Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Heritage Language Maintenance: Research Review And Reflection Of One Family Case, Josiah Chan

ECTESOL Review

Heritage Language maintenance provides learner tangible benefits in academic achievement, language acquisition, and career opportunity. Intangibly, it enhances the learner’s self-esteem and cultural identity. The case here reflects the Mandarin Chinese learning experience of three children who were born in the United States of a migrant family from Hong Kong where the Cantonese Chinese dialect language is more predominant. The learning effort was complicated by the parents’ native Cantonese Chinese dialect. The parents and children strived to balance the learning dynamics between Mandarin and Cantonese. The results of the study indicate that successful heritage language maintenance can be achieved with …

Syntactic Accidents In The Spontaneous Speech Of English And Armenian Speakers, Karen Velyan

ECTESOL Review

Fragmented syntax or a break of the flow of surface syntax is well known to be an indispensable part of spontaneous spoken language. Interruptions in the flow of speech may be triggered by pragmatic reasons, changes in syntactic planning and performance errors, which results in syntactic fragments. Syntactic accidents may take different forms in the actual flow of speech. This study presents a cross-linguistic comparative analysis of the cases of syntax in the speech of low socioeconomic status speakers of English and Armenian. Based on data from informal interviews with native speakers, the analysis presents a variety of syntactic accidents, …

The Reflective Approach To Teaching Culture Within The Efl Classroom, Lucia Schiopu

ECTESOL Review

This article examines the reflective approach in the teaching of culture in the EFL classroom, which is not just a mere gathering of information, but is the creation and construction of discourses that break or maintain cultural stereotypes. This is also an approach where meaning is constructed that is shaped by the quality and depth of cultural sensitivity and awareness. Teaching and learning a culture reflectively does not necessarily mean that the learner is taught to behave in accordance with specific social norms but to introduce an acceptable and appropriate conduct for the use of language in terms of intelligibility, …

Teaming For Transition: Interprofessional Collaboration, Megan Sturdivant, Emily Thompson, Sam Skelton, Rebecca Mallory

2020 Honors Symposium

The transition from youth to young adult for individuals with severe disabilities is difficult, provides few opportunities for employment, and offers less of a chance to connect with friends and engage with people. This research presents ways that speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, school counselors, and special educators can collaborate to create a successful transition process for individuals with severe disabilities.

From The Editor, Laureen Fregeau

ECTESOL Review

No abstract provided.

Prism Intro Student's Book With Online Workbook Listening And Speaking, And Reading And Writing, Robert Leier, Laureen Fregeau

ECTESOL Review

Prism Intro books use American English along with international and American topics to teach reading, writing, listening and speaking in English. Videos and American college life sections keep student interest.

Student-Directed Esol Family Literacy Program Design, Laureen Fregeau, Robert D. Leier

ECTESOL Review

ESOL Family Literacy programs for Hispanic immigrants have proliferated over past decades to serve the increasing population of ELs needing services. Several factors can disrupt or prevent participation in ESOL Family Literacy programs designed to enhance the academic success of Latin American adult and child immigrants. This qualitative case study set in the Deep South examined a student-directed design process to gain understanding of what would constitute an ideal program for the participating ELs, their families and their community. Emergent categories identified areas of design importance including site locations, time and frequency of class scheduling, curricular design, instructional materials, instructor …

The Benefits Of Implementing Cognitively-Demanding And Context-Embedded Language Translation In The El Classroom, Timothy Rodriquez

ECTESOL Review

The role of the first language in English Learner (EL) programs has been a historically controversial one. In addition, how the first language should be used is not without controversy. This article examines the role of translation in the EL classroom and how teachers should employ it. One approach, concurrent translation, may be considered to be cognitively-undemanding and context-reduced. The author argues that purposeful translation should be cognitively-demanding and context-embedded.

Poverty, According To Gorski, Kristyna M. Rudio

The Montana English Journal

In this poem, "Poverty, According to Gorski", the main points of Paul Gorski's book Reaching and Teaching Students in Poverty: Strategies for Erasing the Opportunity Gap (Second Edition) are outlined. The poem discusses and summarizes topics heavily researched by Gorski such as meritocracy, equality, equity, equity literacy, ideologies, and strategies to help classroom teachers, administrators, and leaders in literacy help to break down barriers for students and families experiencing poverty.

