This study describes an experimental fifth grade reading class in which an interactive writing program replaced the traditional school model's follow-up activities of workbooks, skill worksheets or assigned comprehension questions. For the purpose of the case-study, the researcher made careful, systematic observations, collected samples of the students' work and kept detailed ethnographic notes for an entire year. The researcher hoped to learn about the complementary relationship between reading and writing and more specifically the effects of a writing-infused program on the reading comprehension ability of the students involved. The subjects of the study were a group of fourteen students selected from the middle of a class of sixty-one fifth graders. The median IQ for the entire fifth grade was 108, while it was 100 for the fourteen students participating in the study group. The IQ ranged from 93-117. In this dissertation can be found the results of the writer's exploration and her answers to five research questions. Did the students make observable improvements in their writing abilities and skills? Did the writing-infused students make gains in reading comprehension? How did the writing-infused students perform in tests measuring traditional language and reading achievement as compared to the other fifth grade students in the same school receiving traditional reading instruction as recommended by the teacher's manual for their basal reader? How useful did the writing-infused students feel the writing activities were to their reading and writing development? And lastly, how much interest and enjoyment did the students have in the interactive writing activities? The findings cited in this study support the researcher's belief that students can be taught a process of writing that will positively affect their general reading ability--specifically their reading comprehension. The performance of the reading-writing students compared favorably to the performance of the students in the traditional classrooms. The students found the writing instruction to be appealing, informative and instructive and as a result made great progress in their competencies.

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the implementation of Foreign Language in Elementary School (FLES) programs, in this case Spanish, through the regular-classroom-teacher model—an instructor who is not a foreign language specialist. The traditionally accepted model for teaching foreign language in elementary school is the use of a language specialist as the person in charge of the program in one or more schools. A look at the history of FLES in the United States reveals that one of the major challenges programs always face is the lack of FLES teachers. The viability of the FLES regular teacher model is assessed through studying the issue at all levels: from the schools and the administration to the teachers and learners. This dissertation examines the implementation of the classroom teacher model in four FLES programs. Each of the schools constitutes a single case-study, since each institution tailored the teaching model to its own needs and circumstances. Data was obtained from a variety of sources: A teacher and staff survey, a parent survey, children's questionnaires, class observations, teachers' journals reflecting on their FLES teaching experience, and interviews with the superintendent, the principals, and two selected teachers from each school. The rich description and analysis of the data illuminates the rationale for adopting a FLES program in each one of the schools, the circumstances under which the FLES model works effectively, and the specific details about teachers, parents and students. The analysis of data points out that the critical issue is not to ascertain which FLES teaching model yields better results, but to explore how a community approach to FLES may serve as a valid teaching model for FLES programs. The final analysis shows that a variety of conditions, as opposed to one single cause, are critical in the implementation of a FLES program, and that regardless of teaching model, the support of the community, especially the parents, the classroom teacher's involvement, and teachers' professional development all seem to be necessary components for the implementation of successful FL programs.

This dissertation documents the implementation of new writing curriculum and the development of a Writers' Workshop in a multicultural/urban fourth and fifth grade classroom. It is my personal account of how I as teacher-researcher worked to raise the expectations of my children by creating a positive climate in which to learn and a classroom that haled writing as part of the original curriculum. The study began with a writing party for three hundred, fifty third, fourth and fifth grade students, their parents and family members after which they received writing bags to take home. The Writers' Workshop described in this dissertation is a one-classroom initiative and progression of change. There are seven conclusions that I have drawn through the implementation of the Writers' Workshop in the classroom. First, it is essential that teachers have high expectations for the success of their students. Second, children's writing displayed for everyone to see builds a positive classroom climate for both teacher and students. Classroom climate and management influence students' sense of belonging to the classroom. Third, children need the right tools and materials to help them to be creative. Fourth, children need opportunities to explore many genres, forms and purposes for writing within a writing process model. Fifth, the writers' workshop model defines every child as a writer right now. Children need to know that all writers go through the same steps for creating a good writing piece as they do. They experience the same frustrations when trying to find the right words to phrase a line in a poetry piece or to make a message clear in a writing piece. Sixth, opportunities for cross-curriculum writing are essential to help children expand their writing ideas and topics for writing. Math comic strips helped my students to create word problems pertaining to everyday situations. Seventh, technology is essential in support of writing and publishing. Five computers were available in the classroom for use by the children. Use of the computers and access to the Internet increased the volume of published work by the children as well as their knowledge of how to operate the software.

