Date of Award
6-1-1989
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Center for the Advancement of Education
Advisor
Dr. Joan Horn
Keywords
cognitive ability, communication skills, learning disabled, learning processes, learning strategies, metacognition, primary, writing, writing evaluation, written language
Abstract
A metacognitive approach to written language instruction was implemented to ameliorate the severe deficits in written language exhibited by the five learning disabled third and fourth graders who made up the target population. The program contained two basic elements: sustained writing practice and strategy training for revision of written projects. The results indicated that students benefited from this program by exhibiting improved cognitive ability, improved attitudes toward writing, and improved metacognitive awareness. These results were measured by comparing of the Test of Written Language (Hammill and Larsen, 1986), a written language sample, revision of a written language sample, and interviews administered prior to and following implementation. Appendices include student and teacher interviews, a letter of introduction to parents, permission to test, a strategy worksheet, a story planning worksheet, punctuation practice, a grading system, and preassigned writing topics.