Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Vocabulary Development In A Literature-Based Instructional Program, Gwen Johnson

Graduate Research Papers

Teachers need to assist students in developing rich vocabularies in a variety of ways. As teachers present effective strategies for learning vocabulary, students will improve their speaking and writing abilities as they grasp newfound meanings of words. This project reviews the professional literature on vocabulary development instruction and then presents a staff development plan that will help teachers see the benefits of exploring different ways that students can increase their vocabulary knowledge in a literature-based instructional reading environment.

Writing In The Kindergarten Classroom : It Can Be Done!, Stephanie Kartman

Graduate Research Papers

When discussing early writing Vicki Spandel (2001) brings up the following very important point: "We need to notice the little things (not just the big milestones) and put them to work to encourage our young writers, who are often doing much more than they get credit for'' (p. 321 ).

This project was built upon the idea that teachers would support writing through various instructional methods such as interactive, shared, and direct writing instruction. These activities are meant to supplement the Marion Independent School District kindergarten curriculum.

Shared Reading For Teaching English As A Foreign Language To Young Learners In Russia, Inna V. Kuznetsova

Graduate Research Papers

Shared Reading has proven to be very effective in developing language and literacy skills of children in the West. This project introduces Shared Reading as a curriculum component of English as a foreign language for young children in Russia. Review of the literature regarding the effectiveness of Shared Reading is described. The project includes two units of four lessons each that illustrate implementation of Shared Reading, oral language and other literacy activities. The project concludes with specific recommendations for dissemination of this work.

Implementation Of Literature Circles, Dawn Lewis

Graduate Research Papers

Literature circles are a current and effective technique requiring a group of students to read the same text and then meet to discuss their thoughts on what they read. The purpose of the project is to explain to teachers the components of literature circles and the benefits they have for students. The project will look specifically at what both the student and teachers roles' should be throughout the implementation. It will also inform teachers of different ways to incorporate literature circles into their own classroom.

Reading Motivation Of Middle School Students, Sandra K. Leinen

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review was to examine the motivation factors that influence middle school students' reading motivation. The literature review addresses the issue of declining reading motivation of middle school students as they progress through the grade levels. This review deals with four main areas: motivation, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy. Literary resources were gathered and results of a reading survey completed by students at AHST Middle School were included. Information from both sources were reviewed and analyzed. The results of the literature review and the Avoca-Hancock-Shelby-Tennant (AHST) Middle School database indicate ways to increase middle school …

Literacy Backpacks For Emergent Readers, Lori J. Logan

Graduate Research Papers

Schools and families are continually searching for ways to bridge learning between home and school. Partnerships that encourage literacy learning at home are especially important for young children. Literacy backpacks were designed to encourage parents and children to engage in meaningful literacy experiences in their homes. The literacy backpacks include a collection of literature, activities, and supplies that enable families to enjoy literacy learning in an informal setting. Literacy backpacks provide emergent readers and writers opportunities to see adults model literacy behaviors, to engage in meaningful interactions with adults and text at home, and to actively construct literacy knowledge independently.

Integrating Technology Into Literature Circles, Carrie A. Lutkenhaus

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project is to develop a series of in-services that train middle school literature teachers in the integration of technology into literature circles. A staff development workshop was created to coincide with the Fort Dodge Community School District reading improvement goal. The audience for this staff development workshop will include eight fifth and sixth grade teachers from Fair Oaks Middle School. A review of the literature concerning literature circles and the integration of technology confirmed that the integration of technology into literature circles would have a positive effect on the literature classroom. Literature circles and the integration …

"Changing Tradition: New Frontiers In Spelling Instruction" : A Developmental Spelling Word Study Workshop, Melissa A. Adams

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project is to create a three day workshop focused on a word study curriculum that is based on the developmental theory of spelling. The audience for this workshop would be elementary teachers (first through fifth grade) who are interested in developing a spelling curriculum that is based on current research and individual student needs. The workshop would introduce current research and teach teachers how to analyze student spelling errors. It would also focus on three main questions for developing a word study curriculum: How do I assess and evaluate students?; How do I group and manage …

Integrating The Six Traits Of Reading Into Literature Circle Discussion Groups : Moving Towards Thoughtful Literacy In A Title I Classroom, Kristin N. Carew

Graduate Research Papers

This study examined the effects of integrating The Traits of Effective Readers into student-led literature circle discussion groups within the Title I reading classroom. This research was conducted with fourth grade students in an attempt to see if this method of instruction improved students' reading comprehension and motivation. The researcher was the teacher in the Title I classroom, and acted as a facilitator within the literature circle discussions.