How Parents, Teachers, Psychologists, And Educational Environments Influence Developmental Transitions Of Preadolescent Twice-Exceptional Students, Karen B. Arnstein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this collective case study was to examine the perceived developmental transitions of preadolescent, twice-exceptional students to understand both the supports and barriers from the perspective of parents, teachers, and psychologists. The case for this study, located in a western U.S. state, was a private school educating twice-exceptional students. The research questions guiding the study included the following: How do parents perceive growth in both academic and psychosocial development? How do educators perceive growth in both academic and psychosocial development? What are the supports that promote successful developmental transitions? What are the barriers that inhibit successful developmental transitions? …

Living The Dream: Building Self-Determination To Improve Postsecondary Outcomes, Pete Gladstone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite recent federal legislation outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) reauthorization of 2004 that mandates effective postsecondary transition planning for all students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), students with intellectual disability (ID) continue to experience inequitable postsecondary outcomes, particularly in the areas of postsecondary education (PSE), employment, and independent living (Lipscomb et al., 2017). It has been established that one effective method for improving those outcomes is to develop students’ self-determination abilities, and there is near unanimous agreement within the education community that doing so should be a primary objective during the transition process (Izzo & Lamb, …

A Guide To Navigating Cpse: From Beginning To Kindergarten, Katherine Salinas

Graduate Student Independent Studies

In this guide parents will find a step by step walkthrough of what is to follow after meeting with a teacher to discuss the Early Inventory Screening (ESI-R).

Qualitative Case Review Of A Male With Down Syndrome, Mary Josephine Hoyer

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition in the United States. In the United States, about one of every 700 babies is diagnosed with Down syndrome. The purpose of this study was to assess pre-existing data on a 13-year-old male with a diagnosis of Down syndrome to contribute to research on this chromosomal abnormality. The individual received speech and language related services at Western Kentucky University beginning in 2007. Through analysis of previously collected data, the researcher created a qualitative case review that identified the progress of an individual with Down syndrome and emphasized what attributed to his progress. …

Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Predictors For Improving Post School Outcomes For Students With Disabilities, Ann Marie Wilkinson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Students with disabilities are faced with overwhelming challenges as they transition from high school to postsecondary education, careers, and independent living. Legislation has mandated that schools provide services for students with disabilities to prepare them for these transitions into adult life (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004). To assist schools in providing more meaningful services, the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) identified and defined 20 predictors for post-school success (Test, Mazzotti et al., 2009, Test & Cook, 2012, Rowe et al., 2015, & Mazzotti et al., 2016). This study examined the perceptions of high school special education teachers …

Bridging The Music Education Gap: Designing A Curriculum For Students With Autism To Be Taught By Pre-Service Teachers, Josie Schultz

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This paper contains 20 music lessons written and designed for the elementary students enrolled in the Kelly Autism Program at Western Kentucky University. The Kelly Autism Program serves local students diagnosed with autism and offering educational support and after school services. The program in previous years had music classes however, because the staff had no formal training in music, these lessons were forgotten about when staff members resigned, and new staff were hired. These lessons were also limited in content, the lessons in this thesis have been designed to be taught by teachers with little musical training. Each lesson has …

Sparking Reading Engagement Through Tablets: An Early Intervention Reading Program And Parent Workshop For Tablets At Home, Rochelle Tkach, Tiffany L. Gallagher

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Research on this intervention program aimed to address whether digital technology (i.e., apps on tablets) contributes to struggling early readers’ (4–6 years old) on-task behavior and level of engagement while learning prerequisite emergent literacy skills (e.g., phonemic awareness, phonics, word recognition and decoding). The research also investigated whether parents/guardians of these students garner new knowledge about the potential of using multimodal applications to support their children’s literacy learning. Students struggling with early literacy worked one on one with a tutor alternating between activities on and off the tablet. Data were collected from two iterations of this program in the winter …

Understanding Gender Differences In Autism Spectrum Disorder To Better Identify Females With Asd, Betsy M. Galles

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Males are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) compared to females at a ratio of 4:1. When isolating for higher intellectual ability, the ratio increases to 10:1. Gender differences exist in restricted, repetitive behaviors and social interaction. Gender differences vary based on age, race, ethnicity, cognitive level, and socio-economic circumstances, assessment procedures, diagnostic tools, evaluator experience, and bias. Diagnostic test elements have been found to be biased toward males. With new knowledge based on the female presentation of ASD symptoms and behaviors, efforts must be made to update evaluation tools, properly train clinicians, and assess using instruments that accurately diagnose …

Testing For All: An Exploration Of Disproportionality In The Georgia Alternate Assessments, Kelly D. Childers, Meagan Arrastia-Chisholm, Katharine S. Adams, Heather M. Kelley Ph.D.

