Language and Literacy Education Commons^™

Little Aussie Bugs: Piloting Health Literacy Educational Resources At Early Childhood Education And Care, Ruth Wallace, Amelia Ruscoe, Leesa Costello, Gillian Kirk, Ros Sambell, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Building health literacy in early childhood is essential for lifelong health and underpins children's learning and developmental trajectories. This study assessed the efficacy of the Little Aussie Bugs books, designed to enhance health literacy in Australian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centres. The books, featuring inclusive characters and key health literacy catchphrases, were distributed to >1200 early learning settings Australia-wide. Exploratory research design used online surveys (n = 110) and in-depth interviews with ECEC teacher participants (n = 8) to determine the compatibility of the books with ECEC contexts and practices to facilitate the delivery of health literacy education. …

Narratives Of Latina Teacher Candidates On Subtractive Schooling Experiences And Their Language Identity, Joao Goebel

Dissertations

The subtractive nature of bilingual education in the United States has long impacted the language identities of Latinx students. Despite being raised in multilingual environments, many are schooled in systems that devalue their home languages and prioritize English-only instruction. This study explored how these dynamics influenced Latina teacher candidates’ perceptions of their own bilingualism and professional identities. The purpose of the study was to examine how Latina teacher candidates understood and constructed their language identities in the context of their K–12 and higher education experiences. The study used narrative research centered on four Latina teacher candidates enrolled in an undergraduate …

The Frequency, Type, And Function Of Visual Displays In Upper Elementary Standardized Science Tests, Daibao Guo, Katherine Landau Wright, Lianne Josbacher, Eun Hye Son

Boise State University Publications and Presentations

Limited research has explored the use of visual displays (ViDis) in science tests, making it challenging to know how these tests align with classroom instruction and what skills students need to be successful on these tests. Therefore, the current study aims to describe the use of ViDis in upper elementary grade standardized science tests. We quantified the frequency, types, and functions of ViDis in science tests in 23 states and Washington, DC. Findings show that in the 741 test items examined, 74.5% included ViDis. Tables, diagrams, and images are the most common ViDis. Importantly, 42.1% of the ViDis in the …

Sociology: Culture, Marcia Morrison

Open Educational Resources

This work examine culture. It begins by examining the foundations of culture to include norms, values, language, symbols and knowledge. In looking at each, it breaks down the implication of each to the development of ourselves as well as the person in the environment. It moves on to look at contexts of culture such as dominant cultures juxtapose to competing cultural systems, and how the various elements of culture can serve to either promote or minimize the various cultural constructs within society.

Marveling At The Art Of Language: Centering Adolescents In Developing Disciplinary Literacy For Ela, Christina M. Ponzio

Michigan Reading Journal

This article explores how we invite adolescents to be insiders in the discipline of ELA by inquiring together into the art of language. I begin with a brief overview of the varied perspectives, research and frameworks about the importance of apprenticing students’ into disciplinary literacy in ELA. Next, I share examples of authentic contexts, purposes, and audiences for inquiring into the art of language with adolescents across a school year and zoom into one unit through the lens of Moje’s (2015) 5E framework for designing inquiries that foster the development of students’ disciplinary literacy. I conclude with a “before and …

From Theory To Practice: How Job-Embedded Professional Learning Labs Support Implementation And Application, Megan Kortlandt, Samantha Keesling, Asha Williams, Jay Haffner

Michigan Reading Journal

Educators in any role know that supporting application of new learning is critical. Classroom teachers ground their instruction in the gradual release of responsibility, problem-based learning, and other frameworks that support students in taking on new learning themselves. Similarly, it’s long been understood that, in order for professional learning to be effective for adults, it must support educators in transferring new learning to practice (Darling-Hammond et al, 2017). Yet most professional learning frameworks still involve large groups that often take place in settings removed from the students and settings where educators apply the learning. Though they may ask participants to …

The Dangers Of Teacher Deficit Thinking And Language: Practices To Disrupt The “They’Re So Low” Literacy Paradigm, Heather Rottermond, Bridget Regan

Michigan Reading Journal

Teacher deficit thinking, a deeply ingrained paradigm in education, attributes students' academic challenges to their backgrounds, families, and cultures rather than examining systemic inequities. This mindset fosters low expectations, reinforces stereotypes, and limits student success. Research indicates that deficit-oriented teachers believe students must be "fixed" to achieve academic success, perpetuating harmful educational practices. Furthermore, data-driven decision-making, particularly in high-stakes testing environments, can exacerbate deficit thinking by framing students in terms of their weaknesses rather than strengths. Studies reveal that teachers often use labels such as "low" or "deficient," reinforcing biased instructional decisions that fail to leverage students' existing knowledge and …

