This thesis is a theoretical exploration of critical reading in the primary school. It interrogates the term 'critical reading', examines and conceptualises the thinking processes by which readers make texts mean and proposes a description of critical reading as it is evidenced in young children. At the heart of this thesis is an ethnographic study of the reading practices of classes in three contrasting primary schools. It follows and records the reading experiences of one class of children from each school, beginning in the middle of Year Two and continuing until the children near the end of Year Three. The resulting empirical data is reflected in and measured against theoretical understandings of learning and of reading derived from a number of sources. Vygotskian and Bakhtinian theories of the interdependency of thought and language are considered, critical pedagogy is explored and literary theory, especially the ideas of reader response theorists and postmodernists, is examined. From this process of reflection and assimilation, three theoretical positions are achieved: • that the interactions that take place between children, between children and teachers and between children, teachers and texts are of vital importance in the development of children as critical readers. The thesis stresses the central role of the teacher in controlling the possibilities of dialogue in the classroom. It argues that children who are exposed to the heteroglossia (Bakhtin 1981) of Mennipean dialogue and rich and varied textual experiences are better equipped to read critically than those who are not. • that the process of reading can be modelled to show the nature of these interactions. The thesis proposes a series of theoretical models that attempt to map out the dynamic, interactive process by which readers make texts mean. The models chart the pushes and pulls of thinking that a reader must employ during the act of reading in order to shape meaning from an indeterminate text. • that a description of critical reading activity in young readers can be postulated. The thesis proposes a sequence of indicators that seem to be characteristic of the behaviour of children who are developing the ability to read critically. Finally, the thesis stresses the necessity of reading widely to children if they are to take on the heteroglossia that will enable them to read critically, and the need to empower them by encouraging and honouring their own interpretive voices.

Thesis (Psy.D.)--Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2002. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 63-02, Section: A, page: 0498. Chairperson: Judith Kaufman. Available also in print.

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Lotta Larson / All human beings possess within them implicit and explicit theories which they use repeatedly throughout their lives to explain a wide array of experiences (Tracey & Morrow, 2017). In education, teachers use their theories about reading and learning to read to inform nearly every aspect of their instruction. These belief systems develop over a lifetime and are used as filters when making instructional decisions (Cunningham & Fitzgerald, 1996; Prawat, 1992; Richardson, Anders, Tidwell, & Lloyd, 1991; Smith, 2004). Understanding and identifying these theoretical perspectives empowers educators to make informed instructional decisions in the classroom while also clarifying and defining their roles as teachers. While numerous studies have documented the relationship between teachers’ beliefs and instructional practices, there appeared to be limited research that related preservice teachers’ beliefs and practices to their personally held theoretical perspectives. This study explored pre-service teachers’ beliefs and practices and how they related to their theoretical orientations to reading. The study specifically addressed the gap in the research focusing on pre-service teachers who were enrolled in a literacy methods course. Multiple data sources were gathered from interviews, observations, and artifacts and documents. These data were collected and analyzed throughout the duration of the study. The study’s findings established the relationship between pre-service teachers’ theoretical orientations to reading and their beliefs and instructional practices. The data analysis revealed that the pre-service teachers’ previous life experiences, and experiences in the literacy methods course and corresponding internship influenced their theoretical orientations to reading. Further data analysis also revealed inconsistencies related to the alignment of pre-service teachers’ beliefs and instructional practices and change of theoretical orientations.

In today's society it is necessary to have good literacy to even manage in life. When it comes to school, reading is important for success in all subjects and to acquire new knowledge. It is therefore of great importance that reading education works well in school and that student’s literacy development stimulates. The purpose of this study is to examine individualized reading education based on how three teachers in grade 2 describe their activity. The study also aims to examine the importance of formative assessment of students' reading skills before individualized reading education.   Through qualitative studies consisting interviews and observations with the teachers have three research questions been answered. The questions of the study are; how do the teachers say that they individualize reading education? How do teachers relate to individualized education? Which formative assessments are made by teachers before individualizing reading education and how do they reflect on them?   Based on, among other things, Vintereks individualization types and Sandler's theory of formative assessment, the results have shown that the teachers adapt their individual students' reading education based on their needs and circumstances. The result also shows that teachers are positive to individualize education for the students, but they believe it may be difficult when students have different needs appearing on different times as well as the time spent on the administration of the work instead of on the students. This means that circumstances in the classroom and the school's structural conditions put obstacles for teachers to individualize the education for the students completely. The teachers believe that it is important to do formative assessments of students to know where they are in their reading development and how to move forward to achieve their goals.

