district personnel predominantly consists of White female teachers; however, the student population has become increasingly diverse. As a result, the need to teach literacy skills while incorporating the tenets of culturally relevant teaching is increasingly important. The study consisted of an online survey using the platform Survey Monkey and two focus group interviews. The survey …

Student English Achievement, Attitude And Behaviour In Bilingual And Monolingual Schools In Aceh, Indonesia, Khairiah Syahabuddin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Following the tsunami in 2004, the education system in Banda Aceh, Indonesia,was reconstructed and revitalised, and part of this involved foreign intervention in setting up bilingual schools alongside state-run monolingual schools. The purpose of this study is threefold. The first is to investigate the achievements of first year middle school students in Banda Aceh (Indonesia) in English essay writing, English reading comprehension, and attitude and behaviour with regard to learning English, as dependent variables, in the context of differences in gender and school types (bilingual and monolingual schools). The second is to investigate attitude and behaviour of students with regard …

The Voices Of Reason: Counterstories Of The Urbanization Of A Suburban Black School In Georgia, Shana Hunt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This inquiry explores the discrepancy of educational opportunities in a Black suburban public school near Atlanta, Georgia. Predominately Black suburban schools in the South have become increasingly similar to Black urban schools. Both Black urban and suburban schools have become places of complacency for teachers and students. There is an incessant fluctuation of teachers and an increase in low expectations for academic success in Black suburban schools. Both Black urban and suburban schools have limited funding while White schools, many times less than ten miles away, experience the benefits of magnet programs, cutting-edge technology and rigorous curricula. Many Black suburban …

Factors Influencing Social, Cultural, And Academic Transitions Of Chinese International Esl Students In U.S. Higher Education, Akiko Ota

Dissertations and Theses

The U.S. is the leading nation for international students to pursue higher education; the majority of whom are from countries with significant differences in culture and language from American students. As such, many international students start higher education in ESL support programs. While on the surface international students supposedly add cultural and linguistic diversity to American higher education by contributing to the internationalization of campuses, international students' transition into U.S. life and academe is often fraught with challenges including culture shock, adjusting to the new environment and society, adjustment to norms of academic performance, acquisition of academic and language skills, …