Group items tagged

(Week 7: Adiatu, Julie, and Heather) This journal article was found by Adiatu on the UMUC Library, and is accessible through the link given above by accessing ERIC. The journal article is based on a study of 132 fourth-graders, and focused on examining the relationship(s) that exists among sustainable attention, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. According to authors Yildiz & Çetinkaya, "Sustainable attention is the type of attention that provides the ability to focus on a task for a long time. It is required to analyze the sentences in reading material and to utilize them actively at different times" ( 2017). The study results showed that students that lacked sustainable attention had poorer reading speed, comprehension, and word recognition. This journal article is useful to teachers because it provides information on useful activities teachers can arrange to increase the attention levels of students. For example, the authors of the journal suggest that teachers record their students' oral readings and play it back for them. This journal article is useful to our group because the teachers' artifacts are based on the reading comprehension and vocabulary gaps of their students, and the authors stress that teachers should strictly monitor the oral reading skills of students that are having reading comprehension difficulties. Reference: Mustafa Yildiz , Ezgi Çetinkaya (2017). The relationship between good readers' attention, reading fluency and reading comprehension. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 5, 366 - 371. doi: 10.13189/ujer.2017.050309., Universal Journal of Educational Research, 2017. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1134476

Group 3: Erika Eason, Margarita Lugo, Frances Parker Week 8: This journal article is accessible through the link given above by accessing the UMUC library. Description: Students with learning disabilities commonly either avoided or have been discouraged from taking World Language classes. This article describes "multi-sensory approaches" and the kind of instructional strategies, informed by brain-based research, that can help students with learning disabilities succeed in learning Spanish or another second language. The article focuses on how to create meaningful inclusion and skill building in Spanish courses through general accommodations, existing resources, and learning strategies. The article also references the relative lack of scholarly research on this topic and how that negatively impacts wider knowledge of ways to help students with learning disabilities learn a foreign language. This article was of interest to our group because the SMART goal is directly tied to improving the performance of special education students in Spanish class. The goal of the world languages department is for every student to learn one of the languages taught, yet that is not always possible since special education students who are not meeting the reading goals are frequently pulled from language classes to get reading support. Implementing strategies and other instructional moves that might keep the students in language class, are of interest to the teachers. While several of the multisensory strategies discussed were already known, there were a couple that reinforced practices that have already been implemented as a result of our group's data action plan and at least one new idea that our practicing teacher would like to try. This article would be particularly useful for Spanish teachers who are learning to differentiate their instruction and assessment for the first time and who need ideas about how to involve more Citation: Tolbert, J. B.,

(Week 9: Tolulope Oladipo and Michelle Bear) This is a journal article that is available in Diigo. The link to the article is also provided below: The Real Versus the Possible: Closing the Gaps in Engagement and Learning. Retrieved from https://www.educause.edu/research-and-publications/books/educating-net-generation/real-versus-possible-closing-gaps-engagement-and-learning. This article explores the generations of learners, how we can utilize technology in learning, the discovery of education community and learning science. The authors discussed further educational Goals about learning, improving student's success, engagement and learning through people to people interaction, people and tools, using information technology device as a vehicle by which concepts are presented (such as using simulations, and animations), using collaboration and rich media communication to promote interaction an engagement. The author discusses how access to technology determines generation of learners, such as the Net generation. According to the authors, many students in the K-12 and post-secondary education do not have adequate access to advanced instructional technologies or the web. Despite the engagement created by technology-enabled interactive instruction, many students, teachers, do not have the requisite experiences. The authors went further that internet resources are not yet fully integrated into the day-t0-day classroom routine. The authors cited a finding that proposed that motivation is a key factor to learning, and that engagement and learning can be achieved through competency and control, curriculum, instruction, the organization, management of the schools and the environmental conditions. Furthermore, according to the authors, the Board on Children, Youth and Families 2004 National report recommended that we can keep young people in school and making learning worthwhile by forming a good connection between learners and the context in which learning occurs. We sh

