Education Commons^™

Developing Literacy Through Play, Molli Vanderjagt

Culminating Experience Projects

The loss of play in the classroom has had a significant impact on children’s foundational literacy skills. It has hindered children’s language development by reducing their verbal skills and language comprehension and decreasing vocabulary. Child development has not changed, and yet we continue to put more academic pressure on our youngest students. This project addresses the need for play in early education classrooms. It then provides research why play is important in developing foundational literacy skills, such as oral language and vocabulary, comprehension and recall and higher-level thinking, and possible classroom applications. The project concludes with a presentation for administrators, …

Coaching And Developing Non-Certified Instructional Staff In Key Literacy Practices, Holly Nicole Bigos

Culminating Experience Projects

Paraprofessionals are vital staff members of elementary schools that often provide small group instruction for struggling students to develop key literacy skills. Despite the critical contribution paraprofessionals can provide, schools often neglect to adequately train and develop these staff members to support students’ instructional literacy needs. This project explores the relevant history of paraprofessional staff in schools and the current need for increased development and support of these staff members. Additionally, modern sustainable solutions are explored to develop paraprofessional literacy knowledge and instructional skills for these vital staff members. Programming recommendations are grounded in adult learning theory, feedback and coaching, …

Engaging Home Literacy Environments: Building A Partnership Between School And Home, Robert E. Samuels Iii

Culminating Experience Projects

The reading proficiency levels of fourth grade students in the United States has been stagnant or declining for nearly two decades, an issue only amplified by school closures during the pandemic. Struggling third graders, including those at Fennville Elementary School, are beginning fourth grade without a solid grasp of their foundational reading skills These skills are necessary for accessing complex text in fourth grade and later. A lack of parental involvement and absence of an engaging home literacy environment has added to these reading deficits. This project analyzes educational theories and research to determine the importance of parent and family …

Empowering All Learners: The Role Of Cultural Responsiveness In Elementary Literacy Education, Meghan Claire Arbury

Culminating Experience Projects

Instructional strategies used by teachers impact student literacy performance. Students’ literacy skills can improve when teachers incorporate culturally responsive teaching practices that are also high-quality in nature. There is a particular need for these methods to be adopted in elementary classrooms in order to make learning accessible and equitable for diverse learners. Literacy skills are highly social and students’ backgrounds experiences are pivotal connections around which knowledge and understanding are constructed. In the Northwest Michigan region, as well as nationwide, performance disparities among cultural groups are reflected in literacy achievement data (“Grades 3-8,” n.d.), solidifying the need for change to …

Narrowing The Achievement Gap: Culturally Responsive Teaching For African American Students, Haylee Batzer

Culminating Experience Projects

It is no surprise to educators that classrooms are filled with children of all different backgrounds. Most teacher preparation programs try their best to prepare educators to teach students of diversity and support inclusion in the classroom. However, educators are still finding themselves lacking the skills needed to incorporate culturally responsive teaching (CRT) into their classrooms. Students of all backgrounds need inclusive practices to be successful. It is important to all students that they feel supported and seen in the classroom, without these practices schools start to see a decline in graduation rates and an increase in dropout rates. Many …

Creating A Partnership Using The Home To School Connection To Implement Relevant Instruction In The Classroom And Supporting The School To Home Connection To Create A Tier Two Intervention Tailored To Students’ Early Literacy Needs, Sara L. Arthurs

Culminating Experience Projects

A child’s first place of learning is within the home environment. Research has proven the importance of family involvement in developing children’s early literacy skills. Children have academic success when family members are involved and supportive of development. Early elementary students are expected to enter formal schooling already holding knowledge of foundational literacy skills. The home environment offers children the opportunity to learn and support later literacy success. However, there has been a disconnect between how family and schools partner which has impacted how families engage in their child’s educational experience. Schools and teachers should continue to partner with families …

Improving Literacy Homework In The Primary Grades Through Interactive Family Reading, Lisa Mulder

Culminating Experience Projects

Homework is common practice in most elementary school classrooms as teachers try to reinforce material learned in class through the help of parents and families at home. However, research has shown homework to have little impact on students’ academic achievement in the elementary grades. Homework can even cause an increased stress level in young students, a negative impact on motivation, and friction with family members. Elementary parents and teachers need to reevaluate homework’s effectiveness and its impact on today’s busy families.

This project proposes reframing traditional paper-pencil review homework in favor of family-centered reading time. When students are given too …

Differentiating Literacy Instruction Through Guided Reading, Emily Clare Ringquist

Culminating Experience Projects

Research reiterates how instilling a strong reading foundation in young students is vital to their growth in the future. Today, students need more support and individualized education to meet the diverse needs students enter school with. Whole group reading instruction does not benefit students in comparison to differentiated instruction. In order to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of the students as well as provide scaffolds to enhance literacy, teachers must incorporate small group instruction such as guided reading groups.

Guided reading are groups of students around the same developmental level that showcase similar learning needs exploring books. Teachers work …