Thesis advisor: Charles P. Proctor / This dissertation develops, theorizes, and investigates the notion of metalinguistic engagement (ME). Within the context of reading research for upper elementary bi/multilingual students, which is relatively sparse and particularly lacking in qualitative detail, there are some emerging and promising findings related to the impacts of ME on students’ overall literacy development (Proctor et al,. 2012; Silverman et al., 2014). These outcomes specifically suggest that the development of component language (semantic, morphology, syntax) knowledge, skills, and strategies through ME provides substantial support to bi/multilingual students (Proctor et al., 2015; Silverman et al., 2015). CLAVES, a quasi-experimental language-based reading intervention and curriculum project (Proctor et al., 2020), highlighted the instructional malleability of ME, demonstrating positive effects for both language proficiency and reading comprehension among the participating fourth and fifth grade Spanish/English and Portuguese/English bi/multilingual students. However, the nature of the students’ ME and the extent to which their naturally dynamic linguistic repertoires emerged and were capitalized on during learning is currently unknown. In order to address gaps in research, this dissertation theorizes and investigates ME and contributes a qualitative analysis to the larger quasi-experimental intervention from Proctor et al (2020). This dissertation presents three case studies of teachers and their fourth-grade, Spanish/English bi/multilingual student working groups. A theoretical framework of cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) (Greeno & Engström, 2014; Roth & Lee, 2007) informed by heteroglossia (Bakhtin, 1981) was employed to attend to the tensions between the centripetal forces of classrooms’ goal-oriented activity and the centrifugal aspects of multiple voices and repertoires during ME (Wertsch, 2009). Findings highlight the various actions and resources through which students and teachers participate in ME. The ‘multivoicedness’ of students’ practices were shown to mediate ME goals, while also moving alongside and against the pressures from both the curriculum structure and teachers’ facilitation. Furthermore, dialectics between the curriculum and teachers within ME activities emphasize overarching tensions related to the goals of ME and the students’ opportunities and outcomes within ME. Findings accentuate the flexibility and constraints on bi/multilingual students’ practice and participation during ME and have implications for curriculum, instruction, and teacher preparation. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2020. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

This thesis analyses the historical development of Czech elementary reading and writing textbooks from 1900 to 1999. It comes from the listing of the elementary reading and writing methods from the beginning to the present, it continues with the description and the evaluation of the most of textbooks used in the last century and tells the life stories of main authors. In the conclusions it follows the changes in the character of the textbooks and of the reading education. Key words reading, reading education, writing education, reading textbooks, first books

