Elementary Education and Teaching Commons^™

Exploring The Effect Of Literature Circles On Reading Comprehension And Motivation, Christina Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of literature circles on elementary school children. It was hypothesized that a third grade class that read independently through the use of the literature circle structure will show greater gains in reading comprehension and reading motivation than when the same third grade class does not experience the literature circle structure. The sample included a predetermined class of 24 third-grade students, which consists of 9 females and 15 males.

The non-treatment conditions consisted of small group guided reading lessons. The treatment conditions consisted of the implementation of literature circles. Student reading …

Reading Comprehension Evaluated Through Electronic Storybooks And Traditional Print Storybooks, Erika Lynn Crescenzo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether electronic text storybooks, when compared to printed storybooks, affect students' comprehension skills. Reading comprehension is a process by which the reader constructs meaning with the text. With electronic texts, the computer is able to control the number of words that are displayed to allow the student to read at their own pace. Dramatization along with special text features used in electronic storybooks presents the text in a way that differs from the traditional printed storybook. These changes grasp the readers' attention both visually and verbally. Eliminating the decoding of the text …

What Effect Might The No Child Left Behind Act Have On Administrators' And Teachers' Decisions To Promote Or Retain The Low Achieving Student In The Elementary Grades?, April M. Maska

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to determine how this Act impacts professional educators in their decisions regarding promotion or retention of the low achieving student. Regular Educators in the West Deptford School District were asked to participate to show whether NCLB impacts the professional educators within this district when deciding whether to promote or retain the low achieving student. A Likert survey was designed and'distributed to 51 professional educators within the district. Of the educators asked, 21 responded. The survey results were graphed and analyzed. The scores of the West Deptford School District participants were compared to a hypothetical school district of …

Computer Use In Preschool: Effects On Social Interactions, Teresa Hartner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the impact of computers on the social behavior of preschoolers, specifically, (a) to study the frequency and level of peer interactions in the computer center, (b) compare these to interactions when the computer center was not available, and (c) investigate gender differences in the computer center.

Fourteen preschool children of various ethnic backgrounds were videotaped or observed for 15 minutes a day for two three week periods. During the first three weeks the computer, housekeeping, block and art centers were observed. During the second three weeks the computer center was not used. …

The Effects Of A Word Study Spelling Program In A Differentiated Classroom, Lauren M. Cassano

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if implementing a word study spelling program in a differentiated classroom could improve students' long-term retention of spelling words. This study compared a word study program with a more traditional spelling approach. The findings of the experiment indicated that no significant difference existed between the two different methods of instruction.

After receiving parental permission, the study began in a third grade classroom with 20 students. A pretest/posttest design was used in two phases. Phase I of the study used a traditional spelling approach using basal words obtained from the Scholastic reading series. …

A Study Of The Academic Achievement Of Fifth Grade Bilingual Students In English-Only Classes, Karen Pritchard

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine whether or not the length of time spent in a bilingual program had any effect on the academic achievement of students when they were placed in English-only classes. Six fifth grade Hispanic students and three classroom teachers participated in the study. Brief classroom observations were conducted. Testing results were collected for three different tests along with report card grades. All data were recorded and interpreted by the researcher. Narrative explanations were provided along with tables for clarification. Results indicated that although the majority of the subjects received passing report card grades, …

The Effective Use Of Manipulatives And Color Coding In The Achievement And Application Of Music Reading Skills Of Third Grade Recorder Students, Kathy J. Gunsallus-Donachy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover the positive effect on sight-reading ability of 100 third grade recorder students reading music notation when color-coding was applied to notes and manipulatives were used in note value instruction.

The problem was to compare effects on the learning and application of music reading skills between color-coded notes and monochromatics when students sight-read music playing their recorders.

The classes were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The researcher, also the music teacher, taught each class once a week for 50 minutes. The treatment extended approximately 23 weeks. The experimental classes …

A Study Investigating The Comparative Effects Of An Audiation Pause In Tonal Pattern Training On Fourth And Fifth Grade Children, Melodey A. Kleva-Forchic

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine variations of response time in tonal pattern training. The problem of the study is twofold. 1) To determine the comparative effect of fourth and fifth grade students who echoed tonal patterns immediately and students who echoed after a pause, and 2) to examine how the variations in response time in tonal pattern training effects the performance of high and low aptitude students.