Using Picturebooks To Promote Student Inquiry, Inferential Thinking, And Reading Comprehension In A 9th Grade Ela Classroom, William P. Bintz

Michigan Reading Journal

This article reports findings from a classroom-based, action research project that used one award-winning picturebook to promote student inquiry, inferential thinking, and reading comprehension in a 9^th grade English/Language Arts classroom. It begins by describing a read-aloud experience that sparked my interest in developing and implementing an action research project, followed by an overview of action research as a research methodology. Next, it shares samples of work that resulted from students using three interrelated, instructional strategies with the picturebook to promote inquiry, inferential thinking, and reading comprehension. Then, it discusses major findings and implications and ends with concluding thoughts.

Recentering Family-Teacher Partnerships Through The Lens Of Unconditional Positive Regard, Lindsay Stoetzel, Jennifer Vanderground, Karen Abraham

Michigan Reading Journal

This paper examines the complexities of building family-teacher partnerships in the literacy classroom. While research continues to support the need for family engagement in literacy learning, a number of contextual factors pose barriers to building such relationships, negatively impacting children, families, and teachers alike. While organizational approaches are needed to fully address this long-standing issue, we offer the lens of unconditional positive regard as an approach individual teachers might adopt in their own work. Unconditional positive regard supports educators to partner with families by focusing on emotional regulation, acknowledging agency over ideologies, and prioritizing shared goal setting. Recommendations illustrate how …

Reclaiming Data: A Participatory Action Research Study To Empower Educators, Diana Hammond

Dissertations

Abstract

Currently, the day-to-day data collection and analysis work of teachers is often only deemed valuable if it is easily observed and quantitatively recorded. Teachers are asked to produce results with an incomplete set of tools and are then personally blamed — instead of blame being placed on the structural system — when the desired results don’t manifest. This participatory action research (PAR) study challenged the status quo by asking: What if teachers were empowered to expand their definition of data to include the rich, qualitative data at their fingertips, and what if teachers’ experience and intuition were valued instead …

A Review Of Technology-Based Literacy Intervention: The Role Of Teachers, Lama Bergstrand Othman

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Research has established that the proper use of technology in the classroom can promote and improve students’ skill levels and knowledge base. Also, certain factors either enhance or impede the successful integration of technology in students’ learning environments. Examples of these are efficiency of use, subject area, and teacher knowledge of and experience with teaching the subject. The article is an umbrella review of meta-analyses on literacy intervention programs, specifically analyzing the effectiveness reports from the Institute of Educational Sciences’ What Works Clearinghouse during the past 10 years. I examined the nature of these intervention programs and classified them according …

Parent’S Health Literacy And Stress Level In The Inpatient Pediatric Setting, Tina C. Smith

Dissertations

Purpose: This study examined the relationship between parent health literacy and stress levels during their child’s inpatient hospitalization.

Background: In 2019, over five million pediatric hospitalizations occurred in the United States. Parents are central to their child’s care, but stress and sociodemographic factors may hinder their ability to understand and apply health information. This study explored how stress and other variables impact parent health literacy during hospitalization.

Methods: A cross-sectional design included a demographic survey, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Newest Vital Sign (NVS). Bivariate analyses (Chi-square, t-tests) and logistic regression were used to assess …

Creating A Dynamic Online Teaching Environment: A Review Of Engaging Online Language Learners: A Practical Guide (2022), Aaron David Mermelstein

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

Review of Pawan, F., Daley, S. L., Kou, X., & Bonk, C. J. (2022). Engaging Online Language Learners: A Practical Guide. TESOL Press.

Challenging Dominant Mindset Ideologies: Transforming Teaching And Learning That Impact Latinx Students, Francisco Lopez

Dissertations

Teacher identity poses a central connection to social justice education as researchers call for studies to pay attention to the cultural identities of those teaching in our schools when practices like color blindness are a common practice amongst teachers that keeps racial and social power intact. Despite the overwhelming presence of White teachers nationwide, we must pay attention to the specific needs of Teachers of Color in our classrooms. The assumption is often made that teachers of Color already have the knowledge on how to enact culturally responsive pedagogy. This study investigates the relationship between Critical Race Theory (CRT) and …

Understanding And Engaging In Equity Work: A Phenomenological Action Research Study Of Community College Esol Instructors, Emily E. Packer

