Abstract This paper addresses the problem of weak reading skills in middle school students, and suggests educational approaches to improving reading comprehension in particular. The author recommends that teachers, the instructional and/or educational materials and the educational policies should be at the forefront in assisting middle school children to acquire the reading comprehension skills they need. The role of each is described in the paper. Additionally, accommodations are recommended for children with special educational needs. The paper also lists the five essential components of reading instruction, describing the importance of each one. The paper concludes by stating students also take responsibility for their reading progress by practicing regularly.
Outline:
Introduction
Review of Related Literature
Factors to increasing the reading comprehension abilities of the middle graders
The Teachers
Provision of More time for the Students
Maintenance of Research Based Curriculum and Instructional Approaches Regarding Reading Comprehension Reference List
From the Paper "Indeed, there have been recent studies conducted which reveal that reading and comprehension is becoming a challenging tasks for the teachers, particularly when they are handling the students from the middle grades. Students who are in the in their middle age of learning are already being taught for proper reading and comprehension. However, there are reports that show that there are increasing number of students who have gone to higher levels but "are still not fully equipped with the right reading and comprehension perspectives," thus a big task to teachers and other educational facilitators nowadays is how to increase the reading comprehension of students in the middle school (Snow, 2002)."
Abstract This paper attempts to analyze the best possible practices to improve the reading and comprehension of students, particularly elementary school students. This paper identifies the characteristics of elementary students and categorizes the different approaches used when teaching elementary students reading and comprehension.
Outline:
Introduction
Purpose of the Study
Hypothesis
Significance of the Study
Methodology
Research and Plan Solution Strategy
The Teachers
Additional Time
High-Quality Research Based Curriculum and Instruction
Phonemic Awareness
Phonics
Vocabulary
Fluency
Comprehension Other Important Instructional Methods
Preschool and Early Literacy Opportunities
Implementation Plan and Matrix
Evaluation/Assessment Plan
From the Paper "There has been much debate about phonics instruction. However, recent research has given phonics another look and has determined phonic instruction is needed (Hempenstall, 2002). Students that master phonics will have the decoding process in hand and can focus on building fluency and comprehension. Use direct, systematic explicit phonics instruction as a primary component of a reading program. CIEA states, "Systematic instruction includes a carefully selected set of letter-sound relationships that are organized into a logical sequence, and explicit are programs that provide teachers with specific directions for the teaching of these relationship" (Hempenstall, 2002). The issue is not whether to use phonics or whole language in reading instruction. "Rather, the issue is how phonics is used; as a primary component of a reading program, as well as when we use phonics; at the beginning reading level" (Hempenstall, 2002). "
Tags: reading, comprehension, teaching, understanding, phonetical, motivation, practice
This is an argumentative essay written on the side of comprehensive sexuality education in schools verses the traditional abstinence-only sex education.
Abstract Should schools include comprehensive birth control education within the sexuality education curriculum? This paper argues this serious question that needs attention as every year millions of teenagers are making decisions that affect them the rest of their lives. The author feels that a clear effective program should be a major priority for educators and politicians. This paper analyzes articles that were published within the past few years written by those who did research in the field and had their results to prove their point. It argues strongly on behalf of the comprehensive sexuality education. If information is left out, students are left out.
From the Paper "?I lost my virginity at age 16 to my high school sweetheart and he dumped me two months later. Sex was never a big issue in my junior high or high school; I never fully learned everything until I got to college when they gave incoming freshman a test and a presentation. You mostly learn things about sex from friends and sometimes parents.? --JM, (avert.org) This is a submission of a young lady to a website dedicated to educating young adults about what they deserve to know about sexuality. Are websites such as this one necessary? According to young people like JM, they are. Parents would be alarmed to find out that most adolescents learn more about sex from their peers than from parents or school. The same adolescents who cited peers as their principal source of information on sex also had more permissive standards about sexuality than those whose sources were more reliable (Fromme & Emihovich, 1998)."