(Week 7: Michelle and Tolu) http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&sid=537ab470-df86-45e4-b0e1-6a514e8ff2f5%40pdc-v-sessmgr05 This journal article is accessible through the link given above by accessing the UMUC library. This article reviews the literature relevant to games and simulation pedagogy in higher education. Two researchers collaborate to apply a qualitative method, coding and synthesizing the results using multiple criteria. The main objective is to study the impact of games and simulations with regard to achieving specific learning objectives. The article indicates that simulations have a positive impact on learning goals. The researchers identify three learning outcomes when integrating games into the learning process: cognitive, behavioral, and affective. This article can further instructional practices by providing g rationale for integrating simulations in academic curricula. Among the many reasons for including simulations in the classroom: they facilitate the transfer of knowledge, stimulate greater student engagement, and strengthen social development of students (Vlachopoulos & Makri, 2017). The article helps to ensure that the simulation is thoughtfully and deliberately introduced to minimize confusion and demonstrate how the simulation will reinforce course goals or objectives. References Vlachopoulos, D., & Makri, A. (2017). The effect of games and simulations on higher education: a systematic literature review [Entire issue]. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-017-0062-1

Explicit, intensive, persistent instructionTo become good readers, most students require explicit, intensive, and persistent instruction.[1] In explicit comprehension strategy instruction, the teacher chooses strategies that are closely aligned with the text students are reading.

(Week 7: Adiatu, Julie, and Heather) This journal article was found by Adiatu on Diigo, and is accessible through the link given above by accessing readingrockets.org. The journal article is focused on elements of effective reading comprehension instruction. The authors of the article state that effective comprehension instruction is when students "are able to develop, control, and use a variety of comprehension strategies to ensure that they understand what they read." (readingrockets.org) The article discusses various instruction strategies that students can also use independently in their learning; for example - thinking aloud. This journal article is useful to teachers in that it provides useful information on how to select appropriate reading materials for students, and it suggests instruction practices that motivate students to read widely in order to reach higher literacy levels. This journal article is useful to our group because the teachers' artifacts are based on the reading comprehension and vocabulary gaps of their students, and they are currently implementing instruction techniques to achieve SMART learning goals. Reference: What is effective comprehension instruction? (2009, January 2). Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/what-effective-comprehension-instruction

(Week 9: Adiatu, Julie, and Heather) This journal article was found in the UMUC Library by Julie, and is accessible through the link given above. The article was written by Daniel Willingham, a cognitive psychologist. Mr. Willingham believes that comprehension strategies, such as questioning and monitoring, are effective in improving reading comprehension and should be taught to students. The article raises the question of how much the strategies should be taught. Mr. Willingham determined that two weeks of strategy instruction is sufficient because students learn everything they need within this duration. The article is useful to teachers because it discusses the benefits of various reading comprehension strategies at a variety of grade levels, and points out the most powerful and weakest strategies. This journal article is useful to our group because the teachers' artifacts are based on the reading comprehension and vocabulary gaps of their students, and the authors stress that teachers should strictly monitor the oral reading skills of students that are having reading comprehension difficulties. Reference Willingham D. T. (2007). Ask the cognitive scientist: The usefulness of brief instruction in reading comprehension strategies. American Educator, 30(4), 39-45, 50.

This article explains different types of reading strategies that are best to use when teaching comprehension across all grade levels. This article is very useful to my group because we are all focusing on reading skills/comprehension and determining learning gaps in each grade level when it comes to this topic. The author describes which type of strategy works best for which grade level and everyone in my group teaches a different grade.

This article explains different types of reading strategies that are best to use when teaching comprehension across all grade levels. This article is very useful to my group because we are all focusing on reading skills/comprehension and determining learning gaps in each grade level when it comes to this topic. The author describes which type of strategy works best for which grade level and everyone in my group teaches a different grade.

