Language and Literacy Education Commons^™

The Angers Summer Institute: Forty Years And Going Strong!, Anne Lair

UNIversitas: Journal of Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

The following essay will explain how the Angers Summer Institute offered by the University of Northern Iowa started and what has contributed to its many successes for over three decades, such as the choice of courses, staffing and the importance of the host families.

The teaching of foreign languages in the United States can be characterized as having had many high and low points. Languages that were in vogue thirty or forty years ago have had to struggle in the past few years. Fifty or so years ago no self-respecting foreign languages department would have considered not offering latin. German …

Motivation In Language Learning: A Comparative Study Of Motivation In The Learning Of Irish And German Among Leaving Certificate Students, Seosamh Ó Cuinneagáin

Theses

This study investigates Leaving Certificate students’ attitudes to and motivation in the learning of Irish and German in 25-selected second level schools, of which five are Irish-medium schools, in Munster and Leinster. A historical overview of the two languages is presented to contextualise the study, as well as to provide a broad framework for the subsequent literature review, in which government policies towards the teaching and learning of Irish and German are examined. A twelve-scale questionnaire, consisting of 228 items, is employed as a data collection instrument to measure language attitudes and motivation. A modified version of the international quantitative …

Emphatic Sounds In Educated Cairene Arabic: What To Teach To Afl Students?, Jean N. Druel

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Exploring Phonological Awareness Skills In Egyptian Children With Down Syndrome, Maha Salah El Dien Hamed

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Beliefs Of Arab University Learners About Their Readiness For Autonomy In A Web-Based Setting, Aliaa Salah Youssef

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Phonemic Awareness In Children's Books, Natalie Sara Thompson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

When children scribble on a paper or a draw a picture to write a story, they are in the early stages of emergent literacy. Emergent literacy is a process which children become aware of written language. Before children write their name, they are learning about print, its meaning, and the relationship it has to language. Along their path towards reading and writing, children then begin to understand another important process, phonemic awareness. My senior thesis is based on the concept of phonemic awareness.

Balanced Literacy Versus Basal Reading Instruction For Urban African-American, Title I Third-Grade Students, Julie Ann Perkins

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This study compared third-grade reading achievement of urban African-American, Title I students using a basal reading series with those using a balanced literacy program to determine whether the highly structured skills-based methods advocated by The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act actually foster or impede reading achievement in an urban school setting.

Two hundred forty-five third-grade African-American, Title I students from an urban elementary school in southeastern Virginia served as subjects for the study. Subjects were studied as intact groups to avoid disruption in the educational setting. Participants in the control group were third-grade classes of urban African-American, Title I …

Engaging Students In The L2 Reading Process, Marcia L. Wilbur

Dimensions

This article will consider a necessary departure from more traditional paradigms, where speaking skills are the primary focus and in which reading is viewed as something intermediate or advanced learners do with authentic literature once they have mastered a particular level of grammatical structures. Instead, reading will be considered as an important component of L2 instruction that, when included along side other input modes, can enrich students’ second language acquisition. Concepts and strategies on which to build classroom practices as well as practical suggestions for implementing pre-, during-, and post-reading activities are included. Considerations that place learners at the center …

Flteach Project: Online Database Of Model Lessons With Cultural Content, Jean W. Leloup, Robert Ponterio

Dimensions

Foreign language teachers are busy professionals who could benefit from ready access to educational materials that address the Standards for Foreign Language Learning and are also useful to their own particular curricula. This article will explain a project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities that provides such access through the creation and development of an online database of FL lesson plans that are Standards-based, follow sound pedagogical models, use authentic materials, and focus on cultural content. The article describes the project rationale, the structure of the database, and procedures for submitting lesson materials. Pedagogical models (Interactive Model for …

Uses Of Blogs In L2 Instruction, Zachary Jones, Bernice Nuhfer-Halten

Dimensions

Blogs are one of the newest tools in L2 instruction. This article offers a brief overview of the literature on blogs in L2 teaching and an outline of how they can be used in class to encourage language production and cultural awareness in learners. Also detailed are conceptual and practical concerns related to these activities. Finally, an overview is presented of what students think of using blogs, and a few topics are proposed for further research.

