RSS 1.0Education and Human Development Master's Theses
Recent Submissions
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Empowering English Language Learner Family EngagementThis capstone aims to support any people who work, or plan to work, closely with English language learners (ELLs) and their families. From personal experience and discussion with others who work with ELLs, family engagement was seen to be a high concern in the area of ELL education. ELLs, like all students, are impacted by the level of support they are given. Providing students with support from home, school, and their community offers more opportunity to learn and a more positive view of education. To increase family engagement among the ELL population, schools and educators must be provided with tools or strategies to empower family’s engagement in students' learning. Understanding why ELL families may have limited or no engagement in students' education is the first step to supporting them. Debunking misconceptions that are tossed around about ELL families and their views of education opens many opportunities for supporting families in ways that work for them. After understanding is built by getting to really know families and learn about them, support can be provided through language support, interest topic based lessons and assignments, communication, homework support, and community support. Strategies and supports, such as those provided in this capstone and Teacher Toolbox (Appendix D) can be modified to fit any and all families and their learners. In applying strategies to support and empower families, along with meaningful reflection from educators, it is intended that families will feel more welcome, be more meaningfully engaged, and learning for students will improve.
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Extracting Violence from the English Language Arts ClassroomInformed by research and discourse from the contemporary movement for police/prison abolition, scholar Erin Geary makes the case for nonviolent schools, an ask that seems obvious, but, in many ways, is foreign and controversial amongst educators and administrators in America. Geary situates her study within the lived context of her own English Language Arts classroom and asks herself how she can provide a physical/emotional space conducive to learning that refuses to banish and exclude for the sake of “order.” In Geary’s nonviolent classroom, the flow of power is examined and disturbed, students’ needs are met, and conflict is mended rather than punished. Geary provides concrete techniques, resources, and ready-made lesson plans which cut-at-the-root of subtle, stubborn school violence and trouble the assumption that some students will always be “the bad kids.”
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From Isolation to Inclusion: How to Become a Successful ESL Co-TeacherThis capstone project aims to support classroom teachers and English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers in co-teaching models. In co-teaching, two teachers (in this case an ESL teacher and a classroom teacher) work together to teach and evaluate a group of students. Traditionally, many English Language Learners (ELLs) have been serviced in a pull-out model where they leave the classroom to work with an ESL teacher with other ELLs. However, as the population of ELLs continues to grow, co-teaching is becoming a more popular tool to service students, as it allows them to receive necessary accommodations and scaffolds without having to leave the classroom. With the introduction of co-teaching, both classroom and ESL teachers need training on what is co-teaching and how to execute a co-taught lesson. A successful co-taught lesson first begins in the co-planning stage, and it is imperative that both teachers work together to know what each person’s role is and that the lesson is truly collaborative. As there is no one model for co-teaching, teachers have the autonomy to choose which model works best for their particular students, lesson, or style. Through the use of collaborative documents and lesson plan templates, classroom teachers and ESL teachers can work together to produce lessons that support students’ academic and linguistic needs.
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First Language use with English Language Learners in the Elementary ClassroomIn recent years, the number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the public school system of the United States has been rising. Within my capstone project I will be addressing how incorporating ELLs’ L1 promotes second language (L2) and content learning in elementary school. This is a prevalent issue due to the fact that teachers are unsure of how to incorporate students’ native languages into classroom curriculum. Literature on this issue discusses how Translanguaging, multiple languages in the classroom, and culturally responsive instruction all incorporate ELLs L1 usage to promote L2 development. To mitigate this issue, I have created a professional development course. The PD within this capstone is created to help teachers understand and implement multilingual strategies into their classrooms. Implications for further research curated from this capstone project include finding what strategies are the most effective when incorporating ELLs L1s in the classroom.
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Increasing Family Involvement for ELLsThis capstone project aims to support all school staff, including teachers, administrators, cafeteria workers, office staff, and bus drivers who work with English Language Learners (ELLs), also known as English Learners (ELs). At East Elementary School, ELLs are being impacted by a lack of family involvement. Communication issues, culture clashes, lack of support for families, lack of services, unwelcoming school environments, rapidly increasing ELL population, parents' experiences with school, and socio-economics can all contribute to the low family involvement for ELLs. To increase family involvement among ELLs, a comprehensive plan has been constructed to mitigate this issue. Solutions to the problems at East Elementary include updating school signage, having translators present at all school functions, translating school materials, and hosting a family night out for ELLs.
