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The Influence Of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy In Mississippi Public Schools To Improve Adolescent African American Males' Literacy Achievement, Shawnese Davis

Dissertations

This study used a quantitative approach to measure Mississippi secondary teachers’ understanding and their extent of using culturally relevant pedagogy to increase students’ literacy performance, specifically African American males. The researcher identified school districts with 50% or more African American students. The data collected in this study was used to compare reading high growth (40%) school teachers’ use of culturally relevant pedagogical teaching approaches to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in their understanding and frequency of using culturally relevant pedagogy to increase students’ reading performance. A 38-statement survey instrument was adapted from McKinley’s Strategies and Behaviors of …

Changing The World Through The Word: Developing Critical Consciousness Through Multicultural Children’S Literature With Critical Literacy In An Elementary Classroom, Hyekyoung Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to explore how fifth graders develop critical consciousness regarding the self and the world through critical literacy approaches using multicultural children’s literature. I employed Lewison, Flint, and Van Sluys’ four dimensions of critical literacy. I used a qualitative case study to design, frame and conduct this study in order to collect data and examine students’ cultural patterns including values, beliefs, behaviors, and language that they enacted in the critical literacy practices. I collected data through classroom observations, semi-structured students and teacher interviews, informal conversation, researcher’s reflective journal entries and field notes, and student-made artifacts. …

Literacy Tutoring Strategies Of America Reads University-Level Tutors, Mauricio Cadavid

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore, study, outline and describe tutoring strategies applied by American Reads (AR) tutors and non-America Reads (nAR) tutors helping young tutees develop early literacy skills. There is limited research on the implementation of effective tutoring strategies during one-on-one tutoring with elementary school children in terms of early literacy development. Most of the literature is split between peer tutoring and program tutoring. This lack of research presents a particular challenge when it comes to identifying an effective tutor and effective tutoring methodologies. Using a qualitative approach, this study utilizes survey data, session recordings, and …

The Influence Of Administrators On Literacy Instruction Through The Promotion And Selection Of Professional Development, Lucy K. Johnston-Josey

Dissertations

Literacy is a key component to success in school and in life. Literacy has been a focus of education since 1965 when President Jimmy Carter announced a “war on poverty.” Since then, history has shown that educators should place an emphasis on literacy within schools. Because literacy is so important, I set out to explore how administrators influence literacy through the promotion and selection of professional development.

Mississippi was chosen as a basis for the study because it falls below the nation in terms of literacy rates on the National Assessment for Educational Progress assessment. Nineteen participants from four school …

Special Education Teacher Perceptions Of Effectiveness And Knowledge In Literacy Instruction: Implications Of Literacy Coaching, Sarah J. Papineau

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Students with reading disabilities need explicit and systematic instruction provided by teachers knowledgeable in effective literacy instruction (Foorman & Torgesen, 2001; Moats, 1999; Piasta, Connor, Fishman, & Morrison, 2009). The National Reading Panel report (2000) outlines five areas necessary for effective reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Knowledge in these five areas is imperative to providing explicit instruction for students’ struggling with reading (IDA, 2010; Moats, 1999). However, special education teachers often report being ill-prepared to provide the necessary instruction needed by students with reading disabilities (Amendum, 2014; Kennedy & Sheil, 2010).

Literacy coaching is an effective …

Navigating The Complex Practices Of Specialized Literacy Professionals In Formalized Teacher Leadership Positions, Thea Anne Yurkewecz

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation reports on how one school community engaged in a professional development grant initiative that incorporated teacher leadership. Teacher leaders may have numerous roles and responsibilities that support the professional learning and instructional practices of school communities. This study examined the experiences of three specialized literacy professionals as teacher leaders and professional development facilitators. Case study methodology (Merriam, 1998; Stake, 2005; Yin, 2009) and the six principles of adult learning (Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2005) provided a framework to capture the contextual and descriptive practices of how these teacher leaders navigated their roles and responsibilities. Three important findings emerged …