Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Language and Literacy Education Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Theses and Dissertations

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 211 - 240 of 283

Full-Text Articles in Language and Literacy Education

Exploring Culturally Relevant Teaching: Lessons From A Middle School Classroom, Kristen H. Gillaspy Jan 2015

Exploring Culturally Relevant Teaching: Lessons From A Middle School Classroom, Kristen H. Gillaspy

Theses and Dissertations

In the public school setting and beyond, African American males are often positioned as a problem. Educators have implemented and studied the use of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) in an effort to shift this deficit perspective of African American male students, as well as other students of color. CRP positions all students as knowledgeable and capable of learning while valuing their cultural backgrounds and experiences. CRP also provides an opportunity to explore issues around race and culture. Though some research has been done in the area of CRP, very little focuses on the students’ experiences in culturally relevant classrooms, and …

Go to article

Reading, Argumentation, And Writing: Collaboration And Development Of A Reading Comprehension Intervention For Struggling Adolescents, Martha Susan Grogan Dec 2014

Reading, Argumentation, And Writing: Collaboration And Development Of A Reading Comprehension Intervention For Struggling Adolescents, Martha Susan Grogan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to develop and implement a new reading intervention with fifth grade struggling readers that included reading across multiple texts, constructing arguments from the texts, engaging in oral argumentation, and writing argumentative essays. A Convergent Mixed Methods design incorporated both quantitative and qualitative data to determine if teacher collaboration influenced the implementation of the new intervention and its subsequent effect on students' reading and writing outcomes. The intervention focused on a 10-week argumentative unit based on the American Revolution War. Group 1 teacher implemented the intervention in a whole-class setting, plus collaborated with the researcher …

Go to article

Biological Processing Rhythms In Beginning Readers: A Spectrographic Examination Of Oral Reading Behavior On Texts Of Increasing Difficulty, Laura Juhl Dec 2014

Biological Processing Rhythms In Beginning Readers: A Spectrographic Examination Of Oral Reading Behavior On Texts Of Increasing Difficulty, Laura Juhl

Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative comparative research design grounded in the theory of biological processing rhythms (Holdaway, 1979, Miner, 1903) described oral reading behaviors in different levels of beginning early readers during oral reading of texts of increasing difficulty. Spectrographic analysis with waveform data triangulated with running record data, Slosson Oral Reading Tests (SORT-R3) (Slosson & Nicholson, 1990) and transcriptions allowed an in-depth analysis into the behaviors. Three research questions guided the analysis: (1) How do biological processing rhythms operate with different levels of beginning readers? (2) How do biological processing rhythms, as examined through waveforms of oral reading behavior, operate as beginning …

Go to article

Overcoming Literacy Barriers Through Interventions: A Mixed Methods Study, Cynthia Whitfield Owens Dec 2014

Overcoming Literacy Barriers Through Interventions: A Mixed Methods Study, Cynthia Whitfield Owens

Theses and Dissertations

A convergent parallel mixed methods study was conducted to examine the effect of multiple layers of writing instruction for accelerating the literacy achievement of at-risk kindergarten students. Participants included 33 teachers and 151 kindergarten students from 9 schools. The effects of Treatment 2 Group (whole class, small-group writing instruction in the classroom, and Interactive Writing Intervention) and Treatment 1 Group (whole class and small-group writing instruction in the classroom) were compared to a Control Group (whole-class instruction). Additionally, a case study design with constant comparative analysis was used to examine the practices and instructional decisions of two expert intervention teachers …

Go to article

Ten Pop Culture Modules For The Middle School Exploratory Spanish Classroom, Amy K. Gramlich Nov 2014

Ten Pop Culture Modules For The Middle School Exploratory Spanish Classroom, Amy K. Gramlich