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Effective Coteaching for ELLs: How can content area teachers and ESOL specialists co-teach effectively?Coteaching between content area teachers and English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) specialists is increasing. Although inclusion in the content classroom creates the least restrictive environment for ELLs, many challenges exist for both teachers and ELLs in cotaught classrooms. This capstone seeks to mitigate these challenges through conducting a literature review and offering Professional Development (PD) to address the question: How can content area teachers and ESOL specialists co-teach effectively? Literature is reviewed through a sociocultural learning theory lens. Some common challenges include lack of set co-planning time, ill-defined teacher roles, and a sense of the ELLs being the sole responsibility of the ESOL specialist. The PD is targeted for new coteaching pairs of seven through 12th grade content area teachers and ESOL specialists. In three sessions spread out across the school year, coteaching pairs will practice planning, communicating, and reflecting on coteaching practices. The goal of this PD is to improve teams’ overall coteaching practice to better support ELLs. Through effective coteaching practices, ELLs can receive individualized content and language instruction in an inclusive environment. Further research should be conducted to study the effects of specific coteaching strategies as well as further investigate ELL perspectives on coteaching.
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Vocabulary Emphasis to support English Language Learners Perseverance in Solving Exponential Function ProblemsThis curriculum project showcases a collection of lessons designed to promote mathematical literacy by unpacking vocabulary terms that have multiple meanings. The project includes four sequential lesson plans that follow the Exponential Functions unit. The motivation for each lesson is to encourage student discourse by creating a space for exploration and discussion. Each lesson aligns with the New York State Next Generation Learning Standards for Algebra 1.
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Preventing Misclassification of ELLs into Special Education ProgramsThis capstone project aims to provide a solution to the current problem of overidentification of English Language Learners (ELLs) students in special education programs. ELL students are a growing population across the country and have been negatively impacted by the lack of knowledge regarding the issue of misclassification and identification. The research shows that teachers, administrators, school counselors, and school professionals need support and additional services to adequately address the concerns of ELL students. Many different strategies can help prevent the misclassification of ELL students, including professional development, dual language programs, use of translators, parental involvement, response to intervention approach, and pre-referral strategies. Since education professionals do not feel competent when making decisions regarding ELL students, this project presents educational based training by means of professional development concentrated on identification and proper placement ELL students. School districts must start providing educators with the knowledge and tools necessary to accurately classify ELL students so that they may be successful in the future.
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Decreasing Over-Referral of ELLs to Special EducationThis capstone aims to solve the problem of disproportionate referral of ELLs to special education. To attain this goal, I first conduct a literature review on the topic. The research shows a disproportional referral of ELLs to special education because non-ESOL educators do not have the resources and are not collaborating to meet the diverse needs of struggling ELLs. MTSS are not being used in ways that support ELLs. To address this problem, a professional development for World of Inquiry School is presented with tools to support educators in mitigating this problem. The way my research showed to solve this problem is to provide educators with specific resources for ELLs to use within a multi tiered system of support (MTSS) and to give educators opportunity to practice collaborating during the professional development. This capstone’s goal is to decrease the over-referral of struggling ELLs special education.
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Using Project-Based Learning in Trigonometry: Mr. Baber’s Wall AssignmentThis Curriculum Project presents a series of five lessons designed to incorporate project-based learning (PBL) into a Trigonometry unit using the NYS Next Generation Standards Mathematics Learning Standards. PBL is an alternative to the traditional method of teaching (teacher-focused, notes, drill-and-practice, etc.) and has been proven to enhance motivation, participation, and learning in an educational environment. Since the project is the driving force of the curriculum, each lesson is tethered to different aspects of the project. Each stage of the project is intended to have a problem that you must solve, and through each lesson learned the students will be able to solve each problem as it arises. As each lesson is taught, the students can complete more and more of the project until the final day where they will bring it all together in a final PBL project.
