Learning Links: Reflex Inhibition and Literacy Skills Enhanced for Under Achieving Elementary Students

Online research presents unique challenges for elementary students as they develop and extend fundamental literacy skills to various media. Some features of internet text differ from that of traditional print, contributing to the challenges of discerning “fake news.” Readers must understand how to navigate online texts to conduct research effectively, while applying critical thinking to determine the reliability of online information. Descriptive data from an ongoing study revealed that children in grades 1–5 lack some basic understanding of how to search the “wild wide web.” Just as children benefit from explicit instruction related to text features, children benefit from instruction related to the features of the internet. This article presents a study of website evaluation that occurs early in the search process prior to the selection of a particular website or article. The application of the web literacy skills required to conduct an internet search is addressed, and recommendations prompt teachers to consider searches beyond the “walled garden,” as well as ways to handle the “messiness” of internet exploration.

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Gadget-Based Interactive Multimedia on Socio-Scientific Issues to Improve Elementary Students’ Science Literacy

International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM) ◽

10.3991/ijim.v15i01.13675 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (01) ◽

pp. 56

Author(s):

Suryanti Suryanti ◽

Wahono Widodo ◽

Yoyok Yermiandhoko

Keyword(s):

Social Context ◽

Elementary Students ◽

Interactive Multimedia ◽

Science Literacy ◽

Literacy Skills ◽

Learning Activities ◽

Generation Z ◽

Level 3 ◽

Social Scientific ◽

D Model

Students’ science literacy in Indonesia is considered very low and needs improvement. Knowledge, such as science, can be learned naturally and effectively in social context (Social Scientific Issues/SSI). The current elementary students are regarded as generation Z students who are interested in technology and skill-based education, namely, interactive multimedia. This study aimed to develop SSI Gadget-based interactive multimedia in order to improve elementary students’ science literacy skills. This is a Research and Development study with 4-D model; define, design, develop, disseminate. The subjects of this research were 23 students. The data were collected using validation sheet, observation sheet and science literacy test. The data then being analyzed by using descriptive statistic of presentation and N-gain. The result indicated that interactive multimedia based on SSI-Gadget are compatible as an alternative learning medium to improve elementary students’ science literacy since they met the criteria of being, a) very valid with a score of 3.55; b) good practicality in it so that the students dominantly did their activities through the developed media; c) effective, as there were positive responses about the learning activities and the students improved their science literacy skills from level 3 to level 4, with an N-gain of 0.4.

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Effects of Using an iPad to Teach Early Literacy Skills to Elementary Students With Intellectual Disability

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities ◽

10.1352/1934-9556-58.1.34 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 58 (1) ◽

pp. 34-48

Author(s):

Minkowan Goo ◽

Diane Myers ◽

Adela L. Maurer ◽

Robert Serwetz

Keyword(s):

Intellectual Disability ◽

Early Literacy ◽

Elementary Students ◽

Functional Relationship ◽

Literacy Skills ◽

Future Research ◽

Probe Design ◽

Early Literacy Skills ◽

Visual Supports ◽

Multiple Probe

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of using an iPad to teach early literacy skills to students with intellectual disability (ID). Three elementary students with mild to moderate levels of ID participated in the study. We used a multiple-probe design across students to examine a functional relationship between using an iPad providing visual supports and the acquisition of phonemic segmentation skills. Results indicated that using visual supports via an iPad was an effective method to teach phonemic segmentation fluency to these three students with ID. We also discussed implications and suggestions for future research.

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Explore for More: Enhancing Students’ Literacy through a School-Family-University Partnership

International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies ◽

10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.6n.3p.9 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 9

Author(s):

Megan Parker Peters ◽

Jeanne Gilliam Fain ◽

Sarah Duncan

Keyword(s):

Elementary Students ◽

Culturally Diverse ◽

Reading Skills ◽

Literacy Skills ◽

Literacy Program ◽

Community Groups ◽

Preparation Programs ◽

Educator Preparation ◽

University Partnership ◽

Future Plans

Many educator preparation programs desire to partner with P-12 and community groups. The authors showcase the development of a P-12 School-University-Family partnership. Partnership goals included literacy growth and interest among linguistically and culturally diverse P-12 learners while also providing a sustainable training ground for current and future educators. Instead of decreasing students’ literacy skills over the summer months, elementary students (n=40) experienced growth in both reading skills and enjoyment (p < 0.05) after participating in the discussed summer literacy program. Beyond student benefits, it should be remembered that both educator preparation programs (EPPs) and P-12 schools have much to offer each other and benefit reciprocally when they work together; methods for forming and sustaining a productive partnership are discussed. Recommendations for sustainability and future plans are discussed.