Theses and Dissertations

Twenty-first century adolescents desire to learn through methods and topics which are relevant to their contemporary experiences. Middle school students are motivated by technology and popular culture, and they desire high interest activities in the classroom. Foreign language educators have a plethora of authentic resources that represent target language popular culture available for the modern-day classroom such as YouTube videos, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Voice, online magazines, and student cell phones to help meet these needs. However, many educators feel limited and rushed in finding the time to prepare for culture lessons. The intent behind this thesis is to create pop …

Go to article

Ten Integrated Performance Assessments For A Novel-Level College French Class, Nanette Ada Zobkov Nov 2014

Ten Integrated Performance Assessments For A Novel-Level College French Class, Nanette Ada Zobkov

Theses and Dissertations

In response to the need for standards-based assessment, researchers created the Integrated Performance Assessment (IPA), which connects assessment and instruction, testing learners within an authentic context across three communicative modes. It is a better measure of proficiency, provides feedback to learners, positively impacts instruction, and improves learners' attitudes toward assessment. There are many benefits of the IPA, but many instructors do not know how to create and implement them in the classroom. There is a lack of quality IPA examples available to French teachers, and existing IPAs are for high proficiency levels. The author believes that if teachers had access …

Go to article

The Impact Of Standards-Based Report Cards On Reading Achievement In The Third Grade, Terri L. Wyrosdick Apr 2014

The Impact Of Standards-Based Report Cards On Reading Achievement In The Third Grade, Terri L. Wyrosdick

Theses and Dissertations

School districts across the nation are transitioning away from traditional A-F letter grade report cards in favor of standards-based report cards (SBRC). Previous studies have indicated that many parents were confused by SBRC. The purpose of this study was to determine if a difference exists between the reading achievement of third-grade students using traditional A-F letter grade report cards and those students using SBRC. Pre-existing CRCT data of the pass/fail percentage of third graders from five school districts and 118 schools in 2009 and 2010, the year prior to and the year of implementation of SBRC, were analyzed. A chi …

Go to article

Students' Perceptions Of Interaction In A Hybrid Foreign Language (L2) Arabic Course In Light Of Their Affective Domain, Hanan Elsayed Ahmed Eltayeb Youssef Apr 2014

Students' Perceptions Of Interaction In A Hybrid Foreign Language (L2) Arabic Course In Light Of Their Affective Domain, Hanan Elsayed Ahmed Eltayeb Youssef

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Hybrid courses were developed to maintain the advantages associated with distance learning, while solving the problem of learner-instructor interaction. This would indicate that successful learner-instructor interaction is one of the core features of this type of class which enables it to best serve the learner. To verify the above, a descriptive, qualitative case study was designed to investigate students' perceptions of interaction (student-instructor and student-student) in a hybrid foreign language Arabic course, taking into account their affective domain. The structure of the hybrid course which was investigated consisted of a videoconferencing session conducted by the main teacher, followed by …

Go to article

Meeting The Communities Standard Through Language Exchange Via Video-Based Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication And Effects On Motivation Of First-Year Spanish Language Learners, Emily Andrews Aug 2013

Meeting The Communities Standard Through Language Exchange Via Video-Based Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication And Effects On Motivation Of First-Year Spanish Language Learners, Emily Andrews

Theses and Dissertations

Current research supports a link between the foreign language Communities standard, learner motivation, and the use of computer-mediated communication in the language classroom. The Communities standard, although it is the least addressed in classrooms, calls for learners to interact with the target language community. Research into motivation has found that learners react positively to the use of communication technologies in the classroom and the opportunity to use the target language for authentic communication with native speakers. However, few studies have been done to assess how connecting with target language community members through online video-based conversation affects learner motivation. This study …

Go to article

Ten Cultural Perspective Units For Entry-Level French Classrooms, Nancy Elizabeth Sendejo Mar 2013

Ten Cultural Perspective Units For Entry-Level French Classrooms, Nancy Elizabeth Sendejo