Dissertations

Community colleges (CCs) are regarded as accessible and affordable pathways to higher education and financial mobility, offering significant potential to promote educational equity (Fink et al., 2023). These institutions enroll the largest number of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students in adult education; however, CC ESOL students face lower rates of degree completion and transfer compared to their non-ESOL peers (David & Kanno, 2021; Fink et al., 2023; Raufman et al., 2019). While research has examined factors contributing to low CC ESOL student persistence and interventions to improve overall CC student outcomes, research on specific efforts to support …

Maybe It Really Is Those Damn Phones, Sarah F. Garvin

Honors Projects

Technology is an integral part of modern life and has extended into elementary classrooms where one-to-one device programs have become the norm. While technology can increase accessibility to education, its widespread integration in learning environments raises concerns about its long-term impact on students and teachers. This research critically examines gamified learning applications and technology use in elementary education, questioning whether they enhance learning, curiosity, and problem-solving skills. A qualitative methods approach was employed, using surveys and interviews conducted with educators in Seattle Public Schools to assess the effects of technology-driven instruction. The resulting data were analyzed through thematic analysis to …

Building Early Phonemic Awareness, Tessa K. Sutfin

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

Alphabet knowledge and phonemic awareness skills are strong predictors of later reading ability (Stanley and Finch, 2018). Therefore, phonemic awareness and letter-sound relationships are skills that Kindergarteners have a limited amount of time to master. As a result, educators must think critically about the strategies and forms of assessment implemented to ensure they are setting young readers up for lifelong success in reading. The purpose of my study was to determine if explicit instruction in phonemic awareness and letter-sound correspondence would increase student ability to isolate, segment, blend, and decode grade-level text. Strategies included kinesthetic movements of the hands and …

Teaching Engaging Grammar Instruction In The High School English Classroom, Emily A. Erlbacher

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

Grammar is a fundamental component in the content area of English Language Arts. Having a strong foundation in grammar is a critical stepping stone to writing clearly and communicating with success. Despite its importance, grammar is historically not the most engaging topic for high school students. My study, consisting of a seven week action plan involving the ninth graders in an English Language Arts classroom, sought to recognize this disengagement and work to combat it in order to improve students’ writing capabilities. More specifically, the purpose of my action research was to evaluate different grammar instructional strategies recommended in existing …

Where Digital Accessibility Meets Universal Design: Transforming Classrooms For Multilingual Learners With Disabilities, Vitaliy Shyyan, Laurene Christensen, Swati V. Chauhan

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Multilingual learners with disabilities comprise an important population of diverse students that need to be empowered with accessible instructional and assessment materials on their pathways to college, career, and community readiness. These students require integrated supports for both language- and disability-related needs. Conventional approaches to accessibility often fall short in addressing the diverse linguistic, cognitive, and cultural needs of multilingual learners with disabilities. This article examines the intersection of digital accessibility and principles of universal design to create more inclusive and equitable educational environments for these students. Universal design provides a flexible framework that accommodates diverse learning needs by offering …

Write The Way: A Healing-Centered Model For Moving Toward Liberatory And Transformative Experience, Ioanna P. Opidee

Educational Studies Dissertations

Writing can be a source of affirmation, empowerment, liberation, healing, and joy, but it can also be a source of dread, oppression, and identity-based harm, particularly for people who have been marginalized or minoritized. Write the Way is a theoretical model for writing and pedagogy, intended to help writers and teachers of writing clear out and tread safely along various pathways toward healing ourselves and our relationships—with writing, with others, and with ourselves—as we move together in the direction of a healing world. The purpose of this study was to identify the ways in which the Write the Way model …

Notetaking Reimagined: The Impact Of Combining Text And Visuals For Effective Learning, Sarah J. Mussetter

Art 895 Research Papers

This Mixed-Methods Narrative Case Study examines previous research on the effects of visual/ illustrative notes and their effect on knowledge coding, retention, and retrieval processes. It adds to current research in the form of a case study of a high school advanced photography course in Livingston, MT and the effect that adding visuals to notetaking practices affects student performance and memory throughout the semester. This study also proposes a method of introduction to visual notetaking that can be implemented in classrooms regardless of subject matter.