The sample for this study consisted of approximately 140 fourth and fifth grade students who attended an elementary school located in a Southern New Jersey suburban community. The sample included …

The Relationship Between Home Music Environment, Including Both Parent And Sibling Responses, And Enrollment In An Elementary Instrumental Program, Jill Melamed

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the home musical environment on participation in the elementary instrumental program. The problem of the study was to compare the musical home environment of fourth and fifth grade students who are enrolled in an elementary instrumental program versus those who are not.

Surveys were sent home with all 195 children in the fourth and fifth grade at an elementary school in southern New Jersey. The first section of the survey, which used a Likert-type scale, was completed by a parent. The second section of the survey, which used semantic …

Parental Ability To Support Their Children's Education Of Mathematics, Jenny M. Honold

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which parents/guardians can adequately support the success of their children's innovative mathematics curriculum. The study raises questions about the skills and knowledge parents have about today's mathematical practices. Are parents informed enough to sufficiently support their children's mathematical achievement? A qualitative review will take place by collecting student perception surveys, parent perception surveys, parent interviews, and a teacher journal recording home-school communication. This study is concerned with how teachers at Webster Elementary School will better be able to foster an environment where the mathematics needs of parents and children …

Motivating Elementary School Students In Literacy: A Study On Discussion Groups, Beth A. Lawrence

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research proposal was literacy motivation for students in elementary school. The researcher hypothesized that students who took part in a discussion group, which is a motivational technique used in literacy, would perform better on a comprehension test and had a higher level of motivation to read than students who did not participate in discussion groups. The proposed method included taking a stratified random sample of 6 second grade students that participated in discussion groups daily for two weeks. All students were required to keep a reading log of the books that they read in school and …

Self-Regulated Strategy Development: A Cognitive Strategies Approach To Persuasive Writing, Amy I. Bennet

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not the application of Self- Regulated Strategy Development model of writing instruction will improve the writing of persuasive compositions in seven 4th grade students. Self-Regulated Strategy Development pairs mnemonics representing the parts of different genres of writing with self-talk statements used by the students to "think" through the writing process. The students in this study were introduced to these strategies through small group instruction that took place during the regular school day. Through conferencing with the students, and by comparing the compositions written before the SRSD instruction to compositions written …

Gesture: Nonverbal Communication Between Teachers And Students, Christina Roviello

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers convey nonverbal messages to their class using gestures, body language, tone and physical body placement. Research shows that nonverbal messages can be very powerful tools with students. Research has also shown that nonverbal gestures paired with verbal communication enhance comprehension. This study's purpose is to find evidence that using nonverbal gestures in the classroom improves teacher direction and class attention and understanding. Data analysis shows that particular students benefit from emblems gesture in the classroom setting. Conclusions and implications of this study suggest that nonverbal communication has an influence on the classroom environment; however, further investigation is required.

Looking At The Impact Of Parental Involvement On Student Learning, Carly H. Oliver

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study focuses on parental involvement in schools, in particular, the over involvement of some parents. Major themes covered include parent-teacher communication, appropriate involvement in and out of the classroom, and parental interference. Research was conducted by surveying two hundred fifty parents and sixty teachers in one elementary school in conjunction with follow-up interviews and the researcher's field notes. The response rates were low and respondents may share many characteristics, skewing the results. Questions on the surveys were categorized into themes to look for trends. The results find that some parents do interfere with the educational process and children …

Parent-Teacher Communication Methods: Which Ones Do Teachers Utilize, And Why?, Jennifer Ann Clipper

Theses and Dissertations

Studies have shown that parental involvement has positive effects on education. Further, parents are more likely to become involved if they are kept up-to-date with student progress; however, in order for parents to know this information, effective communication needs to be maintained. This study used a survey instrument with open-ended and closed-ended responses (Likert scale) as well as teacher interviews. The sample included fifty teachers in an upper elementary school in southern New Jersey. These respondents' answers helped to determine which methods of home-school communication are currently in use, which are perceived as most effective, and how much time is …