Developing A Contemporary French Civilization Course:An Annotated Review Of Internet Resources, Kenneth A. Gordon

Dimensions

Identifying appropriate materials for a class on contemporary French civilization is a challenge. Even the newest texts are somewhat out of date when they arrive. Resources available on the Internet present a solution to this problem. However, the sheer number of Web sites can be overwhelming. The quality and reliability of material provided can vary widely, and one often encounters dead links when using any of the major search engines. The most comprehensive and academically sound sites tend to be those maintained by cultural institutions, universities, government ministries, and similar groups. In the manner of an annotated bibliography, this essay …

The Roads To Compostela: An Immersion Experience In Germany, France, And Spain, Steven M. Gardner, Carlos Mentley, Lisa F. Signori

Dimensions

Following a medieval pilgrimage route in Europe provides the student of languages with an exceptional opportunity for immersion in European language, culture, and history from the Middle Ages to the present. One of the most important of these is the Road to Santiago de Compostela. Although usually associated with Spain, pilgrimage routes to Santiago cross Germany and France as well. This article explains the rationale behind and outlines the preparations for an academically oriented undertaking of the German Jakobsweg, the French Chemin de St. Jacques, and the Spanish Camino de Santiago. It presents a cohesive linguistic and cultural program for …

Talking About Music:Ethnographic Interviews On Traditional Hispanic Songs, Paula Heusinkveld

Dimensions

This article proposes a variety of activities designed to enrich the study of authentic Hispanic music in the foreign language class. As an integral part of any lesson on a culturally authentic song, students interview native speakers, both in and out of class, to learn about the cultural context of various songs. Of special interest are songs that have strong associations with specific cultural practices, such as “Las mañanitas.” In other assignments, students interview native speakers about their musical tastes, seek out songs from native informants, and then share these songs with the class. The cultural information obtained from the …

Languages For Today’S World

Dimensions

SCOLT Dimensions Volume 41

Participant Reactions To Two-Way Immersion (Twi) Programs, Brett Frayseth, Carrie Lewis Miller, James Livermont, Melissa Siebke

IT Solutions Publications

The purpose of this study was to elicit participant reactions to two-way immersion (TWI) programs in the United States of America. A large number of recent studies have focused on instructor views and perspectives of two-way immersion programs, so this study aimed to gain insight from students who are, or who have, participated in TWI programs throughout North America.

One hundred fifty-one TWI schools throughout the United States were contacted and asked to participate in this study. Two similar surveys were developed, one for current TWI students, and another for former TWI students. Students from these two groups were asked …

Leaving Home: A Handbook For Teachers To Promote Critical Thinking, Leanne Molly Luehrs

All Graduate Projects

A handbook of instructional strategies connected to a text set theme for fourth grade teachers to promote critical thinking was developed. The handbook is intended for fourth grade teachers interested in promoting critical thinking through the use of children's literature. The text set theme, leaving home, was chosen and children's literature and curriculum was developed around this thematic focus. Library research, books, and the Internet aided in the development of this project. The studies showed the importance of developing critical thinking skills in elementary students. The studies also review theories pertinent to promote critical thinking and best practice.

A Family-School Literacy Program For Kindergarten Through Second Grade, Kathleen Wright

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Proposes a kindergarten to grade two family-school literacy program based on a balanced literacy curriculum. This program is designed to be carried out over one academic year. The focus of this study is on the family's role in school and in the home on children's literacy development. Includes descriptions of school and after school literacy events with accompanying materials.

Academic Content Instruction And The High School English Language Learner: A Series Of Lessons That Model An Approach To Content Instruction In Science In A Multi- Level English As A Second Language High School Classroom, Juliet M. Parry

MA TESOL Collection

This paper presents a series of lessons on biology that model an approach to content instruction Biology in a multi-level English as a second language high school classroom. It includes background information on the course, lesson plans, explanation of and rationale behind them, historical perspective on the shift from content instruction in the native language to content instruction in the new or target language.

Leveling The Field: Using Rubrics To Achieve Greater Equity In Teaching And Grading, Dannelle D. Stevens, Antonia Levi

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

Rubrics can be used to assure greater consistency in grading and as a teaching tool to promote greater equity, especially with students who are first generation and /or non-native speakers of English.

Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival, Karen Rowell, The University Of Southern Mississippi, The University Of Southern Mississippi's School Of Library And Information Science

Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival Programs

The program for the thirty-ninth annual Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival held on the campus of The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 2006.

Developing Writers, Ann Craig

Graduate Research Papers

As our nation focuses on educational reforms in reading, math, and science, the place of expository writing within subject areas becomes evident. Students are required to write for different purposes within their classes, often expected to draft, explain, and interpret ideas offered by their educational experiences. Unfortunately, teachers find many of their students unable to understand their directions for writing. An approach that balances writing instruction with self-regulation as students write may help them internalize different aspects of writing expository papers as a means of communication in their classes. This paper, therefore, examines an instructional writing strategy, specifically self-regulated strategy …

Building Partnerships Between Teachers And Families To Enhance Literacy Learning, Lisa Jasiewicz

Graduate Research Papers

Parents and the classroom teacher hold separate yet overlapping roles in helping to increase student achievement. The roles are separate because they are being accomplished in two different settings, separate from one another, and each adult will have his or her own way of conducting the reading experience. They are similar because they are both centered on the child's literacy learning and both parties are trying to meet the needs of the child.