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:45:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Liliane Barros Oliveira Delorenzi.pdf: 1623166 bytes, checksum: bccbad209b3eec3900f1c6600d0dfdf9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-22 / Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa / This research arises from our concern about the way textbooks are presented and used in Portuguese language classes in elementary school. We seek to understand why students lose the enjoyment of literature during the basic education and what responsibility different educational institutions, at different degrees, bear in the development of a critical reader. Thus, we focus the prime motivator and mediator of reading in the classroom, the teacher. Recognizing the importance of his intervention in the readers‟s development, including the selection of appropriate material, choice of teaching strategies, and encouragement of discussion and reflection by their students. For this, we analyze how the teacher has been prepared in his graduation course, to act as a social transformer, within the classroom. In order to asses some of the major theoretical foundations of reading, see how reading is taught in the classroom and point out elements that can act as auxiliaries in the process of teacher motivation, our qualitative research used semi-structured questions, asked of elementary school students, teachers in action and language students. With this study, we show that the reading books, given to elementary students are not always appropriate for this age group, and that the way that these material are presented and used, can turn student's way from the enjoyment of reading; teacher graduate courses in reading instruction, only discuss the theoretical aspects of reading instruction, without application in the classroom work. We also observed the skills and strategies taught in graduate instruction are just term lost during the teacher's training, without major consequences for their future performance in the classroom. / Este trabalho de pesquisa é proveniente de nossas preocupações com a maneira como os textos escritos são apresentados e trabalhados nas aulas de língua portuguesa do ensino básico. Buscamos entender porque o aluno, no percurso do ensino fundamental, perde o prazer pelos livros literários e qual a responsabilidade das diferentes instituições formadoras na constituição de um leitor crítico. Dessa maneira, voltamos nosso olhar para o principal incentivador e mediador da leitura na sala de aula, o professor. Reconhecendo a importância de sua intervenção na formação do leitor, desde a seleção do material utilizado, a escolha das estratégias de ensino, até o favorecimento de um ambiente propício para a discussão e reflexão de todos os alunos. Por tudo isso, refletimos sobre a maneira como esse professor tem sido preparado nos cursos de graduação, para atuar como transformador social, a partir da sala de aula. Desta forma, com o objetivo de discutir alguns dos principais fundamentos teóricos sobre leitura, verificar como esta é trabalhada nas salas de aula e apontar elementos que possam atuar como auxiliares no processo de motivação do professor, esta pesquisa qualitativa valeu-se do recurso da entrevista semiestruturada, destinada aos alunos do ensino fundamental, aos professores em atuação e aos graduandos em Letras. Com este trabalho, foi possível evidenciar que os livros paradidáticos, indicados pelos professores aos alunos do segundo segmento da educação básica, nem sempre são adequados para essa faixa etária; a maneira como esses textos são apresentados e trabalhados, afasta o aluno do prazer pela leitura; os cursos de formação inicial de professores, quando trabalham o ensino da leitura, ainda se prendem, apenas, aos aspectos teóricos desse estudo, sem aplicá-lo ao trabalho na sala de aula, e, por fim, percebemos que as competências, as habilidades e as estratégias são apenas termos que se perdem durante a formação do professor, sem maiores consequências para sua futura atuação em sala de aula.

The purposes of this study were (1) to determine whether the mean gains on achievement scores in reading and mathematics for bused students in grades four and five after one year in integrated schools is greater than the mean gain in reading and mathematics achievement scores for similar non-bused students in segregated schools; (2) to determine whether school attendance for bused students is greater than attendance for similar non-bused students; and (3) to determine if attitude toward school, academic self-concept, and general self-concept among groups of subjects are different. The analysis and interpretation of data yielded the following conclusions. 1. The elements associated with increased achievement in reading for fourth-grade minority students are not likely to be positively facilitated by increasing the majority-minority ratio by busing. 2. The elements associated with increased achievement in reading for minority fifth-grade students may be enhanced by busing for racial balance. 3. The elements associated with increased achievement in mathematics for minority fourth-grade students may be enhanced by busing for racial balance. 4. The elements associated with increased achievement in mathematics for minority students are not likely to be facilitated by increasing the majority-minority ratio. 5. The busing of minority students out of their neighborhood may be expected to result in a higher rate of absenteeism. 6. At the fourth-grade level, the change of setting in schools, busing, and a more varied student body would not seem to be deeply felt in any racial group's view toward school. 7. At the fifth-grade level the variances brought about by busing seem to be most profoundly felt by the Anglo population insofar as attitude is concerned. 8. At both grade levels the academic self-concept of Anglo students can be expected to be higher than that of minority students. 9. Among the ethnic groups no consistent trend can be predicted on general self-concept. Fourth-grade Anglo and Black students might be expected to have stronger self-concepts than do the Mexican-Americans. 10. Fifth-grade Blacks in integrated schools can be expected to see themselves more positively than do other racial groups. 11. There is a possibility that in terms of attitude toward school, self-concept, and certain achievement areas, the fifth-grade level would be an optimal time to bus for desegregation purposes.

D.Phil. (Linguistics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (Applied Linguistics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract