Undergraduate honors paper--Mount Holyoke College, 2006. Dept. of Psychology and Education. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-89).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Counseling and Educational Psychology, 2005. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-12, Section: A, page: 4296. Adviser: Thomas J. Huberty. Title from dissertation home page (viewed Oct. 11, 2006).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2010. / Prepared for: Dept. of Educational Studies. Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Bibliography: leaves 118-126.

<p> The purpose of this study is to investigate the meaning of a class of second graders&rsquo; fairy tale learning experiences. This study is unique four key reasons. First, it focuses on a group of students whose school has been lagging in state English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency tests; second, it provides perspectives on how fairy tales affect the reading and writing of this group of students; third, it contributes to educational theory in terms of how to understand literacy practices by utilizing sociocultural theories; fourth, it implies that when it comes to educational policy, policy makers and educators should call for attention and efforts to tackle the problem of low ELA proficiency instead of putting students on the front line of low ELA test results and having them suffer the consequences of the outcomes. The current study employs a qualitative case study methodology supported by class observation and its fieldnotes, interviews, and materials that document second-grade students&rsquo; fairy tale learning experiences. Grounded theory was used as analytical tool. The study found that students&rsquo; fairy tale learning experiences were social practices built up in the community of fairy tale practices learning and expanded the capacities of students&rsquo; reading and writing.</p><p>

<p> This quantitative causal-comparative <i>ex post facto</i> research study aimed to investigate if a particular literacy approach impacted third grade English Language Arts (ELA) Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores in Missouri school districts. Specifically, the approaches examined included: A balanced literacy instructional framework with teacher instructional decision-making based on student needs; a balanced literacy instructional framework with district prescribed or scripted curriculum; and/or a curriculum-centered instructional framework with use of a published text (e.g. basal reading program). Additionally, the study analyzed the impact of intervention approaches (such as Reading Recovery and expert tutoring) and embedded professional development (such as literacy coaching and Professional Learning Communities) on third grade ELA MAP scores. </p><p> Survey responses from 61 districts were analyzed using district 2016&ndash;2017 ELA MAP scores. The findings showed a significant difference between MAP scores of districts using some type of balanced literacy approach to teach literacy and those relying on a scripted (e.g. basal reading program) approach. Therefore, the data indicates that balanced literacy approaches may be more effective for achieving higher ELA MAP scores than the basal approach.</p><p>

<p> This study used Culturally Relevant Reading materials (CRRM) with a proprietary, culturally relevant pedagogy for Reading. It was focused on results in Reading Achievement, both reading fluency and comprehension, involving 7^th and 8^th grade students in a twelve (12)-week program of Reading Language Arts. It was an exploratory sequential mixed methods study using a quasi-experimental design, with two student groups, A and B, experimental and control respectively. The results are situated within cultural expert views of Native perspectives on reading from the community as well as student surveys on motivation. </p><p> Results from the study indicate that student achievement in Reading using the CRRM program, as measured by standardized tests, namely Edformation&rsquo;s AIMSweb&reg; (2002) tests of both R-CBM and MAZE, met with similar results in student Reading achievement using a Western curricular program. Both control and experimental groups in the quasi-experimental, exploratory sequential mixed methods study showed significant growth in Reading achievement in both fluency and comprehension, on standardized tests over a 12-week interval. </p><p> Results from the study showed students in the CRRM program showed no significantly greater growth in reading comprehension or fluency during the study, as measured by AIMSweb&reg; tests of MAZE and R-CBM. Student survey results showed increases in student motivation to read, enjoyment of reading class, and desire to read CRRM. Written questionnaires from community members outlined criteria for student success in reading. </p><p> The results indicate that Alaska Native culturally relevant materials and teaching techniques can be used interchangeably with Western curricular materials in Alaska Native village schools with expectation of similar success in student Reading achievement. Students are eager to have CRRM in Language Arts classes, and the community is encouraged by the promising results.</p><p>

