Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Language Education, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Feb. 10, 2010). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: A, page: . Adviser: Larry J. Mikulecky.

This research study explore: (a) beliefs Korean ESL readers have about reading in L1 and L2 prior to the Retrospective Miscue Analysis (RMA) sessions, (b) how their beliefs about reading affect the way they read in L1 and L2 and their evaluation of themselves as readers in L1 and L2 reading, and (c) change of their beliefs about reading and about themselves as readers that result from the use of RMA.

<p> The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of linguistic knowledge in spelling by analyzing spelling errors made by 220 students in the fourth, fifth, and seventh grades. A 25-word researcher-designed spelling test with considerations of word frequency, word familiarity, and word type (based on morphological complexity) was administered. An error coding system was established based on the Triple Word Form theory. Each misspelling was coded based on its linguistic features and scored cumulatively in 3 categories: Phonological Representation, Orthographic Legality, and Morphological Legality. The error coding system revealed the linguistic profiles of misspellings and allowed the comparisons among subgroups matched on grades, reading, and spelling ability levels. </p><p> The results of profile analyses supported the Overlapping Waves Model, which advocates that spellers use their phonological, orthographic, and morphological knowledge in spelling simultaneously regardless of age, reading, or spelling levels. On the other hand, the study did not find evidence supporting the stage-specific theory, which defines each stage by observations of the consistent use of one strategy in spelling. The linguistic profiles revealed the competition between Phonological Representation and Orthographic Legality, which provided little evidence supporting the specific phonological deficit hypothesis. On the contrary, the researcher found that the key to becoming an average speller is to be able to effectively apply sufficient phonological knowledge in spelling. For students with poor reading ability, they do not just suffer from limited phonological knowledge but also from the lack of other linguistic knowledge. For any two students with average reading ability, it is the one who can apply sufficient phonological knowledge that benefit in spelling and perform at the level that matches his or her reading ability. Educational implications are discussed.</p>

<p>Educational leadership appropriates significant amounts of money for technology in school budgets. Teachers must decide how to use technology to maximize student learning and make the most efficient use of instructional minutes. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine if a relationship existed between the amount of time students spent in a computer-assisted reading instruction program and the increase in reading skills as measured by an assessment of oral reading fluency. A Pearson Correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between the amount of time 87 first-grade students spent in a computer-assisted reading instruction program and the increase in oral reading fluency test scores measured by the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills test (DIBELS). Numerical information for this study consisted of archived data from the 2010&ndash;2011 school year generated from the computer data bases of DIBELS and the Ticket to Read program. The Pearson Correlation analysis indicated a weak positive relationship between the variables. However, the weak coefficient of determination indicated that the correlation did not have any practical significance. This indication may imply that teachers should not allocate instructional minutes to computer-assisted instruction for the purpose of increasing oral reading fluency. Educational leaders may want to consider other technological interventions that may produce learning opportunities for young students to develop technological awareness and increase oral reading fluency at a reduced cost. Ninety-seven percent of the variance was unaccounted for indicating a need for further research with additional variables. </p>

<p> Reading comprehension is an essential part in developing any language and literacy program. Many literacy programs have taken care to focus on improving reading comprehension instruction at different grade and ability levels, including English as a Second Language and English as a Foreign Language (ESL/EFL). Despite these efforts, there are classrooms that ignore the need for instruction in reading comprehension, and there seems to be little consensus on the best type of reading comprehension instruction. In fact, many educators continue to struggle to find the appropriate ways to effectively and explicitly teach comprehension strategies. </p><p> Consequently, this dissertation study is an attempt to elicit the general perceptions and experiences of English as a Foreign Language learners and their teachers toward one promising approach incorporating children's picture books to initiate explicit instructional practice with reading comprehension strategies. Two English language teachers and 40 students from the seventh and eighth grades at two different urban schools in Sabha City, Libya participated in this study. Participants' semi-structured interviews and classroom observations were implemented as primary data sources, while surveys and classroom documents were used as secondary sources during data collection. Based on holistic and in-depth firsthand analysis of the collected data, findings indicated that Libyan EFL students in the participating classrooms reacted positively toward the use of picture books to learn some reading comprehension strategies. Additionally, both Libyan EFL teachers affirmed that using children's picture books for explicit comprehension strategy instruction increased the students' abilities to understand what they were reading. Other specific findings demonstrated that Libyan EFL seventh and eighth graders were able to apply several types of comprehension strategies including cognitive and metacognitive strategies while reading picture books and the English language textbook sections. Students' preferences for reading some of the assigned picture books aligned with their preferences for using different types of reading comprehension strategies. Despite some concerns that were reported by the participants regarding time and vocabulary instruction, this study could contribute to enrich the body of research in the area of reading comprehension instruction, particularly in Libyan EFL classrooms.</p>

<p> The preschool years are a crucial time for children to develop vocabulary knowledge. A quality preschool environment promotes large amounts of language usage including picture book read alouds and discussions. There is growing research to support the use of nonfiction literature in preschool classrooms to promote vocabulary growth and knowledge of the world for preschool children. This research study compared vocabulary growth of preschool children using fiction and dialogic discussions versus vocabulary growth of preschool children using nonfiction and dialogic discussions following a six week study of autumn and changes that happen during this season to the environment and animals. The quasi-experimental design used the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4, a curriculum-based measure for receptive vocabulary, and a curriculum-based measure for expressive vocabulary to assess vocabulary growth. Results showed that there was significant difference in the vocabulary growth in the treatment group indicated by the curriculum-based measure for receptive vocabulary, but the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4 and the curriculum-based measure for expressive vocabulary did not indicate significant difference in growth in the 6-week research period. The findings of this research have implications for teachers. Using nonfiction literature during read aloud times is beneficial to vocabulary growth. Dialogic discussions used with fiction and nonfiction read alouds provide authentic opportunities for students to use vocabulary in meaningful ways. In order to maximize vocabulary growth during the preschool years, teachers should be aware of the benefits of using nonfiction literature for interactive read alouds.</p>

<p> Students who enter higher education requiring reading remediation have poor institutional persistence. This study examined the course success and first-year institutional persistence of six women enrolled in a developmental reading course at a regional campus of a state university. Data sets were comprised of classroom observation, review of academic records, and interviews with students and their instructor. </p><p> </p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2007. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-118). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction of the School of Education, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Jul 14, 2010). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-12, Section: A, page: 4563. Adviser: Jesse Goodman.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Language Education Dept., 2006. / "Title from dissertation home page (viewed July 5, 2007)." Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-08, Section: A, page: 2914. Adviser: Jerome C. Harste.