Education Commons^™

Decreasing The Social Gap Between English Language Learners And Native Speakers Of English, Rachel Loayza

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This paper discusses the social gap between English Learners and native speakers of English and the importance of inclusion. EL students experience isolation in school today and share few positive social experiences with their non-EL peers, although some schools have had some success increasing the inclusion. Through a Systematic Literature Review this research attempts to find out whether teachers and administrators can have an affect on the frequency of intercultural social experiences. Heterogeneous classrooms emerged as the strongest factor for inclusion and pull-out ESL programs emerged as the strongest barrier to inclusion. Future research including international locations, a larger list …

How Mindsets Matter: Second Grade, English Language Learners’ Reportings Of Their Experiences With A Growth Mindset Curriculum In Colombia, Amanda Brooks

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, classroom action research was conducted in a private bilingual school in Colombia with seventeen participants. The research questions were: 1) How do second-grade Colombian English language learners report changes to their Growth Mindset qualities following a six-week Growth Mindset intervention? and 2) How do second-grade Colombian English language learners perceive their language learning ability following a self-evaluation of Growth Mindset qualities? The research fills a gap in existing literature on three similar topics: Growth Mindset and academic achievement for adolescents and adults, conditional self-worth for children six and younger, and attribution theory and language learning for adolescents. One …

Mathematics Vocabulary: Teaching Tier 3 Language Of Math Fractions To English Learners, Emily Grove

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This capstone sought to research vocabulary instruction techniques and strategies in the upper elementary classroom. The need for specific instruction and activities was identified and described. Several relevant sources were cited including August, Calderòn and Beck, resources and techniques used traditionally in the language arts classroom were also applied to the mathematics classroom. A curriculum addendum was created and described in detail. This curriculum and approach to teaching mathematical vocabulary terms in the 4th grade fractions unit can be altered to different vocabulary terms for other units of instruction outside of the mathematics classroom. Strategies and techniques described include interactive …

Reciprocal Teaching: Improving Students Reading Comprehension, Nora O'Malley

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project is: How can reciprocal teaching be used to increase comprehension skills with fluent readers in the primary grades? Reading comprehension has been highlighted as a problem among students. While many students can read the words, they lack the proper strategies in order to comprehend the text. This capstone provides current research on fluency and comprehension instruction including the connection between the two. Additionally, research on reciprocal teaching is examined. It will discuss how to incorporate this strategy into classroom instruction to increase comprehension. Included in this capstone is a reciprocal teaching curriculum to …

Interactive Videos As A Vocabulary Pre-Teaching Tool In Middle School Science, Kimberly Severson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of interactive video instruction to teacher-led direct instruction for pre-teaching science vocabulary to newcomer middle school ELs. The second phase of the experiment utilized interactive videos to pre-teach science vocabulary in a flipped learning environment. This study was influenced by vocabulary experts Beck, McKeown, and Kucan, as well as R. E. Mayer, multimedia learning expert. Data collection included pre-tests and post-tests of expressive and receptive vocabulary knowledge, as well as a student survey to determine ease of use, students’ perceived learning and satisfaction with the type of instruction. Results from …

English Learners’ Oral Production Of Math Vocabulary In A Play-Infused Kindergarten Classroom, Meagan Reissy

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that ELs’ vocabulary knowledge is an important basis for building communication skills in a second language, as well as a strong predictor of later academic skills. High quality vocabulary instruction is crucial and the literature emphasizes direct instruction techniques with words that are intentionally selected (Anderson & Nagy, 1993; Christ, 2007; Silverman & Crandell, 2010). However, little research has been done in kindergarten classrooms that teach through a play-based curriculum which avoids extensive amounts of direct instruction. This qualitative casestudy of two ELs in a kindergarten classroom using the Angry Birds Playground (ABP) framework to guide curriculum and …

How Family Advocates Home-Visiting In A Midwestern Urban Area Describe The Impact Of Family Stress On Children’S Learning And Success In School, Virginia Lucio

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine Seven Out of School Factors common among the poor that significantly affect the health and learning opportunities of children. In depth interviews were employed to allow six Family Advocates to answer interview questions regarding their experiences in witnessing the the seven factors. Findings suggest that many children possess one or more of the factors which are related to a host of poverty-induced physical, sociological, and psychological problems that children often bring to school, ranging from neurological damage and attention disorders to excessive absenteeism, linguistic underdevelopment, and oppositional behavior. Implications for future research …

Motivation For Learning English At A Theological Seminary In Ukraine, Joshua Tokar

