DOCSLIB.ORG

Peer Dialogue at Literacy Centers in One First-Grade Classroom

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Peer Dialogue at Literacy Centers in One First-Grade Classroom PEER DIALOGUE AT LITERACY CENTERS IN ONE FIRST-GRADE CLASSROOM DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By A. Caroline Maurer, M.Ed. * * * * * The Ohio State University 2008 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Professor Rebecca Kantor, Co-Advisor _______________________ Co-Advisor College of Education Professor Brian Edmiston, Co-Advisor Professor Jeane Copenhaver-Johnson _______________________ Co-Advisor College of Education ABSTRACT Pressley, Rankin, and Yokoi (2000) reported that 85% of first grade teachers nominated by supervisors as being effective in promoting literacy used literacy-learning centers. Using ethnographic methodologies, this naturalistic, qualitative study focused on the role of peer dialogue at literacy centers and how it supports the construction of literacy learning in a first-grade classroom. Classroom observations, including audio tapings, video recordings, artifact collections, and interviews with children allowed an in- depth investigation into how peer dialogue at literacy centers and an art center support children's literacy learning. In addition, the types of peer interactions in which children engage, and how children create and use psychological tools to promote literacy learning was explored. A total of 50 hours of peer dialogue was collected, transcribed and analyzed using the philosophy of coding analysis. Using the social cultural constructivist theory posited by Vygotsky (1978), and research theories of Dyson (1993), the peer dialogue at the intersection of the unofficial social world of children and the official school world of children were analyzed to determine how peer dialogue supported literacy learning. Findings indicated that 47 of the 79 first-grade indicators from the Ohio Academic Content Standards for English Language Arts were utilized and strengthened through peer dialogue. However, analysis went deeper than looking at the "autonomous literacies" as described by Street (1985), and built on social-cultural theory and "ideological literacies" (Street, 1985) that are concerned with the functions of literacy and how it is used in a social system. The ii literacy centers provided a space for children to practice both "autonomous" literacy skills and "ideological literacies" (Street, 1995) while socially constructing a peer group (Corsaro, 1997; Fernie, Kantor, Klein, Myer & Elgas, 1988). As teachers create both a physical space and a social space for peer dialogue, children construct a peer culture that uses literacy in multiple ways. This research can add to classroom practice as teachers see the impact of peer dialogue at literacy centers in supporting both literacy skills and literate behaviors. iii Dedicated to my biggest fan iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS No one makes a journey such as this without the support of many people. That being said, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the many that were supportive during this process. First, I want to express thanks to my parents who instilled in me a curiosity and love for learning. I appreciate their many words of encouragement and love that has sustained me not only in this process, but also in my life. I am grateful to my wonderful children, Megan, Elizabeth, and my son-in-law, Jordan whose patience and kind words gave me inspiration to continue on. And to Dan, the love of my life, who provided humor when humor was needed, kind words when kind words were needed, and a shoulder to lean on when a shoulder was needed. His constant and faithful compassion helped me keep my eyes on the goal. To all of my family, I say thank you. In addition, there are many friends, colleagues, and co-learners in my life that have been influential in this process: Mary Jo who always listened and made me feel like I could do this; Sonja, Candy, Karen, Jan, Jane, and Karen whose prayers provided me hope and strength; my Reggio Study group whose monthly meetings sparked my passion; my students who listened and added to my wonderings; my colleagues and mentors over the years: Cheryl Buecker, Sonja Ewald, Kathy Ogg, Carolyn Jackson, and Julie Angle who taught me so much about teaching and learning. v Furthermore, I want to express gratitude to my committee, Brian Edmiston, Rebecca Kantor, and Jeane Copenhaver-Johnson. Their research, teaching, and feedback provided the support that I needed as I worked on this project. Finally, I would like to offer sincere thanks to Ms. K. and to the children in her class as they allowed me into their world. vi VITA March 11, 1960……………………..Born – Levelland, Texas 1982…………………………………B.S. Elementary Education Wright State University 1992…………………………………M.Ed. Early Childhood Education Wright State University 1990 - 1992…………………………Director of Child Care Center, Piqua, Ohio 1991 – 1993…………………………Preschool Grant Coordinator, Piqua, Ohio 1993 – 1995…………………………Vocational Job Training Instructor, Early Childhood Greenville, Ohio 1995 – 2000…………………………Vocational Job Training Instructor, Early Childhood Piqua, Ohio 2000 – present………………………Assistant Professor, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Mount Vernon, Ohio FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Education Aligned Fields: Literacy Early Childhood Reggio vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract............................................................................................................................... ii Dedication.......