The study results showed gains in students' comprehension in varying degrees, depending largely on the assessment used. Results from the attitude survey, however, showed that student motivation toward reading was significantly improved. …

Using Technology To Enhance Writing In Primary Grades, Lisa Butler

Graduate Research Papers

Computers in the primary classroom have been a controversial topic for many years. Many believe that computers do not benefit young children. In the past, very little research has been done in the primary classroom to prove or disprove the critics. Most of the studies focused on upper elementary, middle school, and high school. Three years ago, the federal government sought to validate the need for computers in the primary classroom. In doing so, the Natie (all names are pseudo names) Community Schools received a federal grant to study computers in the primary classroom. As a teacher in that school …

Literacy Instruction In First Grade Classrooms : Teachers Trained In Reading Recovery In Comparison With Teachers Who Have Not Been Trained, Trisha Fuelling

Graduate Research Papers

This investigation attempts to demonstrate the importance of having trained Reading Recovery teachers in first grade classrooms. Reading education has always been a vital part of curricula in school districts across America. Successful reading requires numerous basic processes, such as the identification of letters, the mapping of letters onto sounds, word decoding, the recognition of words, and the use of syntax and semantic cues. Several areas of learning such as emergent literacy also facilitate the process of reading. Reading involves recognition of visual patterns-groups of words, word parts, clusters of letters and single letters. Reading also involves knowledge of the …

Parents Join The Club : Inviting Parents And Children To Participate In A Family Book Club, Kimberly Gansen

Graduate Research Papers

A fifth grade elementary teacher who regularly uses book clubs as a part of her reading program offers the parents of her students the opportunity to learn about and participate in a book club with their children. The parents of the teacher's 24 students were invited to attend an informational meeting to learn how book clubs function in their child's classroom and to discover the value of discussion in developing and promoting reading comprehension. Eight parents and their children joined the Family Book Club. They all read In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Betty Bao Lord …

The Effects Of Homogeneous Grouping Practices On Talented And Gifted Students, Angela Kurt-Sconsa

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review was to examine research findings about the effects of homogeneous grouping practices on gifted students. As school budgets have been cut, many gifted programs across the country have been impacted. Also, as tracking has become a political faux pas, many gifted programs have been eliminated.

The following are recommendations for education policy makers: realize that one teacher cannot do it all in a classroom with a wide range of abilities; know that content, in addition to grouping, is a main factor in students' advancement; remain flexible with grouping and programming; and try to overcome …

Home-School Reading Journals And Parental Involvement, Annalisa Marie Miner

Graduate Research Papers

"When schools encourage children to practice reading at home with parents, the children make significant gains in reading achievement compared to those who only practice at school" (Tizard, 1982).

Throughout my teaching career I have always worked with many students who are from homes that do not participate often in school and do not appear to have school-like literacy activities as a part of their family culture. I want to find a way to involve all families as collaborators in increasing their children's literacy achievement, because I feel this will benefit the children academically and also create a love of …

Cooperative Learning And Reading Strategies On The Secondary Level, Kathryn Magner Panoch

Graduate Research Papers

In order for students to become skilled readers, they need to become effective readers, which means rereading, drawing inferences, and relating new knowledge to existing knowledge (Tovani, 2000). Skilled readers know the purpose for which they are reading, and they are directly involved in their reading. This project demonstrates how to successfully incorporate cooperative learning and reading strategies into the classroom at the secondary level.