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to determine what factors motivate students to learn English at an evangelical seminary in Ukraine. After the fall of communism, English was mainly taught at newly formed evangelical seminaries in Ukraine to enable students to access theological resources in English that were not available in Russian or Ukrainian. A mixed-method approach involving a written attitudinal questionnaire and follow-up focus group interviews was employed to collect data. Participants in this study were second- year music ministry and first- to third-year theology students enrolled in English courses.The results of this study revealed that twenty-five years later seminary students …

Cross-Cultural Implications Of Silence Between Adult Somali English Students And A United States Teacher, Erin Head

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the multiple meanings and uses of silence with respect to the Somali culture and the cross-cultural implications of silence between a United States teacher and the Somali English language learner (ELL). The findings can enhance teachers’ cultural understanding of silence as a form of communication used by English learners native to Somalia in a beginning — intermediate ELL classroom. Three overarching trends were found through inductive analysis of data collected through a modified Communication Observation Language Tool and open-ended interviews. These trends include: silence as a means for organizing and upholding social norms; silence as a space …

Sfl In The Secondary Classroom: Writing Procedural Recounts To Describe Thinking When Solving Algebraic Equations, Theresa Brunker

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research questions addressed in this classroom study were, after explicit instruction, do students choose language structures inherent to procedural recounts, such as technical verb processes, precise nouns, sequence words and causal phrases to describe their mathematical thinking? Additionally, do student self-perceptions of their mathematical abilities change after learning to write procedural recounts to describe their thinking processes? This study examined the use of these language structures prior to explicit instruction in writing procedural recounts and compared it to post-intervention writing samples. The author documents the use of these writing structures by participants before and after intervention and finds relational …

Student Engagement With Nature When Using Nature Journals And Ipads, Xeng Jasiczek

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This capstone is a collection of lessons to teach nature journals while using iPads in the

elementary classroom from first grade through fifth grade. This curriculum is cross- curricular and includes teaching lessons in art and science, and work on students being

reflective of their work either verbally or written. This curriculum is supported by research done about outdoor learning, the use of modern technology and free play. All these things contribute to a better mental and physical health of children into adulthood. The use of technology in the classroom is changing how teachers teach and how students learn. This …

Culturally Responsive Grammar: Utilizing Contrastive Grammar Analysis To Support Knowledge Of Modern Dialects In The High School Classroom, Katie Corrigan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Varying dialects are spoken depending on the speaker’s location and community. While each one of these dialects has very clear patterns and rules, only one dialect, Standard American English, is regarded as “correct grammar” according to academic and professional associations. For this reason, students learn the rules of Standard American English in school. However, this practice leaves students who speak other dialects at a significant disadvantage. This capstone addresses this dichotomy by providing curriculum that includes grammar instruction using a contrastive approach. Students are simultaneously taught grammatical rules in both Standard American English and African American Vernacular English in order …

Teaching Listening For Prominence In Combination With Reading To Help Students Determine New Information, Margaret Genereux

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess whether teaching adult English Language Learners (ELLs) to listen for new information spoken with prominence on the target new information increased their ability to make inferences about meaning. Data collected included: a pre and post-test to assess students’ learning during the intervention; an uptake sheet to solicit students’ self-perception of their learning about pronunciation and placement of new information; and a Likert scale to elicit participants’ self-assessment of their ability to identify and use prominence. While results of the post-test on selecting the correct inference were inconclusive, quantitative and qualitative data indicated …

Is A Single Or Multicomponent Reading Intervention Program More Effective At Enhancing Outcomes For Struggling Readers In Intermediate Grades?, Barbara Klun

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

In 2015-2016, the selected school-site realized that reading instruction needed to change for the bottom quartile of readers. Struggling readers in grades five through eight were not making significant gains in reading. On the annual state assessment, students who scored a one the previous year remained at the same level the following year. In addition, students reading two or more grade levels behind their peers made the smallest gains throughout the school. This research project addressed the question, “Is a single or multicomponent reading intervention program more effective at enhancing outcomes for struggling readers in intermediate grades?” The purpose of …

Connecting Environmental Stewardship, Youth Development, And Community Engagement, Through A Student-Centered Pollinator Curriculum, Elizabeth Huerta Ortiz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this capstone was to find the means to engage inner city youth in outdoor experiences that would help them form a deep connection to nature. The research question that I focused on was: how can national parks, native plant nurseries, and school districts work together to inspire inner city youth to become active stewards of the natural world? The analysis of the literature review guided me to find one possible answer, which is to develop and implement a student-centered pollinator curriculum in partnership with the national parks, native plant nurseries, and school districts. The pollinator curriculum is …