As a American born Cape Verdean educator, I took a special interest in the educational experience of Cape Verdean students, particularly on the elementary school level. During my classroom discussions, conversation with fellow bilingual teachers, parents and other students I discovered that most elementary students know very little about their culture or heritage. After extensive research, including a visit to the Cape Verde Islands I discovered that there was no curriculum on the Cape Verdean culture in the American School system. The purpose of my thesis was to present a rationale for such a curriculum, research all of the essential components of the Cape Verdean culture, and then to actually construct the curriculum. The curriculum is comprised of nine lessons. These lessons are composed of the following: A visual introduction to the Cape Verdean people and life; The Environment of the Cape Verde Islands; A Historical Timeline of Cape Verdean Island; Emigration to America; Crioulo: the Cape Verdean language; Music of the Cape Verdean People; Food in Cape Verdean Life; Cape Verdean Currency; and Folk Tales of the Cape Verdean People. Hopefully this curriculum will be used by elementary teachers to expand the consciousness of all students regarding the Cape Verdean people and their culture. The culture and heritage of the African-American is closely linked to that of the Cape Verdean. The physical characteristics, mannerisms, idiosyncrasies, medicine, diet, and superstitions of both ethnic groups are similar. Since African-Americans and Cape Verdeans are linked in culture and heritage, a curriculum focused on Cape Verdean culture should prove to be a valuable tool for both groups.

This study examined the academic progress of limited English proficient students who have been mainstreamed from the bilingual program. The study population consisted of thirty fourth grade students from the Hoboken, New Jersey School District who have previously participated in the bilingual program from Kindergarten to third grade. It included an analysis of identification process, their tenure in the bilingual program, and their present mainstream academic status. The study focused on the follow-up aspects (not often undertaken by bilingual programs) evaluating success and failure factors for mainstreamed bilingual students. Subjects examined included student achievement and assimilation, using a comparative base on non-bilingual program English-speaking students. Both reading and mathematics achievement data on the target population were analyzed for skill deficiencies using the Comprehensive Test for Basic Skills (CTBS) data base. A review of factors affecting students' progress was assessed via surveys of personnel who work with limited English proficient students. These interviews included parents, teachers, and administrators. Factors derived from these interviews, review of literature, and empirical observations combined to facilitate the development of a mainstreaming model. The mainstream model was designed to facilitate parents, teachers, and administrators with baseline data in organizing an effective mainstream criterion. The following are three major conclusions which were derived from this study: (1) Multiple criteria for entry and exiting bilingual students should allow for a more effective assessment of the limited English proficient students. (2) Program goals and objectives must be identified to maintain proper direction in the bilingual curriculum. (3) The development of a mainstream model.

The purpose of this study was to first identify and describe the literary response behaviors exhibited by pre-schoolers in a literature rich setting. Next, the study examined these response behaviors as indicative of the characteristics of theorist Michael Benton's 'secondary world' of literary response (1983) and of psychologist D. W. Winnicott's 'third area' of play (1971). Finally, the study considered the possibilities inherent in these secondary worlds for the creation and exploration of meaning on the part of pre-schoolers. This study utilized ethnographic methods of participant observation, in-depth interviewing, informal conversations, field notes and videotaping. Validity was established and checked through trianglization using the adults in the setting and two outside readers. The findings of this study are culture specific. This ethnographic study offers ways of thinking about, considering and discussing how young children use their experiences of interacting with books and responding to books to create meaning for their lives. Response behaviors were identified, described and organized into three general categories: (1) Individual/dyadic response behaviors involving one child/book(s), two children/book(s) and a child/adult/book(s), (2) Communal response behaviors involving several children/book(s) or several children/adult/book(s), and (3) Guided/directed response behaviors which always involved several children, an adult and book(s), and, in addition, had a specific goal or objective. Response behaviors in each of these categories covered a broad range of activities and formed an integral part of the living and learning experiences of the pre-schoolers in this day care setting. Both physically and humanly this setting was an organized and supportive environment which expected and encouraged interactions with and response to books. Within this setting, reliable and trustworthy relationships were formed which both allowed and encouraged the creation of secondary worlds. Such secondary worlds were intermediate between inner psychic reality and outer shared reality, were dependent upon individual contributions and provided place and opportunity for the creation of meaning. The pre-schoolers used these secondary worlds to explore self identity, emotions, competency development and to expand and integrate their ways of being in the world.