(Week 8: Cathy, Sheila, Suzanne) This article is accessible through the link given above or by accessing the UMUC Library. This journal article focused on a study that looked at using an online homework system to identify struggling students early in the semester of a chemistry class. The program studied was Mastering Chemistry, a program supplied by Pearson textbook company. The article identified that students who took longer to complete the homework correlated ~65% of the time with students who did poorly in the class. By having an early detection system in place for struggling students, teachers could supply additional resources and modify instruction earlier than after the first exam. Teachers can benefit from utilizing electronic resources such as the Mastering Chemistry program mentioned in the article. One benefit is that teachers get immediate feedback on how much time students spend on homework and areas that students succeeded or struggled. According to the study, students who took longer to complete homework generally performed worse in the class. Utilizing the system to monitor student work can help teachers identify students who need intervention and topic areas that need clarification. References Perdian, D. (2013). Early Identification of Student Performance and Effort Using an Online Homework System: A Pilot Study. Journal Of Science Education & Technology, 22(5), 697-701. doi:10.1007/s10956-012-9423-7

Week 8: Group 2- James Sweigert, Sabrina Carey, Jennifer Freburger

This is a journal article accessible via the UMUC Library. The focus of this article is on a three-year study in which a focus group consisting of middle-schoolers were targeted. More specifically, this target group consisted of 123 students, all with disabilities from 12 different schools in the mid-west. The focus of this study was to compare these students willingness to show empathy, caring, and a willingness to intervene to help a victim of bullying with their academic test scores and report cards grades. This target group was compared to schools without the intervention plan. In the 12 target schools, the selected students participated in intervention lessons through the program "Second Step-Student Success Through Prevention". Our group, Group Two felt strongly connected to this article as two of us teach students with disabilities while all three of us are employed in the public school system where character traits such as empathy, caring, and a willingness to intervene to help a victim of bullying are taught through advisory lessons to ALL students. However, within our schools and counties there are no programs tracking data on the effectiveness of such lessons. This article is highly useful to our team because our Smart Target Goals all relate to increasing specific scores or improving behavior types. We will be using information discussed in this article within our current implementation period. For example, by applying an emphasis on This is a journal article accessible via the UMUC Library. The focus of this article is on a three-year study in which a focus group consisting of middle-schoolers were targeted. More specifically, this target group consisted of 123 students, all with disabilities from 12 different schools in the midwest. The focus of this study was to compare these students willingness to show empathy, caring, and a willingness to intervene to help a victim of bullying with their academic test scores and re

(Week 7: Dave and Kristina) This journal article is accessible through the link given above by accessing the UMUC library. This journal article discusses the challenges that nearly all teachers face in classes where there they encounter students of mixed abilities. The article provides solutions such as 'provided specific activities for varying students', and notes that teachers with a 'positive attitude toward mixed abilities' correlate to more positive outcomes within their classrooms (Al-Subaiei, 2017). Teachers in our team can use this information because the problem of having students of mixed abilities is a ubiquitous one. It enlightens the reader that many teachers have not received adequate training regarding differentiation to provide effective lessons to classes that contain learners of mixed abilities. While Al-Subaiei (2017) doesn't offer solutions specific to any particular subject area, it certainly does shine a light and help teachers reflect on an issue that we all face to varying degrees. References Al-Subaiei, M. S. (2017). Challenges in Mixed Ability Classes and Strategies Utilized by ELI Teachers to Cope with Them. English Language Teaching, 10(6), 182-189. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1143456&site=eds-live&scope=site

In order to increase the achievement levels of minorities and low income students, there are three components that are the focus: high standards, a rigorous curriculum, and effective educators.

This post hits home, as I see it at my Title I school. Students struggle but even the students passing AP classes and Honors courses, yet when they see the SAT's or the ACT's. Last year, my school's valedictorian only got a 1000 on the SAT and did not get to attend her first choice. We, as a school, and larger, we as educators need to ensure that we are doing everything we can to get these students to get past whatever challenges exist outside of the school and have strict standards that need to be met.

This a great resource for every teacher.

