Literacy Studies, English Education, and History Education
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Item Open Access A comparison of two methods of teaching grammar(East Carolina University) Booth, Sandra Kay; Batten, James William, 1919-2004Item Open Access Composition as it relates to the teaching of grammar in the junior or senior high school(East Carolina Teachers College) Mulder, Robert Glenn; Batten, James William, 1919-2004Item Open Access The Experimental Railroad Company(East Carolina University) Tyer, Edward JuniorItem Restricted Reading comprehension : an evaluation of phonics, whole language and transitional approaches(East Carolina University) Uzzell, Martha Erwin; Campbell, Patricia T.Item Open Access Correspondence journals : their potential impact on the creative writing of first grade students who have been retained(East Carolina University) Thomas, Emily A.; Caron, ThomasItem Open Access The history of the Oxford Orphanage(East Carolina University) Peacock, Myrtle Leigh; Adams, Carl L.Item Open Access A comparison of two approaches to the teaching of reading(East Carolina University) Roberson, Elizabeth; Batten, James William, 1919-2004Item Open Access A survey of methods employed to teach a remedial reading group with special emphasis on a visual-phonic technique(East Carolina University) Roberts, Edith Crockett; Batten, James William, 1919-2004Item Open Access Imagination Library Kindergarten Impact Study Final Report(2021-11)The purpose of this report is to summarize the findings and outcomes of the Imagination Library Kindergarten Impact Study (ILKIS) for stakeholders. In 2016, 56% of the children in the Pitt County School District entered school “Ready to Learn,” as determined by Kindergarten entry literacy assessments. An Early Literacy Coalition was created to bring together community members and agencies interested in increasing the literacy rate in the county. Through implementation of a large-scale book distribution program (Dolly Parton Imagination Library [DPIL]) and a variety of other literacy-based initiatives, the coalition aimed to increase the percentage of children who enter school “Ready to Learn.” The DPIL program mails age-appropriate, high-quality books selected by a panel of early childhood and literacy experts once a month to the homes of all enrolled children, ages zero to five. We collaborated with the Pitt County School System to support the engagement and capacity of the community and families to foster early literacy development, inform pedagogical interventions at home and in the schools, evaluate the impact of the early literacy initiatives, and identify coalition practices that can be scaled up across our rural region. The project spanned 5 years. Key community partners across the duration of the project included, but were not limited to: ECU’s Office of Academic Affairs Provost’s Office, ECU’s College of Education, ECU Department of Literacy Studies, English Education, and History Education, Pitt County United Way, Pitt County Schools, Martin Pitt Partnership for Children, Sheppard Memorial Public Library, READ ENC, and Sadie Saulter Preschool. UMC-IRB approval for research with human subjects was sought and approved in July 2017 (UMCIRB 16-001324; expedited 5,6,&7). Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented completion of the research project as originally planned. However, much research and impact resulted and is described in the report that follows.Item Open Access Methods, systems, and devices for multi-user improvement of reading comprehension using frequency altered feedback(2014-07-14) Rastatter, Michael; Carter, Todd; Allen, Mark; Rodriguez, Ricardo; Trainor, JohnMulti-user portable electronic devices for improving reading ability and/or comprehension for a plurality of subjects are provided. The multi-user portable electronic devices may include a pitch shifter circuit configured to generate frequency altered auditory speech feedback (FAF) signals corresponding to respective auditory speech signals received from respective active microphones, and to transmit the respective FAF signals to the plurality of subjects while one or more of the plurality of subjects are respectively reading aloud, to improve the plurality of subjects' reading ability and/or comprehension. The multi-user portable electronic devices may also include a switch configured to activate the microphones selectively, serially. Related methods and systems are also described.Item Open Access Investigating the Impact of Reader’s Theater on the Prosody Scores of Middle School Students with Disabilities(2016-04-08) Gurley, KarenThe purpose of this single-subject, pre- and post-test design action research study was to determine how implementing Reader’s Theater as a prosody intervention might impact the prosody scores of middle school students with disabilities. Fluency rubrics and self-assessments were analyzed to determine any increase in prosody over the course of the intervention. Results indicated a positive impact on prosody scores.Item Open Access The Impact of the Repeated Reading of Poetry on Struggling Second Grade Students' Oral Reading Prosody and Reading Attitudes(2016-05-09) Hinton, LaQuittaThe purpose of this research paper is to share the results of action research that aimed to explore the impact of the repeated readings of poetry on struggling second grade students’ oral reading prosody and reading attitudes. The impact of the repeated readings of poetry on the reading attitudes of the participants was analyzed as well. The results of this study show that the participants showed improvement in reading fluency as well as improvement in reading attitudes.Item Open Access The Impact of Repeated Reading on the Reading Prosody and Reading Attitudes of Sixth Grade