Language and Literacy Education Commons^™

Textbook Aliteracy In Teacher Education: Information Everywhere, But How Much Do They Read?, Rosalind R. Gann, L. Kathryn Sharp, Scott Mcilquham

ETSU Faculty Works

This article explores the problem of textbook aliteracy, i.e. the failure to read assigned texts despite the ability to do so. Constructivism is its theoretical frame. Teacher education students at a medium-sized university in the Southern Appalachian Mountains were surveyed on their textbook reading practices. Ninety percent of the 116 students completing the survey reported studying instructors’ power points in preference to completing assigned readings, at least some of the time. All were readers, though a majority (68%) reported at least some difficulty reading assigned texts. Often, they appeared to be avoiding the challenges posed by demanding text. The authors …

Gjr Volume 36 Number 2 Fall 2013, Christine Draper, Lina Soares

The Georgia Journal of Reading Archive

The Georgia Journal of Reading's Fall 2013 issue includes:

Message from the Editors by Lina B. Soares and Christine A. Draper (pg. 4)

President’s Page by Loleta Sartin (pg. 5)

Helping Strugling Readers Track Their Own Learning Growth by Susan Szabo (pg. 6)

The ABCs of Literacy: Creating Excitement About Learning Through Reading, Writing and Poetry in an Early Learning College Literacy Session by Anne Katz (pg. 11)

Close Reading of Informational Texts: Assessment-Driven Instruction in Grades 3-8 by Lina B. Soares and Christine A. Draper (pg. 17)

Teaching Academic Vocabulary K-8: Effective Practices Across the Curriculum by Christine A. …

Improving Metacomprehension And Calibration Accuracy Through Embedded Cognitive And Metacognitive Strategy Prompts, Alan J. Reid

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

A societal shift from print-based to digital texts has afforded the ability to embed reader support within an instructional text. Numerous factors make eBooks an attractive option for colleges and universities, though undergraduates consistently reaffirm a preference for print-based materials. Given that many undergraduates arrive to college with a deficiency in reading comprehension skills and metacognitive awareness, digital text is able to offer an additional layer of support. A sample population of college undergraduates (N = 80) read an expository text on the basics of photography in the form of a fill-in field PDF. The most robust treatment (mixed) read …

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 …

Reader's Theater For Deaf Students: A Tool For Developing Literacy Skills, Caroline Suggs

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Reader's theater is a method used in classrooms to encourage the development of literacy skills. Research has shown that the use of reader's theater in a classroom is linked to increased fluency, increased comprehension of text, and positive attitudes towards reading. Because research also shows that Deaf people are often delayed regarding literacy in English, a unit employing this method serves to bridge the gap between expected and actual levels of English literacy among deaf students. Intended for use with Deaf middle school students who sign, this unit of reader's theater is a plausible option in a bilingual approach since …

The Best Practices For Teaching Writing To Postsecondary Students With Acquired Brain Injuries, Julianne Candio Sekel

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Because the writing abilities of postsecondary students with acquired brain injuries (ABI) are often determined by the student’s age when the injury was acquired, the severity of the injury, the amount of time that has passed since the injury, and the quality of the student’s writing education before the injury, it is impossible to generalize the best strategies to assist students with ABI in writing. However, through a review of existing literature on teaching writing to students with ABI, the relationship between oral and written discourse, expressive writing, educational intervention, and assistive technologies, this study presents a list of recommendations …

The Effect Of Public Pre-Kindergarten Attendance On First Grade Reading And Social Achievement: A District Level Analysis, Michael James Haslip

Theses and Dissertations in Early Childhood Education

The purpose of this study was to test the relationship between attending a school district Pre-K program and children's later literacy and behavior outcomes in the beginning and middle of first grade. Children's text level, letter-sound identification, sight words, spelling and citizenship skills were measured. The study included 880 children who attended the division Pre-K program and 176 children who attended no formal or institutional preschool of any kind. Selection bias was addressed through propensity score matching, completed using optimal matching. Independent-samples t tests were run on literacy and behavior measures. Subgroup analysis was performed to test the effect of …

The Transformative Potential Of Boundary Spanners: A Narrative Inquiry Into Preservice Teacher Education And Professional Development In An Nclb-Impacted Context, David Whitenack, Patricia Swanson

Faculty Publications

This narrative inquiry uses pedagogic discourse theory and organization theory to frame pre-service teacher education and in-service professional development initiatives in a school district facing tensions related to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Implications for similar future initiatives are considered.