Georgia Educational Researcher

Public schools use standardized testing to measure students’ academic achievement at the conclusion of each school year. Students with severe cognitive disabilities are evaluated through the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA). The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe the demographic characteristics of students who took the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) and students who took the Georgia Milestones End of Grade Assessment (EOG) in English/Language Arts using publicly available data from the 2014-2015 academic year. Additionally, the study investigated disproportionality of certain student groups who took the GAA and EOG in English/Language Arts. A series of chi-square analyses resulted in …

Implementing Evidence-Based Practices Within Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support To Promote Inclusive Secondary Classroom Settings, Michael Mahoney Ph.D.

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Research suggests that evidence-based practices (EBPs) implemented in secondary school settings will support the academic achievement of students with specific learning needs (Scruggs, Mastropieri, Berkeley, & Graetz, 2010). In order to effectively promote the use of EBPs in general education classroom settings, secondary schools are currently adopting multi- tiered systems of supports (MTSS) such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and Response to Intervention models (Fuchs & Fuchs, 2006; Sugai & Horner, 2006). However, secondary teachers’ may have limited knowledge of EBPs and adequate training in the implementation of EBPs in general education classroom settings (Kutash, Duchnowski, & Lynn, 2009; …

The Impact Of An Inclusive Post-Secondary Course On Pre-Service Teachers, Andrew R. Scheef Ph.D., Bishal Thapa, Ellie Lerum, Marcus I. Poppen

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Opportunities for inclusive postsecondary education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities are becoming increasingly common at institutions of higher education in the United States. Although inclusive postsecondary opportunities benefit the entire campus, this may be especially true for students enrolled in teacher education programs. This research used qualitative methods to better understand how participation in an inclusive postsecondary course impacts pre-service teachers. Four primary themes emerged from the data, including (a) Self-Efficacy in Teaching, (b) Comfort with People with Disabilities, (c) Inclusion, and (d) Acceptance. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Pre-Service Teacher Implementation Of Strategy Instruction: Effects On The Comprehension Of Middle School Students, Brennan Chandler, Jessica Hagaman

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Recent legislation related to dyslexia has increased the focus on how reading is being taught in schools and how teachers are prepared to teach reading at the pre-service level. One promising teaching approach to supporting students with reading difficulties is the self- regulated strategy development (SRSD) model. However, there is limited research regarding whether the model can be implemented by pre-service teachers while still remaining effective. This study investigated the effects and fidelity of implementation of pre-service teacher implemented SRSD on the reading comprehension of middle school students identified as struggling in reading. A multiple baseline design across participants was …

The Inclusion Of Special Education Services In Seventh-Day Adventist Schools In New York City, Marlene Morris-Lambert

Dissertations

Problem

Over the past fifty years, there has been an increase in the number of students with special needs in the U.S., from 1.8% of students in 1977 to 5.7% of students in 2006 and 13.0% of students in 2015. Federal legislation such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act support equal education for this growing population of students, and special-needs educators have responded by implementing full-inclusion strategies. Public schools continue to make advances in implementing inclusion practices since they are legally bound to do so. The Seventh-day Adventist community is one of …

Progressive Time Delay To Teach High School Students With Intellectual Disability To Initiate Manding Siri® For Unknown Information, Madelyn N. Calzi

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

A multiple probe design across participants with intermittent generalization probes was used to evaluate (a) the effectiveness of progressive time delay to teach four high school students with intellectual disability to initiate using Siri® when asked an unknown question and (b) the generalized use of Siri® when asked questions from untrained communicative partners. Technology training occurred prior to baseline to teach all participants to use Siri®. Secondary data were collected on Siri’s® response and student engagement with the answer. Due to the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic and school closures, only one participant entered intervention and the study was unable to be …

