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Language and Literacy Education Commons

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Graduate Student Independent Studies

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Full-Text Articles in Language and Literacy Education

A Little Cuckoo: A Book About Finding Your Place, Elizabeth Berkowitz Jan 2024

A Little Cuckoo: A Book About Finding Your Place, Elizabeth Berkowitz

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The research collected in this study aims to support students, teachers, and families in understanding that friendships take many forms and that neurodivergent students don’t always make friends in the same way as their peers.


Teaching Comprehension To Students On The Autism Spectrum With Hyperlexia: A Case Study, Shannon Monahan Jan 2024

Teaching Comprehension To Students On The Autism Spectrum With Hyperlexia: A Case Study, Shannon Monahan

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This curriculum unit describes an 8-lesson intervention using a graphic novel to develop comprehension skills for a hyperlexic 2nd grade student with autism spectrum disorder in a special education classroom.


What Makes A Best Book?, Zach Libresco Jan 2023

What Makes A Best Book?, Zach Libresco

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Stories affect how people see the world and themselves. Stories matter. This is a study of what makes a “best” book. This study considers conversations that discussed and evaluated whether a book should be on a “best of the year” list, how evaluators thought about selecting books for children, and how the lens of looking at children’s literature has changed over time. The researcher conducted six interviews with members of the Children’s Book Committee, observed over fifty hours of Children’s Book Committee meetings, eight hours of awards committee meetings, and reviewed relevant literature. Three topics emerged as central to the …


Hangul Zoo: Alphabet Book On Korean Consonants, Alice Kang Jan 2023

Hangul Zoo: Alphabet Book On Korean Consonants, Alice Kang

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This independent study is focused around the development of an original alphabet picture book (Hangul Zoo) that aims to support Native English Speakers with their learning of Korean as a second language. Those who have prior experience and knowledge of the English alphabet will benefit from using this book as a tool for bilingual learning. This book will help bilinguals be able to differentiate the two unique alphabets (English and Korean), while still making cross connections. While most alphabet books are catered towards children of ages birth through 5 and are often used in early childhood settings (daycares and preschools) …


Indigo Letters: Supporting Children Navigating Endings Through Letter Writing, Maggie Brummer Jan 2023

Indigo Letters: Supporting Children Navigating Endings Through Letter Writing, Maggie Brummer

Graduate Student Independent Studies

In the realm of children’s literature, substantial resources are missing as it pertains to supporting students through the universal experience of navigating change, specifically something ending. Indigo Letters was inspired by Blue School’s closure at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. In conducting my own research, I quickly learned resources regarding this type of ending are nonexistent. Stories touching school closures are missing on Early Childhood bookshelves because prior to COVID-19, that was rarely a reality of private institutions. According to the Center For Educational Freedom, as of April 2021, there were “132 private schools that announced closures due …


Educating English Language Learners In New York City Following The Covid-19 Pandemic: Observations And Recommendations For Primary Instruction, Emilia Curcic Jan 2023

Educating English Language Learners In New York City Following The Covid-19 Pandemic: Observations And Recommendations For Primary Instruction, Emilia Curcic

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This literature study addresses the unique experience of educating English Language Learners (ELLs) in New York City during and following Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) that occurred as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.


Empowering Students Toward Empathy, Awareness, And Respect Through The Discussion Of High Quality Children’S Literature, Jesse Blumberg Jan 2022

Empowering Students Toward Empathy, Awareness, And Respect Through The Discussion Of High Quality Children’S Literature, Jesse Blumberg

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper explores the importance of utilizing high quality books with elementary-aged students to encourage their ability to recognize, appreciate, and celebrate similarities and differences in our society.


The Name Curriculum: Exploring Names, Naming, And Identity, Isabel Taswell May 2021

The Name Curriculum: Exploring Names, Naming, And Identity, Isabel Taswell

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The act of naming, or using and respecting one’s name, is a humanizing act: it is foundational to one’s sense of identity and belonging. Conversely, the act of ‘de-naming,’ or changing, forgetting, or erasing one’s name, is an act of dehumanization: it denies one’s sense of identity and belonging. The Name Curriculum provides an opportunity for third grade students to explore the role of names and naming as they relate to one’s sense of self and community. It draws on the role of developmental psychology, the urgency of historical context, and the power of children’s literature. Specifically, it explores how …


Learning Language In A Written World: An Analysis Of The Nyseslat, Christine Johnson Jan 2021

Learning Language In A Written World: An Analysis Of The Nyseslat, Christine Johnson

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This research project is an analysis and critique of the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) and how it is used as a way to classify English Language Learners (ELL).


