Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
June Fishback
Committee Member
Clifford Claiborne
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
academic achievement, African American students, African Americans, classrooms, learning environment, learning style approach, learning style method, learning styles, literacy assessments, reading achievement, reading assessments, reading strategies, reading styles, referrals, special education, student needs, student services team, teacher training, teaching techniques, upper elementary students
Abstract
This applied dissertation focused on assisting 4th- and 5th-grade African American students in achieving 80% mastery on literacy assessments. Only 30 of the 60 students had regularly achieved 80% mastery on reading assessments. A review of the 2001-2002 student services team log indicated that 25 of the 35 students who were referred were African American students. Eleven of the 25 African American students were in Grades 4 and 5. This applied dissertation focused on identifying students’ reading styles and on implementing effective reading strategies to improve reading achievement and to decrease student referrals to the student services team.
Implementation of the project focused on a combination of strategies. The writer arranged for 4th- and 5th-grade teachers to receive intensive training in the reading style method of teaching developed by Dr. M. Carbo. As a result of the training and inventory results, teachers redesigned their teaching techniques, especially in the area of reading, to accommodate the learning styles of all students. Teachers also rearranged their classrooms to maximize a learning style environment that would meet student needs.
An analysis of the data revealed that the learning style approach to teaching and learning increased academic achievement among African American students and decreased the number of students who were referred to the student services team in Grades 4 and 5.