This dissertation describes the design, implementation and assessment of a staff development project to develop a cooperative whole language approach. The foundation for this staff development project for elementary school was the recognition that language development is crucial to a child's ability to succeed in the school environment. The educational objectives of this project were to motivate and encourage students of low income, African American families to write imaginatively and productively, and to teach writing to those same students to help them develop their own stylistic competence. These objectives necessitated the organization of three components. First, a staff development program focused on a whole language approach so teachers could share cooperative learning strategies for improving selected aspects of writing instruction. Second, a language experience approach in which the language, experience, and feelings of minority students could be used to advance motivation, accuracy, and pride. Third, the creation of a positive school climate to help students overcome difficulties in communicating in standard English by developing a "school way of communicating" without forcing the student to conclude that the way the family converses at home is wrong. Cooperative learning staff development sessions, predicated on a whole language approach, combined five underlying principles: (a) Distributed Leadership; (b) Heterogeneous Grouping; (c) Positive Interdependence; (d) Social Skills Acquisition; and (e) Group Autonomy. These prompted the preparation of writing activities for the African American students in all aspects of the curriculum. Ongoing monitoring of students' progress and completed tasks were compiled in both a group and individual portfolios. Basic to the success of this project was overcoming six beliefs: (a) a single set of subcultural customs shape the behavior of African American members of our society; (b) language programs should involve only instruction in using standard English; (c) all African American children are apathetic and their classes are seldom exciting; (d) discipline is a unique problem in the African American classroom; (e) African American learners cannot become involved in inductive, inquiry centered learning; and, (f) staff development sessions are not required for teaching English to the African American child. The proposed goal of this effective staff development project was not to change, but, to add a new dialect to an existing one by using a child centered, whole language, cooperative learning approach. By mixing the students' own experiences and the presentation of new experiences, a new dimension was introduced. The students were meeting established norms of success and were eager to accept additional challenges. Class improvement was clearly visible in a low income, urban elementary school.

The research and the study focus on the problem of dissociated learning. Why do students fail to connect with knowledge? The purposes of the study are: to summarize research pertaining to brain growth; to describe educational approaches and tactics consistent with this research; to test a brain research-based program designed to connect children to knowledge. The study rests on two research-based assumptions: strategies that connect dysfunctional or developmentally delayed students with thinking and learning will connect children in general with thinking and learning; educational activities integrating spatial information processing with linguistic processing will develop thinking skills more effectively than programs that do not. The apparent reason for the success of a spatial/linguistic program is that cross-modal activities mirror, or model, the integrated processes of the brain, impacting attention, emotion and logical operations. Increasing numbers of students fail to connect with writing. Many of these students can draw. Can drawing be used to connect these students to writing as thinking? The hypothesis is that a cross-modal activity combining drawing (a spatial activity) with writing (a linguistic activity) will develop descriptive, analytical and inferential thinking skills more effectively than a writing program that does not. The study targets children who receive special services, including those with language- and attention-related problems. To test the hypothesis, a quasi-experimental/control study was designed, involving 200 students in grades K, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in intact classrooms in two elementary schools. Approximately 2,000 pieces of data revealed a significant effect for the treatment, Drawing/Writing, on writing and thinking skills in the experimental group, including students who receive special services. The conclusions of the research are that brain research has relevance for education and that cross-modal activities provide antidotes to dissociated learning. The conclusion of the study is that, as a writing program, Drawing/Writing has broad usefulness and appeal.