The difficulty in this situation can be developing separate roles for the parent and teacher and also finding a way to work together in the roles they …

Sign To Learn : Sign Language As A Teaching Tool In Hearing Classrooms, Angela M. Schneden

Graduate Research Papers

This project examines using sign language as a multisensory learning tool in hearing classrooms. Included is a brief history of sign language in the United States as well as a review of different types of sign language. This project provides a rationale for incorporating sign language into the hearing classroom by examining the relationship between sign and gains in literacy achievement. The primary goal of using sign language in the classroom is for students to become better readers, writers, and spellers. This will be accomplished by teaching students to fingerspell and sign sight words. Research detailing use of sign in …

Using Literature Circles To Engage Students With Informational Texts, Theresa Marie Anderson

All Graduate Projects

The focus of this project was to review the available research on literature circles as a method of engaging students with informational texts and to create an implementation guide for teachers. The results of the research show that there is a need for effective nonfiction instruction and that including this instruction at the elementary level provides tremendous benefits for students. Literature circles are an effective way to engage students with these informational texts, because they offer an authentic literacy experience and provide students with the kinds of informational text interactions they will encounter in the real world. The project includes …

A Parent Handbook Of Reading And Writing Activities For Continued Literacy Development In The Home, Lisa Annette Bangs

All Graduate Projects

This project provides a handbook of reading and writing activities and strategies for parents of first grade students to use with their children in the home environment. Included is a review of research which: (1) discusses the importance of reading aloud to children at home and school, (2) examines how a child's early literacy experiences in the home affect overall reading achievement, (3) explains ways to increase communication between parents and teachers regarding a child's literacy development, and (4) describes activities to connect school and home literacy experiences.

A Series Of Teacher Inservice Workshops: Teaching Comprehension Using Informational Text With Intermediate Students, Tracy Lynn Denney

All Graduate Projects

Best practices for teaching comprehension using informational text with intermediate students were researched. Using information and knowledge gained from this research, a series of teacher in-service workshops was created. Subjects addressed in the workshops include differences between narrative and expository text, expository text structures, reading as a metacognitive process, strategies for activating and or building background knowledge, strategies for building vocabulary, and effective use of graphic organizers. The workshops will be presented to the intermediate teaching staff at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School in Yakima Washington.

Using Pop Culture And Media Together With Effective Literacy Instruction: A Teacher's Tool Kit For Selah H.S. Read Write Class, Stephanie Marie Sevigny

All Graduate Projects

A toolkit has been created to assist secondary teachers in using popular culture and the media in conjunction with explicit comprehension strategy instruction in the classroom in an effort to improve struggling students' comprehension. The toolkit consists of an introduction, examples and suggestions for using popular culture and media in the classroom, examples and guidelines for strategic comprehension instruction. CutTent literature and research regarding the use of popular culture and media in the classroom and effective comprehension strategy instruction were reviewed.

Instructional Writing Strategies For The Secondary Teacher: A Handbook To Guide Content Area Teachers Implementing Writing Into Curriculum, Cathy S. Thompson

All Graduate Projects

Secondary teachers are concerned that their students are having difficulties learning and retaining difficult concepts present in secondary curricula. Additionally, students may not be learning the content at a deep enough knowledge level to pass stringent high-stakes standardized tests required for graduation in the state of Washington. For students to succeed in the competitive global economy they must become self-monitoring critical thinkers. Research supports the use of writing-to-learn and content area writing strategies to facilitate metacognition and boost student learning. This project reviews the research in writing and metacognition, synthesizes the findings, and applies the results in a series of …

Motivating The Reluctant 9th Grade Reader In The English Classroom: An Educator's Guide, Christine Murphy

All Graduate Projects

Reluctant readers need support from all levels of government as well as from the community, parents and educators. Motivating reluctant readers and changing their attitude toward reading in order for students to be successful requires educators to discover the interests, dreams, and goals, of their students. Educators must invest the time and energy needed to view students as whole individuals in order to understand their reading needs, and to utilize best practices in an effort to improve student reading ability. ll1

Suggested Core Materials For Early Childhood Programs, Erin Feingold

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to examine current available resources related to emergent literacy in order to create a core list of literature for early childhood center libraries. "Research suggests that the foundation for academic success is laid well before a child enters the public schools" (Smith, Fairchild, and Groginsky, 1997, p. ix). The researcher described past and present Federal initiatives that support these efforts. Current curriculum guidelines and recommendations from national organizations for early childhood learning centers were examined to determine what resources were needed to provide a framework for learning. Studies examined emphasized that exposing children to …