Language and Literacy Education Commons^™

Using Multicultural Texts To Help Shape Student Perceptions Regarding Individual Beliefs And Values While Developing Empathy For Diverse Cultures, Megan N. Karpinski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the effects of multicultural literature in a second grade classroom and how it impacts students' perceptions of other cultures, beliefs and values while showing empathy and acceptance of other cultures. Throughout the study, students read and connected to a variety of multicultural literature. They participated in activities while expressing their own experiences, thoughts and feelings while connecting with the texts. The assessment tools used throughout this study were questionnaires, surveys, observations, interviews, class discussions and student notebooks. Through discussion and analysis of the texts, students were able to make connections while …

Affirming Respect And Kindness Within A Classroom Community Through Discussion And Multicultural Literature, Angelica Gitter

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate how students in a third-grade classroom can engage with multicultural texts and learn about cultures that are different from their own. Furthermore, it investigated the impact of multicultural literature on respect and kindness in a classroom community. Throughout the four-week study, students read twelve different multicultural texts and engaged in classroom discussions during Morning Meeting. Students participated in group discussions expressing their ideas, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs related to the context of the books read. The strategies used for this qualitative research were questionnaires, teacher observations, and whole group and small group …

Using A Cultural Response To Select Multicultural Social Studies Read Alouds In A Kindergarten Classroom, Meredith Shockley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine student interactions before, during, and after the reading of multicultural literature in kindergarten during the science and social studies instruction. The texts selected were picked based on information about the students' Funds of Knowledge, family make-up, and culture within the particular classroom. Over the course of two months, five multicultural texts were read aloud and discussed. Recorded book discussions, student drawings, and one-on-one interview questions were used to gather data. After all the data was collected, the following themes became apparent: family connections, diversity, and student engagement. Based on the data, …

Using Targeted, Small-Group Instruction And Culturally Responsive Teaching To Improve Reading Engagement And Confidence, Tina Marie Tuminaro

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate what happens to reading engagement and student confidence when targeted instruction and culturally responsive teaching is used in a middle school literacy classroom. Individual instruction in the areas of reading comprehension and fluency, as well as book clubs and literature circles, were used over a three-month period in an effort to motivate striving and reluctant readers and build confidence in their reading skills. Eleven sixth grade students participated in the study, and both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. Data was collected using a teacher's research journal, audio recordings, surveys, interviews, …

Teaching Arabic During A Pandemic: Investigating Challenges Facing Teachers Of Arabic And Their Beliefs In Online Classrooms, Gihan Hamdi Hussein Hanafi

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to explore possible challenges and obstacles that teachers of Arabic as a foreign language faced when they transitioned to online remote teaching after the Coronavirus outbreak. The study looked into particular issues pertaining to technology use and language assessment issues. The paper further examined AFL teachers' beliefs and opinions of their own competence as teachers and the potential effects on students' language ability in distant classrooms. To this end, the study employed a mixed methodological approach for data collection that began with disseminating an online questionnaire and culminated with conducting a number of follow-up …

Egyptian Efl Writers’ And Instructors’ Perceptions Of Peer Written Feedback, Ahmed Tarek Shalaby

Theses and Dissertations

The principal aim of this study is to compare between peer feedback (PF) and teacher feedback (TF) as perceived by adult Egyptian L2 writers. That aim is pursued to seal a gap in the literature, which is the inadequacy of that line of research in Egypt, and particularly targeting adult L2 writers. Earlier researchers have urged other researchers to conduct more research in different countries and in different instructional settings. Consequently, the study is guided by four research questions enquiring about general perceptions of PF versus TF, how PF and TF prioritise feedback on writing features, the perceptions of PF …

A Scoping Review Of Dominant Trends Of Using Music To Teach Phonemic Awareness From 1995 - 2021, Brandy Walthall

Theses and Dissertations

With reading being such an essential part of education, teachers need resources to help with instructional strategies. This scoping review will gather information on one such resource in teaching reading. It focuses on a scoping review of the information available on teachers using music to teach phonemic awareness. The scoping review will investigate the trends from 1995-2021 in teachers using music to teach phonemic awareness, trends in instructional strategies and research methods for teachers using music to teach phonemic awareness, and assessing or looking at the outcomes of teachers using music to teach phonemic awareness. The researcher used keywords for …

Teachers’ Perceptions On Implementing Read 180 During The Covid-19 Pandemic For Grade 3-5 Students In A Georgia Public School, Monika Nicole Whitmire

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed by the study was to examine the effectiveness of the implementation of the Read 180 Universal reading intervention program for students who struggle with reading during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this case study was to describe teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the implementation of the Read 180 program for elementary students in a grades 3-5 Georgia elementary school during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative research paradigm has been used in the research described below.