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Developing information literacy skills in elementary students using the web-based Inquiry Strategies for the Information Society of the Twenty-First (ISIS-21) Century

Journal of Information Literacy ◽

10.11645/14.2.2754 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 96

Author(s):

Anne C. Wade ◽

Larysa Lysenko ◽

Philip C. Abrami

Keyword(s):

Elementary Students ◽

Learning Strategies ◽

Information Literacy ◽

Information Society ◽

Literacy Skills ◽

Two Phase ◽

Web Based ◽

Information Literacy Skills ◽

The Impact ◽

The Web

This study was undertaken to learn about the impact of using the web-based Inquiry Strategies for the Information Society of the Twenty-First Century (ISIS-21), software developed by the authors, to improve the information literacy (IL) skills of late elementary students (10-12 years). Using a series of multi-media and learning strategies design principles, ISIS-21 was designed to be used in late elementary classrooms given the gap in children’s IL skills and the increasing importance for individuals to be critical consumers of information, particularly when using Internet-based environments. An exploratory, two-phase field trial was conducted in English schools in a central province of Canada. In both phases the research design was a one-group, pretest-posttest where data were collected from 150 students at the baseline and after the use of ISIS-21 for completion of an inquiry project. Teacher self-reports were also collected. The results were encouraging as we were able to establish the feasibility and importance of using ISIS-21 in classrooms to promote the development of IL skills in late elementary students.

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Language and Literacy Predictors of Dialect Density Among School-Age African American Children From Two Geographic Regions

Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools ◽

10.1044/2020_lshss-19-00063 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 807-820

Author(s):

Lena G. Caesar ◽

Marie Kerins

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Multiple Regression ◽

Oral Language ◽

East Coast ◽

Geographic Region ◽

Literacy Skills ◽

School Age ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Geographic Regions ◽

American Children

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between oral language, literacy skills, age, and dialect density (DD) of African American children residing in two different geographical regions of the United States (East Coast and Midwest). Method Data were obtained from 64 African American school-age children between the ages of 7 and 12 years from two geographic regions. Children were assessed using a combination of standardized tests and narrative samples elicited from wordless picture books. Bivariate correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to determine relationships to and relative contributions of oral language, literacy, age, and geographic region to DD. Results Results of correlation analyses demonstrated a negative relationship between DD measures and children's literacy skills. Age-related findings between geographic regions indicated that the younger sample from the Midwest outscored the East Coast sample in reading comprehension and sentence complexity. Multiple regression analyses identified five variables (i.e., geographic region, age, mean length of utterance in morphemes, reading fluency, and phonological awareness) that accounted for 31% of the variance of children's DD—with geographic region emerging as the strongest predictor. Conclusions As in previous studies, the current study found an inverse relationship between DD and several literacy measures. Importantly, geographic region emerged as a strong predictor of DD. This finding highlights the need for a further study that goes beyond the mere description of relationships to comparing geographic regions and specifically focusing on racial composition, poverty, and school success measures through direct data collection.

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Effects of a Supplemental Spanish Phonological Awareness Intervention on Latinx Preschoolers' Dual Language Emergent Literacy Skills

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2020_ajslp-20-00029 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 1283-1300

Author(s):

