Language and Literacy Education Commons^™

Preparing Low-Income Middle And Secondary Students To Participate Effectively In Academic Discourse Through Writing, Franc Lacinski

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Students from low-income families often perform poorly on formal assessments in language arts. Examining data using the 2008-2009 State of New Jersey Department of Education School Report Cards, a comparison was made between low-income districts and affluent districts in three areas: High School Proficiency Assessment Language Arts Literacy Scores, SAT Verbal Scores and SAT Essay Scores. Students from low-income districts performed significantly lower in these areas than students from the higher income districts and from the average performance rates for the State of New Jersey. This lag in performance affects students’ choices for higher education, for job opportunities, as well …

The Effects Of Coauthoring On Student Writing, Stacey E. Spector

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Teaching student writing can be a very frustrating yet rewarding experience. Because there are so many ways to approach writing instruction and the writing process, there is often a disconnect between teachers’ expectations and students’ performances. A plethora of research has been done on teaching the writing process: peer editing, revising, and other areas of writing instruction. However, not much has been explored in terms of how writing can improve if we ask students to write together.

The goal of having students write together, or coauthor, is to allow them the chance to learn from each other and explore the …

Does Introductory Writing Instruction Help Students To Succeed At Montclair State University?, Sean Molloy

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study examines whether Montclair State University (MSU) students who were placed into an introductory writing course between 2005 and 2009 later succeeded as measured by retention rates, academic advancement and available grade data. While available data was limited, retention rates and grade data suggest that most of these students have succeeded so far at MSU. The study also submitted an online survey to former introductory writing course students which asked whether they believe that their experience in that course was an actual contributing cause to their academic success. Survey responses of 68 students confirm that most believe the course …

The Effectiveness Of Content-Based Instruction In Literature-Based Esl Reading Classes., Uma Rani A Rethina Velu

Student Works (2010-2019)

This study investigates the effectiveness of CBI in Literature-based ESL Reading Classes in an urban Primary School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The researcher used quantitative method to collect the data, which were analysed using SPSS (Statistical Packages for Social Sciences), version 16. Sixty students were the subjects for this study. The data for this study was gathered via three questionnaires and 3 tests. Findings revealed that the students, who had medium and low proficiency levels in English, had a positive attitude towards the use of CBI in the teaching and learning process in the reading classes. The CBI approach was …

The Wolf Yearling, Jeffrey Alfier

The Utah English Journal

No abstract provided.

Words, Ken Solomon

The Utah English Journal

No abstract provided.

Spectral, Ann Taylor

The Utah English Journal

No abstract provided.

Re-Assessing Persuasive Writing: An Essay-Free Approach, Alyssa Randall

The Utah English Journal

As many of you may be aware, the ninth grade Utah persuasive writing test was changed to the eighth grade year. The state core requirements, however, did not reflect this change, and as many of you probably did, I began thinking of the challenge I faced to fit a persuasive writing unit into my already tight schedule. The more I thought about how to implement this new requirement, the more I thought about the typical persuasive essay that seemed mandated by the test and I cringed. While I believe the five-paragraph essay to be an important writing tool, I did …

Terrific Biographies For Teens: Do They Exist?, Amanda Mackay

The Utah English Journal

About the time I began my career as a junior high English teacher, I started reading a lot of biographies. I felt empowered as I read real stories of real people overcoming real obstacles. Recalling my first experience with this genre, I couldn’t help wondering why I didn’t read more of them when I was younger. I realized that I’d rarely seen my students choosing to read biographies either. As a teacher, I became curious about my students’ experiences with biographies. Had my students even read biographies? If so, what did they think of the genre? What would make them …

An Interview With Gary Soto, Mary Rice

The Utah English Journal

Gary Soto is a Mexican-American author and poet from the San Joaquin Valley of California. Soto’s poems are mostly about his daily life and experiences. He was the guest author for the 2009 Utah Council of Teachers of English conference. In the following interview Soto discusses his poetry and himself as a poet.