(Week 7: Ruchel and Beth) This journal article is accessible through the link given above by accessing the UMUC library. This journal article discuss practical strategies to help with teaching the alphabet. The importance of the alphabet for early literacy skills is discussed in the article. The article stresses the flaw with the popular "letter of the week" way of teaching the alphabet including the fact that this method takes 26 weeks just to cover the alphabet as well as the fact that if students know a number of letters those weeks are a waste of valuable class time. Teachers can use this article to further their instructional practices in the early childhood classroom by focusing on EAK (Enhanced Alphabet Knowledge Instruction) which "emphasizes identifying the letter name and sound, recognizing the letter in text, and producing the letter form, through flexible, distributed cycles of review based on factors that influence acquisition of alphabet knowledge" (Jones, Clark & Reutzel, 2013). "Rather than the traditional method of one cycle of massed instruction, EAK instruction advocates teaching letters through multiple, distributed instructional cycles which allows for letters to be introduced, practiced, and revisited several times, as needed, during the school year" (Jones et al., 2013). References Jones, C., Clark, S., & Reutzel, D. (2013). Enhancing Alphabet Knowledge Instruction: Research Implications and Practical Strategies for Early Childhood Educators. Early Childhood Education Journal, 41(2), 81-89. doi:10.1007/s10643-012-0534-9

(Week Nine: Ruchel and Beth) This article is accessible through the UMUC library via Document Express. This journal article is about differentiated instruction when it comes to teaching students the alphabet. The article highlights the fact that "Early literacy experiences vary widely... and children show substantial differences in their alphabet knowledge development. Thus, children in the same early childhood classroom may exhibit differing levels of alphabet knowledge" (Piasta, 2014). Teachers can use this article to further their instructional practice by using the strategies and assessments discussed in the article to work with students in ways that will help the individual child learn all the letters verses a whole class approach to teaching the alphabet. The article discuses how, "The familiarity of children with letters included in their own first names, for example, has long been observed" (Piasta, 2014). But when it comes to teaching the alphabet in a whole class approach teachers are not acknowledging "differences across letters, often providing the same amount and types of instructional activities for each of the 26 letters irrespective of the ease or difficulty of learning a particular letter (Piasta, 2014). The article provides an idea that all "Early childhood educators may wish to assess all the children in their classrooms or may first use established alphabet screening assessments" (Piasta, 2014). It is also helpful for educators "To conduct a diagnostic alphabet assessment, an educator presents a child with each of the 26 letters and asks the child to supply the name and/or sound for each letter. The educator marks whether the child supplied a correct name and/or sound. Although the assessment can be scored in terms of the total number of correct letter names or sounds (i.e., 0 to 26), most important for diagnostic purposes are which letter names and sounds the child knows (Piasta, 2014)...

...The article finds that small group learning "has been demonstrated to be more effective than whole-class or even one-to-one instruction in supporting young children's early literacy development (Piasta, 2014). The article also stresses the fact that educators should "plan and use effective teaching practices to deliver alphabet instruction on the selected letters. Alphabet instruction can take place in many fun, engaging, and authentic contexts" (Piasta, 2014). In closing, "Outside of planned alphabet instruction, educators may also take advantage of additional "teachable moments" to review and reinforce children's alphabet learning whenever these occur" (Piasta, 2014). References Piasta, S. B. (2014). Moving to Assessment-Guided Differentiated Instruction to Support Young Children's Alphabet Knowledge. Reading Teacher, 68(3), 202-211. doi:10.1002/trtr.1316