Xigrid T. Soto ◽

Andres Crucet-Choi ◽

Howard Goldstein

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Phonological Awareness ◽

Emergent Literacy ◽

Language Learners ◽

Literacy Instruction ◽

Dual Language ◽

Literacy Skills ◽

Dual Language Learners ◽

Probe Design ◽

Emergent Literacy Skills

Purpose Preschoolers' phonological awareness (PA) and alphabet knowledge (AK) skills are two of the strongest predictors of future reading. Despite evidence that providing at-risk preschoolers with timely emergent literacy interventions can prevent academic difficulties, there is a scarcity of research focusing on Latinx preschoolers who are dual language learners. Despite evidence of benefits of providing Latinxs with Spanish emergent literacy instruction, few studies include preschoolers. This study examined the effects of a supplemental Spanish PA and AK intervention on the dual emergent literacy skills of at-risk Latinx preschoolers. Method A multiple probe design across four units of instruction evaluated the effects of a Spanish supplemental emergent literacy intervention that explicitly facilitated generalizations to English. Four Latinx preschoolers with limited emergent literacy skills in Spanish and English participated in this study. Bilingual researchers delivered scripted lessons targeting PA and AK skills in individual or small groups for 12–17 weeks. Results Children made large gains as each PA skill was introduced into intervention and generalized the PA skills they learned from Spanish to English. They also improved their English initial sound identification skills, a phonemic awareness task, when instruction was delivered in Spanish but with English words. Children made small to moderate gains in their Spanish letter naming and letter–sound correspondence skills and in generalizing this knowledge to English. Conclusion These findings provide preliminary evidence Latinx preschoolers who are dual language learners benefit from emergent literacy instruction that promotes their bilingual and biliterate development.

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Morphological Awareness Skills of Second- and Third-Grade Students With and Without Speech Sound Disorders

Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools ◽

10.1044/2019_lshss-19-00045 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 603-616

Author(s):

Kenn Apel ◽

Victoria S. Henbest

Keyword(s):

Word Reading ◽

Speech Sound ◽

Morphological Awareness ◽

Literacy Skills ◽

Receptive Vocabulary ◽

Real Word ◽

Speech Sound Disorders ◽

Word Level ◽

Third Grade Students ◽

Pseudoword Reading

Purpose Morphological awareness is the ability to consciously manipulate the smallest units of meaning in language. Morphological awareness contributes to success with literacy skills for children with typical language and those with language impairment. However, little research has focused on the morphological awareness skills of children with speech sound disorders (SSD), who may be at risk for literacy impairments. No researcher has examined the morphological awareness skills of children with SSD and compared their skills to children with typical speech using tasks representing a comprehensive definition of morphological awareness, which was the main purpose of this study. Method Thirty second- and third-grade students with SSD and 30 with typical speech skills, matched on age and receptive vocabulary, completed four morphological awareness tasks and measures of receptive vocabulary, real-word reading, pseudoword reading, and word-level spelling. Results Results indicated there was no difference between the morphological awareness skills of students with and without SSD. Although morphological awareness was moderately to strongly related to the students' literacy skills, performance on the morphological awareness tasks contributed little to no additional variance to the children's real-word reading and spelling skills beyond what was accounted for by pseudoword reading. Conclusions Findings suggest that early elementary-age students with SSD may not present with concomitant morphological awareness difficulties and that the morphological awareness skills of these students may not play a unique role in their word-level literacy skills. Limitations and suggestions for future research on the morphological awareness skills of children with SSD are discussed.

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Emergent Literacy in Spanish-Speaking Children With Developmental Language Disorder: Preliminary Findings of Delays in Comprehension- and Code-Related Skills

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2020_jslhr-19-00239 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 (12) ◽

pp. 4193-4207

Author(s):

Amy S. Pratt ◽

John A. Grinstead ◽

Rebecca J. McCauley

Keyword(s):

Emergent Literacy ◽

Language Disorder ◽

Literacy Skills ◽

Future Research ◽

Developmental Language Disorder ◽

Writing Ability ◽

Transparent Orthography ◽

Spanish Speaking ◽

Phonological Structure ◽

Name Writing

Purpose This exploratory study describes the emergent literacy skills of children with developmental language disorder (DLD) who speak Spanish, a language with a simple phonological structure and transparent orthography. We examine differences between children with DLD and their typically developing (TD) peers on a battery of emergent literacy measures. Method Participants included 15 monolingual Spanish-speaking children with DLD (who did not present with cognitive difficulties) and 15 TD controls matched for age, gender, and socioeconomic status, ranging in age from 3;10 to 6;6 (years;months; M age = 4;11). All children completed a battery of comprehension-related emergent literacy tasks (narrative retell, print concept knowledge) and code-related emergent literacy tasks (beginning sound, rhyming awareness, alphabet knowledge, and name-writing ability). Results On average, children with DLD performed significantly worse than TD controls on a battery of comprehension- and code-related emergent literacy measures. On all code-related skills except rhyming, children with DLD were more likely than their TD peers to score “at risk.” Conclusions The results suggest some universality in the effect of DLD on reading development. Difficulties with emergent literacy that are widely documented in English-speaking children with DLD were similarly observed in Spanish-speaking children with DLD. Future research should explore long-term reading outcomes in Spanish for children with DLD.

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