No description available.

The purpose of this study was to examine two of the salient elements of instructional narratives as a guide to instructional practice. The literature summarized in this report discusses the theoretical basis for narrative impact on comprehension and retention, enumerates and defines possible salient narrative elements from the literature, and examines the instructional impact of two of these elements: concrete details and causal structure. This is intended to help provide guidance to instructional designers and teachers who desire to use narrative in science instruction. Participants included 94 high school physics students. An experimental research design of 2 (Gender) x 2 (Concreteness) x 2 (Causal Structure) x 2 (Comprehension as within-subjects) ANCOVA was used to analyze the effects of the narrative elements. It was found that concrete details improved comprehension and retention but that causal structure had no statistically significant impact on comprehension or retention. There were no significant gender differences in comprehension or retention though there were two- and three-way interactions between the independent variables.

This study investigated the reliability of the revised Early Expository Comprehension Assessment (EECA), a measure that looked at preschoolers' comprehension of expository text. Thirty-seven preschool children between the ages of four and five were administered two comparable versions of the measure by two examiners. Scoring procedures were created and the protocols were scored and compared for reliability. The data was analyzed using a mixed models Analysis of Variance for repeated measures and a maximum likelihood estimate of variance components. Results from the analysis showed that version and order had no significant effect on three of the response task scores (Purpose of the Text, Problem/Solution Retelling, and Problem/Solution Mapping), indicating these tasks were reliable. Results showed that variation due to controlled administration variables (version and order) was larger as compared to variability among the subjects in two of the response task scores (Graphics and Problem/Solution Questions), indicating these tasks to be unreliable.

The purpose of this current study was to first examine through assessments and the use of school-based disability criteria, the quantitative and qualitative patterns in phonological processing, phonological working memory, oral retellings, and oral and written narratives in middle school-aged children with reading disabilities (RD; N=10) and those with language impairments (LI; N=5) in order to provide data to further explain the complex profiles of these two clinical populations. Secondly, a single-subject multiple baseline across subjects design study examined the effectiveness of an intervention program targeting expository and narrative discourse in adolescents with language and reading deficits (N=4). Expository and narrative discourse assessments were replicated at post-intervention for pre and post comparisons of performance. The findings will assist speech-language pathologists in accurately and efficiently evaluating and treating these two clinical populations in linguistic areas that are critical to successful academic and social development.

No description available.

As most classroom teachers primarily select narrative texts for interactive read-alouds, there is a lack of research that explores interactive read-alouds of expository texts. To address the call for greater equity between narrative and expository texts in curriculum, the purpose of this study was to examine how a seventh-grade English language arts teacher prepared for and engaged students in interactive read-alouds using expository texts. Using a self-study methodology, data were collected in three ways: field notes that captured preparation, video recordings that captured the read-alouds, and post read-aloud reflections that captured impressions following the read-alouds. Findings are organized into two categories—planning read-alouds and engaging in read-alouds. Findings from the first category indicate that the importance of finding enjoyment in expository texts, the balance between entertainer and educator, and charting possible courses are significant parts of preparation for interactive read-alouds. Findings from the second category show that the importance of tapping in and building schemas, cultivating aesthetic experiences in efferent spaces, and engaging as thinkers and knowers are important factors for engaging adolescent readers in expository texts. Though this study highlights only one English Language Arts teacher’s experience preparing for and presenting read-alouds with expository texts, this research suggests that others may wish to embrace the messiness of planning to expand their read-aloud practices, and that read-alouds with expository texts may be particularly beneficial to adolescents because of their unique developmental needs.

This doctoral thesis entails a research project to determine whether grass roots preachers in a southern Africa context can be instructed to prepare effective expository sermons. In order to make that determination it was necessary to first collect and analyze expository sermons from such preachers prior to any instruction. Then, on the basis of instruction in expository preaching in a seminar format, it was necessary to collect and analyze additional sermons from the same preachers. To that end we conducted two five-day seminars in Zimbabwe and South Africa respectively. The content of those seminars included two major elements. The first was a theology of preaching that is detailed in Chapter 1. Within a theology of preaching we have given treatment to various topics including the need for a theology of preaching, the Old Testament basis for preaching, the New Testament mandate for preaching, a definition and defense of expository preaching, and a discussion of the necessary qualities of effective expository preaching. The second element of the seminars involved a method of preaching detailed in Chapter 2. Within the method of preaching we have given treatment to various topics, including the role of the Holy Spirit in preaching, exegesis of the sermon text, and making the transition from the text to the completed sermon. Given the foundational material of Chapters 1 and 2, we developed the seminar materials found in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 includes the schedules by which the sermons were analyzed. Each sermon was subjected to the same schedule to determine its effectiveness as an expository sermon. Those results are then analyzed in Chapter 5 leading to the conclusion that grass roots preachers in a southern Africa context can indeed be instructed to preach effective expository sermons. / Practical Theologyy / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