(Week 8: Mary, Jessica, and Sarah) This journal article is accessible through the link given above by accessing the UMUC library. This journal article explains the willingness of teachers to differentiate assignments for their mixed-ability students. To show teacher's efficacy to differentiate assignments, a study is conducted between two school districts. The first school district is located in an urban area containing 4,000 students. The second school district is located in a suburban area with many students receiving free and reduced lunches. A Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale is used with the participants to see how often accommodations are made for students. This is a great journal article for all teachers to read! It is important to differentiate assignments for all students. A differentiated classroom is a place where children have resources to learn new information in different ways. As it is stated in the text, "Teachers who differentiate their instruction respond to learner needs in the way content is presented (the content dimension of differentiation), the way content is learned (the process dimension), and the ways students respond to the content (the product dimension). All these adaptations are designed to meet the individual characteristics of learners and to maximize their time in school" (Dixon, F. A., Yssel, N., McConnell, J. M., & Hardin, T., 2014). Through the study conducted in the article, teachers are able to see how important it is to attend professional developments to learn more about differentiation. References Dixon, F. A., Yssel, N., McConnell, J. M., & Hardin, T. (2014). Differentiated Instruction, Professional Development, and Teacher Efficacy. Journal For The Education Of The Gifted, 37(2), 111-127.

@Jessicacarr @sarahdonahey

Week 7: This is a journal article based on reading behaviors, which emphasizes Daniel Willingham's arguments in the importance of building content knowledge. In reference to that, this journal discusses the effect background knowledge plays on comprehension of texts read. "The present study was designed to assess the role that background knowledge plays in determining young children's ability to process relationships that are explicitly and fully specified in a text in comparison to those that are only partially specified by the same text" (Pearson, 1979, pg. 201). This journal article stresses the relationship and connection that is made between texts and the reader based on background knowledge that has been built. This gives a great lens to see the effect of building such knowledge and seeing the benefits of it play out on the students.

(Week 7: Cathy, Sheila and Suzanne) This journal article is accessible though the link given above by accessing the UMUC library. This journal article discussed the connection between metacognition and cognitive retention dependent on particular Biology teaching strategies. The article focused on four strategies, Problem-based learning (PBL), Jigsaw, PBL integrated with Jigsaw and direct teaching. The article explained how PBL/Jigsaw leads to greater metacognition skills and therefore the students will be more successful learners. This article can help teachers identify student learning gaps and incorporate learning strategies that aid in metacognitive skills and also increase cognitive retention. It also examines how student motivation and leaning styles and cooperative learning strategies can help self-esteem and student achievement. Palennari wrote that metacognition makes students become independent learners that can manage and plan their learning process. "Self-regulated learners are responsible for their own learning progress and adapt their learning strategies reaching demands completely." (Palennari, 2016) Reference: Palennari, M. (2016). Exploring the correlation between metacognition and cognitive retention of students using some biology teaching strategies. Journal of Baltic Science Education. 15(5). Pp 617-629.

(Week 7: Jeremy, Kelly, Patience and Sherita) This article is originally a Diigo share from 2015. This journal article is accessible in the link given above. This journal article discusses how here in America, there is a pervasive fear surrounding teaching and learning math. The author suggests that the American public suffers from innumeracy. Through discussing the article, the group agrees that many countries have mastered the use of American mathematical principles. The article discussed that by utilizing and engaging in clear mathematical methods of learning for students and by creating valuable conversations, making the learning process more viable, the students consequently, learn. "Instead of having students memorize and then practice endless lists of equations - which Takahashi remembered from his own days in school - Matsuyama taught his college students to encourage passionate discussions among children so they would come to uncover math's procedures, properties and proofs for themselves. One day, for example, the young students would derive the formula for finding the area of a rectangle; the next, they would use what they learned to do the same for parallelograms. Taught this new way, math itself seemed transformed. It was not dull misery but challenging, stimulating and even fun." (Green, 2014) Teachers can use this article to further their instructional practices by utilizing math in a real world format, in a conversational and hands on applicable manner, making learning math fun and interesting for their students. In some instances, math classes may be seen as boring and monotonous tools that serve to be an overtly unloved subject area here in America. The simple truth, is that many teachers love to learn and teach math here in America, and there is a realization for teachers, that all nations compete mathematically. In technology, industry, trade, consumerism and capitalism, numbers and mathematical data maintain a lot of the privile

Without comprehension, reading is a frustrating, pointless exercise in word calling. It is no exaggeration to say that how well students develop the ability to comprehend what they read has a profound effect on their entire lives.1 A major goal of reading comprehension instruction, therefore, is to help students develop the knowledge, skills, and experiences they must have if they are to become competent and enthusiastic readers.