Theses and Dissertations

Acquiring a second language necessitates an understanding both of linguistic structure and cultural identity. Foreign language programs have historically focused on language as content with culture as supporting information. This thesis offers a unique approach to enabling elementary French language learners to acquire an understanding of the French people through a focused study of the products, practices, and perspectives of their culture framed in the context of an overarching essential question. As students work to gain an integrated perspective of what daily life is like, the author hopes to encourage a longer study of French and better cross-cultural understanding. Files …

Go to article

Instructional Survey Instrument: Key Indicators Of Best Practices For Teachers Of English Learners In Grades 3-5, María Guadalupe Peña-Madison Mar 2013

Instructional Survey Instrument: Key Indicators Of Best Practices For Teachers Of English Learners In Grades 3-5, María Guadalupe Peña-Madison

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the history of instruction for non-native English speakers in the United States and the evaluation, or lack thereof, of instructional practices. The survey instrument and accompanying User's Guide are designed for use in the upper elementary (third through fifth grade) school setting. The Survey Instrument presents twenty-six key indicators of effective instruction for English learners, structured around the commonly used Workshop Model lesson sequence of lesson opening, student work period, and lesson closing. The User's Guide provides classroom ready suggestions for implementation of each of the indicators as well as web-based video samples demonstrating the application of …

Go to article

Integrating New Literacies, Namely Visuals And Video, Into A Traditional, Basal-Text Driven Curriculum In A Secondary Classroom, Stephanie Moon Mar 2013

Integrating New Literacies, Namely Visuals And Video, Into A Traditional, Basal-Text Driven Curriculum In A Secondary Classroom, Stephanie Moon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to create a curriculum for a secondary language arts classroom that took traditional lesson plans from an anthology and integrated visuals/videos into the lesson plans to increase rigor, relevance, and engagement in the classroom. Each unit starts with visuals/video then moves to texts and the anthology. This progression is designed to allow the students to move from a familiar place where they feel comfortable and confident, the visual/video, to a medium they are less comfortable and confident with, the text. Another goal of this curriculum is overwhelming engagement throughout each unit. Also, by building …

Go to article

Promoting Blogging To Improve Interpersonal And Presentational Writing Skills While Increasing Cultural Competency In An English Language Learning Setting, Terese Cox Jul 2012

Promoting Blogging To Improve Interpersonal And Presentational Writing Skills While Increasing Cultural Competency In An English Language Learning Setting, Terese Cox

Theses and Dissertations

Instructors of English Language Learners (ELLs) often focus on writing as one of the primary skills acquired in the university second language classroom. This thesis examines the role of blogging in improving interpersonal and presentational writing while also increasing students' cultural competency. It describes how to create and use a web source to promote blogging in the classroom. A classroom web source to accompany Interchange 3 as well as sixteen lessons with accompanying materials and rubrics comprise a substantial portion of this thesis to practically show how blogging might be incorporated into an ESL classroom. Each lesson enforces and highlights …

Go to article

Using Authentic Materials To Enhance Reading And Speaking Tasks At The Novice And Intermediate Levels For High School Spanish Instruction, Cinthya Tumlison Sep 2011

Using Authentic Materials To Enhance Reading And Speaking Tasks At The Novice And Intermediate Levels For High School Spanish Instruction, Cinthya Tumlison

Theses and Dissertations

The popularity of authentic materials provides foreign language teachers with more resources to practice communicative language teaching. Finding authentic materials in the target language has become very accessible. Used appropriately, authentic materials can provide students with greater access to the target language and culture. Nevertheless, creating activities using authentic materials without editing the text can be very challenging and time consuming. Sometimes teachers perceive authentic materials to be too difficult and complicated to use for novice learners and would rather only use edited or simplified texts provided by their textbook curriculum. The focus of this thesis is to determine whether …

Go to article

Technologically-Mediated Collaborative Learning Activities For The University Level Intermediate Spanish Classroom, Alyssa Jean Hepburn Sep 2011