Teaching Undergraduates How To Analyze, Ryan Andrew Nivens, Rosalind Raymond Gann

ETSU Faculty Works

Analysis is typically the first of the higher functions listed in taxonomies of higher order thinking. Academics consider these upper categories extremely worthwhile, but they are hard to teach and we are apt to ignore them. Today higher education is being criticized for “dumbing down” curriculum or lowering standards. To rectify this, many policies at the state or national level are requiring higher education institutions to change. In K‐12 education, Race to the Top and Common Core requirements are placing new demands on K‐12 teacher preparation, which include evaluation of the analysis skills of pre‐service teachers. But professors do not …

Global Learning Outcomes Of A Domestic Foreign Language Immersion Program, Kathleen Ann Godfrey

Dissertations and Theses

There is a critical need for college students to receive an education that fosters global learning in preparation for life in an increasingly interdependent and interconnected world. Universities recognize this need and endeavor to provide a range of programs that target global knowledge and skills, and meet the needs of traditional and non-traditional students. Domestic foreign language immersion programs can contribute to student global learning and development by providing students with an opportunity to participate in a rich global learning experience in the U.S. While some researchers have investigated impacts of domestic foreign language immersion on language proficiency, few studies …

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

Graduate Student Independent Studies

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

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

Graduate Student Independent Studies

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

Passion And Compassion : Teaching First Graders Reading Comprehension Through Kindness And The Works Of Kevin Henkes, Salvi Muzio

Graduate Student Independent Studies

A literature review in the field of reading comprehension combined with a research-based curriculum created based on the experts and the author's personal experiences both in the classroom as a teacher and a student.

Predictive Effects Of Absence, Gender, And Lunch Status On Math And Literacy Achievement, Megan Witonski

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if any predictive effects exist between absence, gender, lunch status, and math and literacy achievement on exams. While research supported the predictive effects of absence, gender, and lunch status on achievement there was inadequate data to determine which predictor played a more significant role.

A quantitative, regression strategy was used to analyze data from students in a rural school in northwest Arkansas. All students in this rural district who had taken the Arkansas Augmented Assessment in math and literacy required under the Arkansas accountability requirements comprised the sample for this study. The …

Problem-Based Learning: Meeting The Common Core State Standards For Grade 9/10 English Language Arts, Michelle Millard

HIM 1990-2015

Each of these four units use the exemplar texts outlined by CCSS and highlight four different genres in Literature: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Drama.; The purpose of this project design Problem- Based Learning (PBL) Units that would meet the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for a 9/10 grade English Language Arts (ELA) classroom. The CCSS, newly adopted into Florida public schools, were created to provide students with the skills necessary to be successful in both higher education and ultimately, the global economy. PBL has been practiced in some of the country's leading medical schools for decades, and recently, has begun …

Improving Elementary Student Writing Through Mentor Texts And Minilessons Related To The 6+1 Traits Of Writing As Aligned With The Common Core State Standards, Leigh Weiler

HIM 1990-2015

During the times we live in, writing has become a very important skill for all young students and adults to have. Whether they are taking a standardized test or putting together a resume, basic writing skills are necessary. In this thesis, I will attempt to prove that teaching the six traits of writing with the use of mentor texts is a great, creative way to help students learn the writing process. I will also explore how to align the concept of the six traits of writing with the new Common Core State Standards. This topic is very important when it …

Major Theories Of Teaching Writing: An Overview, Teresa F. Collins

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Teresa F. Collins in April of 2013.

Gjr Volume 36 Number 1 Spring 2013, Christine Draper, Lina Soares

The Georgia Journal of Reading Archive

The Georgia Journal of Reading's Spring 2013 issue includes:

Message from the Editors by Lina Soares and Christine Draper (pg. 4)

President’s Page by Lynn C. Minor (pg. 5)

The Cognitive Psychology of Multiple Text Comprehension: What Can Educators Garner from the Literature by Tracy Linderholm (pg. 6)

Middle School Literacy Coaches: Perceptions of Roles and Responsibilities by Katie Stover (pg. 11)

Revitalizing Word Walls for High School English Learners: Conventional and Digital Opportunities for Learning New Words by Janis Harmon, Lucretia Fraga, Elizabeth Martin and Karen Wood (pg. 20)

Literacy Gains through Digital Documentaries: A Photo Essay by Jabari …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Scholarship And Teaching On Languages For Specific Purposes, Lourdes Sánchez-López

Books

A collection of select peer-reviewed scholarly articles developed from concepts and positions presented and generated at the First International Symposium on Languages for Specific Purposes (ISLSP, 2012) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (US).