Multiple Intelligences Of Young Adolescents, Kelly A. Schloss

Graduate Research Papers

This study investigated how multiple intelligences related specifically to young adolescents. Self-perceptions of seventh and eighth graders, attending a large middle school and a moderately sized junior high in Iowa, were compared. Intelligence categories rated by students included intrapersonal, interpersonal, body/kinesthetic, mathematical/logical, verbal/linguistic, visual/spatial, and music/rhythmic.

Implications for this research include utilizing activity based instruction, promoting risk free learning opportunities for girls, implementing developmentally responsive practices at the middle level, providing educational support for low socio-economic students who may lack other resources often needed for success, and using visual, kinesthetic and musical approaches to learning for learning disabled students.

Professional Development : The Missing Component In Education, Brett C. Ernst

Graduate Research Papers

Professional development addresses student needs and is based on researched teaching strategies that are proven to assist both the teacher and the student in meeting high achievement standards. Other indicators of effective professional development, as described by NCLB, include: ongoing support; data-driven decision making; and effective evaluation of the professional development. It has the potential to improve educators' attitudes, behaviors, knowledge and skills, so it benefits student learning. High quality professional development, when explicit about the results it is seeking to achieve, can assist both teachers and students to meet or exceed the desired outcomes they are being asked to …

Is Inclusion Working At One Middle School In Iowa?, Brett Alan Fischels

Graduate Research Papers

This study investigated how the inclusive special education program was operating at Thompson Middle School in Southeast Iowa. Three conclusions were found. First, a majority of the teachers interviewed felt inclusive education was having a positive impact on all students. Second, most of interviewees felt the administrators needed to provide more resources to insure success. Finally, the more years teaching experience an educator possessed, the less they viewed inclusive education as having a positive impact. Recommendations are made to address these conclusions.

The Transformation Of A Middle School Industrial Shop To A Modular Industrial Technology Lab And Communicating This Transformation To The Local Community, Lynn Figg

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this graduate project was to describe the transformation of a middle school industrial arts shop to a modular industrial technology lab and the subsequent public relations effort to communicate this transformation to the local community. This project facilitated a better understanding of what a modular industrial technology lab is, what it looks like, and how it meets the needs of the industrial technology curriculum.

A PowerPoint presentation was created to explain to the diverse audiences how the change from a traditional industrial arts "shop" class to a modular industrial technology lab at an intermediate school took place, …

Grandparents In Education Project, Kim Renee Freund

Graduate Research Papers

The research strongly suggests that family involvement in education is vital to a child's academic achievement (Epstein, 1987; Zill, 1996). The Grandparent in Education Project goes beyond the parents and into the previous generation of grandparents. In many families grandparents have played a key role in children's lives. Today the numbers of grandparents that help raise or are full-time guardians to children are on the rise (Bafile, 1999). It is a logical connection to include them in today's educational environment.

Another important component is technology and the current role it plays in society. Digital media is continuing to influence communication …

Phonemic Awareness In The Kindergarten Classroom, Shelly Jelinek

Graduate Research Papers

There are two objectives that I hope to meet with the completion of this project. The first is to provide teachers with phonemic awareness activities to supplement the Marion Independent School District early childhood and/or elementary curriculum. The second objective is to provide activities that meet the requirements of my district's phonemic awareness assessment.

Reflections About My Second Year Of Teaching Reading, Molly Melloy Recker

Graduate Research Papers

On the second day of school, I realized that four students had entered my first grade classroom – reading. As that school day concluded, at the beginning of my second year of teaching, I remember sitting down at my desk, and thinking to myself, "Now what?" These were not the students I was expecting.

In this paper I explain how I adapted my reading beliefs and teaching practices to meet the challenge the four students posed to me. I describe each student, and their reading behaviors. Next, I discuss perspectives about early literacy, in order to examine my beliefs in …

Literature Response Journals And Students Entitled To Special Education Services, Andrea J. Safina

Graduate Research Papers

This article examined the types of responses students entitled to level 1 and level 2 special education services made in their journals when responding to books read aloud by a special education teacher. The books chosen to be read aloud were from different genres and about varying topics. The responses were also examined to see if the genre read had any impact on the students' responses.