Helping Students Find That Comfortable Place Within Themselves, Denee Tyler

The Utah English Journal

Just like all English/Language Arts teachers, every August is a new beginning for me. I know I will see room after room of new faces, and my challenge will be to create a class atmosphere where each student will feel accepted, valued, and safe—all while encouraging my students to take risks and grow. It can be a very daunting task, but it is always rewarding. I’ve found that focusing on narrative writing—particularly memoir—during those first few weeks together is the key to building the classroom community I am looking for.

Revisiting Revision: Redefining The Writing Process, Kevin Lemley

The Utah English Journal

If you were to ask one of your students to tell you where to fit revision into the writing process, they would probably tell you it was one of the last steps. “The writing process begins with pre-writing, then drafting, then revising, and last of all proofreading,” they might respond. As teachers, we generally teach some form of this writing process. The problem with this instruction is that students often perceive the writing process as an unflinching standard, a one-way road with a dead end—no U-turns allowed. Revision becomes nothing more than a stop sign, a landmark that must be …

Risks And Rewards: Lessons From Bike Riding And The Central Utah Writing Project, Sarita Rich

The Utah English Journal

Fifteen years after learning to ride a bike, I began my career as an English teacher. I’ve since learned that teaching, like bike riding, involves learning through risk-taking. None of the risks I’ve taken as a teacher to implement new curriculum ideas or classroom management practices have been wasted opportunities. Each attempt at risk-taking has led me to discover what works and what doesn’t. The greatest benefits of risk-taking come only after teachers are willing to try something new.

Learning And Teaching With Graphic Novels, Rob Kirkham

The Utah English Journal

Comic books have faced harsh criticism from the general masses and the academic community since their early beginnings in the late 19th century. However, using visual media such as cartoons, comics, and graphic novels in the classroom provides educators with a number of valuable teaching aids for today’s students. Yet, sadly, these resources remain largely untapped.

The Nine-Month Hypothesis: An English Teacher's First Year, Haylee Frohlich

The Utah English Journal

I never felt any affinity with scientists until I became a teacher, and in my opinion there is an uncanny resemblance between our two professions. As any junior high student can tell you, there are essential steps in the scientific process, namely: a problem or question which warrants a solution, a prediction or hypothesis of the solution, careful observation of the results, and a conclusion based upon those steps. In my first year of teaching I learned a real world application of the term “hypothesis.” I realized that teachers are the scientific method personified. We hypothesize. We experiment. We deduce. …

Finally Taking The Plunge: Literature Circles, Carli Gadd

The Utah English Journal

Ever know something is a good idea, but still not do it? It’s like eating well. I know it pays off, but all I think of driving home are my three favorite people: Wendy, Arby, and McDonald. That’s what literature circles were for me, the carrot stick for lunch instead of the fast, easier option. But how could I make that carrot more appealing? My initial research convinced me to experiment with literature circles, and I was aware that literature circles are employed effectively at the elementary level, but I was concerned how teenagers would receive the practice. I resolved …

Problem Parents In Young Adult Literature: Really A Problem?, Sierra Robinson

The Utah English Journal

The parental role in adolescent literature has been examined recently in ways that some people are calling “The Parent Problem in Adolescent Literature,” suggesting these trends do not accurately depict the average parent-teenager relationship. Yet some readers and scholars passionately defend their rights to read about dysfunctional family situations as well. Ultimately, I argue the dysfunctional, or “bad” parent has a place in adolescent literature and can be used, by teachers especially, as a positive convention that empowers young readers to rise above circumstance in constructive ways.

Future Stars, Sharon Nauta Steele

The Utah English Journal

No abstract provided.

Writing Is Dangerous Business, Richard Kempa

The Utah English Journal

No abstract provided.

Full Issue

The Utah English Journal

No abstract provided.