<p>Abstract Currently, students with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD) are predominately exposed to a functional curriculum commonly delivered through behaviorists? methods (Keefe & Copeland, 2011). The most recent research has established that students with SCD who are presented with a high-quality comprehensive approach comparable to the best practices associated with general education practices can and do make positive gains in literacy skills (Bock, 2013; Browder, Ahlgrim-Delzell, Courtade, & Flowers, 2008; Erickson, Clendon, Abraham, Roy, & Van de Karr, 2005; Koppenhaver& Erickson, 2003,). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine potential barriers to implementing a comprehensive balanced literacy instructional program to students with SCD. The central question in this study was, what are the barriers to implementing a balanced literacy approach for students with significant cognitive disabilities? Three research questions guided the study, 1) What is the current knowledge base and understandings of administrators and teachers as it relates to teaching literacy skills to students with significant cognitive disabilities, how is this knowledge acquired, and how has it changed over time, 2) what are the perceived needs that need to be fulfilled in order for a systemic shift from a functional literacy curriculum to a balanced literacy curriculum approach to occur, and 3) how does the efficacy and beliefs held by teachers and administrators relate to the translation from research to practices as it corresponds to literacy instruction? Data was collected through interviews with administrators, special education teachers, and researchers. The analysis of the data from this study lead to the emergence of five key themes related to potential implementation barriers: acquisition of knowledge, current perspectives and understanding of literacy education, factors influencing curriculum decisions, high quality and relevant resources and supports, and systemic changes.

<p> The researcher investigated the corrective reading interventions implemented in an urban middle school&rsquo;s after-school program to determine if the interventions were helping students perform better in English Language Arts (ELA) classes and improved their overall achievement on the Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA). The researcher also investigated teacher perceptions of professional development hours and student achievement in ELA. This study primarily focused on students in fifth-eighth grade, due to the low academic performance in ELA scores at the middle school. The purpose of this study was to determine if students in middle school would perform better if they received additional supports with reading interventions at the middle school during the after-school program between the hours of 3p.m. and 6 p.m. </p><p> A mixed methods study was conducted to determine if a relationship existed between teacher perception and student reading achievement for 73 middle school students in grades three through five. The researcher evaluated the teachers&rsquo; perception pre- and post-survey data and student pre- and post-NWEA data. The researcher also examined the number of hours that teachers participated in professional development, and if a relationship existed, the researcher could make a research-based recommendation to the district to continue to provide professional development to strengthen teachers&rsquo; instructional practices and improve student achievement. The researcher finally examined student pre- and post-NWEA data to determine if there was a difference. The study revealed that there was not a relationship; therefore, findings could possibly help the school district administrators make future decisions for professional development and interventions for students in the after-school program for grades five through eight.</p><p>

Research has demonstrated that male central characters outnumber female central characters. In a series of studies, I demonstrate that this imbalance is even more acute in the books that children read, that it is far worse for boys than for girls, and that teachers do not act to expose children to a wider range of central characters.

<p>The primary goal of this study was to investigate, document, and understand the reasons that educators who use graphic novels in their classrooms choose to use them, rather than traditional text. Secondary goals were to identify the classes they teach, and to identify commonalities and shared best practices. Interviews were scheduled, to provide the with data about learning objectives, students? reactions, the books they use, types of assignments, the criteria that they use to define the critical elements for success in their classes, as well as the instructors? own relationships with graphic novels. The phenomenological methodology was determined to be the most appropriate method to understand the teacher?s experiences, and allowed the interview subjects to share and expound on their experiences, thoughts, feelings, images, and memories that described a baseline for the practice of using graphic novels in formal learning environment. The findings of the study were interesting, but not completely conclusive. The primary reason for using comics and graphic novels is teach and promote visual literacy, an important, and a critical skill in contemporary society. Another commonality is high level of student engagement and in the material. Although there are similarities among the other findings, including the encouragement of a love of reading, they actually illustrate the lack of standards and best practices and are based upon the preferences and practices of each individual teacher. The lack of standards also is seen in the teachers approach to using the genre to teach social justice, which ranges from a direct approach to addressing the issue through appropriate titles and assignments, to a more subtle and nuanced one, where individual panels are used rather than a complete book.