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments................................................................................................................v Vita.................................................................................................................................... vii List of Tables .................................................................................................................... xii List of Figures.................................................................................................................. xiii Chapters: 1. Introduction..............................................................................................................1 Background of the Study .........................................................................................2 Impetus of the Study ................................................................................................4 Objective of the Study .............................................................................................7 Existing Literature ...................................................................................................7 Statement of the Problem.........................................................................................9 Significance of the Study.......................................................................................10 Research Focus and Questions...............................................................................11 Overview of Methodology.....................................................................................12 Organization of the Study ......................................................................................14 2. Review of Literature ..............................................................................................16 Theoretical Framework..........................................................................................18 Constructivist Theory.................................................................................18 Social Constructivist Theory......................................................................19 Psychological Tools.......................................................................20 Characteristics of Psychological Tools..........................................22 Language as a Psychological Tool.................................................23 Learning Leads Development........................................................25 Summary of Social Constructivist Theory.................................................26 Understanding Literacy .........................................................................................28 viii Historical Look at Literacy Learning.........................................................28 Theories of Literacy Learning ...................................................................31 Current Views of Literacy .........................................................................34 Creating Meaning as a Social Process .......................................................35 New Literacy Studies.................................................................................37 Literacy and Literacy Events Defined .......................................................38 Academic Content Standards.................................................................................40 Historical Review of Academic Content Standards...................................40 Impact on this Study ..................................................................................43 Literacy Centers as a Mode for Literacy Learning ................................................44 Historical Review of Learning Centers......................................................44 Current Views of Literacy Centers ............................................................46 Past Research on the Use of Literacy Centers ...........................................48 Research Methodologies............................................................................50
Load more

Recommended publications
  • In New Literacy Studies? Critical Approaches to Literacy in Theory and Practice
    What's "new" in New Literacy Studies? Critical approaches to literacy in theory and practice Brian Street Kings College, London The Context and Background A rich vein of articles and books has recently addressed some critical issues in the field of New Literacy Studies, both in terms of theoretical perspectives and of their implications in educational and policy contexts. I address some of these critiques as a way of both updating NLS and of addressing its implications for practice. What has come to be termed the "New Literacy Studies" (NLS) (Gee, 1991; Street, 1996) represents a new tradition in considering the nature of literacy, focusing not so much on acquisition of skills, as in dominant approaches, but rather on what it means to think of literacy as a social practice (Street, 1985). This entails the recognition of multiple literacies, varying according to time and space, but also contested in relations of power. NLS, then, takes nothing for granted with respect to literacy and the social practices with which it becomes associated, problematizing what counts as literacy at any time and place and asking "whose literacies" are dominant and whose are marginalized or resistant. To address these issues ethnographically, literacy researchers have constructed a conceptual apparatus that both coins some new terms and gives new meanings to some old ones. My own work, for instance, begins with the notion of multiple literacies, which makes a distinction between "autonomous" and "ideological" models of literacy (Street, 1985) and develops a distinction between literacy events and literacy practices (Street, 1988). The standard view in many fields, from schooling to development programs, works from the assumption that literacy in itself--autonomously--will have effects on other social and cognitive practices.
