Language and Literacy Education Commons^™

A Handbook Of Strategies For Making Intertextual Connections During Read-Alouds To Build Schema For Elementary School Students, Andrea Kay Manion

All Graduate Projects

A handbook has been created to give primary teachers strategies for building valuable schema and an awareness of text connections during their read-aloud time. The handbook consists of an introduction, ten read-aloud lessons which include some student responses, reviews and classroom activities for twenty read-aloud books, as well as a critique of popular web sites for quality children's literature. Current literature and research regarding schema theory, intertextuality, and reading aloud were reviewed.

Tense Errors In The Written Work Of Malay Esl Students, Beatrise Fernandez A. M. Fernandez

Student Works (2000-2009)

This study aims to investigate the types of errors in the written texts of Form 3 Malay ESL students who have studied English in school for nine years. The subjects selected for this study consisted of 60 Form 3 Malay students in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Telok Gadong, Klang. The subjects were required to write two essays, one in the simple past tense and one in the simple present tense. The essays were then examined, and errors in the simple past tense and simple present tense were identified and quantified. Other than writing the two essays, the subjects also answered a …

Test Anxiety Of Malay Esl Students : A Case Study, Safiah Ibrahim

Student Works (2000-2009)

This study is aimed at ascertaining the existence and degree of test anxiety among Malay students at tertiary level. It focuses on English as a Second Language learners at Universiti Teknologi MARA. It is also designed to study the impact of test anxiety and the relationship of gender and background of test anxious students on their test performance. To assess the impact of test anxiety, two questionnaires were administered to the students and their end of semester results were obtained. The data obtained were subjected to some statistical analysis. Results suggest that ESL examinations can be debilitating to students who …

Identity Formation And Collaboration Inquiry In The Zone Of Proximal Development: Eighth Grade Esl Students Doing Research - A Teacher Research Study, Carol Irene Bearse

Educational Studies Dissertations

This study is an ethnographic investigation of a Grade Eight ESL IV class conducting research with topics of their own choosing from October, 2001 through May, 2002. This investigation is conceived as a qualitative teacher-research study: an ethnographic examination of collaborative inquiry in the ESL classroom setting where the majority of the students are Brazilian.

Home Environment Factors Influencing Literacy Development: A Group Of Brazilian Immigrant Head Start Children, Sharon C. Switzer

Educational Studies Dissertations

This dissertation examines the literacy practices embedded in the home environment of a group of 5 Brazilian Head Start children. It elucidates the difficulties and challenges of immigration that influenced their home environments and describes the literacy practices embedded within these home environments.

Year One In The Writing Workshop : A Step In The Right Direction, Michelle L. Grimm

Graduate Research Papers

This article will discuss some of the questions I faced in the implementation of the elements of writers' workshop in my classroom. I focused on seven of the traditional workshop elements: time, ownership, modeling, conferences, mini-lessons, response, and sharing or publishing. These common elements can be implemented into the classroom in a variety of ways, and I will briefly define them.

Using Wordless Picture Books To Stimulate Fictional Writing In First-Grade Students, Kathryn Nicol Morris

Graduate Research Papers

The use of wordless picture books was a successful strategy as an adult intervention for helping students at different levels in their writing ability to produce a story that followed a logical progression of events; that had a clear beginning, middle and end; and that described a character's experiences to a point of conclusion. This was accomplished with varying degrees of teacher assistance required. The stories from these students showed some similarities, but each student brought some unique element to the writing. The stories were distinguishable, even though the text in each story was inspired by the same set of …

Best Practices In Teaching Reading Fluency In The Elementary Classroom, Tina Schneider

Graduate Research Papers

The focus of this review of literature was Best Practices for teaching reading fluency in the elementary classroom. Research shows that students' reading fluency rates need improvement. Teachers must create a classroom environment that fosters reading fluency and use research based teaching practices to improve students' reading fluency. Journal articles were selected that addressed best practices in teaching reading fluency in the elementary classroom. Reading fluency influences the academic success students attain at school and therefore it is a skill which must be taught. Because best practices have a positive impact on students' reading fluency rates, it is recommended that …

Utilizing Online Literature Circles To Improve Reading Comprehension, Mark Schuldt

Graduate Research Papers

Literature circles are an important part of a balanced reading program. They require students to work with others to become independent problem solvers. With the introduction of online literature circles, students get the added experience of using technology in an authentic learning situation. As a result of this technology integration, students' reading comprehension and proficiency with computers will improve.

