Language and Literacy Education Commons^™

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 …

Reframing The Pedagogical Underpinnings Of To Kill A Mockingbird: Queering A High School Text, Hovsep Hovannesian

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Given the current climate for social and political change in relation to identity and being, traditional high school texts like To Kill A Mockingbird are being rejected as degrading, out of touch, and even regressive and are being taken off the pedagogical shelf. This article pushes back on this outlook by suggesting that a more critical approach to such texts can make them not only useful but enlightening for the high school population asked to read them. Specifically, by proposing that high school pedagogy apply the foundations and frameworks of critical, identity-focused theories, like queer theory, to traditional high school …

The Effects Of Multiple Exemplar Instruction On The Textual Responding Of Secondary Students With Reading Delays, Ariana D’Arms

Dissertations

A majority of eighth-grade students in the United States read below a proficient level, which means that they may have difficulty reading and comprehending grade-level text. Research indicates that older struggling readers may be missing phoneme-related skills, which limits their ability to read proficiently. Unfortunately, there is little research examining strategies for establishing such skills in older struggling readers. Multiple exemplar instruction (MEI), which has benefited young readers with phoneme-related skill deficits, is an intervention that may also be effective for older struggling readers who need phonemic skills. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of …

Pedagogy Or Andragogy?: Which Teaching Method Produces Successful Esl Tutoring That Involves Musical Activities?, Julia Cormack

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Considering the connections between music and language, as well as Chi et al.’s (2001) theory, this thesis introduces an original case study investigation: which teaching method, pedagogy or andragogy, will be most effective in one-on-one ESL tutoring sessions that use music as source material? The term pedagogy often describes the art and science of teaching. However, its Greek roots refer to the method of the teacher leading the classroom. Meanwhile, andragogy describes a teaching method where the teacher engages with the students in the learning and leading; Greek for “leader of man,” andragogy most often refers to teaching adults. To …

Methods And Effects Of Shadowing Using Online Authentic Videos On L2 Acquisition Of Mandarin Chinese Tones, Ai-Ling Lu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mandarin Chinese tones are notoriously difficult for second language (L2) learners. Previous research focuses on tone training methods that can help learners produce monosyllabic lexical tones, and studies about the production of multisyllabic lexical tones at the sentence level in spontaneous speech are limited. This study applies shadowing—a method where the learners repeat what they heard with as little delay as possible—to tone training and compares the effects of using authentic videos and textbook audios as shadowing materials for beginner L2 Mandarin learners’ tone improvement at the sentence level. Fourteen students in elementary Chinese classes at an American university participated …

Creativity Through Arts: Expanding Creativity For A New Fluency In Imaginative Thinking, Tanya M. Knudsen

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The Torrance Incubation Model beckons creativity into education. That was in 1961. Like the subconscious automatic and multidimensional act of breathing, and formulating language, creativity is within us, materializing on a Mobius Loop structure continually moving in and out of incubation, creation, and the shaping of outcome. Creativity is unique in that is both a verb and noun adding weight and value to its illusive form and potential. Creativity Through Arts expands the Torrance Incubation Model of Creative Teaching and Learning in an expressed combination of creativity and arts to immerse creativity into curricula, cracking a new code for finding …

Creating A Culturally Competent Children's Library, Rachel Burger

Human Development and Family Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

There is an ever-growing need for cultural competence and well-rounded education, especially for children. In order to promote cultural competence, this current creative project focused on enhancing a library space at a child development center in the mid-south and supply with resources that address diversity. The goal was to transform the library into an enticing, relaxing, and judgement free area where children feel comfortable to explore their culture and the cultures of others. New books added to the library were thoroughly reviewed and chosen for the purpose of promoting cultural competence and inclusion, and new language introduction. A wide variety …

A Translingual Approach To The Theory And Practice Of Basic Writing., Rachel Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Linguistic justice and the treatment of language difference are of great concern to the discipline of rhetoric and composition. Yet, basic writing, arguably the field’s richest source of language variation, has not received the full benefit of what has been termed the “translingual turn” (Alvarez; Corcoran; Hall; Jackson; Kubota). This dissertation explores the role of language ideologies in the theory and practice of basic writing, culminating in a review and critique of current uptakes of translingualism in basic writing scholarship. Overall, I find that greater attention needs to be paid to the translingual potential of seemingly conventional language as well …

Diverse Characterization: The Importance Of Inclusive Protagonists And Authors For Adolescents In Diverse Communities, Trista Straube