Abstract In this paper, the writer researches the subject of reading comprehension at the third grade level. The particular issue of vocabulary has been selected to further focus this study. The writer notes that students at the third grade level appear to lag in their acquisition of vocabulary, which affects their reading comprehension at this level. The writer points out that due to the varied perspectives on teaching vocabulary, it would appear that a varied approach is needed in teaching vocabulary in terms of reading comprehension. The writer maintains that context, symbols and media all have a place in teaching vocabulary, although none of these things should take precedence over the others. The paper also includes appendix, definitions and additional sources.
Outline:
Problem Statement
Proof of the Problem
Chart #1a Vocabulary
Chart#1b Word Use
Chart #1c
Word Use
Chart #1d
Reading Comprehension
Goals and Objectives
Setting
School Community
Role of the Writer
Problem Rationale
From the Paper "Although this drop in proficiency is not as dramatic as noted across the state of Georgia, this drop should be taken as a suggestion that a problem may exist with student comprehension of the material being taught. It is interesting to note, however, that while the percentage of students meeting or exceeding the AYP requirements dropped, the percentage of students showing advanced proficiency actually increased. However, the total of 81.1% of students meeting or exceeding the AYP requirements is one that suggests that our students do not receive adequate Reading instruction. A goal of 100% reading proficiency does not seem unreasonable, if Magnolia Elementary School is going to prepare students to be competent individuals entering the business world."
Abstract A paper concerning the effects of rap music and time pressure on reading comprehension. What effects does rap have on reading comprehension? Does time play a factor in the relationship between reading comprehension and rap?
Abstract The intent of the literature review is to determine whether evidence exists supporting the use of a choice of reading materials in the classroom, as a tool for promoting greater reading ability and comprehension. The writer proposes that there is a clear need for educators to adopt a more open-minded perspective regarding reading comprehension in the classroom.The paper examines how one way that administrators can motivate students is by providing them with access to a diverse selection of comprehensive reading materials. These reading materials will engage their personal interests and provide them with challenging but interesting material to review and interpret.
From the Paper "Cheak & Wessel (2005) suggest that students who read more frequently are more likely to become strategic readers capable of processing information more contextually resulting in better reading comprehension. Researchers have identified reading motivation among the factors vital toward guiding the behavior of readers and promoting greater reading comprehension. Further, Cheak & Wessel (2005) find that individuals who are "intrinsically motivated" are more likely to persist with challenging research related material and exhibit a desire to "master" the skill of reading. Intrinsic motivation according to the researchers is essential for developing deep processing and hence learning in individuals."
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that sex education became a traditional part of the middle school and high school curriculum in the middle of the 20th century. The writer points out that in the last 50 years, social attitudes and American cultural beliefs about human sexuality have changed significantly but, for the most part, sexual education has not evolved simultaneously, except perhaps in the modernization of the actual materials and literature used to present the substantive information. The writer maintains that what is required is a more comprehensive approach that reflects the realities of all the fundamental issues that arise in connection with human sexuality and behavioral choices associated with it. The writer concludes that a comprehensive sexual education program could radically transform sexual education in American education from a meaningless exercise in student embarrassment and an ineffective presentation of certain useful reproductive health and medical information into a beneficial mechanism for changing specific illogical beliefs and cultural values that undermine human happiness.
Outline:
Introduction
The Insufficiencies of Traditional Sexual Education
Outlining Comprehensive Sexual Education
Teaching Sexual Ethics
Conclusion
From the Paper "By initiating Sex Ed in middle school, educators have the opportunity to address common cultural attitudes and beliefs about sexuality in principle, thereby providing alternatives to various elements of typical approaches to sexual gratification including objective ethical values, sexism, bigotry, homophobia, safer sex practices, and unplanned pregnancy. Comprehensive Sex Ed would likely require no additional funds or resources except to the extent it requires changing the way educators are trained and replacing old literature with updated teaching texts. The non-printed materials already used in connection with traditional Sex Ed programs is still sufficient for that portion of a comprehensive educational program appropriately devoted to human anatomy and biological reproduction."