Students with Learning Disabilities(2016-04-14) Fox, BrinkleyThe purpose of this action research study was to investigate the effects of repeated readings on the reading prosody and reading attitudes of sixth grade students with learning disabilities. This single-subject pre-test post-test design study included students within an Exceptional Children’s classroom where they received supplemental reading instruction in addition to regular reading instruction in the general classroom. Each student participated in the repeated reading intervention eight times over a span of seven weeks. Results suggest that the intervention positively impacted prosodic reading, while its impact on reading attitude was undetermined.Item Open Access Using Questioning During a Directed Reading-Thinking Activity to Improve Comprehension and Reading Attitude of First Grade Students(2015-04-26) Hanan, LauraThe purpose of this action research study was to determine how questioning during a Directed Reading-Thinking Activity would impact comprehension and reading attitude of first graders. This quasi-experimental pre/posttest design study included 38 students from two first grade classes. Basal reader selections were used. The intervention group used questioning along a continuum while the comparison group used traditional basal reader questions. Two separate independent t tests, using the mean gain scores from the pre/post data and the pre/post Reading Attitudes Survey, failed to establish statistical significance (p=0.06). However a large effect size was documented for comprehension (0.8).Item Open Access The Effects of Rich Vocabulary Instruction and Interactive Word Walls on Students’ Retention of New Vocabulary(2015-05-05) Ray, LeighThe purpose of this action research study was to determine if the use of interactive word walls would help 9th grade students learn and retain new vocabulary. This quasi-experimental pre/post assessment study utilized an intervention and control group consisting of 25 students in two different classes. The intervention group used interactive word wall strategies to learn new vocabulary while the comparison group used flashcards. Results from an independent samples t test indicate that the intervention group made significantly higher gains in vocabulary achievement. Student perception of word wall vocabulary instruction was measured with a survey.Item Open Access The Impact of Explicit Small Group Instruction on the Phonological Awareness Development of At-Risk Pre-Kindergarten Students(2015-04-20) Presson, CathyThe purpose of this action research study was to investigate the effects of explicit small group instruction on the phonological awareness development of at-risk pre-kindergarten students. This quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design study included 27 pre-kindergarteners from two classrooms. The intervention group received explicit small group instruction three times a week, while the control group received curriculum-based implicit and incidental phonological awareness instruction. An independent t-test using the mean gain scores from the pre and posttest Early Literacy IGDI Assessment (two-tailed p= 0.00) suggests that the intervention positively impacted phonological awareness development in this population.Item Open Access Integrating Wiki Technology into Middle School Literature Circles(2015-05-25) LaBue, MelissaThis action research study used a quasi-experimental pre/post-test design to investigate the effects of integrating technology into middle school literature circles. The intervention group used wiki technology to support their literature circle preparations, while the control group used role sheets. Data sources included a comprehension curriculum based measure, a reading motivation survey, and a researcher log. The intervention group earned larger mean gain scores on both quantitative measures, but this score difference was not statistically significant based on the results of independent t-tests. Qualitative data suggested positives to using the intervention over traditional methods, and highlighted areas for further research.Item Open Access The Effect of Teacher - Mediated Vocabulary Discussions During Read Alouds(2015-04-29) Leanne RadabaughThis action research study utilized a quasi-experimental pre-/post-test design to examine effect of teacher-mediated vocabulary discussions during read alouds. During this intervention, fourteen second grade students participated in discussions of new vocabulary in the context of the text and their own lives. They discussed examples, non-examples, and synonyms for the targeted vocabulary. Fifteen comparison group students were incidentally exposed to the words during read alouds. Data sources included a multiple choice assessment, open ended assessment, and researcher log. An independent samples t-test was performed, and the intervention group’s mean gain vocabulary scores were significantly higher than the comparison group’s scores indicating the success of the intervention.Item Open Access Using digital word sorts as an extension of regular word sorts to impact spelling performance and attitude scores of 4th grade students with learning disabilities(2015-04-27) Jo ShoemakerThe purpose of this single-subject design action research study was to determine how the use of digital word sorts as an extension to regular word study might impact the spelling performance and attitude of two 4th grade students with disabilities. The spelling test averages and attitude surveys scores were analyzed for an increase or decrease in performance of the participants who acted as their own control. An increase in correctly spelled words indicated a positive impact although the attitude survey provided insufficient data for determining change in attitude.