Masters Theses

Despite continuous efforts to increase comprehension and success for students of diverse backgrounds there is a major underrepresentation of these communities in literary applications. Literary devices within public institutions should celebrate diversity in race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, culture, and physical and mental ability. It is important, in young adult development, that students have literature that reflects similarities in their personal lives. This thesis will serve to prove that literature pursued in public education should be selected based on the relatability of the students enrolled in the institution and inclusivity to the student population. When selecting relatable texts, …

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 …

Developing The Key Constructs Of Career Literacy: A Delphi Study, Kesha S. Valentine, Michael F. Kosloski

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Career literacy is a concept that is often misunderstood, yet it is something that can be developed to enhance youth’s potential for career readiness and career growth. This study sought to determine the knowledge and skills required for career literacy and to identify the optimal time to acquire these skills. A four-round Delphi study was designed and implemented to determine such skills and the ideal corresponding time of acquisition for each. The research indicated a final list of 50 skills and knowledge, all of which fall under the categories of functional, interactive, and critical skills a student needs to be …

K-12 Economically Disadvantaged Students, Poverty, And Education: Ecological Narratives Of Successful Raised-In-Poverty, Texas Educators, Rebecca N. Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study aimed to understand how successful Texas educators who grew up in poverty understood and improved the educational experience of economically disadvantaged students. This study utilized a structural ecological theory and three theories of social relationships (Social Identity, Standpoint, and Cultural Capital). This phenomenological and qualitative study used a cross-sectional, descriptive, online case study design rooted in narrative nonfiction. Virtual interviews with six successful Texas educators that grew up in poverty were conducted. A narrative method of analysis was utilized to generate codes then organize them into themes, and to construct and compare the narrative findings. The results …

Teacher's Guide To Using Literature To Promote Inclusion Of People With Disabilities, Bruce Menchetti

Open Educational Resources

The Teacher’s Guide to Using Literature to Promote Inclusion of People with Disabilities has been designed to assist teachers who wish to use literature to promote inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of life. The Guide consists of two parts. Part 1 is a rubric for evaluating how short stories, books, poems, TV programs, movies, digital media, and other forms of literature portray characters with disabilities. Part 2 of the Teacher’s Guide to Using Literature to Promote Inclusion of People with Disabilities is a curriculum guide with learning objectives, lesson activities, and strategies for outcome evaluation. The curriculum …

Teaching Chinese As A Second Language: Exploring Teaching Methods, Identity Development, And Learner-Centered Education, Zhen Li

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio includes a collection of essays reflecting the writer’s beliefs about teaching and explorations of topics related to second language teaching, especially in the context of teaching Chinese as a foreign language. The first part of the portfolio consists of the writer’s teaching philosophy statement, professional environment, and reflections on her observations of other teachers’ classes. The second part consists of two papers focused on the interconnections between language and culture. The first explores refusal strategies in Chinese while the second addresses identity negotiation in Chinese Heritage Learners’ study abroad experiences. The third part is an annotated bibliography on …

“So, How Real Can I Get?": Opportunities And Obstacles For Teacher Learners Enacting Culturally Responsive Pedagogy., Jonathan P Baize

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the experiences of three alternative certification teachers (teachers who begin teaching as they worked to complete teacher education courses for initial certification) whom I call “teacher learners” (Jacobs & Low, 2017) as they try to enact culturally responsive practices while navigating their first-year of teaching. The teacher learners worked to develop their understanding and capacities to enact a culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) even as they were faced with the obstacles inherent to shifting teaching practices in K-12 schools. Through these challenges, they still furthered their conceptualization of CRP, as evidenced by, and in some ways guided …

Rewriting Web 2.0 Discourses Of The Local For Socio-Spatial Literacy Theory, Erin Daugherty

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation seeks to provide a framework for engaging with two spatial concepts that have been foundational to theorizing literacy across time but have often been taken for granted as passive backdrops to the social action of literacy practice: the notions of “the local” and “the global.” By interrogating the histories, both past and ongoing, of these two spatial concepts as they are interwoven into the sociocultural paradigm of literacy theory, research, and pedagogy, this project identifies new ways that literacy researchers and educators can attend to spatial concepts so as to promote and encourage literacy research and learning that …

Impact Of Communicative Activities On Improving Students’ Speaking Skills In English As Second Language, Ozlem Guler

International Graduate Program for Educators Master's Projects

This research is conducted to see the impact of communicative activities in students speaking skills in English as second language. And it is reached to a conclusion that communicative activities cause longer student speaking time in class. Moreover, the students mostly state that they learn better through communicative activities. Using language as a tool for communication rather than an aspect to learn will serve better. Language isn’t learnt but acquired such as the mother tongue. That’s why it should be done naturally just like a baby making baby steps to start uttering first words.