The Role Of School Leadership In Promoting And Supporting Cultural Diversity And Inclusion In The Classroom: A Grounded Theory Approach, Matuor Dot Alier

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This study addresses the pressing issue of how school leadership influences the promotion and support of cultural diversity and inclusion within classrooms. Despite growing demographic diversity in educational settings, many schools fail to adequately prioritize cultural inclusion, leading to inequities in educational opportunities, social isolation, and discrimination for students from diverse backgrounds. School leaders are uniquely positioned to create inclusive environments, yet there remains limited research on how they implement and sustain effective diversity practices. This qualitative study explores the experiences and strategies of school leaders who have successfully fostered inclusive educational environments. Grounded in a constructivist paradigm and employing …

Teachers’ Beliefs About Asl And Its Impact In The Classroom, Cecilia Echevarria

Honors Scholar Theses

This study explores American Sign Language (ASL) teachers’ beliefs and experiences, and how they influence their instructional approaches and goals for their students. Despite ASL’s growing presence in education as a world language, minimal research has examined ASL teachers’ perspectives and how they shape classroom practices. Through semi-structured interviews, six ASL teachers – three Deaf and three hearing – this research identified four major themes: challenges teachers face in the classroom, cultural takeaways, best teaching practices, and persistent systemic issues affecting ASL’s status in education. Findings suggest that regardless of hearing status, teachers prioritize cultural awareness and respectful engagement with …

Seeing The Bigger Picture: A Comparative Approach To English Language Learner Policy And Practice In Mississippi, Anne Haughton

Honors Theses

As the number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in Mississippi’s public schools continues to rise, the state’s current systems of support have been lagging. This thesis examines how English Language Learners (ELLs) are supported in three states with distinct policies and programs: California, Texas, and Arizona. Then, these approaches are compared to the current situation in Mississippi. Using public education policies, state department guidelines, and existing research on instructional models, the study highlights key differences in program options, teacher preparation, and graduation outcomes in each state. The findings show that while states like California and Texas have invested in bilingualism …

Readers Aboard! What Happens When Middle Schoolers Try Reading On Their Own?, Katy E. Wall

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

This research examines a reading instruction model that combined reader’s workshop and literature circles. The study aimed to determine whether a combined instructional model, here labeled as reader’s circle, would be effective and what student perceptions toward this model would be. Research was conducted within an eighth-grade Reading and Language Arts classroom for three weeks, throughout which the combined instructional model was implemented. This study analyzed pre- and post-intervention test results alongside post-intervention surveys, classroom observations, and individual interviews. Findings included themes of reading preferences, reading independently, and new “peer-spectives.” Some students displayed pre-existing preferences for or against reading, but …

Getting Back To The Root Of Kindergarten: Using Literacy-Based Materials To Enhance Play Centers, Lauren E. Mcmahon

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

This mixed methods action research study aimed to determine what kindergarten students do when literacy-based materials are integrated into pre-existing play centers. Additionally, the researchers wanted to discover student and teacher perceptions of literacy-based materials used to enhance play in the classroom. To do this, a pre- and post-survey was given to student participants and field notes were taken daily during center time. A pre- and post-focus group was facilitated with student participants, and a pre- and post-interview was facilitated with the teacher participant. The data collected over four weeks was analyzed using the constant comparative method. Researchers found that …

Back Matter, Harry Denny

The Writing Center Journal

Back Matter for Writing Center Journal 43.1.

The Impact Of Focused Specific Phonemic Awareness Instruction On English Language Learners In The Kindergarten Classroom, Bethany Brewer

Dissertations

This study is about the impact of focused phonemic awareness instruction on English language learners in a Kindergarten classroom. The gaps in early literacy skills for students entering Kindergarten can create long-lasting deficits for students (NAEP, 2022). The purpose of this study is to determine if the engagement and performance of ELL students changes during whole group phonemic awareness and phonics instruction when taught specific skills in small group. The study took place in a Kindergarten classroom with students who have been identified as English Language Learners through ACCESS testing. This qualitative study used interviews with teachers to determine the …

Birds Of A Feather: An Integrated Outdoor-Based Bird Study P-3 Curriculum Guide, Erin A. Buzza

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

In a post-pandemic world that places technology at the at the forefront, educators are searching for ways to help students connect with the natural world. This project aids teachers in tackling this challenge by using the study of birds as a motivation to engage students with the outdoors and local wildlife. To demonstrate how ornithology topics can be used as an integrated thematic unit, research regarding components of ecological literacy is presented. They include nature-based learning, outdoor learning, environmental education, and wildlife education. In addition to these pedagogies, the benefits of incorporating interdisciplinary learning within the classroom are also provided …

The Multilingual Book Club Model: Engaging Multilingual Learners In Bilingual (Spanish-English) Graphic Novel Book Clubs To Acquire Language And Vocabulary, Maureen L. Flanagan

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

This project explores the importance of using translanguaging to support multilingual learners in predominantly English speaking classrooms. The main intent is to provide an engaging curriculum that provides culturally responsive material for multilingual students whose home language is Spanish. The project explores seminal research in second language acquisition and the importance of vocabulary instruction. It also acknowledges the importance of the Book Club Model