Promoting A Desire To Read With Graphic Novels, Alexis Woodward

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research project was to create a graphic novel to encourage reluctant 4th grade boys to become interested in reading. This research questioned the graphics in graphic novels that appeal to reluctant readers, the type of content that would appeal particularly to boys who lack interest in reading, and the method of balance needed between text and graphics to capture the interest of boys who lack motivation to read. The researcher focused on graphic novels and their use in the classroom, different ways graphic novels can motivate reluctant readers to become interested in reading, the concept of …

At Home With American Literature, Shauna Robertson

The Utah English Journal

In 1822, the American actor, poet, and playwright John Howard Payne wrote a song called “Home! Sweet Home!” It became an instant hit, and its refrain, “[b]e it ever so humble, there's no place like home,” has become etched in our cultural memory. The author L. Frank Baum echoed this sentiment with a twist at the end of his novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Most people are familiar with Dorothy’s chant as she clicks the heels of her ruby slippers together in the 1939 film, but Baum’s literary version is even more powerful. "No matter how dreary and gray …

Literacy Instruction And The Learning Disabled High School Student : Ideas And Applications For A Mindful Classroom, Suzanne E. Kos

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This thesis suggests that the emergent field of mindfulness and contemplative pedagogy can be a uniquely effective tool for use in the English classroom for learning disabled (LD) high school students. By first exploring definitions of difference and initiating a conversation about how we, as a society, conceptualize difference and how we provide literacy instruction for students who learn differently, this thesis advocates for a more complex and meaningful understanding of the difficult issues surrounding teaching literature and writing to LD high school students. The discussion then introduces some of the central tenets of mindfulness and contemplative practice and explores, …

Using Blogs To Engage Students In Meaningful Thinking And Discussion, Jon Ostenson

The Utah English Journal

As an English teacher, I want my students to engage in meaningful thinking about the issues in the literature we explore. Discussion is a valuable way to encourage this engagement, especially as I push discussions beyond the teacher-led, traditional IRE (teacher initiation, student response, teacher evaluation) format (Cazden, 2001). As I try to encourage discussions where students ask more of the questions and listen and respond to—and even critique—each other’s ideas, I believe that we come closer to achieving more meaningful thinking. However, I still find classroom discussions to be one of the more challenging aspects of my job.

Full Issue

The Utah English Journal

No abstract provided.

An Interview With Sara Zarr, Mary Rice

The Utah English Journal

Sara Zarr is a California native who currently resides in Utah. She is the author of two critically acclaimed novels for young adults, Story of a Girl (a 2007 National Book Award finalist) and Sweethearts. Her third novel, Once Was Lost, will be published this fall. Mary Rice, current board member of the Utah Council of Teachers of English, recently interviewed her.

Persuasion At The Sentence Level: Teaching The Grammar Of Influence, Deborah Dean

The Utah English Journal

Why do we teach students to write persuasively, to craft arguments that assert a point, take a stand, propose a solution, or seek common ground? Isn’t part of it because the ability to formulate effective arguments is an “important literacy practice” (Beach & Doerr-Stevens, 2009, p.125), and our capacity to be persuasive is an essential part of our interactions with the world? It is also a kind of writing that is often found in state and district writing tests—another possible reason we might want to teach students to write for the purpose of persuading.

My Favorite Novel: A 7-Point Folkloric Reflection, Jacqueline S. Thursby

The Utah English Journal

This project, the 7-Point Folkloric Reflection Paper, has been successful and popular according to feedback from my English students in various folklore classes. It is based on a novel they have already read, and I suggest that they choose a novel they have enjoyed because they are going to spend a lot of time with it. This project is not a book report. It is a writing project that includes an introduction to the often misunderstood discipline of folkloristics. This assignment requires some groundwork by the teacher, but besides being interesting, it demonstrates that folklore is present in most of …

The Secret Realizations Of An Okay Teacher, Michelle Barney

The Utah English Journal

A Personal Narrative by Michelle Barney

As I collected the little writings we did every day, I realized something. These kids were good. These kids had style, voice, and something to say. And I was holding them back.

Thirteen Ways Of Looking At Poetry Writing (Minus Twelve): Using Bad Poetry To Make Good Poetry Accessible, Sheila Benson

The Utah English Journal

This article presents my effort to move students past their belief that poetry is inaccessible by requiring them to write bad poetry. My original goal was to bring back the fun of poetry by letting students play with words and sounds rather than obsessing over rhyme schemes. I wanted my students to see that they knew more about poetry than they thought they did, that poetry and language play are a natural part of how we think. As students created bad poetry and discussed what they believed poetry was (and wasn’t), we discovered together that much of our fear of …