Examining Factors That Influence Elementary Teachers' Dress Habits, Jill K. Camburn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that impact the attire that elementary teachers choose to wear to work. This study was conducted in an upper elementary school (grades three through five) in a large K-12 public school district in Camden County, New Jersey. The participants were 44 elementary, special education, and special area teachers whose teaching experience varied. Participants completed surveys in which they used a Likert-type attitude scale to assign ratings to various possible factors. Data from the surveys was recorded in percentages and organized into groups according to years of experience. Interviews were also …

The Effect Of Different-Sex And Same-Sex Cooperative Learning Groups On Achievement, Jennifer L. Olshefski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of different-sex and same-sex cooperative learning groups on the achievement of fourth grade students. The subjects for this study are nineteen fourth grade students in a regular education classroom in a southern New Jersey elementary school. The students worked in cooperative learning groups during science period. The academic performance of the same-sex cooperative learning groups and the different-sex cooperative learning groups was assessed through student artifacts/work, anecdotal notes/observations, teacher research journal, and a student end-of-study questionnaire. A qualitative approach was used to analyze the data, which revealed that students in …

The Effect Of Graphic Organizers On The Academic Achievement Of Fourth Grade Students, Stephanie Kirschbaum

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that graphic organizers have on the academic achievement of fourth grade students. The sample was a fourth grade classroom in an elementary school in southern New Jersey. The researcher taught the students two different social studies chapters. The researcher collected data by giving the students two tests for each of the two chapters taught. There were a total of four tests given. These tests were similar in that they were the exact same difficulty level. However, in each chapter there was one test that was constructed using graphic organizers, and …

A Comparison Study Of The Stress Levels Between English Language Learner Students And Native English Language Speaking Students, Christine J. Desrochers

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to find whether students who are English Language Learners showed significantly higher stress levels than students who spoke English as their native language. A survey was administered to both groups to determine which group showed higher levels of stress. The total sample size was 24 students, with 12 students belonging in each respective group. An independent sample t-test was used to analyze the data. After analysis the study found that there was a significantly higher level of stress found in English Language Learners than there was in Native English Language Speaking students.

The Effectiveness Of Instruction In A Third Grade Classroom Utilizing The Theory Of Multiple Intelligence, Matthew W. Whitaker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of utilizing Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligence in a third grade classroom. An experimental group (n = 21) received the treatment teaching method over a two week period. A control group of students (n = 20) was instructed the same unit over the same two week period utilizing a traditional teaching method. Both groups were intact classes prior to the research beginning. A pretest and posttest were administered and a t-test for independent samples was employed to determine if there was a significant difference in achievement between …

Role Of The New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards In The 4th Grade Classrooms Of Salem County, Nj, J. Michael Mcqueston

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to examine the role that the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards are playing in the 4^th grade classrooms of Salem County, New Jersey. Through surveying the teachers of Salem County, the researcher was able to assign a level of comfort and usage of the NJCCCS for each school district and compare that level with student achievement on the 2003 NJASK assessment. Additionally the issues of clarity and parsimony of the standards, alignment to the assessment and professional development opportunities available to teachers were also studied. The hypothesis of the study was that …

Hands-On Manipulative Use In Science Instruction, Bianca Lee Domenico

Theses and Dissertations

This study tested the use of physical manipulatives during science instruction – in conjunction with the traditional, textbook-oriented approach – and determines whether manipulatives create more significant learning experiences than text generates alone. The subject sample consisted of 20 third-grade students from a suburban New Jersey elementary school classroom. All subjects functioned at least on a third-grade level in all subjects with the exception of three students, who participated in the Talented and Gifted Program. Subjects from the experimental group and the control group completed a science content pretest of thirteen open-ended cognition questions. Both groups completed assigned activities, and …

The Effects Of Grouping Fourth Grade Students Into Cooperative Learning Groups By Learning Patterns, Kelly A. Hamlet