    [Show full text]
  • The Truth About Reading Recovery® Response to Cook, Rodes, & Lipsitz (2017) from the Reading Recovery Council of North America
    The Truth About Reading Recovery® Response to Cook, Rodes, & Lipsitz (2017) from the Reading Recovery Council of North America In an article appearing in Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, authors Cook, Rodes, and Lipsitz (2017) make multiple misleading, misguided, and blatantly false claims about Reading Recovery® in yet another attack to discredit the most widely researched early reading intervention in the world. When you’re recognized as a leader with proven success, you often become the target for those with limited knowledge who apply broad strokes and twist the truth to fit their own perceptions of reality. The unfortunate reality, in this case, is that this article, “The Reading Wars and Reading Recovery: What Educators, Families, and Taxpayers Should Know,” is an affront to researchers, scholars, educators, and others who know the facts and a disservice to parents of children with reading difficulties. The authors claim to provide information necessary to make evidence-based decisions in support of struggling beginning readers. Like evidence-based medicine, these decisions can have a critical impact on children’s lives. As in the medical context, objective professionals can differ in their interpretations of the available evidence. The authors’ perspective is far from objective. They invoke the “reading wars” in their title and advocate for their ideological perspective in their biased, selective, and fallacy-full analysis of Reading Recovery and the research related to this early intervention approach. Dr. Timothy Shanahan, past president of the International Reading Association (now International Literacy Association) and a distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago, noted the effectiveness of Reading Recovery in a recent article examining the importance of replicability in reading research.
    [Show full text]
  • Worried About Word Work? Why, When, and What?
    11/2/2016 WORRIED ABOUT WORD WORK? WHY, WHEN, AND WHAT? ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS Word work is necessary early in lessons for learning to look at print (LLAP) and embedded in continuous texts (reading and writing) in later lessons. What do the word work procedures LOOK LIKE for early and late lessons. Reading Writing WHAT TO DO AND WHEN TO DO IT? We will examine video tapings to see word work in action. We would expect echoes across the lesson. We will use the word work cheat sheet as a guide across this presentation, so please have it handy. 1 11/2/2016 MARIE CLAY WORDS OF WISDOM “If the child has to make a short sharp detour from reading continuous text to study something in isolation, what is learned should soon recur in the context of continuous text because this is what reading books and writing stories is about.” Clay, LLI, Part 1, p. 25 WHOLE TO PART AND BACK TO WHOLE “A detour may help the child to pay attention to some particular aspect of print but, clearly, the detail is of limited value on its own. It must in the end be used in the service of reading and writing continuous text.” Clay, LLI, Part 1, p. 25 A LITTLE BIT OF THEORY – WHY WORD WORK “You relate what you hear or see to things you already understand. The moment of truth is the moment of input, How you attend How much you care How you encode What you do with it And how you organize it. Clay, LLI , Part 2 2 11/2/2016 EARLY LEARNING THE JOURNEY OF A WORD New Only just known Successfully problem-solved Easily produced but easily thrown Well-known and recognized in most context Known in many variant forms.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Predicting the Patterns of Early Literacy Achievement
    Predicting Patterns of Early Literacy Achievement: A Longitudinal Study of Transition from Home To School Author Young, Janelle Patricia Published 2004 Thesis Type Thesis (PhD Doctorate) School School of Cognition, Language and Special Education DOI https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/1354 Copyright Statement The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise. Downloaded from http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367304 Griffith Research Online https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au Predicting the Patterns of Early Literacy Achievement: A Longitudinal Study of Transition from Home to School VOLUME 1 Janelle Patricia Young DipTch; BEd; MEdSt A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Faculty of Education, School of Cognition, Language and Special Education, Griffith University, Brisbane. July 2003 ABSTRACT This is a longitudinal study of patterns of children's early literacy development with a view to predicting literacy achievement after one year of schooling. The study fits within an emergent/social constructivist theoretical framework that acknowledges a child as an active learner who constructs meaning from signs and symbols in the company of other more experienced language users. Commencing in the final month of preschool, the literacy achievement of 114 young Australian students was mapped throughout Year 1. Data were gathered from measures of literacy achievement with the students, surveys with parents and surveys and checklists with teachers. Cross-time comparisons were possible as data were gathered three times from the students and teachers and twice from parents. Parents’ perceptions of their children’s personal characteristics, ongoing literacy development and family home literacy practices were examined in relation to children’s measures of literacy achievement.