(Week 8: Adiatu, Julie, and Heather) This journal article was found on Diigo by Heather, and is accessible through the link given above. The article was written by the Texas Education Agency, and explored a 1970 classroom study on a reading comprehension strategy taught by teachers where students had to complete an assignment by applying a specific skill mentioned by their teacher. Assessments showed the strategy did not enable comprehension. Following the 1970 study, cognitive scientists found that comprehension is not a skill application. Rather, comprehension is about constructing meaning, which involves interaction, strategy, and adaption. The article is useful to teachers because it suggests activities that teachers can use in the classroom to improve how students construct meaning. For example, having students think aloud as they read. This journal article is useful to our group because the teachers' artifacts are based on the reading comprehension and vocabulary gaps of their students, and the authors stress that teachers should strictly monitor the oral reading skills of students that are having reading comprehension difficulties. Reference What research tells us about reading, comprehension, and comprehension instruction. (2009, January 2). Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/what-research-tells-us-about-reading-comprehension-and-comprehension-instruction

(Week7: Jim, Sabrina, Jennifer) This Journal article is accessible through the link given above through the UMUC Library The focus of this article is small group alternative lessons that will help with differentiated reading instruction. The article itself identifies how students in the elementary grades struggle with Phonemic Awareness. Specifically in kindergarten and First grade and continuously miss the benchmark when being assessed. The article also Identifies what differentiated instruction looks like in this setting as well as many example activities on guided reading and other strategies to help address students who are struggling. Teachers are able to use this article as a reference for activities that they can incorporate into the classroom during their reading or guided reading block. The 3 members in our team all work in a secondary school and noticed that many of the activities or lessons were really geared toward elementary students. However when reflecting on the struggling students in our own classes on this topic we quickly realized that those students were indeed on an elementary reading level. Therefore we might not use the exact same strategies but rather adapt them as they do in the article to fit the needs of our learners and make them more age appropriate. Reference: Kosanovich, M, Ladinsky, K, Nelson, L, Torgesen, J,. (2007) Differentiated Reading Instruction: Small Group Alternative Lesson Structures for All Students. Guidance Document for Florida "Reading First" Schools. Florida Center for Reading Research ERIC Journal. pp. 11, Retrieved from: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED498777.pdf

(Week 7: Benjamin, Cheney, and Gretchen) The journal article is accessible by the link above through the UMUC library services. The journal article discusses the ways that a classroom teacher can use Reading Recovery strategies within the guided reading small group instruction. Reading Recovery is an one on one intervention that is short term. The intervention provides one on one tutoring for first grade students. The article explains the effective strategies that Reading Recovery teachers use that can be implemented in small group instruction. The strategies that the article focuses on are fluency through rereading familiar texts, modeling fluent expectations, providing a strong book introduction, knowing when to prompt the students, and observing and analyzing. Teachers can use this article to understand different strategies in order to improve guided reading instruction such as using running records to help guide instruction. "Likewise, careful analysis of running records (formal or informal) helps teachers to further understand how students respond to difficult text."(Lipp & Helfrich, 2016) Teachers need to use running records as a way to locate the deficits in a students reading and plan lessons that will bridge that gap. Lipp and Helfrich(2016) also states that "interrupting a student who is reading must not be a lengthy process that breaks the flow of the story." It is important to explicitly and intentionally interrupt a student while reading with quick prompts that will help the student guide themselves to self corrections. References: Lipp, J. R., & Helfrich, S. R. (2016). Key Reading Recovery Strategies to Support Classroom Guided Reading Instruction. Reading Teacher, 69(6), 639-646. doi:10.1002/trtr.1442