Perceptions From School Principals About The Role Of Schools In Developing Student Leadership, Pangjua Vang Xiong

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Student leadership within the elementary school is a newer concept and has not been researched or implemented widely. However, there are some elementary schools that have been developing student leadership. This research focused on gathering the perceptions of elementary school principals toward the role of the school in developing student leadership. This qualitative research followed a grounded theory process. Data collection methods involved gathering data from an online survey, elite interviews, and field observations, which allowed a triangulation of data and findings. Participants from a midwestern metro area were selected for this research based on an online search for schools …

How Does Goal Setting Impact Intrinsic Motivation And Does It Help Lead To Enhanced Learning At The Kindergarten Level?, Melissa A. Beal

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, how does goal setting impact intrinsic motivation and does it help lead to enhanced learning at the kindergarten level? It documents one teacher’s creation of letter identification pre and post-tests along with check points in between the pre and post-tests. She utilized student graphing charts to document student progress. It integrates Frank’s seven-step process on how to set a goal for yourself. It also discusses Locke’s theories for goal setting and Deci & Ryan’s SelfDetermination Theory. The author documents results collected based on the different tests to help validate the study. She …

Cultural Dissonance Of Elder Learners In Beginning Literacy And Language Classrooms, Lisa Vogl

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Elder learners face unique barriers in LESLLA classrooms. Using qualitative research and semistructured interviews, this study analyzed data from fourteen low-literate elders and their instructor participated in interviews with a bilingual interpreter and observations in a beginning language and literacy classroom. Elders compared their prior learning experiences, based in Indigenous Knowledge, with their experiences in Western classrooms. Themes identified provide important implications for further LESLLA research.

Student-­Led Farmers Market: Engaging, Real-­World Experience And Nutrition Education That Prepares Students For A Successful Professional Life After High School, Rebecca A. Hennessey

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

School gardens are becoming an increasingly popular tool for environmental education. Learning in a school garden offers many benefits, from first­hand experience in applying information learned in school, to nutrition education, to growing in character. School garden curriculum is readily available for students at the elementary level, but is difficult to find at the high school level. This capstone includes curriculum that is easily adaptable and supports a student­led farmers market program, providing garden and nutrition education to students at the high school level through the context of a fully­functioning farmers market that is completely run by students.

A Family Literacy Approach In A Second Grade Classroom, Katie R. Coder

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, how does a family literacy approach affect students reading comprehension growth in a second grade classroom? It documents one teacher’s creation of a before and after school family literacy program. The family literacy program focused on teaching students and families explicit reading comprehension strategies that were being used in the classroom. The author documents the research analyzed that led to the creation of a family literacy program based on the parent involvement family literacy model. The author describes the implementation of the program and concludes that: 1) using a family literacy approach …

How Do You Empower At Risk Students To Become Active Citizens About The Environment, Through The Design And Implementation Of An Urban Environmental Science Curriculum Within An Alternative Education Setting?, Stephen N. Szczodroski

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

At-risk students come with a history of failure in school. The mainstream classroom setting has not worked for them in the past; therefore, educators must think outside the box and get students doing as many hands-on, experiential lessons as possible. Generally, these students do not have the opportunity to experience many experiential activities. This new curriculum helped students get outside learning new skills, and lured them away from chalkboard lessons. A major component with the curriculum was coordinating with the local parks and recreational system, to create a program where students are involved in using and maintaining local natural areas …

How Can An Individual’S Growth Mindset Be Improved By Using Self-Assessment Techniques?, Elizabeth A. Ryan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Carol Dweck’s idea of fixed versus growth mindset is becoming a more important concept in the educational world because educators are striving to create lifelong learners inside and outside of the the classroom. In order to do this, educators need to promote the growth mindset through clear instruction. The research question highlights a review of current literature on fixed versus growth mindset; Danielson’s Framework for Teaching; total participation techniques, such as cold calling; and student self-assessment that was used to drive the capstone project. The Danielson’s Framework for Teaching assisted in creating an instructional design that would meet the needs …

The Impact Of Informal Education On Formal Education In Science A Symbiotic Relationship, Colin Johnson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Classroom science teachers face many obstacles, from standardized exams to including real world concepts in their science units. Informal science educators are looking for ways to expand their mission into school curricula in the form of activities and project-based learning. Incorporating real-world experiences from informal science institutions can supplement and enrich the formal science educator’s classroom learning units. The research in question in this Capstone was to address how formal and informal science educators can work together to increase students’ participation in science and the environment. I interviewed science professionals about why they pursued a career in science and I …