Discovering Joy Within Literacy Instruction: How My Study Of Structured Word Inquiry (Swi) Transformed My Understanding Of Teaching Children To Read, Chelsea Genn Jan 2020

Discovering Joy Within Literacy Instruction: How My Study Of Structured Word Inquiry (Swi) Transformed My Understanding Of Teaching Children To Read, Chelsea Genn

Graduate Student Independent Studies

In this thesis a second grade teacher at a school for children with language based learning disabilities (LLD’s), begin by describing my teaching experience using the OG based Fundations approach which I used in my classroom of six children. I then present my experiences with designing and implementing a 10-lesson unit on morphology/orthography based on Structured Word Inquiry (SWI), an inquiry based approach that is rooted in constructivist principles of meaning making. A comparison of these two approaches is presented along with an original analysis and critique.


Language Acquisition And Development, Esther Ramirez Jan 2020

Language Acquisition And Development, Esther Ramirez

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This Integrated Masters Project focuses on first language development in developing children, and how variant it can be, especially in the early years of child growth.


Center-Based Learning In A First Grade Classroom, Ariana Beers Jun 2019

Center-Based Learning In A First Grade Classroom, Ariana Beers

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This thesis provides a review of literacy that supports incorporating phonics within a balanced approach to literacy approach and using center-based literacy instruction that can target individual students needs and provide engaging and hands-on instruction.


A Reason To Read: Discovering A Purpose For Books Through Play, Sara Russell Dewey May 2019

A Reason To Read: Discovering A Purpose For Books Through Play, Sara Russell Dewey

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Children need desire and motivation to learn. This study examines the responsive, child- centered teaching practices of a reading and literacy specialist as she helps a student, with low motivation for reading, find a reason to want to read. Although her student is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and aspects of autism come up in this study, the focus here is not on teaching children with autism. Since no two children with a diagnosis present similarly, teaching to a diagnosis is not individualized or sensitive enough to meet the educational and emotional needs of a student. Instead, teachers must …


Teaching Students With Language-Based Learning Differences (Lbld) To Write: Examination Of The Explicit Approach Versus Embedding Authentic Writing Into The Curricula, Jane Moskowitz Apr 2019

Teaching Students With Language-Based Learning Differences (Lbld) To Write: Examination Of The Explicit Approach Versus Embedding Authentic Writing Into The Curricula, Jane Moskowitz

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Writing is, arguably, the most difficult skill for students to master and is particularly challenging for children who have language-based learning variations. There are different schools of thought about effective writing instruction; some, like Judy Hochman, believe that writing should be taught in a systematic and explicit manner, with heavy focus on the sentence-level and building on mastery of sentence skills to move students to paragraph and compositions writing. There are others, like Ralph Fletcher, who lean more heavily on mentor texts, student choice, and embedding rich literature into the curricula, as a means to cultivate authentic writers in the …


Exploring Learning Differences: A Social Emotional Curriculum For Second Grade, Sophie Paci Apr 2019

Exploring Learning Differences: A Social Emotional Curriculum For Second Grade, Sophie Paci

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Exploring Learning Differences is a four-week social emotional learning curriculum designed for second grade students by Sophie Paci. The purpose of the curriculum is to encourage students to reflect on themselves as learners and to promote awareness about different learning needs in a community. Students explore this theme through class discussions, interactive read-alouds, group activities, art projects, and independent writing. As a literature-based curriculum, each lesson utilizes a children’s book to engage students in dialogue about learning differences. The literature collection features eight “core books” that are used in interactive read-alouds and ten supporting books students can read independently. The …


Engaging Struggling Readers: The Significance Of The Aesthetic Response For Comprehension, Amy Won Jan 2019

Engaging Struggling Readers: The Significance Of The Aesthetic Response For Comprehension, Amy Won

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This research explores the relationship between aesthetic (emotional) responses to literature and reading comprehension. Bridging theory and practice, it presents a pedagogical approach that integrates comprehension strategies to support and deepen students' emotional engagement with texts.