A case study involved semi- structured interviews of 12 general ELA teachers in grades 3, 4, and 5. A thematic …

An Action Research Study On Lms Assessment Tools And Faculty Practice In English Composition Courses Of A Community College, Sophia Mitra

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods action research study aimed to understand the use of LMS assessment tools by faculty teaching English Composition (Eng 101) at a New Jersey Community College in order to increase that use for assessment of outcomes. In spite of administrative push for faculty to use the LMS for data based decision-making, there is still limited use of LMS tools. In writing-intensive fields like Eng 101 grading and feedback could be accelerated along with monitoring student performance on outcomes using LMS assessment tools. Forming a virtual faculty learning committee that collaborated in the study's data collection and analysis, volunteers …

Exploring How Developmental Education Students Make Meaning Of Identity, Competence, And Relationship Building Through Supplemental Instruction: A Grounded Theory Study, Jennifer Gasparino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this constructivist grounded theory study was to explore Supplemental Instruction (SI) beyond its academic purpose, examining how community college developmental education students make meaning of their experience participating in SI. This study focused on how developmental education students experienced identity and competence through SI and examined how these students make meaning of their connections and relationships. Fifteen participants who placed below college-level in English and English Language Proficiency and who were enrolled in at least one college-level course with SI participated in semi-structured interviews and SI group observations. The findings support the need to integrate holistic support …

Perceptions Of The Specialized Literacy Professional: A Performance Profile, Julie S. Dauksys

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a performance profile of specialized literacy professionals. The International Literacy Association provided suggestions on how to prepare these professionals through the publication of The Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals (ILA, 2018); however, there is little awareness of these standards in the field, nor of the proposed definitions of the roles and responsibilities of literacy professionals (Bean et al., 2017).

The findings of this explanatory sequential mixed methods design provided insight into the daily work of the specialized literacy professional. This data is significant because the findings support the overarching goal …

Integrating The Funds Of Knowledge To Impact The Literacy Learning Experience For Students With Disabilities, Stephanie Lyn Losasso

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact on the literacy learning experience for students with disabilities when integrating the funds of knowledge into the curriculum. Prior to this research, students were given books with no relevance to their at home literacy. The curriculum was missing components of a framework that included the sociocultural perspectives of diverse learners. The participants for this study were three eight year old students. Two of the students were males and the one student was a female. The study was conducted during a 30-minute pull-out reading support. The students were interviewed to gain …

The Tale Of Two Pandemics: Culturally Relevant Pedagogy In A Blended Learning Environment Amidst Covid-19 And Racism Pandemics, Kayla Hostetler

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the sudden spread of COVID19 in March of 2020, schools in the United States were scrambling to figure out ways to educate their students and at the same time keep them safe. In many cases schools switched to online learning or at home packets. During the same school year on May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by a police officer. The video tape of his murder sparked protests across the country. His death showing how racism continues to plague American society. Students and teachers across the country were trying to process all of these events and navigate …

Task-Based, Learner-Centered Language Instruction: Educational Innovation In An Adult Foreign Language Program, Clayton D. Leishman

Theses and Dissertations

This study involved educational innovation and implementation of a task-based, learner-centered curriculum within a foreign language program. The concerns-based assessment model (originally proposed by Hall et al., 1973, and further developed by Hall & Hord, 1987; 2011) was used to investigate the degree to which language instructors adopted the innovation. An adapted form of the concerns-based assessment model’s levels of use focused interviews and instructional artifacts were used to measure the level of implementation of the task-based approach. Analysis of the data identified categoricalchanges as instructors implemented the new curriculum. The category of sharing revealed higher levels of use due …

Exploring Students’ Cosmopolitan Perspectives In An Undergraduate, Intermediate Spanish-Language Class, Erin Carlson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how SPAN 121 might be designed to foster and support students’ development of cosmopolitan perspectives. Specifically, it explored how English-speaking students might demonstrate cosmopolitan perspectives in response to activities engaging them in Spanish with global Spanish speakers as part of their undergraduate, intermediate Spanish-language class. Theories of cosmopolitanism value responsible, global citizens engaged in open and respectful dialogue across geographic boundaries to learn about themselves and the world and may guide undergraduate college students in intercultural interactions. Through teacher action research utilizing qualitative case study, this study explored which activities might foster …

The Impact Of Reading Intervention Supports On Adolescent Reader Identity, Erin Christine Doty

Theses and Dissertations

This case study research aimed to uncover how adolescent students describe their experiences with reading intervention and what aspects of their school experiences they see as contributing to their reader identity. Previous research done with or about adolescent students in reading intervention programs has demonstrated a need for a deeper understanding of students’ perspectives of reading intervention and its impact on reader identity as well as an understanding of how these interventions position students as learners. Using a case study approach, data was collected with three eighth grade students who have participated in reading intervention programs for more than three …

Effects Of Simultaneously Integrating Sel And Culturally Responsive Pedagogy On Students' Perceptions About Themselves And Their Abilities, Daniele J. Jacob

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to understand what happens to students' perceptions about themselves and their abilities when social and emotional learning (SEL) and culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) are simultaneously integrated into an elementary gifted and talented classroom setting. Prior to this research, a structured approach to addressing students' social and emotional learning needs did not exist. Additionally, culturally responsive practices were not being used purposefully or with intent. This left the researcher to wonder how the lack of these practices may be negatively impacting students. How SEL and CRP can positively affect students' perceptions about themselves …

The Facts Of Life: Professional Identity Narratives Of Expatriate Language Instructors In Egypt, Sierranicole Butler

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses a narrative approach to investigate the lived experiences of two expatriate TESOL instructors at a private university in Egypt. Through the use of observations and interviews, the researcher analyzed how the emotions and beliefs of experienced expatriate TESOL instructors influence, shape, and are shaped by their Language Teacher Professional Identities. Farrell’s (2011) Professional Role Identities codes were used. The study revealed that expatriate language instructors face a number of trying experiences when teaching students, interacting with colleagues, and taking on various leadership roles within their institutions based on a number of factors including their own beliefs, backgrounds, …

Integrating Funds Of Knowledge Into Reading Lessons To Help Students Who Receive Additional Academic Support Create Discussions, Annamarie Fielding

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand how utilizing funds of knowledge (FofK) in reading lessons for students who receive additional academic support would affect their ability to independently engage in discussions. The study investigated how this impacted students' motivation and engagement for students during literacy lessons. Qualitative methods focused on observing students' individual, small group, and whole-group responses to literature. Participants included two students in a fifth grade, inclusion classroom who have been identified with specific learning disabilities and have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Both students come from significantly different backgrounds, as one is a child of a …

Multimodal Writing Of University Students: The Case Of Academic Posters, Noha Ibrahim Fouad

Theses and Dissertations

After having been marginalized for a long time as a second-class genre or “the poor country cousin of papers” (Swales & Feak, 2000), academic posters have recently received remarkable attention as a special multimodal genre that is indispensable for the membership of the academic community. In line with the currently growing interest in multimodal writing, the present study seeks to contribute to the limited body of knowledge on academic posters in two ways: first by investigating the textual and visual communicative strategies employed by novice multimodal writers to facilitate the comprehension of their multimodal texts and guide readers through their …

Using The Transactional Reading Theory To Galvanize The Meaning Of Construction Process And Promote Fourth Grade Students Reading Comprehension, Cognition, And Motivation, Tamara Gatewood-Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The sequential mixed-methods study was conducted to examine the effects of a transactional intervention with emphasis on background knowledge, questioning, and motivation, that galvanize the meaning of the construction process to internalize strategies, promote engaging discussion of the text, and shift students from the observer to the participant, to the mediator. Participants included two fourth grade teachers, thirty-nine fourth grade students, and twelve fourth grade students who were selected from the thirty-nine to participate in the qualitative phase of the study. Quantitative data pre-and post-data were collected to assess student's cognition and motivation. Quantitative data revealed the intervention influenced background …

The Motivation And Attitude Of Arab Heritage Children And Their Parents’ Perspectives Toward Learning Arabic, Nada Naji

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the unstable circumstances in the Middle East in the last decade, a large number of immigrants from Arab origins immigrated to non-Arab countries. This immigration created a new generation of Arab heritage learners who want to learn the Arabic language as a heritage language for different reasons. This study investigates the motivation and attitude of Arab heritage children between 10 and 16 years of age and their parents’ perspectives toward learning Arabic as a heritage language in host countries. 143 participants (92 parents, 51 children) living in 17 different non-Arab countries have participated in this study. The method …

Exploring The Relationship Between Low-Income Parents’ Perceptions Of Their Participation And Students’ Lexile Levels And Attendance, Taricka Russell

Theses and Dissertations

Students who live in poverty are at a disadvantage when entering school, have a higher chance of reading below grade level, and often have high absenteeism rates. Some students who reside in poverty lack ongoing interactions with others where they can express themselves and increase their vocabulary. Many times, students who live in poverty are associated with single parent homes and a lack of resources. Parents are in survival mode; meaning parents must focus on paying the bills and keeping food on the table rather than being actively involved in their students’ education. Previous studies have provided information on how …

Using An Ecological Framework To Understand English Language Arts Educators’ Beliefs And Practice About How Students Learn And Develop Comprehensive Literacy Skills, Nina Chavona Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Third grade students who cannot read at grade level are more likely to experience difficulties throughout their education. This intrinsic case study examined the epistemological beliefs and pedagogical practices of six third grade English Language Arts (ELA) educators on developing students' comprehensive literacy skills (CLS) in two Title I schools. Bronfenbrenner's bioecological and ecological theories of human development postulated the theoretical framework. Educators' epistemologies were examined through their decision-making processes during ELA instruction. Pedagogies were evaluated through educators' use of culturally relevant instructional practices. Data were collected in three phases through semi-structured interviews, photographs with descriptive narratives, and an open-ended …

The Relationship Between Derivational Morphology And Reading Comprehension For Spanish-Speaking Language Minority Students In Fifth-Grade, Claudia Crespo Crespo Lee

Theses and Dissertations

This correlational study investigated the direct and indirect relationships derivational morphology had to reading comprehension for Spanish-speaking language minority students in the fifth-grade. It also investigated the direct and indirect effects Spanish phonological awareness had on reading comprehension. Multivariate path analysis was used to investigate the unique relationship the independent variables (derivational morphology, vocabulary, language comprehension, decoding, and Spanish phonological awareness) had on reading comprehension for fifth-grade students (N = 71). The results indicated derivational morphology significantly contributed to reading comprehension after controlling for vocabulary, language comprehension, and decoding. The results further indicated that Spanish phonological awareness was not statistically …

Jennifer Tolbert Byrd, M.A., Jennifer Tolbert Byrd

Theses and Dissertations

College Board, the organization which governs the Advanced Placement program, recently redesigned the Course and Exam Description for Advanced Placement English Language and Composition. This thesis surveys AP© Language teachers to measure their perceptions of these recent changes, the degree to which teachers have implemented the changes, and the perceived effect of the implementation of changes on student writing. Data was collected from teachers who taught AP© Language in 2019-20. The first chapter provides a narrative framework for understanding the concerns of AP© Language teachers. The second chapter reviews the literature detailing the evolution and limitations of AP© English, as …

Using Student Talk And Reader Response Journals With Emergent Readers, Samantha Gudowski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact on comprehension when emergent readers use talk and reader response journals to comprehend text. Data collected from reading attitude surveys, interviews, student journal entries, audio-recorded student conversations and notes in a teacher researcher journal were analyzed for emerging themes. The findings show that talk about text and the use of reader response journals have a positive impact on both reading comprehension and motivation. Implications for future research are discussed in chapter five.

Adaptive Learning Environments And Student Learning Outcomes, Marie-Conceptia Girault

Theses and Dissertations

In response to the urgent need to alleviate South Carolina from poverty and elevate them into the 21st century industry, South Carolina Department of Education (SCDOE), has vowed to educate all South Carolina students and ensure that they graduate prepared for success in college, careers, and citizenship (SCDOE, 2017). To accomplish this mission, SCDOE has developed rigorous educational standards, which include technology-integrated curricular (SCDOE, 2015). Through a non-experimental quantitative study, the relationship between adaptive learning environments (ALE) while employing technology and student outcomes were explored. These learning outcomes were in support of K-12 novice-mid language learners and were defined as …

Changing The Narrative: The Effect Of Culturally Relevant Teaching To Improve Reading Comprehension And Engagement Among African American Males In Middle School, Portia J. Wood

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine the effects of using culturally relevant texts to motivate and engage African American adolescent boys who read below grade level to read while also improving their current reading levels. The participants for this study were two twelve-year-old African-American adolescent males in the seventh grade. The study was conducted during a 30-minute independent reading segment and after school. The participants read a book for 15-20 minutes a day followed by a ten minute response to reading assignment about their book. The participants in this study were assigned culturally relevant texts to …

Using Multicultural Picture Books To Motivate Students And Foster Critical Discussions On Identity And Social Justice, Susan Davenport

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the significance of integrating multicultural literature, primarily multicultural picture books, in culturally responsive book clubs to improve student motivation, foster awareness of one's identity and promote discussions about social justice. Prior to this research, student discourse about their own identity and the nature of social injustices related to prejudice, stereotyping, and racism was limited. Qualitative research was employed utilizing student artifacts such anticipation guides, literature role responses, and reflection journals. Data was also collected from audio recording transcripts of book club and class wide discussions as well as a teacher's reflection journal. …