    [Show full text]
  • How and Why Children Learn About Sounds, Letters, and Words in Reading Recovery Lessons
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 437 616 CS 013 828 AUTHOR Fountas, Irene C.; Pinnell, Gay Su TITLE How and Why Children Learn about Sounds, Letters, and Words in Reading Recovery Lessons. INSTITUTION Reading Recovery Council of North America, Columbus, OH. PUB DATE 1999-00-00 NOTE 12p. PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Teacher (052) Journal Articles (080) Reports Research (143) JOURNAL CIT Running Record; v12 n1 p1-6,10-11,13-14 Fall 1999 EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Beginning Reading; Classroom Research; *Classroom Techniques; Learning Activities; *Learning Processes; *Literacy; Primary Education; Word Recognition IDENTIFIERS Lesson Structure; *Orthography; Phonological Awareness; *Reading Recovery Projects; Word Learning ABSTRACT This article takes a look at Reading Recovery lesson elements to compare the teaching and learning within the lesson components to several areas of learning that have been identified at the national level as important to children's literacy learning. The lesson elements examined in the article are: (1) phonological awareness; (2) orthographic awareness; and (3) word learning in reading and writing. The article states that the first two areas of knowledge, and the way they are interrelated, contribute to young children's growth in the ability to solve words while reading for meaning, while the third area strongly supports learning in the first two areas and also helps to accelerate early learning in literacy. These elements together contribute to the child's development of a larger process in which the reader uses "in-the-head" strategies in an efficient way to access and orchestrate a variety of information, including meaning and language systems, with the visual and phonological information in print.
    [Show full text]
  • A Tribute to Marie M. Clay
    Marie Clay: An Honored Mentor, Colleague, and Friend A Tribute to Marie M. Clay: It is an awesome task to describe Marie Clay as a mentor, colleague and friend. She Searched for Questions In my attempt, words fail to capture the extensive and nuanced ways that she impacted and influenced those of us That Needed Answers who were privileged to be mentored and befriended by this remarkable Billie Askew, trainer emeritus, Texas Woman’s University humanitarian. The authors in this section provide insight When I consider Marie Clay’s influ- Marie’s perpetual state of inquiry had into the nature of her learning, thinking, ence on my life, I must return to a profound effect on me. At first, it encouraging, and challenging. We are the late 1960s, long before I knew was not always comfortable when reminded of her never ending search for what is possible. Sailing in new directions her. My advisor and mentor at I was the object of her inquiry and herself, she supported her colleagues to the University of Arizona, literacy wanted to respond with an ‘accept- travel to previously uncharted territory scholar Ruth Strang, talked of visiting able’ if not ‘right’ answer. I had to as well. She provided an outstanding with a young researcher from New abandon some ‘safe havens’ and be example of extraordinary research, borne Zealand at the World Congress in open to new ways of thinking, asking from her keen observations of children’s Copenhagen. Dr. Strang predicted new questions of my own. What a development. She employed unusual lenses to observe and capture change over that this extraordinary thinker would gift she gave me—both professionally time and to reveal to all of us what we contribute to world literacy in ways and personally.