An Integrated Social Studies And Writing Curriculum Guide For Primary Grade English Language Learners, Gayle E. Hammer

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Two guiding questions are addressed in this project. The first is: How can primary teachers of English Language Learners (ELLs) use a Comprehensive Curriculum Integration Guide (CCIG) to integrate the teaching of social studies content and standards with ELD? The second questions: How can using Student Learning Experiences for Engagement (SLEE) provide support for English Language Development (ELD) in the domains of speaking and writing for ELLs in the primary grades? It provides the research and rationale for creating a guide, which includes instructions, templates and resources for unit planning, weekly lesson planning, SLEE and suggested scaffolds and supports for …

Suggestions In Writing Center Tutorials, Chin Wah Teo

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the types of suggestions made by a non-native speaker (NNS) of American English during writing center tutorials, and students’ perception of the suggestions made by the tutor. Four tutorials, two with native English speakers (NS) and two with NNS, were audio recorded and transcribed for instances of suggestions. Suggestions were analyzed according to several categories: 1) hedging and directness, 2) syntactic form, and 3) writing concern addressed. Stimulated recall interviews were conducted to determine the perception of the students. Findings of the study revealed that the NNS received more unhedged and direct …

Building Bridges, Benjamin R. Cousino, Nathan P. Gillespie, Shelby Miller, Sue Pete, Elizabeth A. Shepherd, Philip M. Sheridan

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

Throughout the winter 2017 semester our interdisciplinary team utilized the design thinking process to redefine the purpose of the Grand Valley Holland Meijer Campus. As a process for collaborative and creative problem solving on complex challenges, Design Thinking requires empathizing with community stakeholders, iterative integration of insights, ideation, prototyping and testing. Through this process we have identified creative possibilities designed to support and enhance both Grand Valley State University’s Holland campus as well as the community of Holland. Our final prototype optimizes engagement with the campus. While an incredibly large and challenging undertaking, this experience confirmed that the design thinking …

Craft Certifications, Alexandra Dartt, Autumn Reyhl, Brandon Angerbrant, Hattie Leveque, Collin Cribley, Mitch Galloway

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

Dear Reader, Welcome to our journey (of documents). We invite you to follow us through our design process: an iterative learning process of reflective and active learning focused on empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing innovations. We have engaged in extensive research about the GVSU Holland campus and the Holland community in order to identify and respond to critical needs. We have come to understand that the campus needs to be a home for transformational and relevant education in order for it to best utilize its current assets and that it needs to do this work by extending an arm …

Meijer's Makers, Anthony L. Alberty, Haley Jennings, Patrick Mcelwee, Christopher Morrow, Natalia P. Skinner

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

This Innovation Portfolio is the result of a semester long project that examined the role of a regional campus in its community: more specifically, examining how the GVSU Meijer Campus can best integrate into and support its community. The Meijer Campus was originally designed to engage adult learners of the Holland business community. Our team sought out how to reinvigorate the campus through innovating based on this original goal. During the winter of 2017, our team undertook a series of steps to better understand the needs of the Holland community, considering how to design the Meijer Campus to fit those …

Holland Helpers, Kristin Budd, Stephanie K. Emelander, Lauren E. Hogikyan, Sharnell James, Nicholas Petrie, David Salerno

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

Grand Valley State University’s Meijer Campus located in Holland, MI has been hoping to better support the Holland community. It aims to be a campus full of innovative ideas, inspired and supported by students, and representative of the Holland community. Over the course of the winter of 2017 we—an interdisciplinary team of undergraduate students at Grand Valley State University—have engaged in the Design Thinking process order to develop an innovation designed to turn this vision into a reality. In the follow portfolio, you will be able to flip through our journey to find what we believe is a viable, sustainable …

Home Literacy Practices: A Focus On Dominican Families, Susan E. Pendleton

Masters Theses

The majority of the current research regarding the home literacies that families employ to help their children become literate are explored through North American family structures. For this reason, there is a lack of knowledge about what Dominican families, a subgroup within the Latino culture, do at home to assist their children in their literacy acquisition in the Dominican Republic. This qualitative research study provides insight as to what literacy practices take place within the Dominican household. I gathered pertinent information from 10 Dominican participants using a semi-structured interview so literacy practices could be revealed. Findings from this research indicate …