Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
EdD Program in Child and Youth Studies
Advisor
Kimberley Fatata-Hall
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
academic achievement, class participation, classroom discussion, computer technology, culture, diagrams, English, English to Speakers of Other Languages, ESOL, graphic organizers, group activities, group projects, Haitian students, hands-on learning, Inspiration Software, language arts, maps, nonthreatening environment, outlines, paragraph writing, reading, self-esteem, student behavior, teacher assessment, visuals, webs, writing, writing assignments, writing skills
Abstract
This applied dissertation was designed to increase the academic achievement and self-esteem of English to Speakers of Other Languages Haitian students in language arts through reading and writing. Haitian students were not at the academic level of their counterparts in English. Teacher assessment and observed student behavior in writing assignments and class participation were evidence that a problem existed. Haitian students submitted writing tests that were incomplete. They were unlikely to participate in classroom discussion or to share answers aloud. It was important to make learning enjoyable in a nonthreatening environment.
The writer used various strategies to accomplish the goals. She selected to validate students' culture by making them feel comfortable, by doing various group activities or group projects related to their own backgrounds and culture, and by using a more hands-on approach. The writer also decided to use visuals through specific graphic organizers that aid in organizing and planning via diagrams before converting to text. Lastly, the writer selected to experiment with a specific computer technology program entitled Inspiration Software that embraced all the graphic organizers components such as webs, maps, pictures, drawings, and outlines. Not only were students using graphic organizers, but also new and veteran teachers were using them differently in their own curriculum.
An analysis of the data revealed that once students' culture is validated and students feel comfortable in a nonthreatening environment, they are ready to learn. Through visuals and various hands-on assignments, students' self-esteem increases. Graphic organizer data indicated that although students understood the use of graphic organizers in reading and writing, their writing skills needed more attention. The process of creating and selecting specific graphic organizers including drawing and making them colorful, neat, and organized was understood. Although their paragraph writing skills showed much improvement, there is still work to be done in certain areas of writing.