Abstract The paper analyzes whether humor in radio advertising aids the listener in comprehension and recall. The author discusses past experimental studies that look at the effect of humor in advertising upon source credibility, comprehension, and audience preference, and compares them to the author's own method of experimentation.
From the Paper:
"The use of humor in radio advertising is not a new concept. Every year millions of dollars are spent in the development and execution of humorous advertising in the United States. It is a tool that advertisers and radio stations have been using for years to grab the attention of their listeners. They use humor to help them place a product image in the listeners mind, but does this technique really work? Advertisers use humor appeals in radio advertising in order to differentiate a product whose advertising faces a heavy amount of corporate noise. The use of humor, some advertisers feel, can help listener recall, and attitude toward the brand. Humor, however, is hard to conceptualize or put into operation."?
Abstract This paper directs htat a statement sets a standard for the reporting and display of comprehensive income, and its components, including revenue, expenses, gains, and losses as part of a full set of general-purpose financial statements. Briefly put, the standard "requires that all items that are required to be recognized under accounting standards as components of comprehensive income be reported in a financial statement that is displayed with the same prominence as other financial statements."
Abstract FAS 130, issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board deal with the subject of reporting comprehensive income. The statement sets a standard for the reporting and display of comprehensive income, and its components, including revenue, expenses, gains, and losses. These are set in a full set of general-purpose financial statements.
Abstract This paper identifies the techniques present in three articles that focus specifically on reading comprehension and how educational methods address learning disabilities in terms of reading comprehension and writing performance.
The paper discusses the importance of written exercises as part of a more comprehensive and diversified approach to teaching English as a second language in the classroom.
Abstract This paper discusses the relevance of various writing exercises to the student's mastery of English as a second language (ESL) and argues in favor of more writing activities within ESL classrooms. The paper argues that written exercises are a vital component of the language acquisition process. For ESL students, or any other student attempting to learn another language, to fully embrace the language and adopt comprehensible and meaningful communication strategies they must routinely incorporate written exercises into daily instruction. Students who combine written exercises with reading comprehension and oral civilities are far more likely to acquire successful language acquisition than those who focus on one method or another.
From the Paper "Incorporation of various writing exercises is vital toward promoting adequate language acquisition for students learning English as a second language. Writing exercises help students learn how to initiate and create comprehensible communication, and help close the gap between oral, verbal and written communication. Students who do not engage in consistent written exercises are less likely to master English as a language than students who consistently engage in written exercises inside of and outside the classroom. This paper will discuss the relevance of various writing exercises to student's mastery of English as a second language and argue in favor of more writing activities within ESL classrooms."
Abstract The paper examines an article about the phonological and conceptual activation in speech comprehension and an article about the activation of offset-embedded words. The paper also examines an article about the role of prosodic boundaries in the resolution of lexical embedding in speech comprehension and an article about electro-physiological evidence for early contextual influences during spoken-word recognition. The last article is about the cascaded nature of lexical selection and integration in auditory sentence processing.
From the Paper "This article focuses on the process of understanding as it relates to separate lexical representations of sound and meaning. The phonological and conceptual representations in language have been separated, as comprehension are connected to these different concepts separately. In explaining these concepts, the article distinguishes between word representation in the mental lexicon and the lexical candidates for recognizing utterances. When the hearer is the presented with running speech with few clear cues to word boundaries, a mechanism is needed to determine the best sequence in terms of the input. In this way the correct utterance is determined by competition."
Abstract This paper discusses reading comprehension methods for college students, and examines five articles published in "Reading Teacher, Reading Improvement, Reading Research and Instruction, and Reading Horizons" in order to compare current reading strategies.
Abstract This paper is three different summaries of studies completed on reading comprehension. An interactive teaching strategy in which students were helped with note taking efforts was used as the study design format.