    [Show full text]
  • Learning Disabilities-United States
    LEARNING The Learning Disabilit Controversy and Composition Studies LEARNING RE-AILED LEARNING RE-AILED The Learning Disability Controversy and Composition Studies Patricia A. Dunn Utica College of Syracuse University Boynton/Cook Publishers HEINEMANN Portsmouth, NH Boynton/Cook Publishers, Inc. A subsidiary of Reed Elsevier Inc. 361 Hanover Street Portsmouth, NH 03801-3912 Offices and agents throughout the world © 1995 by Patricia A. Dunn. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Every effort has been made to contact the copyright holders and students for permission to reprint borrowed material. We regret any oversights that may have occurred and would be happy to rectify them in future printings of this work. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Dunn, Patricia A. Learning re-abled : the learning disability controversy and composition studies / Patricia A. Dunn. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-86709-360-9 (alk. paper) 1. Learning disabled-Education (Higher)-United States. 2. Learning disabilities-United States. 3. Dyslexics-Education teaching-United States. I. Title. LC4818.5.D85 1995 371.91-dc20 95-19316 CIP Editor: Peter R. Stillman Production Editor: Renee M. Nicholls Cover Designer: T. Watson Bogaard Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper. 99
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction and Overview
    Introduction Literacy Lessons™ program is an intervention initiative developed by Marie Clay, internationally known researcher in early literacy learning and the prevention of reading and writing difficulties . The Literacy Lessons trademarks are registered and owned in the U .S . by The Ohio State University, which monitors the trademark requirements and issues annual authorization to use the Literacy Lessons trademark to Reading Recovery university training centers and sites in compliance with these standards . Literacy Lessons may also be referred to as LL™ . Note that the logos are registered marks of The Ohio State University and should be accompanied with the circle R (®)symbol . The words Literacy Lessons and the abbreviation LL should be followed by TM (™) . Only licensed sites can use the logos and the name Literacy Lessons to describe their work . Dr . Clay’s four required elements for a recognized Literacy Lessons implementation follow: 1 . Individually designed and individually delivered instruction for students from special populations who are struggling to develop an early literacy processing system 2 . A recognized course for qualified teachers with ongoing professional development 3 . Ongoing data collection, research, and evaluation 4 . Establishment of an infrastructure and standards to sustain the implementation and maintain quality control Standards and Guidelines of Literacy Lessons in the United States {00203356-1} — Updated June 2015 3 This document presents standards (requirements) and guidelines (recommendations) for implementing Literacy Lessons . Implementations in English and in Spanish are collaborative efforts between Reading Recovery/Descubriendo la Lectura university training centers and Reading Recovery/Descubriendo la Lectura teacher leaders 1. It is intended that Literacy Lessons will only be implemented in schools that include Reading Recovery as an early literacy intervention .
    [Show full text]
  • THEORY and PRACTICE in LITERACY and DEVELOPMENT Expenditure, a Drop of 40% Between 2010 and 2016/17, Indicate the Lack of Importance Placed on Literacy
    Teory and Practice in Literacy and Development Teory and Practice in Literacy and Development Papers from the BALID Informal Literacy Discussions Edited by Juliet McCafery and Brian Street Uppingham Press on behalf of the British Association for Literacy in Development Uppingham Press Warren House, 68 Whiting Street, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1NR [email protected] The British Association for Literacy in Development c/o Feed the Minds, The Foundry, 17 Oval Way, London SE11 5RR United Kingdom http://balid.org.uk ISBN 978-0-9542114-8-6 First published in the United Kingdom 2016 Second edition 2017 Compilation © BALID 2016 Individual chapters © Individual contributors 2016 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means without prior permission from the British Association for Literacy in Development, [email protected] Dedicated to Brian Street Distinguished professor, inspirational scholar, teacher, mentor and friend Brian Street, co-editor of this book, sadly died shortly before the second edition was published. Brian challenged conventional thinking on literacy and championed a social and cultural practice approach. He was the President of BALID for many years and a committed participant in the BALID Informal Literacy Discussions, valuing the opportunity to engage in dialogue on literacy and to bridge the gap between research and practice, as exemplified in this book Contents I Policies Introduction 1 1. International Advocacy on Literacy and Development: 3 Challenges and Opportunities David Archer 2. Adult Literacy: Policies and Structures 13 Lalage Bown 3. Skills Development and Literacy for Adults: a Failed Experiment 20 Alan Rogers 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Hidden Literacies
    HIDDEN LITERACIES: Ethnographic studies of literacy and numeracy practices in Pakistan Rafat Nabi Alan Rogers Brian Street Uppingham Press: Bury St Edmunds 2009 Published by: Uppingham Press Warren House, 68 Whiting Street Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP33 1NR [email protected] Printed by: www.abramis.co.uk © Uppingham Press 2009 First published 2009 ISBN 978-0-9542114-2-4 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Rafat Nabi iii FOREWORD: Alan Rogers and Brian Street ix PART I: An Ethnographic Approach to Literacy and Numeracy: Alan Rogers and Brian Street 1 PART II: Case Studies: Rafat Nabi Introduction 23 Shazia, domestic servant 34 Rana, street beggar 46 Rozina the dyer 55 Amen Baba, vegetable and fruit seller 65 Zia the plumber 86 Shirin’s family 98 Sajid, bangle seller 110 PART III: Some Important Findings: Rafat Nabi, Alan Rogers and Brian Street 129 iii Dedication I dedicate this book to my father, mother and David Kahler, my guru. iv INTRODUCTION Rafat Nabi In 2007, I came to the University of East Anglia to work with Professor Alan Rogers and Professor Brian Street. The main purpose was to write a book on Adult Literacy from a practitioner’s point of view, in the light of my field experience. I have been in the field of Education and Adult Literacy for twenty years. I always felt some unease with the Adult Literacy Programmes that we were running and was intrigued to find out what the users felt about these programmes, and to solicit suggestions about how the participants thought that the programmes could be improved.