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Improving Reading Strategies in the General Education ClassroomThis capstone project aims to support the development and use of new strategies that can be used to support English language learners also known as ELLs in the general education classroom. The strategies discovered and explained throughout this paper will be applied to real classrooms and data will be collected to show evidence of successful implementation of the strategies discussed. For the growing population of English language learners attending United States public schools, it is important that we support them academically and in their language development process. Implementing strategies into the classroom is an effective way to support English language learners in the classroom. There are many different strategies that can be used to support students academically and in their language development. The use of Spanish-English cognates is one vocabulary strategy that can be used in the classroom to support language development. Students are taught to look for familiar words as they read in the target language. They are also taught to use other words on the page to help them in determining the meaning of the unknown word, determining if the cognates are in fact true. Another effective strategy is the use of conversations in the classroom. Students can learn language through interaction with classmates. Finding ways to build a language learning and supportive community in the classroom and teaching students how to have meaningful interactions about books leads to support in reading comprehension. Lastly, we will discuss how parent engagement can be included into existing lessons. How parents can teach their children at home and bring a rich learning environment to the home and classroom workspace.
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Misidentification of English Language LearnersThis capstone project is designed to teach teachers about mislabeling. Mislabeling is when students are underrepresented in special education or overrepresented in special education. Mislabeling is caused by poor assessments, poor collaboration, and lack of background knowledge on language acquisition. When ELL are misidentified, they are being placed in the wrong instructional setting. Creating a cycle where they are falling behind monolingual peers and ELLs are unable catch up to monolingual students due to these misplacements. This project aims to discuss some literature on common studies showing ELLs, bilinguals, culturally linguistically diverse, and students of color all being misidentified. Some solutions presented in this literature are improving collaboration among teachers and ELL professionals. Increasing available resources for teachers and knowledge on language acquisition. Utilizing professional developments to teach teachers on implicit bias, culturally diverse teaching, and strategies to improve daily instruction.
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Encouraging Guardian Involvement Among ELLsGuardian involvement is important in student’s academic achievements however that involvement is not consistent across populations. Therefore, this capstone aims to examine the overarching research question: How can teachers foster positive relationships with students that promote parent involvement in the ENL classroom? To answer this question, it is important that teachers and school administration know the struggles families face. Some of these struggles may include language and cultural barriers, education levels of guardians, and the family’s socioeconomic status. The professional development for middle school teachers and school staff will provide strategies and programs that will help increase guardian involvement. As a result of this professional development teachers will have strategies they can implement into their classrooms and in school to increase academic involvement with ELL families. In the future it is important that researchers continue to study the effects that programs such as community programs have on guardian involvement a how it impacts student academics.
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Challenges with Effectively Assessing English Language LearnersThis capstone project examines the problem of effective ways to assess English Language Learners (ELLs). Though, assessing students is an essential part of education there are many problems with the lack of effective assessment practices ELL students face. The research shows that when assessed ELLs face cultural bias, testing anxiety, and testing of language rather than content knowledge. Therefore, this capstone examines how to effectively and accurately assess ELL students in a mainstream classroom. Including items such as accommodations, differentiation, alternate assessment, and alternate strategies to collect data. To mitigate the challenges of assessment ELLs face, this capstone will include a Professional Development (PD) for educators. The PD contains tools such as hand-outs, scenarios, and hands-on collaborative work to dive into the strategies to accurately and effectively assess ELL students. The capstone aims to identify and minimize the ramifications of assessment of student success through modifications, accommodations and alternative assessments. Alongside, implications for teaching such as alternate ways to provide accommodations and collect data. Finally, the capstone supplies recommendations for future research such as case studies on the differences between standardized testing and alternative assessment.
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Improving Reading Strategies in the General Education ClassroomThis capstone project aims to support the development and use of new strategies that can be used to support English language learners also known as ELLs in the general education classroom. The strategies discovered and explained throughout this paper will be applied to real classrooms and data will be collected to show evidence of successful implementation of the strategies discussed. For the growing population of English language learners attending United States public schools, it is important that we support them academically and in their language development process. Implementing strategies into the classroom is an effective way to support English language learners in the classroom. There are many different strategies that can be used to support students academically and in their language development. The use of Spanish-English cognates is one vocabulary strategy that can be used in the classroom to support language development. Students are taught to look for familiar words as they read in the target language. They are also taught to use other words on the page to help them in determining the meaning of the unknown word, determining if the cognates are in fact true. Another effective strategy is the use of conversations in the classroom. Students can learn language through interaction with classmates. Finding ways to build a language learning and supportive community in the classroom and teaching students how to have meaningful interactions about books leads to support in reading comprehension. Lastly, we will discuss how parent engagement can be included into existing lessons. How parents can teach their children at home and bring a rich learning environment to the home and classroom workspace.