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of fourth grade students working in cooperative learning groups. Students worked in three cooperative learning groups in order to determine whether grouping students heterogeneously into cooperative learning groups based on individual students' learning pattern would have a positive correlation with group and individual success. First students were grouped randomly and then homogeneously by learning pattern, and lastly heterogeneously by learning pattern. During each cooperative learning experience groups were expected to complete in-class group work. Students were then given a quiz and a test on the material covered during their cooperative …

The Effect Of Cooperative Learning And Traditional Instruction On The Spelling Performance Of Third Grade Students, Tracey Patella

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of cooperative learning and traditional instruction on the spelling test performance of twenty-six third grade students from a southern New Jersey school district. It was hypothesized that students who were taught using cooperative learning strategies during spelling instruction would score significantly higher on their weekly spelling post-tests than students who were taught using traditional spelling instruction.

A one group, pretest/posttest, pre-experimental design was utilized to determine whether students who are randomly grouped in cooperative learning pairs will have higher achievement levels in spelling than students who are taught using traditional …

The Effect Of Character Education On Student Behavior, Cindy Patella

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if character education addressed directly through lesson plans would have an effect on behavior of students when they are not under supervision of the classroom teacher. The researcher observed the students' social interactions in the experimental group and the control group in various settings in a pre and post observation period. Behavior was recorded on a behavior chart listing both positive and negative behaviors. There were 19 students in the experimental group and 22 students in the control group. The study found a slight positive change in behavior for those students in …

The Effect Of Rubrics On Second Grade Students' Abilities To Write A Personal Story, Ann Marie Germani

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to (a) evaluate the effects of a student-generated instructional rubric on second grade students' (n = 21) abilities to write personal stories and their understanding of the qualities of good writing; and (b) assess student metacognitive behavior resulting from the use of a rubric. Student writing assignments prior to and after rubric instruction were assessed in order to determine the effects of rubrics in improving writing skills. Student interactions and behaviors were observed and noted in order to determine metacognitive performance. A questionnaire gauged student impressions, management, and application of a rubric while …

The Effect Of Manipulative Materials On Student Motivation, Deirdre Morrissey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to determine the effect of manipulative materials on student motivation in the subject area of social studies. The students who participated in the project were divided into control and experimental groups. Each group was comprised of twenty-one third grade students living in rural southern New Jersey. Both groups completed pre and post surveys that focused on student motivation towards social studies. The experimental group students were instructed using manipulative materials after the completion of the initial survey and in conjunction with a unit on "Community Government." The control group students received no such intervention. …

Cooperative Learning And Its Effects On Social Interactions In The Third Grade, Robin A. Keller-Vicino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research project was to determine whether social interactions would improve when utilizing cooperative learning techniques. The social interactions observed included listening and speaking, courtesy, peaceful conflict resolution, leadership, and cooperative behaviors such as keeping one's hands to themselves.

The targeted population for this study was a class of fifteen third grade students. The researcher submitted pre- and post-treatment surveys to the students which measured the students' sense of classroom responsibility and their sense of personal responsibility within the class. The researcher also utilized journals and cooperative behavior checklists in order to compare student surveys with …

The Effect Of Cooperative Learning On The Mathematical Achievement Of Fifth Grade Students, Stefanie A. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of cooperative learning on mathematical academic achievement in fifth grade students. The design of this research also studied the extent cooperative learning has on reducing mathematics anxiety and generating mathematical interest. The sample involved one group of students (n = 21), which were drawn from a class of ten and eleven year old students. This study utilized a pretest - posttest, one group design. The subjects were exposed to two treatments, traditional instructional methods and cooperative learning instructional methods. A mean difference comparison found a significant difference in the …

The Effects Of Word Study: A Developmental And Discovery Based Approach To Spelling, Jessica Wright

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this academic investigation was to find the effect of Word Study on the spelling abilities of third grade students; and to determine if the change in spelling abilities is greater in those third graders who receive the treatment of guided on-level instruction and interactive word activities than those third grade students who participated in a traditional spelling program. Orthographic knowledge of the treatment and control groups were measured through a series of pretests and then posttested after treatment was received. The treatment involved a variety of interactive activities that were discovery based. The positive change in the …