Effects Of An Anchored Career-Focused Curriculum On The Knowledge And Attitudes Of At-Risk High School Students, Megan E. Jones

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Students with disabilities (SWD) face an unfavorable employment future because many drop out of school at a disproportionate rate. The employment outlook for SWD who graduate from high school is also a concern because current studies show that only about half of them find jobs. In addition, most jobs they do find are entry level and low paying. One predictor of post-secondary success is career awareness. The purpose of this study was first to develop a curriculum especially designed for teaching career awareness of SWD and then to test its effects with a pretest-posttest randomized trial. Results indicated that the …

Incorporating Environmental Arrangement Strategies Into Classroom Activities, Brandy M. Denton

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Individuals with extensive support needs, including those who have autism spectrum disorder and are classified as level 3 in the area of social communication, are more likely than same-age peers to display delays in age-appropriate social communication and engagement in activities. To address these issues, special education teachers, in collaboration with related-service providers, should create social communication and engagement objectives. Once objectives are identified, teachers can plan for and implement environmental arrangement (EA) strategies to promote these behaviors in a natural context. EA strategies are a long-standing approach to creating a communication-rich environment and can be used alone or paired …

Alternative Thesis Project For Spring 2020 Semester, Elaine Murner

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

During the Spring 2020 semester, students within the special education program were conducting applied thesis projects within typical contexts as part of their fulfillment of the requirements of a master’s degree program. Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), public schools and related facilities closed with no plans to reopen within the time frame to allow for graduation for students in the last semester of their graduate program. Students were allowed to complete an alternative thesis assignment in the form of responding to writing prompts followed by an oral defense of the written products, along with questions related to their …

An Examination Of The Current Status Of Paraprofessionals Through Their Lens: Role, Training, And Supervision, Erin Zobell M.A., Jiwon Hwang Ph.D.

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Revisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997 allowed for districts to hire teachers’ aides to assist in the educational process. These teachers’ aides, known as paraprofessionals or paraeducators, have increased in number since 1997 and now play an important role in helping students with disabilities. The purpose of the current study is to diagnose the current situation of paraprofessionals in special education within the four key aspects of appropriate role, inappropriate role, training, and supervision. A total of 47 paraprofessionals participated in the survey. Using the paraprofessionals’ perspectives on what the challenges and demanding areas were, …

Validity Of A Special Education Teacher Observation System, Evelyn S. Johnson, Angela Crawford, Laura A. Moylan, Yuzhu Zheng

Early and Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This manuscript describes the comprehensive validation work undertaken to develop the Recognizing Effective Special Education Teachers (RESET) observation system, which was designed to provide evaluations of special education teachers’ ability to effectively implement evidence-based practices and to provide specific, actionable feedback to teachers on how to improve instruction. Following the guidance for developing effective educator evaluation systems, we employed the Evidence-Centered Design framework, articulated the claims and inferences to be made with RESET, and conducted a series of studies to collect evidence to evaluate its validity. Our efforts and results to date are described, and implications for practice and further …

Individualizing Instruction Using Work Systems And Other Assistive Technology For Students With Significant Developmental Disabilities, Maria Leeann Goff

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with significant developmental disabilities demonstrate different strengths and needs than typically developing students. These students’ skills in the areas of academics, communication, fine and gross motor, daily living skills, adaptive/functional skills, etc. are significantly discrepant from their same-age non-disabled peers. Because of this, students with such high needs should not be expected to learn the same way as their peers. Instruction for students with significant disabilities must be individualized. Communication strategies, teaching techniques, and technology are critical for individualizing instruction for students with significant disabilities. The structured teaching approach provides students with the visual and concrete instruction they need …

The Relationship Between Co-Teaching Partnerships And Student Achievement, Tikki N. Middleton

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Due to legislative mandates schools are required to educate SWDs in the least restrictive environment alongside SWODs, which lead to the rise of co-teaching. However, enhancing the quality of co-teaching partnerships to impact student achievement poses a challenge for many school leaders due to the absence of quantitative data involving the impact of co-teaching on student achievement. The purpose of this study was to identify correlations among the qualities of co-teaching partnerships in grades six through eight as measured by The Colorado Assessment of Co-teaching (CO-ACT), and student growth percentiles from Spring 2019 Georgia Milestones Assessment (GMAS) data in middle …