The responses made by the students fell into eight categories and genre did not affect the response pattern when students were responding to books read aloud by the teacher. The students still made more …

Integrating Technology To Facilitate Math Instruction In The Elementary Classroom, Terri Schmidt

Graduate Research Papers

Integrating technology throughout the elementary curriculum is a topic that concerns educators. This paper informs educators as to why they should explore the implementation of technology into the math curriculum in the elementary classroom. This paper discusses brain-based learning, how to use brain-based learning techniques as well as the computer to integrate math and the benefits of using the computer in the math classroom throughout the day in the elementary classroom.

Retrospective Miscue Analysis : A Positive Approach, Lisa Marlene Wright

Graduate Research Papers

Retrospective Miscue Analysis (RMA) is an assessment and instructional tool that can be used in strengthening reading strategies, comprehension development, and positive reader self-concept. This paper discusses RMA's theoretical background and ways it empowers teachers and students, raises reader self-esteem, and teaches reading strategies such as self-correcting, re-reading and listening for syntactical and semantic cues. Next, I discuss the RMA process, which includes recording the reading session, producing a type script with all of the participants' miscues, as well as a separate script that has only the miscues to be discussed with the reader, marking the miscue analysis sheet, recording …

Using An African Centered Educational Model And Technology To Improve African American Children's Performance In School, Tehia Venise Starker

Graduate Research Papers

A literature review was performed to understand the ways that African Centered Education can be incorporated into technology integration for the improvement of African American children. With the five components of the Murrell model of African Centered Education, which are identity development process, community integrity practices, practices of inquiry and reappropriation, making meaning practices, and engagement and participation practices, technology integration can become an integral part of improving the education of African American children. Within the model, the focus of building on prior knowledge, reaffirming the positive aspects of African and African American history, and applying knowledge learned to real …

The Sounds Of Silence : Music Education And Academic Achievement, Donny Brazile

Graduate Research Papers

This research began with the author's firsthand experience with regard to the value of music education. Very few deny the benefits of music education and its connection to academic achievement. In a recent poll administered by the Gallup Organization, 95 percent of Americans believe music to be a cornerstone of a quality education, and over 75 percent of those polled suggested that music education should be mandated by the schools. However, far too many music education programs are being cut, or are in grave danger of being cut, from the curriculum nationwide. Research clearly shows the importance of music education: …

The Evolution Of Distance Education: Bridging The Gap Between Teacher And Students, Theresa Zeigler

Graduate Research Papers

Distance learning has been present in our educational society for numerous years, but has evolved more rapidly and attention has been focused more intently during the past two decades. The advancements in technology have allowed for distance learning to reach beyond the traditional boundaries and deliver instruction to learners in diverse locations at time that are convenient to their needs. The recent trend in the increased number of courses available via television and the Internet demonstrates the need for asynchronous learning opportunities for students. However, historical studies in the area of distance education have not always focused on student learning …

The Needs Of The Adult Learner : Typical Characteristics And How It Impacts The Training Process, Joleen W. Siebert

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review was conducted to gain a better understanding of the relationship between the characteristics of the adult learner, and the impact of those characteristics in implementation and training situations in a business environment. The review introduced this researcher to numerous theories, resources, and strategies proven to improve business training activities or programs.

The amount of available research provides evidence that business recognizes quality training must be provided to derive optimum results from training programs for their employees. It also confirms that understanding typical adult learner characteristics will enhance the learning situation when both the course designers and the …

Using Mindtools To Build Information Literacy And Promote Critical Thinking, Matthew J. Haan

Graduate Research Papers

Information literacy is a skill that students need to handle the overwhelming amount of information. Using Mindtools can provide teachers with a way to help students use the information literacy skills. Mindtools are used to allow students to learn through the use of technology, not from technology. By giving students opportunities to use these skills, they will be able to think critically and independently about the information they access. As a result of focusing on information literacy and critical thinking, students wiII increase proficiency in locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and applying new information. The importance of this review is to determine …