    [Show full text]
  • Synthetic Phonics and the Teaching of Reading: the Debate Surrounding England’S ‘Rose Report’ Dominic Wyse and Morag Styles
    Literacy Volume 41 Number 1 April 2007 35 Synthetic phonics and the teaching of reading: the debate surrounding England’s ‘Rose Report’ Dominic Wyse and Morag Styles Abstract of words (i.e., onsets, rimes, phonogrammes, spelling patterns) as well as phonemes. The Rose Report, commissioned by the Secretary of State for Education for England, recommended in During the 1980s and early 1990s in the United March 2006 that early reading instruction must include Kingdom, influential ideas about English teaching synthetic phonics. This paper evaluates the extent to came from intellectual teachers and scholars, whose which research evidence supports this recommenda- work had vision as well as professional and academic tion. In particular, a review of international research into the teaching of early reading shows that the Rose credibility. These intellectuals included Margaret Meek Report’s main recommendation on synthetic phonics (1982), Connie Rosen and Harold Rosen (1973), James contradicts the powerful body of evidence accumu- Britton (1970), Douglas Barnes (1976) and Brian Street lated over the last 30 years. In this paper it is argued (1984). The influence of American socio-cultural that action already taken by the UK government theorists such as Shirley Brice Heath (1983) was also to change the National Curriculum in line with the strong. Rose Report’s recommendations represents a change in pedagogy not justified by research. 1997 marked the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy (NLS) Framework for Teaching (Department for Key words: literacy policy, literacy research, phonics, Education and Employment (DfEE), 1998). The Frame- reading teaching, synthetic phonics work was a comprehensive document that specified the detailed objectives of literacy teaching for primary classes in England, together with a set format for Background lessons.
    [Show full text]
  • "Good English": Literacy and Institutional Systems at a Community Literacy Organization
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research: Department of English English, Department of Spring 2010 "Good English": Literacy and Institutional Systems at a Community Literacy Organization Charise G. Alexander University of Nebraska at Lincoln Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/englishdiss Part of the Other English Language and Literature Commons, and the Reading and Language Commons Alexander, Charise G., ""Good English": Literacy and Institutional Systems at a Community Literacy Organization" (2010). Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research: Department of English. 25. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/englishdiss/25 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the English, Department of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research: Department of English by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. “Good English”: Literacy and Institutional Systems at a Community Literacy Organization By Charise G. Alexander A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts Major: English Under the Supervision of Professor Frances V. Condon Lincoln, Nebraska May, 2010 “GOOD ENGLISH”: LITERACY AND INSTITUTIONAL SYSTEMS AT A COMMUNITY LITERACY ORGANIZATION Charise G. Alexander, M.A. University of Nebraska, 2010 Adviser: Professor Frances Condon Abstract: This thesis explores the impact of institutions and the systems and communities of which they are a part on literacy instruction, practices, and rhetoric at a community literacy organization in Lincoln, Nebraska. A majority of students served by this organization are adult English Language Learners, many of whom receive instruction from volunteer tutors.
    [Show full text]