Using Theater To Promote The Development Of Literacy And Reading Comprehension, Alexandra B. Harrington Dec 2018

Using Theater To Promote The Development Of Literacy And Reading Comprehension, Alexandra B. Harrington

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper explores using theater to develop literacy and deepen the comprehension of literature for elementary aged students. Using Louise Rosenblatt’s (1994) framework for aesthetic reading, it discusses the ways in which theater facilitates the reader’s selection, interpretations, and analysis of plots, settings, and characters. This transactional relationship between the reader and text is explored with particular focus on the multi-sensory experiences in theater which support students’ perspective taking. In particular, it explores the visual and kinesthetic opportunities that theater offers to differentiate instruction for diverse learners. In addition, when children engage with theater as participants, they practice expression, building …


Sharing Our Stories: A Personal Narrative Literacy Curriculum For Grades 3-5, Casey Adler Jun 2018

Sharing Our Stories: A Personal Narrative Literacy Curriculum For Grades 3-5, Casey Adler

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This thesis began out of my curiosity about the ways to set up a classroom to best support growing readers and writers. As my exploration into literacy continued, I decided to create a personal narrative unit with several foundational literacy skills, strategies, and practices for students to develop. With variety, authenticity, and modeling as the key pillars in planning, alignment to skills and standards will be embedded in genuine literacy experiences. The choice to engage in a genre study of personal narrative was due to its developmental appropriateness, potential for community building, and opportunity to share a range of stories. …


And Then They Talked Back And Took Over: One Teacher’S Journey Towards Creating A Meaningful Read Aloud Practice, Alix Greenberger May 2018

And Then They Talked Back And Took Over: One Teacher’S Journey Towards Creating A Meaningful Read Aloud Practice, Alix Greenberger

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Read alouds are an important component of a balanced literacy curriculum, namely because of the opportunities they present for students to practice comprehension strategies such as making text to self connections, as well as finessing their speaking and listening skills while other students are voicing those connections. Despite this, read alouds were not occurring within my classroom. For this site based inquiry research, I delved into how I, as the teacher, could establish an effective read aloud practice within a busy classroom. I explored the teacher moves during read alouds, and monitored the students’ responses to gage how they were …


Cowboy City: An Original Children’S Book, Erica Lynch May 2018

Cowboy City: An Original Children’S Book, Erica Lynch

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Cowboy City is an original children’s book written for eight to ten year olds that touches on themes of race and representation. Too often the stories of Black cowboys go untold. The book was created to provide children with an accurate portrayal of who the cowboys of the Wild West were, as well as who they are now, while also providing teachers with a tool to introduce the concepts of racial representation throughout history. Told through the voice of nine-year-old Jayden, an African American boy living in the city, Cowboy City follows Jayden’s normal school day, interrupted by an extraordinary …


Pizza Bagel Sundays, Kate D'Auria Apr 2018

Pizza Bagel Sundays, Kate D'Auria

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Kate D’Auria worked on an independent study where she created her own children’s book. The book is called Pizza Bagel Sundays and was illustrated by Yan Gabriella Peropat. Pizza Bagel Sundays is a memoir about her childhood and how she grew up in a single parent household. Though single parenting is one of the focuses of the book, it does have other themes such as family, love and how we spend time together. Research was done to see what other types of children’s literature is out there and see where the book fit in. Look at the literature that was …


An Unconventional Once Upon A Time: A Need For A Children's Book Describing The Challenges Of A Deployed Spouse, Rachel Adams May 2017

An Unconventional Once Upon A Time: A Need For A Children's Book Describing The Challenges Of A Deployed Spouse, Rachel Adams

Graduate Student Independent Studies

There are many texts that focus on a child’s experiences and difficulties when a parent is away in the army or at war. Currently, there are no books that provide the perspective of a parent or spouse's struggles in dealing with their loved one who is away, and taking care of what is left at home. This independent study had a purpose of not only providing another resource for children to cope, but to allow for them to gain perspective of someone else’s experience as well. The story written speaks not from a child’s perspective, but from one of an …


Voicing Diversity: Creating Space To Listen In The Healthcare System, Margaret Foster May 2017

Voicing Diversity: Creating Space To Listen In The Healthcare System, Margaret Foster

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Throughout the United States over 20 million people do not speak English as their primary language. As part of legislation and The Joint Commission, health care organizations are required to provide interpreter and translation services to individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). Through the provision of language services health care professionals can provide quality care that is patient centered and culturally sensitive to the needs of families. As communities continue to be transformed and become multicultural so too the healthcare system needs to transform, growing resources that empower and educate patients helping them navigate the healthcare system.