Expectedly, singing a memorized song is …

Impact Of Schema On Students' Writing, Hali-Ana Harvey

Honors Theses

All too often, students perform poorly on their writing assignments, and it seems that teachers have difficulty understanding where the problem comes from. This study seeks to prove that the issue begins with the students’ lack of background knowledge that students possess about the topics they are being asked to write about. To begin, the author emphasizes the importance of background knowledge in students. The study also describes ways in which teachers can check for background knowledge before assigning writing, and explores how teachers can build background knowledge in students. To improve students’ overall writing, teachers need to first recognize …

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 …

Letras 13

Letras

No abstract provided.

Exploring Literacy Coaches' Self-Efficacy To Identify Their Professional Development Needs, Adam Brieske-Ulenski, Michelle J. Kelley

The Reading Professor

The International Literacy Association highlighted three coaching models that a literacy coach might employ: coaching to conform, into practice, and for transformation. While numerous researchers have explored the roles and tasks of literacy coaching, there is little research on these coaching models. Studies have described the disconnect between what a coach should be doing and what they are actually doing, and the perceptions of administrators related to coaching roles and tasks. While these studies have illuminated issues in literacy coaching, few have looked at the self-efficacy of literacy coaches to enact roles and tasks, and we believe none have explored …

Building Resilience Skills Using Children's Literature, Shannon Tovey

The Reading Professor

Nearly half of U.S. children have faced at least one social or family-related trauma. These Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have the potential for affecting physical and mental health, along with learning, and the effects often can be long-term and pervasive. The risks of these effects occurring, however, can be mitigated through the promotion of resilience strategies by parents, the broader community, and the children themselves. Teachers can help by teaching these strategies using children's literature. In personalizing these abstract principles, in showing rather than telling, and through the empathy that we develop for the story characters and others like them, …

Reading Aloud With An Octogenarian: Journeys Into A Liminal Space Created By Shared-Reading During The 2020 Pandemic, Beverley Brenna

The Reading Professor

This qualitative retrospective self-study, framed by reflexive inquiriy, explores the context of telephone shared-reading during the worldwide pandemic of 2020. Findings extend into benefits for the researcher related to relationship-building and self-reflection within the liminal space of the shared-reading context.

Reconsidering The Reading Motivation Of Adolescent Latinx Multilingual Learners, Robert A. Griffin, Lama K. Farran

The Reading Professor

In this article, the authors reconsider traditional concepts of reading motivation to arrive at practical teaching approaches to enhance the reading motivation, engagement, and achievement of adolescent Latinx multilingual leanrers in both traditonal and online learning environments. Focusing on the bioecological Process-Person-Context-Time Model and Expectancy-Value Theory, specific factors that influence the reading motivation of Latinx multilingual learners are discussed along with practical instructional strategies for both traditional and online/virtual classrooms. They also highlight the utility of a strengths-based pedagogy vis-a-vis the growing inequities that surround Latinx multilingual leaners. The paper concludes by offering recommendations for reading motivation practice.

Guidelines For Authors

The Reading Professor

No abstract provided.

About The Cover

The Reading Professor

No abstract provided.

Trp Staff, Editorial Board, Table Of Contents

The Reading Professor

No abstract provided.

Cover, Trp, Summer/Fall 2021, Volume 44, Issue 1

The Reading Professor

No abstract provided.

Ñe Juon Enaaj Jeḷā Kōkḷaḷ Eban Peḷọk: Teaching Marshallese Immigrants, Riley Post

Honors Projects

Under the Compact of the Free Association (1983) treaties, Marshallese immigrants are free to live and work indefinitely without visas; however, American schools and educators have not been equipped with data and resources that can be used to address the cultural and linguistic diversity of their new neighbors. Therefore, the research question considers which resources and practices can help Marshallese immigrants succeed academically within the American education system. The findings, supplemented by the perspectives of local Marshall Islanders, suggest that educators need increased awareness of important cultural differences and further develop their cultural competency. Language teachers in particular may also …

"You Taught Me Language:" Using Shakespeare To Teach English To Speakers Of Other Languages, Sarah Blake

Honors Projects

This thesis explores how to use Shakespeare effectively in English language education. By considering cultural backgrounds and different translations, ESOL educators can assess what areas students need more guidance in, and how Shakespearean texts can help scaffold those areas. These texts can be used to teach grammar and mechanics as well as literary devices. The most effective teaching methods are also explored: examples of appropriate visuals, classroom activities, and discussion topics are given.