Medical Spanish For U.S. Medical Students: A Pilot Case Study, Lauren Davidson, Sheri Spaine Long

Dimensions

In an effort to expand the teaching of medical Spanish to medical students, a one-week pilot course was developed and implemented at The University of Alabama School of Medicine (UASOM) in January 2010. Objectives included offering a refresher course in Spanish for medical students before third-year clerkships and providing a model for medical schools interested in developing medical Spanish courses. The pilot course included the teaching of Spanish language and related cultural information to students at varying levels of Spanish proficiency by an experienced Spanish for Specific Purposes (SSP) instructor. Students completed an evaluation to suggest future directions for the …

Using Dictogloss To Advance Proficiency And Accuracy In Teaching Arabic, Ghassan Husseinali

Dimensions

This study investigates the effectiveness of using dictogloss in making students notice and reproduce key vocabulary and highlighted structural features in a college intermediate level Arabic L2 class. Dictogloss is a technique used in second language classes to make students pay attention to the relationship between form and meaning. Students listened to a short text containing the target form(s) read aloud by the instructor. Students were asked to work in small groups/pairs to reconstruct the original text. Data for this study were obtained from individual student notes, group-generated text reconstructions, and post-dictogloss reflections. The results of this classroom-based investigation show …

A Snapshot Of Their Beliefs And Practices: Perspectives Of Mississippi And Alabama Spanish Teachers, Kelly Moser, Jennifer Weir, Krista Chambless

Dimensions

As a result of the ACTFL/NCATE Program Standards for the Preparation of Foreign Language Teachers (2002) much progress has been made with regard to identifying what teachers should know and be able to do. A survey of secondary Spanish teachers in the 20 largest school districts in Alabama and Mississippi investigated teacher beliefs about their teacher preparation, proficiency, and practices within and beyond the classroom context. Results of the survey indicate a disparity between teacher beliefs and classroom practice. The results as well as implications for teacher education programs and professional development are discussed.

World Language Learning: Setting The Global Standard

Dimensions

SCOLT Dimensions Volume 48

The Academic Experiences Of Native Spanish Speakers In The Traditional Spanish Classroom, Lealane Sanders, David Alley

Dimensions

This study examines the academic experiences of heritage Spanish-speakers who were placed in a traditional Spanish class for non-Spanish speakers at the secondary level. Each of the participants in the study demonstrated advanced-levels of oral proficiency in Spanish yet each was placed in a beginning-level Spanish class. An ethnographic case study method was used to explore the effect of this inappropriate placement on the students’ linguistic abilities and academic identities. This study addresses an all-toocommon practice that fails to advance heritage language students’ knowledge of their native language. The needs of these students differ from those of non-native speakers, and …

From Orality To Literacy: A Curricular Model For Intensive Second-Year Collegiate Language Instruction, Per Urlaub, Jan Uelzmann

Dimensions

This article documents a curriculum reform of the second-year German program at the Department of Germanic Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. This curricular reform had two goals: (1) compressing two semesters of intermediate-level language instruction into a single semester; (2) incorporating a strategy-based approach to literary reading in the second language. The article will first compare the previous curriculum and then introduce a conceptual framework for the reform process. This framework is based on three distinct pedagogical principles that the article will outline. Further, the article will describe the planning and implementation stages of the reform and …

The Effects Of Interactive Note-Taking On Increasing Rigor And Student Achievement For High-School Foreign Language, Laura Droms

Dimensions

This study examined the effects of interactive note-taking, a method that relies on student interaction with teacher-provided notes, on student test scores and critical thinking skills in the high-school Spanish classroom. It also examined how interactive notetaking affected students’ confidence in note-taking and critical thinking skills and their level of participation in the classroom. Over a five-week period, interactive note-taking was implemented in one class (n = 29) while traditional foreign language methods were used in another class (n = 32). Changes in student evaluative performances were determined by comparing pre-intervention test scores to test scores during the intervention period. …

Encouraging Tas To Embrace Communicative Language Teaching: An Investigation Of Pre-Service Training Practices, Paula Garrett-Rucks, Kerri Mccoy

Dimensions

This article begins by synthesizing research findings concerning the increasingly important role graduate student teaching assistants (TAs) play in fostering undergraduate learners’ oral proficiency. Despite this important role, our review of TA training practices in the literature found a lack of research on the preparation TAs receive prior to beginning their foreign language instruction. Accordingly, the present study examines incoming TAs’ perceptions of their command of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) techniques presented at an interdepartmental, pre-service orientation at a large Midwestern research university. Using a qualitative approach, we investigated the unique ways in which this orientation influenced novice and experienced …