This doctoral thesis entails a research project to determine whether grass roots preachers in a southern Africa context can be instructed to prepare effective expository sermons. In order to make that determination it was necessary to first collect and analyze expository sermons from such preachers prior to any instruction. Then, on the basis of instruction in expository preaching in a seminar format, it was necessary to collect and analyze additional sermons from the same preachers. To that end we conducted two five-day seminars in Zimbabwe and South Africa respectively. The content of those seminars included two major elements. The first was a theology of preaching that is detailed in Chapter 1. Within a theology of preaching we have given treatment to various topics including the need for a theology of preaching, the Old Testament basis for preaching, the New Testament mandate for preaching, a definition and defense of expository preaching, and a discussion of the necessary qualities of effective expository preaching. The second element of the seminars involved a method of preaching detailed in Chapter 2. Within the method of preaching we have given treatment to various topics, including the role of the Holy Spirit in preaching, exegesis of the sermon text, and making the transition from the text to the completed sermon. Given the foundational material of Chapters 1 and 2, we developed the seminar materials found in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 includes the schedules by which the sermons were analyzed. Each sermon was subjected to the same schedule to determine its effectiveness as an expository sermon. Those results are then analyzed in Chapter 5 leading to the conclusion that grass roots preachers in a southern Africa context can indeed be instructed to preach effective expository sermons. / Practical Theologyy / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

Studiens syfte är att synliggöra hur andraspråkselever på högstadiet beskriver sin upplevelse och sin förståelse då de läser faktatexter i de praktisk-estetiska ämnena. För att undersöka detta, har följande frågeställningar valts: Vilka svårigheter beskriver andraspråkselever att de upplever i läsningen av och arbetet med faktatexter? Hur beskriver andraspråkselever att de går tillväga för att förstå faktatexter? Studien bygger på kvalitativa intervjuer med sju andraspråkselever i årskurserna 8 och 9. Intervjuerna har analyserats utifrån en sociokulturell ansats, vilken bl a poängterar vikten av social interaktion samt språkets betydelse för tänkande och lärande. Resultatet visar att informanternas erfarenheter av läsning av faktatexter främst kommer från de naturvetenskapliga och de samhällsvetenskapliga ämnena, samt matematik. Deras erfarenheter av läsning i de praktisk-estetiska ämnena förefaller begränsad, förutom i hem- och konsumentkunskap. Av resultatet framgår att ord- och begreppsförståelse, förförståelse samt explicit undervisning i hur man utvecklar och använder lässtrategier för att läsa och lära av faktatexter är områden som respektive ämneslärare behöver arbeta mer aktivt med. Studiens resultat stämmer i det avseendet väl med vad tidigare forskning har visat. Däremot sätter inte studiens informanter ord på vad olika textegenskaper kan ha för betydelse för deras läsförståelse. Denna studies viktigaste bidrag är dess fokus på andraspråkselevers läsning av faktatexter i de praktisk-estetiska ämnena. Såtillvida kan den utgöra en forskningsbaserad grund i arbetet med språkutvecklande ämnesundervisning på högstadiet. / The purpose of the study is to emphasize how senior level students with a second language are describing their experience and their understanding when they are reading expository texts in the aesthetic subjects. To examine this: following questions have been chosen: What difficulties do second language learners describe that they are experiencing when they are reading and working with expository texts? How do second language learners describe their procedure to understand expository texts? The study is based on qualitative interviews with seven second language learners who are between forteen and sixteen years old. The interviews have been analyzed based on a sociocultural perspective, which among other things are emphasizing the importance of social interaction and also the importance of the language for thinking and learning. The result is showing that the informants´experiences of reading expository texts are chiefly from the scientific and social science subjects and also mathematics. Their experiences of reading in connection with the aesthetic subjects seem to be limited, except in domestic science. From the result it is clear that understanding of words and concepts, background knowledge and also explicit teaching in how to develop and use reading strategies to read and learn from expository texts, are fields which each subject teacher need to work more active on. In this regard the study is corresponding well with what the earlier research has shown. The informants don´t mention whether they are able or not to benefit from the impact of connectives and lexical markers on their comprehension of expository texts. The most important contribution of this study is its focus on second language learners, and their reading of expository texts in the aesthetic subjects. In this respect it can form a researchbase for developing student´s language in subject teaching at the senior level of the nine year compulsory school.

The primary purpose of this dissertation is to study the necessity of genre consideration in the three important sermon-making process--exegetical, theological, and homiletical--and propose a holistic preaching methodology for the lament psalms with genre-sensitivity. Chapter 1 discusses the definitional nature, criteria, and communicational function of genre and examines the current defective and deficient preaching method with genre-sensitivity, and also indicates the lack of concern of the lament psalms in biblical preaching. Chapter 2 examines a holistic exegetical method for preaching a lament psalm by emphasizing the necessity of the analysis and appreciation of the mood of the text based upon the interlocking nature of genre-based textual elements (the message, medium, and mood of the text) and genre-based contextual element (the purpose of the text). This chapter provides a step-by step holistic procedure for preaching a lament psalm with genre-sensitivity. Chapter 3 investigates the necessity of genre consideration in the theological process. This section emphasizes that consideration of the genre characteristics is an essential process for discerning a timeless theological implication and communicational impact of a lament psalm. This chapter suggests a step-by-step holistic theological procedure for preaching a lament psalm with genre-sensitivity. Chapter 4 discusses the necessity of a genre-sensitive homiletical method that reflects the genre-based essentials into the sermon-making process. This section emphasizes the necessity of a holistic integration of the genre-sensitive homiletical components for preaching a lament psalm. This chapter presents a step-by-step procedure for a holistic homiletical method for preaching a lament psalm with genre-sensitivity. Chapter 5 analyzes Psalm 31 as a case study of a genre-sensitive methodology for preaching a lament psalm proposed in the previous chapters. This chapter elaborates and verifies the twelve steps for preaching a lament psalm with genre-sensitivity. Chapter 6 concludes that biblical preachers need to preach the lament psalms with genre-sensitivity by honoring the message, medium, and mood of the text throughout the entire sermon-making process in pursuit of honoring the authority of the Scripture and remodeling the relevance of the biblical communication.