The importance of this project is to provide teachers with curriculum that is supported by technology. Specific research and practice is sited to support the rationale of combining technology and reading. The most significant findings include the development of the lower …

Best Practices In Balanced Early Literacy Instruction, Suzanne Yoder

Graduate Research Papers

In order to provide the best literacy instruction for the nation's earliest learners, it is crucial that best practice principles, as defined by Steven Zemelman, Harvey Daniels, and Arthur Hyde, be adhered to. These principles include all aspects of what have been found to be the teaching methods and strategies most conducive to successful early literacy acquisition. The purpose of this paper is to examine the historical and current trends in literacy education, discuss and explain the best practice principles, and to relate these principles to a current balanced literacy approach. Further, activities and lessons are presented which could be …

Using Computer Software To Enhance Instruction Of Early Literacy Skills In The Kindergarten Classroom, Janann Dostal

Graduate Research Papers

This review investigates skills vital to early literacy instruction, technology use in early childhood classrooms, and software available to enhance early literacy skills of kindergarten students. Letter naming, phonological awareness, concepts about print, and language development are early literacy skills vital to a student's future reading success. Studies have shown that technology has been used in early childhood classrooms as an effective teaching tool, to promote active student involvement, and as a tool for motivation, showing that computers can be utilized successfully with young students. Research indicates that early literacy software used to supplement teacher instruction has great potential to …

Aligning Technology And Language Arts Standards, Catherine A. Feldmann

Graduate Research Papers

The standards of language arts and technology blend fluidly to provide for an optimal learning environment. Language Arts teachers and students of all levels can gain significantly from the incorporation of multimedia software into the curriculum. Educators demonstrate responsible teaching when the initiative is taken to incorporate these otherwise separate areas together. Multimedia provides for an additional method for students to obtain, demonstrate, and share information. The use of technology into all curricular areas helps to develop life skills that are considered necessities in many jobs today.

Orchestrating A Student's Reading Fluency In The Elementary Classroom, Sarah A. Yoder

Graduate Research Papers

As you listen to a piece of music, you hear the sound of instruments blending together to create a harmonious sound, to create a mood, or tell a story. With that same sense of coordination and ease a successful, fluent reader quietly orchestrates his/her reading to derive meaning from a text. It is common for teachers to have the goal of developing fluent, young readers in the elementary classroom, but it is often unclear how to go about obtaining this goal. This article is written for elementary teachers who want to foster fluent reading, but are unsure how to direct …

Parents As Partners : The School-Home Connection, Jennifer Burkhart

Graduate Research Papers

Family literacy programs engage parents in small groups, help parents capitalize upon what they already do with literacy in the home while teaching new skills for parents to work with their children, and provide children with time to read together. Parents' attitudes have lifelong effects on a child's literacy (Morrow, 1995). Getting parents involved in emergent literacy activities has a positive effect on the child's own literacy and is associated with higher achievement and stronger cognitive skills (Anderson, 2000; de Jong and Leseman, 2001; Morrow, 2001 ). A family literacy program can better reinforce the internal motivation that parents and …

Factors Motivating Children To Read, Tanya Marie Ossman

Graduate Research Papers

Reading is the most important skill learned by children during their educational careers. The ability to read is mastered by children through the careful guidance from teachers and parents. Adults tend to assume that providing children with the skills to read will foster a desire to read. Whether or not children pick up books and read them from front to back is dependent upon their motivation to read. The results of this review will provide insight into what factors are involved in reading motivation and what programs are available for children who lack the motivation for reading.

Developmental Spelling Instruction Through Word Study, Elizabeth Ann Overstake

Graduate Research Papers

This article is an overview of word sorts and word study that has evolved from research in developmental spelling. The five stages of developmental spelling are described. Analysis of four students' writing samples from a second grade classroom was utilized in this study. Spelling inventories from Words Their Way were used three times throughout the year to evaluate developmental stages of spelling. This alternative approach to spelling instruction, including word sorting, writing sorts, speed sorts, and word hunts is discussed in this article.

Think Aloud Protocols: Teaching Reading Processes To Young Bilingual Students, Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D.

Practitioner Journal Articles

This digest describes the use of think-aloud protocols with young bilingual children. Qualitative findings from a small study with 12 first through third grade students in dual language programs demonstrated that think-alouds were used effectively with elementary school emergent bilingual learners. The evidence from this study suggests that instruction in reading strategies should be given to young bilingual students and that more research needs to be done in this area.

An Investigation Of Teachers’ Knowledge And Implementation Of Effective Literacy Strategies In Kindergarten Through Second Grade In Two School Districts In A Metropolitan Area In The State Of Arkansas, Janice C. Walker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' knowledge and implementation of effective literacy strategies in kindergarten through second grade in two school districts in a metropolitan area in the state of Arkansas. The study investigated teachers' knowledge and implementation of effective literacy strategies within districts and among grade level. The Effective Literacy Strategy Teacher Survey was used to survey participants in the study. The questions from the survey were comprised into two scales: Teachers' Knowledge and Teacher Implementation of effective literacy strategies. Indicators derived from these two scales were utilized to measure teacher's knowledge and frequency of implementation …

Reading Between The "Signs", Sarah Durchenwald/Williamson

Graduate Research Papers

Teaching reading to hearing students, with the supplemental support of American Sign • Language, is a relatively new concept. Many components associated with sign language reinforce basic concepts of English. It teaches individual letter sounds, and names, and many of the signs for words emphasize beginning sounds, as well as meaning. Another important component of sign language is its bodily kinesthetic form of learning. Many students in public schools today are not learning through traditional teaching strategies. Incorporating sign language provides a multi-sensory approach to literal hands-on learning.

The following research outlines the principles behind teaching effectively using sign language …

Critical Thinking In High School Literature Classes, Simona Sarbu

Graduate Research Papers

This study presents a review of literature regarding critical thinking. Several definitions of critical thinking are compared and contrasted. Critical thinking is presented as a subset of higher-order thinking and affinities between critical thinking and other forms of higher-order thinking are examined. Questioning as a means of promoting critical thinking in high school literature classes is discussed from the perspective of reader-response theories.

Several questioning strategies that have the potential to promote critical thinking in high school literature classes are identified. These strategies are Questioning Circles, Questioning the Author, Design Conversations, Hierarchical Models of Questioning, Socratic Seminars, and Literature Circles. …

Penggunaan Kamus Arab-Melayu Di Kalangan Pelajar Sekolah Menengah, Norma Mohamad

Student Works (2000-2009)

Disertasi ini bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti peranan Kamus Arab-Melayu dan masalahmasalah penggunaan kamus di Sekolah Menengah. Kajian ini dilakukan terhadap 80 orang pelajar dan 7 orang guru bahasa Arab di salah sebuah sekolah kebangsaan agama di Daerah Besut, Terengganu, - Malaysia. Alat kajian yang digunakan ialah dua set ujian kefahaman yang sama untuk menguji peranan dan masalah penggunaan kamus, satu set soal selidik untuk pelajar dan temubual dengan pelajar, guru dan pentadbir Hasil kajian ini mendapati penggunaan kamus di kalangan pelajar-pelajar menengah atas tidak memuaskan. Begitu juga dengan guru-guru bahasa Arab didapati tidak memanafaatkan sepenuhnya penggunaan kamus. Kamus didapati berguna …

The Role Of The Literacy Coach: The Challenge Of Change, Janet Bargmann Thompsen

Graduate Research Papers

The process of change in education requires effective leadership along with professional development and on-site support. Fear of change and risk-taking may result in some teachers resisting change. Literacy coaches can provide the needed follow-up training and support for professional development that assists teachers to successfully implement new strategies and methods of instruction. Michael Fullan's ideas on the change process serve as the foundation for this article. The author incorporates the perspectives of researchers and leaders in the field of change with her own experiences to discuss the importance of understanding change, the factors affecting its initiation, and the role …

Penyediaan Buku Teks Bahasa Arab Untuk Pelajar Dewasa, Ibrahim Abdullah

Student Works (2000-2009)

Secara ringkas kajian ini cuba mengenengahkan salah satu permasalahan pengajaran bahasa Arab yang berkaitan dengan penyediaan buku teks Bahasa Arab untuk pelajar dewasa. lni kerana antara matlamat sesuatu pembelajaran bahasa adalah untuk mencapai kemahiran berbahasa, disamping dapat memenuhi tujuan sebenar pelajar belajar bahasa. Dalam penyelidikan ini, pengkaji akan cuba mengenal pasti masalah buku teks pengajaran yang diguna pakai oleh pengajar dan pelajar dewasa dalam pengajaran bahasa Arab. Untuk tujuan kajian ini, pengkaji telah memilih dua buah buku teks pengajaran. Pertama buku teks bahasa Arab yang diguna pakai di UiTM dan kedua buku teks bahasa Arab yang diguna pakai di UPM …

Supervisor - Esl Teacher Trainee Communication During Teaching Practice, Muhamad Raja Abdullah

Student Works (2000-2009)

The supervision of student teachers by college lecturers is a common practice in teacher preparation in Malaysia. Nonetheless, relatively very little is known about how the lecturers interact and intervene during this process to advise and support the trainee teachers towards their professional development and autonomy. This study investigated how two ESL lecturers enacted their roles as supervisors on four ESL student teachers during a first phase teaching practice The data was collected by means of observations, interviews, a questionnaire and from written documents. Two case study content analysis and a cross-case inductive analysis (Patton, 1990) of the data was …