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From Isolation to Inclusion: How to Become a Successful ESL Co-TeacherThis capstone project aims to support classroom teachers and English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers in co-teaching models. In co-teaching, two teachers (in this case an ESL teacher and a classroom teacher) work together to teach and evaluate a group of students. Traditionally, many English Language Learners (ELLs) have been serviced in a pull-out model where they leave the classroom to work with an ESL teacher with other ELLs. However, as the population of ELLs continues to grow, co-teaching is becoming a more popular tool to service students, as it allows them to receive necessary accommodations and scaffolds without having to leave the classroom. With the introduction of co-teaching, both classroom and ESL teachers need training on what is co-teaching and how to execute a co-taught lesson. A successful co-taught lesson first begins in the co-planning stage, and it is imperative that both teachers work together to know what each person’s role is and that the lesson is truly collaborative. As there is no one model for co-teaching, teachers have the autonomy to choose which model works best for their particular students, lesson, or style. Through the use of collaborative documents and lesson plan templates, classroom teachers and ESL teachers can work together to produce lessons that support students’ academic and linguistic needs.
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Preparing Content Teachers to Teach ELLs in their ClassroomThis capstone project aims to support content teachers to be prepared to teach English Language Learners (ELLs) in their classrooms. Many teachers are not prepared to teach their ELLs because teachers feel unprepared, have low self-efficacy, and lack of theoretical knowledge. A review of studies has shown these reasons and causes consequences to the ELLs. Due to content teachers not being prepared, there are studies demonstrating ELLs’ academic performances and their selfefficacy have been affected. Solutions to the problem is to get to know your ELLs, implement different instructional strategies, and use additional resources to help support ELLs in the classroom. Recommendations include adding more time to present the professional development sessions, presenting additional series of the professional development throughout the school year, and giving teacher choice on what they need to better support their ELLs.
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Approaches to Help English Language Learners Develop Skills Needed to Succeed in Social Studies and Pass High Stakes TestsIn New York State, all students are required to pass Regents Exams to receive their degree. Two of these Regents come from social studies content. Social studies is a subject that traditionally, English Language Learners (ELLs) have struggled with due to the high linguistic demands, difficult academic vocabulary, and a variety of other reasons. Consequently, many social studies teachers are not prepared with the strategies needed to support ELLs. As the number of ELLs continues to rise in New York State, this capstone is designed to provide and prepare secondary social studies teachers to support ELLs in the social studies classroom, so they can pass their regents. Therefore, this capstone examines the overarching questions: How can social studies teachers help ELLs develop linguistic strategies and vocabulary to successfully pass high stake tests, such as the Global and US Regents. This capstone outlines a four-session professional development (PD) that provides social studies teachers with social studies specific strategies, culturally responsive, social emotional learning strategies, and linguistic strategies that teachers can use in the secondary social studies classroom to support and prepare ELLs to be successful. The research in this capstone will provide secondary social studies teachers with the tools they need to support their ELLs, but more research is needed to provide a clear connection between these tools and high stakes testing results for ELLs.
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Implementing the 5E Instructional Model into an Algebra 1 Solving Equations UnitIn recent years, the education field has increasingly pushed for a focus on student-centered learning. Theories that revolve around student-centered learning are supported by teachers, but teachers are often left with little guidance for how to implement it into their classroom. More specifically, educators have been struggling to determine how to increase student engagement and collaboration in the mathematics classroom. One way for mathematics teachers to provide student-centered learning and encourage engagement and discovery in the classroom is through the 5E instructional model. This model is designed for students to engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate problem solving. This curriculum project presents 5 sequential Algebra 1 lessons designed around the 5E model to teach the Solving Equations Unit. The lessons present how well this instructional model fits with mathematics instruction to support student learning.
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Teaching Linear Equations in Algebra 1 By Scaffolding for a Complex Taskhis curriculum project was created to teach linear equations using scaffolding to help support student understanding of linear equations. This project includes four lessons that are presented using a stage approach to help students understand slope, slope-intercept form of a line, point-intercept of a line and linear modeling. The lessons are collaborative and involve scaffolding to build understanding by chunking smaller parts to support understanding of the overarching ideas embedded in linear equations. All lessons are aligned with the New York State Common Core standards for Algebra 1. Keys for all instructional materials are included in the appendix.