Using Wordless Picture Books With The Language Experience Approach: A Method For Teaching Pre-Emergent And At-Risk Readers, Rachel Luczkowski May 2016

Using Wordless Picture Books With The Language Experience Approach: A Method For Teaching Pre-Emergent And At-Risk Readers, Rachel Luczkowski

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Proposes using wordless picture books in conjunction with Roach Van Allen's Language Experience Approach as a method for teaching pre-emergent and at-risk readers. The original work that comprises the bulk of this study is a wordless picture book of Aesop's fable, The Ant and the Grasshopper. The author describes the developmental and artistic considerations taken during the creation of the book as well as potential classroom applications for its use.


The Gendered Image : An Art And Literature Based Curriculum For High School Audiences, Emily Erwin-Mcguire May 2015

The Gendered Image : An Art And Literature Based Curriculum For High School Audiences, Emily Erwin-Mcguire

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This curriculum uses images, artwork, literature and media to facilitate conversations to build knowledge and understanding about feminism and self-identity. It is designed to be used by educators of high school students in school, museum or after school settings.


Engaging Readers, Engaging Families : How Can Current Research And Thinking About Reading Engagement And Motivation Translate To The Family Context?, Erin Gordon May 2015

Engaging Readers, Engaging Families : How Can Current Research And Thinking About Reading Engagement And Motivation Translate To The Family Context?, Erin Gordon

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper will provide a review of the research that pertains to reading engagement and motivation in general and offer some ways of considering the research through the lens of the family as a part of the larger educational community. The author also introduces readers to a website for families called "Engaging Readers." This website aims to empower families with resources, information, and opportunities for conversation and collaboration so that they can support their young readers with enthusiasm, confidence, and heart.


An Exploration Into The Gender-Based Achievement Gap In Literacy: Deficiency, Difference, And Teacher, Researcher And Measurement Bias, Theresa Orlandi May 2015

An Exploration Into The Gender-Based Achievement Gap In Literacy: Deficiency, Difference, And Teacher, Researcher And Measurement Bias, Theresa Orlandi

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper provides a review of the research pertaining to various explanations and causes for boys' underachievement in literacy.


Towards A Constructivist Grammar Curriculum For The United States, Tyler Crafts Jennings May 2015

Towards A Constructivist Grammar Curriculum For The United States, Tyler Crafts Jennings

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The author argues that educators must forge an alternative method to teaching grammar: the explicit, constructivist teaching of grammar within the meaningful context of a writing curriculum.


Promoting Language Development In Prekindergarten And Kindergarten Classrooms Through Basic Materials : A Tool For Early Childhood Teachers In New Orleans, Jennifer Durkin May 2013

Promoting Language Development In Prekindergarten And Kindergarten Classrooms Through Basic Materials : A Tool For Early Childhood Teachers In New Orleans, Jennifer Durkin

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Offers prekindergarten and kindergarten educators in New Orleans a tool for better understanding why it is important and how to offer language rich opportunities in their classrooms.


Etymology + Animation = Etymation : The History Of Spelling Via Animations, Gladys Aponte May 2013

Etymology + Animation = Etymation : The History Of Spelling Via Animations, Gladys Aponte

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Etymation is a series of 4-7 minute long animated cartoons. The seven cartoons provide a child-friendly overview of the history of American English spelling. Each cartoon explains one reason American English spelling often seems so irrational. The Etymation cartoons and accompanying activities are designed to supplement an investigative spelling curriculum. The rationale discusses the importance of such an investigative spelling curriculum, and outlines how Etymation is aligned to the Common Core State Standards.