A13.5: Week 13 Participation Memo

Aims and Objectives:

 My personal goals for the past two weeks were to finish my I-Search Paper, complete my week 13 assignments, and begin work on my Movie Maker project.  I set out to do so much during Thanksgiving Break – finish my homework early in the week, spend hours on my Movie Maker presentation, and catch up on my readings.  I wanted to use Thanksgiving Break to catch up, get ahead, and all that jazz.  Here I sit on Thanksgiving typing up my CD 315 assignments after my family has gone to bed.  While I haven’t met the high standards I had set for myself this week, I am finishing everything on time!  I look forward to starting my Movie Maker presentation this weekend!

Declarative Knowledge:

This week I learned about my revision and editing style.  I reviewed my I-Search paper and found several problem areas.  One section in particular warranted hours of my attention.  I had included the information I found necessary, but I despised my wording choices.  I realized that I just needed to rewrite an entire paragraph in order to have an acceptable paper!  I learned that I have difficulties editing my own work, and need to improve in this area of literacy. 

Procedural Knowledge:

I started to play around with the Movie Maker software to see what I can do with it.  I learned how to upload pictures and manipulate things to achieve various effects.  My senses are telling me that I want to work with my project more tonight, so I hope to learn alot more about it. 

Conditional Knowledge:

The work I have completed this week will be very useful in the completion of my Movie Maker presentation.  I have read through my I-Search paper to find the most relevant pieces of information.  I will include this information in my presentation.  The completion of this project has taught me alot about the subject matter, but I have also learned about the research process.  I have successfully gathered information, interpreted it, and made my own interpretations based on the knowledge I gained.  The final version of my I-Search paper provides me with information about bilingual students that could one day benefit me as a professional. 

About the Author

Deidra Darst is a senior at Marshall University majoring in Communication Disorders.  She will graduate in May 2008 and will attend graduate school in order to receive a Masters of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology.  Through course work and clinical observations during her senior year, she has developed an interest in working with pediatric clients as well as geriatric clients.  She finds all aspects of communication fascinating and enjoys learning about commmunication disorders.  Deidra is an active member of Marshall University’s National Student Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (NSSLHA) and plans to be active within the field of speech-language pathology for years to come. 

Acknowledgements

Deidra Darst

11/22/07

I would like to thank those individuals who have contributed to the creation of my CD 315 project.  First and foremost, I must thank my instructor, Mrs. McComas.  She provided me with the assignment and required the inclusion of an aspect of literacy.  She also guided me in the formulation of my research question, which ultimately led me in the right direction.  She has been most helpful throughout all of my undergraduate experiences – thank you, Mrs. McComas!

 I must also thank another professor, Dr. Corrigan, who first required me to study an aspect of educational curricula.  One of his course assignments introduced me to the necessity for bilingual professionals within the public school systems of our country.  I never thought I would thank a professor for requiring me to do so much work, but I realize that I actually learned something. 

Finally, I must thank my family and friends for always supporting me in my academic endeavors.  When I have alot of work to do I am often difficult to live with, be with, speak to, and tolerate!  I take my school work very seriously, often too seriously, but I thank you all for putting up with me.  You are all amazing – thank you!

Preface

Deidra Darst

11/22/07

I began this semester not knowing what to expect from this course.   When I learned that I was expected to choose a research topic regarding literacy, I thought, “What comes to mind when I hear the word ‘literacy’?”  I automatically think of reading literacy skills, so I knew that I wanted to incorporate reading literacy into my research question.  I then asked myself, “can I complete research in this course that will benefit my other course work?”  My diagnostics class had just discussed culturally and lingustically diverse children, so I wanted to learn more about this particular population.  Last semester I wrote a literature review for an education course, and I focused on bilingual education in the United States.  I learned a great deal about the cirricula associated with bilingual education, but I realized that I could benefit from learning even more.  I worked with several different versions of a research question, but narrowed it down after speaking with Mrs. McComas.  She helped me tweak my question in order to create a specific question for my project.  The final version of the question is as follows: 

How can speech-language pathologists help facilitate the development of literacy skills necessary for reading in the second language of bilingual first grade children? 

A13.4: References

References

Armbruster, B.B., & Osborn, F.L.J. (2001).  Put reading first: The research building blocks for teaching children to read: Kindergarten through grade 3.  Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read.  Retrieved November 4, 2007, from http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/reading_first1.html.   

Calhoon, M.B., Al Otaiba, S., Cihak, D., King, A., & Avalos, A. (2007, Summer).  Effects of a peer-mediated program on reading skill acquisition for two-way bilingual first-grade classrooms.  Learning Disability Quaterly, 30, 169-184). 

Cummins, J. (2003).  Bilingual children’s mother tongue: Why is it important for education?  Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://iteachilearn.com.

Edelson, J. (n.d.).  Time 4 learning.  Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.time4learning.com/learning-to-read.shtml. 

Garcia, G.N., McCardle, P., & Nixon, S.M. (2007, July).  Development of English Literacy in Spanish-speaking children:  Transforming research into practice.  Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 38, 213-215. 

Hammer, C.S., & Miccio, A.W. (2006)  Early language and reading development of bilingual preschoolers from low-income families.  Topics in Language Disorders, 26, 322-337. 

Lenters, K. (2004, December).  No half measures:  Reading instruction for young second-language learners.  The Reading Teacher, 54, 328-336. 

Paez, M., & Rinaldi, C. (2006).  Predicting English word readhing skills for Spanish-speaking students in first grade.  Topics in Language Disorders, 26, 338-350. 

Reyes, I. (2006).  Exploring connections between emergent biliteracy and bilingualism.  Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 6, 267-292. 

Swanson, H.L., Saez, L., & Gerber, M. (2006).  Growth in literacy and cognition in bilingual children at risk or not at risk fore reading disabilities.  Journal of Educational Psychology, 98, 247-264.