- Department of Teaching, Learning, and Foundations
- About the Program
- Students
- Faculty
- Funding
- Excellence in Research
- Research Awardees
- Professors in Action
The Effect of Music on the High School Foreign Language Classroom
The purpose of the study was to investigate how the use of popular music in the target language, presented without the expectation of educational and academic outcomes, has an effect on Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA), engagement and Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in a High School foreign language class. This study was guided by two research questions: How does the use of popular music in the target language, removed from the expectation of academic outcomes and for enjoyment only, reduce FLCA? And how does the use of popular music in the target language, removed from the expectation of academic outcomes and for enjoyment only, increase student engagement and WTC? The fourteen participants of a German II class were observed in their reactions and behaviors over a six-week intervention. Participants completed a questionnaire measuring FLCA and Foreign Language Enjoyment at three points during the study. At the end of the study, participants completed an Exit Survey with open-ended questions. Results revealed that both the questionnaire and the survey indicated a reduction in FLCA. Observation of classroom behavior supported an increase in engagement through recording students’ participation by count of hands raised. The mean of hands raised on days without music was 42 compared to the mean of hands raised on days with music at 58. This constitutes a difference of 38%.
Faculty Mentor: Sham’ah Md-Yunus, Ph.D., Professor of Teaching, Learning and Foundations, Faculty
The Impact of Teaching Soft Skills on the Ability Levels of 12th Grade Students
The purpose of this study was to find out if teaching certain specific soft skills (leadership, communication, and teamwork) increase students’ ability levels in those areas. The study used a mixed methods design. It was hypothesized that being specifically taught about and given chances to practice leadership, communication, and teamwork would increase students’ skill levels in those areas. The research question that guided the study was as follows: Does specific teaching about certain soft skills (leadership, communication, and teamwork) increase students’ ability levels in those areas? Eighteen 12th grade students from two classes, ages 17 and 18, participated in the study for six weeks. Participants rated themselves on three skills (leadership, communication, and teamwork) at the beginning and end of the study. The researcher also rated participants on those skills at the beginning and end of the study. The participants completed a pre- and post- open-ended survey about the three soft skills. In addition, the researcher also used an observation checklist to monitor behaviors of the soft skills during the six weeks of the study. Each of the three skills showed gains when post scores were compared to pre scores. The study revealed that communication in particular showed the highest gains (student rating, increase of 0.61; teacher rating, increase of 1.5; and observation, increase of 1.28), followed by teamwork and leadership.
Faculty Mentor: Sham’ah Md-Yunus, Ph.D., Professor of Elementary Education, Faculty
The Effectiveness of Repeated Reading Practice on Fifth Grade DIBELS 8th Edition Progress Monitoring Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) Scores
The purpose of this study was to determine if using repeated reading as an intervention was effective at increasing participants’ oral reading fluency scores when measured using the DIBELS 8th Edition Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) progress monitoring passages. The researcher also wanted to determine how effective the repeated reading intervention was in increasing participants’ oral reading fluency scores. Twenty-one students, ages 10 and 11, from a single fifth-grade classroom participated in the study for six weeks.
Faculty Mentor: Sham’ah Md-Yunus, Ph.D., Professor of Elementary Education, Faculty
The Efficacy of Approaching Homework as a Formative Self-Assessment in a High School
The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of treating homework as a formative self-assessment, where participants graded and corrected their own assignments, had on a summative unit assessment. The researcher also wanted to determine the effect the treatment had on the participants’ mathematics self-efficacy. Thirty-four ninth and tenth grade students from two of the researcher’s Algebra I classes participated in the six-week study: one class was the experimental group and the other was the control group. The researcher used two different instruments on both groups: A summative unit assessment that was used to compare the two groups’ average scores. And a five-point Likert-scale mathematics self-efficacy survey used to compare the two groups’ average rating scores.
Faculty Mentor: Sham’ah Md-Yunus, Ph.D., Professor of Elementary Education, Faculty
Using Marzano’s Six Steps to Vocabulary Instruction in a Fourth Grade Classroom
The purpose of this study was to determine if Marzano’s six steps to vocabulary instruction had a positive effect on vocabulary knowledge compared to the Wonders reading curriculum method used in a fourth grade classroom. The researcher also wanted to find out if Marzano’s method was more effective for low achieving readers compared to high achieving readers. Twenty-two fourth grade students from one classroom, ages nine and ten, participated in the study for six weeks.
Faculty Mentor: Sham’ah Md-Yunus, Ph.D., Professor of Elementary Education, Faculty Mentor
Examining the Impact of Frustration Levels on Multiplication Automaticity
The purpose of this action research was to examine the effectiveness of the Rocket Math program when working to develop multiplication automaticity with third grade students. Additionally, the study also examined which intervention, the Rocket Math app or paper and pencil, produced greater gains and how student frustration levels correlate to performance. A total of 18 third grade students were participants in this four-week study. A pretest and posttest was used to establish a baseline and measure student growth during the study.
Faculty Mentor: John Bickford, III, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle Level Education, Faculty Mentor
Implementing Readers Theater in a First Grade Classroom: Impact on Sight Word Acquisition and Fluency
The purpose of this action research study was to examine the impact of implementing Readers Theater on reading fluency and sight word acquisition in a first-grade classroom. This five-week study examined the effects of implementing Readers Theater in a classroom with 18 participants of varying reading abilities. Data was collected using DIBELS, Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, oral reading fluency first-grade passages, the Multidimensional Fluency scoring rubric, and Dolch sight word lists. Data collected measured student growth in words correct per minute and four dimensions of reading fluency: expression and volume, phrasing, smoothness, and pace.
Faculty Mentor: Sham’ah Md-Yunus, Ph.D., Professor of Elementary Education, Faculty Mentor
An Examination of Using Graphic Organizers to Teach Writing: A Case Study
The purpose of this action research study was to determine whether using graphic organizers to teach writing would have an impact on first grade students’ attitudes toward writing and proficiency in the areas of word choice and organization. This was a six week study.
Faculty Mentor: Sham’ah Md-Yunus, Ph.D., Professor of Elementary Education, Faculty Mentor
Content Area Reading in the Elementary Grades: The benefits of incorporating content learning into reading strategies at an early elementary level, as well as incorporating reading strategies into content learning at an upper elementary level
The purpose of this colloquy was to examine the exposure to reading strategies within content areas. Quality of textbooks, content curriculum, and resource availability was investigated. Awareness, knowledge, and comfort in teaching reading through various content areas was also researched.
Faculty Mentor: Daniel Carter, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Elementary, Middle Level Education, Faculty Mentor
2201 Buzzard
600 Lincoln Ave.
Charleston, IL 61920
djcarter@eiu.edu