Technologically-Mediated Collaborative Learning Activities For The University Level Intermediate Spanish Classroom, Alyssa Jean Hepburn

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the availability of a collaborative technologically enhanced classroom in the second language department of Harding University and a desire to closer align teaching practices with the aims of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, the author conducted research on using technology in various ways in a collaborative-style classroom. Her aims were to provide greater authenticity, as well as to focus on the three modes of communication, interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. The author conducted research on the communicative model and how collaborative learning can be used to make the classroom more proficiency-based. Technology is a useful …

Go to article

Using Authentic Videos To Enhance Language And Culture Instruction In A Formal English Language Learning Setting: Ten Videos And Accompanying Lessons, Rebecca Noelle Norris Sep 2011

Using Authentic Videos To Enhance Language And Culture Instruction In A Formal English Language Learning Setting: Ten Videos And Accompanying Lessons, Rebecca Noelle Norris

Theses and Dissertations

English Language Learners benefit from exposure to English as it is spoken in everyday life by native speakers. This thesis explores the positive aspects of combining the visual and auditory modes to present authentic samples of contextualized language and culture through video. The ten videos, materials, and accompanying tasks provide authentic means for beginning English Language Learners to gain exposure to, and learn to use, the English language as it is spoken by native-speakers in the local setting. The videos, materials, and tasks also highlight varied cultural themes and may be used to supplement the existing texts for the Foundations …

Go to article

Basic Writers Writing In Their Zone Of Proximal Development Through Intertextual Links, Cynda Alexander Aug 2011

Basic Writers Writing In Their Zone Of Proximal Development Through Intertextual Links, Cynda Alexander

Theses and Dissertations

Students in Basic Writing classes are separated from their peers who are mainstreamed into regular composition classes, stigmatizing them as having substandard skills. Preconditioned to question their ability to write, they arrive in class with zero confidence and varying degrees of ability to construct meaning. Students rely on their prior knowledge to fill in the gaps between texts. Their ability to accommodate and assimilate new information to their prior knowledge is dependent on their ability to link with it. Since semiotician Julia Kristeva first used the term intertextuality in 1967, there has been a great deal of interest in intertextuality, …

Go to article

Characteristics Of Effective Literacy Coaching Programs: A Case Study Of Six Middle Schools, Nancy Katherine Hopkins Aug 2011

Characteristics Of Effective Literacy Coaching Programs: A Case Study Of Six Middle Schools, Nancy Katherine Hopkins

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships between literacy coaching versus non-literacy coaching in six middle schools and the literacy achievement of middle school students. A secondary purpose was to identify the characteristics of effective literacy coaches. The study used a mixed method design to answer the research uestions. The data were examined for relationships between the quantative data (three years of test scores) and the middle school teacher's knowledge about litercy (as related to professional development). In addition to achievement data, the study identified qualitative patterns that emerged from interview data with the middle school teachers.The …

Go to article

A Study Of The Model Of Mastery As A Theoretical Framework For Coaching Teachers Writing Workshop, Jennifer Lynn Kimbrell Sep 2010

A Study Of The Model Of Mastery As A Theoretical Framework For Coaching Teachers Writing Workshop, Jennifer Lynn Kimbrell

Theses and Dissertations

The study investigated a coach's use of a theoretical framework called the Model of Mastery to assist three teachers in becoming self-regulated in the teaching of writing workshop by moving them through three settings: acquisition, consolidation, and consultation. The goal of the coach was to assist teachers in developing expertise in procedural, declarative, and strategic knowledge as it relates to writing in order to mentor others. The findings indicated the Model of Mastery allows a coach to stay focused on where the teachers are in their learning and to determine change over time in the development of their professional knowledge.

Go to article

Educational Specialist In Reading, Linda Ann Holman Sep 2010

Educational Specialist In Reading, Linda Ann Holman

Theses and Dissertations

The Effects of an Intervention Coach on the Implementation of Writing Workshop in a First Grade Classroom The study documented the experience of a classroom teacher and an intervention coach as they collaborated to implement writing workshop with first grade students. Qualitative and quanitative data were collected using a pre-post design to study the impact of intervention coaching on the teacher's knowledge and the students' writing development. A non-experimental design was used with teacher surveys, and a Quasi-Experimental design was used with a comparison group and a treatment group over a period of ten weeks. The findings provided insight into …

Go to article

Twenty-Seven Authentically-Based Esl Grammar Supplements: Shifting From Form To Function, Kelly Phillip Sep 2010

Twenty-Seven Authentically-Based Esl Grammar Supplements: Shifting From Form To Function, Kelly Phillip

Theses and Dissertations

The language teaching profession has seen many changes in how to teach grammar in the language classroom. The pendulum has swung widely from a grammar only approach to an almost complete omission of its teaching. In general, teaching grammar can be a very daunting endeavor even for the most skilled educator. In addition, some language teachers do not have authentic materials or are using books that have sentence-based grammar exercises. The focus of this thesis is to determine the importance of grammar and communicative activities in the language classroom and to design authentically-based grammar supplements that are grammar-based but still …

Go to article

Discovering How To Teach Writing As A Process, Michael Patrick Daly Sep 2010

Discovering How To Teach Writing As A Process, Michael Patrick Daly

Theses and Dissertations

Novice teachers often struggle with how to teach writing, especially when few teacher-preparation programs offer guidance in developing and implementing theory-based writing instruction. This thesis explores a teacher's journey to discover just what it means to teach writing as a process after one year of teaching and beginning graduate study in professional and technical writing. Part of that journey explores how Walter Ong's concept of secondary orality helps developing writers learn to how to compose analytical essays for the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition exam.

Go to article

Examining The Key Elements Of Effective Adolescent Literacy Practices And Literacy Assessment Proficiencies, Martha Elaine Dodson Dec 2009

Examining The Key Elements Of Effective Adolescent Literacy Practices And Literacy Assessment Proficiencies, Martha Elaine Dodson

Theses and Dissertations

Learning to read and write is critical to a child's success in school and later in life. Although most funding for literacy education has been centralized in the primary grades in the past, the concern for the growing numbers of adolescents continuing to struggle in literacy has gained attention. This is especially true when considering the high stakes accountability measures in place at grades 3-8. The pressure mounted by the No Child Left Behind Act for improved literacy gains for all students is growing more and more intense as school districts are challenged to meet adequate yearly progress. The literacy …

Go to article

An Exploratory Study Of The Effect Of Instruction On Student, Gladys E. Vint Dec 2009

An Exploratory Study Of The Effect Of Instruction On Student, Gladys E. Vint

Theses and Dissertations

Although substantial research has been conducted regarding the instruction of reading, students are still not reaching a desired level of reading competency (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). The Reading First program was established to address this dilemma. In order to examine the impact the Reading First method of teaching reading had on the schools in Arkansas, a population was identified and classified into four categories: funded Reading First and non-funded Reading First, and matched control groups for both funded and non-funded. These schools were followed for three years, first grade through the third grade year, by obtaining achievement data obtained …

Go to article

Twenty Teaching Proficiency Through Reading And Storytelling (Tprs) Lessons For The Spanish I Classroom, Anne Marie Taulbee Mar 2009

Twenty Teaching Proficiency Through Reading And Storytelling (Tprs) Lessons For The Spanish I Classroom, Anne Marie Taulbee

Theses and Dissertations

With the emergence of new teaching methods in foreign language such TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling, formerly Total Physical Response Storytelling), teachers are faced with the problem of implementing this method into the classroom where it is often met with sceptisim from collegues and admistrators. By using TPRS, teachers focus on providing comprehensible input in a "top down" model. By using elements of both methods, namely storytelling for vocabulary and grammatical structures as well as discreet grammar explanation, teachers can use both methods in a way that is effective. The focus of this thesis is to provide teachers …

Go to article

The Effects Of The Partnerships In Comprehensive Literacy Model In Narrowing The Achievement Gap For First Graders In A High Poverty School, Barbara M. Head Jan 2008

The Effects Of The Partnerships In Comprehensive Literacy Model In Narrowing The Achievement Gap For First Graders In A High Poverty School, Barbara M. Head

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of the Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy (PCL) school improvement model in narrowing the achievement gap for first graders in a high poverty school over a three-year period. The study compared the academic progress of first grade students from a PCL high poverty school with first grade students from a non-PCL high poverty school. A cross sectional study with quantitative data, analyzed with a parametric statistical test (ANOVA), was used to evaluate these factors. The research objectives focused on studying the effects of the Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy (PCL) model in …

Go to article

A Longitudinal Study Of The Sustained Gains Of Former Discontinued Reading Recovery® Students, Gaynell R. Jamison Jan 2008

A Longitudinal Study Of The Sustained Gains Of Former Discontinued Reading Recovery® Students, Gaynell R. Jamison

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that early intervention is the most effective means of reversing reading failure. Reading Recovery is a highly effective, one to one, short term early intervention developed by Marie Clay. It targets the lowest achieving first graders who are experiencing difficulties with literacy learning and brings them to the average ban of their age cohorts. The study examined the literacy measure performance of 534 students: 413 Discontinued Reading Recovery students and 121 Non-Reading Recovery students in Arkansas Public Schools. Two groups were compared: Discontinued Reading Recovery and Non Reading Recovery students on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills …

Go to article

The Influence Of Timed Reading Practices On Reading Gains And Comprehension Levels Of Third Grade Readers, Kristi D. Stuck Jan 2008

The Influence Of Timed Reading Practices On Reading Gains And Comprehension Levels Of Third Grade Readers, Kristi D. Stuck

Theses and Dissertations

Since the signing of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) has been used by many schools to document students' reading gains. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of timed reading practices on the reading levels and comprehension scores of third grade students as they participated in literature discussion groups. Data collection included: reading levels from Developmental Reading Assessment, students' reading reflection logs, and transcriptions of language patterns during literature discussion groups. The findings revealed no statistical significance for students who participated in timed reading drills in …

Go to article

A Study Of The Long Range Effects Of Reading Recovery On Student Achievement On The Arkansas Benchmark Examination, Elizabeth Jane Wyatt Jan 2008

A Study Of The Long Range Effects Of Reading Recovery On Student Achievement On The Arkansas Benchmark Examination, Elizabeth Jane Wyatt

Theses and Dissertations

The study examined the progress made by discontinued Reading Recovery ® students three years beyond the initial Reading Recovery intervention. It also examined the relationship between former discontinued Reading Recovery students and the need for additional literacy support from second to fourth grade. The students' results on the Arkansas Benchmark Examination were used to determine the progress made three years following the initial Reading Recovery intervention. These results were compared to the average scores of non-Reading Recovery students. Based on the findings, former Reading Recovery students are performing at the basic or above level on the Arkansas Benchmark Examination.

Go to article

Effects Of An Interactive Approach To Word Study Versus A Traditional Spelling Approach, Rhonda Rook Jan 2008

Effects Of An Interactive Approach To Word Study Versus A Traditional Spelling Approach, Rhonda Rook

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, spelling instruction in many classrooms has consisted of the rote memorization of words and rules with little connection to the application of these items in reading and writing. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of the Rook Fourth Grade Word Study Curriculum on students' improvement in word knowledge, usage, and the application of those skills to writing. Data collection included student pretest and posttest assessments of spelling and writing. In addition, teacher perceptions regarding the influence of an interactive word study curriculum on student achievement and instructional practices were investigated by means of open-ended questionnaires …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last