Exploring the use of prediction and summarization to increase students' listening and reading comprehension /

This study examined the effect of expHcitly instructing students to use a repertoire of reading comprehension strategies. Specifically, this study examined whether providing students with a "predictive story-frame" which combined the use of prediction and summarization strategies improved their reading comprehension relative to providing students with generic instruction on prediction and summarization. Results were examined in terms of instructional condition and reading ability. Students from 2 grade 4 classes participated in this study. The reading component of the Canadian Achievement Tests, Second Edition (CAT/2) was used to identify students as either "average or above average" or "below average" readers. Students received either strategic predication and summarization instruction (story-frame) or generic prediction and summarization instruction (notepad). Students were provided with new but comparable stories for each session. For both groups, the researcher modelled the strategic tools and provided guided practice, independent practice, and independent reading sessions. Comprehension was measured with an immediate and 1-week delayed comprehension test for each of the 4 stories, hi addition, students participated in a 1- week delayed interview, where they were asked to retell the story and to answer questions about the central elements (character, setting, problem, solution, beginning, middle, and ending events) of each story. There were significant differences, with medium to large effect sizes, in comprehension and recall scores as a fimction of both instructional condition and reading ability. Students in the story-frame condition outperformed students in the notepad condition, and average to above average readers performed better than below average readers. Students in the story-frame condition outperformed students in the notepad condition on the comprehension tests and on the oral retellings when teacher modelling and guidance were present. In the cued recall sessions, students in the story-frame instructional condition recalled more correct information and generated fewer errors than students in the notepad condition. Average to above average readers performed better than below average readers across comprehension and retelling measures. The majority of students in both instructional conditions reported that they would use their strategic tool again.

The effectiveness of explicit strategy instruction on the top level structure of a text

Thesis (M.Ed.)-- Brock University, 1995.

The generation effect and word learning: a test of the effect of the language experience approach versus the text approach in the acquisition of new reading vocabulary

A class of twenty-two grade one children was tested to determine their reading levels using the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Achievement Test. Based on these results and teacher input the students were paired according to reading ability. The students ages ranged from six years four months to seven years four months at the commencement of the study. Eleven children were assigned to the language experience group and their partners became the text group. Each member of the language experience group generated a list of eight to be learned words. The treatment consisted of exposing the student to a given word three times per session for ten sessions, over a period of five days. The dependent variables consisted of word identification speed, word identification accuracy, and word recognition accuracy. Each member of the text group followed the same procedure using his/her partner's list of words. Upon completion of this training, the entire process was repeated with members of the text group from the first part becoming members of the language experience group and vice versa. The results suggest that generally speaking language experience words are identified faster than text words but that there is no difference in the rate at which these words are learned. Language experience words may be identified faster because the auditory-semantic information is more readily available in them than in text words. The rate of learning in both types of words, however, may be dictated by the orthography of the to be learned word.

Drama in education : deconstructing the role of movement in text

The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative textual analysis on the role of movement in 3 texts in Drama in Education in Canada. As the subject is holistic and encourages creative, active participation, movement was expected to appear, even inadvertently, in both theory and practice. It was hoped that guidelines for the use of movement within Drama in Education would emerge from the texts and that these guidelines would serve as models for others to use. A total of 26 Drama in Education experts in Canada were each asked to list the 10 most important texts in the field. Those who answered were assigned numbers and charted according to age, gender, and geography. An objective colleague helped narrow the group to 16 participants. A frequency count was used, assigning 10 points to the first text on each list, and descending to 1 point for the tenth text listed. Based on the highest number of points calculated, the 5 most frequently used texts were identified. These were compared to ascertain the widest representation ofthe authors' geographic location and gender, as well as differences in theory and practice. The final selection included 3 texts that represented differing approaches in their presentation and discussion of Drama in Education theories and practices. Analysis involved applying 5 levels of commitment to determine if,how, why, when, and with what results movement was explicitly or implicitly addressed in the 3 texts. Analysis resulted in several unexpected surprises around each of the 3 texts. The study also provided suggestions for extending and clarifying the role of movement in teaching and learning in general, as well as for Drama in Education in particular.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands Nathan Pawling 1826; includes map and text.

Survey map and description of Nathan Pawling's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; the dock, pier and tow path. The original bed of 12 mile creek is also noted on the map. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil on the map. The map notes the division of land between Pawling and Robert Brown's land. Click on 'detail' to see Map.

The Impact of a Text-Reader Support Program on Intermediate Students' Reading Comprehension

This study examined the efficacy of providing four Grade 7 and 8 students with reading difficulties with explicit instruction in the use of reading comprehension strategies while using text-reader software. Specifically, the study explored participants' combined use of a text-reader and question-answering comprehension strategy during a 6-week instructional program. Using a qualitative case study methodology approach, participants' experiences using text-reader software, with the presence of explicit instruction in evidence-based reading comprehension strategies, were examined. The study involved three phases: (a) the first phase consisted of individual interviews with the participants and their parents; (b) the second phase consisted of a nine session course; and (c) the third phase consisted of individual exit interviews and a focus group discussion. After the data collection phases were completed, data were analyzed and coded for emerging themes, with-quantitativ,e measures of participants' reading performance used as descriptive data. The data suggested that assistive technology can serve as an instructional "hook", motivating students to engage actively in the reading processes, especially when accompanied by explicit strategy instruction. Participants' experiences also reflected development of strategy use and use of text-reader software and the importance of social interactions in developing reading comprehension skills. The findings of this study support the view that the integration of instruction using evidence-based practices are important and vital components in the inclusion oftext-reader software as part of students' educational programming. Also, the findings from this study can be extended to develop in-class programming for students using text-reader software.

The Birthday Scripture Text Book

The Birthday Scripture Text book was published by the Book Society, Bristol. This book is signed by Jane Woodruff, St. Catharines, Ontario, 1872. There is also a label in the book which reads "Suite 1208 Chicago Savings Bank Building State and Madison Streets, Chicago". The book measures 10.5cm x 7cm and has a leather cover with metal trim. The clasp is no longer on the book. Some of the pages are stained and all of the pages are falling out. Many of the pages have handwritten birthday, births and death notices. The full text is available in the Brock University Special Collections and Archives.