How to Boost Literacy in Ages Birth to Three

This literature review explores the history, viewpoints, theoretical frameworks, and themes in literature of early literacy in the United States. It also discusses legislation on this topic, such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Literacy in ages birth to three has been a long time educational issue. The ‘pendulum’ has swung between different approaches to literacy instruction. It is important for every person to be informed on this subject because early literacy affects each life. What one learns or fails to learn in the first three years of life affects the rest of one’s life by contributing either to reading success or struggles. Reading skills are arguably the most important skills to learn in school because they are required for success in all other subject areas

English II Persuasive Essay [10th grade]

Students will understand that… • Persuasive writing is relevant to their lives outside of the academic setting. • In order to persuade effectively, students must learn to consider and evaluate both sides of an issue. • A convincing argument includes a focused claim with supporting examples and evidence. • Persuasive writers use a combination of appeals-- pathos, ethos, and logos-- to convince their audience

Can We Treat Criminality?

[O]ur current approach of punishment without treatment isn’t working. What we need are better ways to identify and treat criminality in its earliest stages and effective treatments for those preparing to reenter society following jail sentences. If we can provide some type of personalized therapy for these troubled citizens, we can better prepare them to lead lawful lifestyles outside of the prison gates. Brianna Johnson is a sophomore biology major with a minor in mathematics. She plans to work in research and attend graduate school after graduation. Her paper was written for her GWRIT 103 class in spring of 2008 after reading A Clockwork Orange

An Examination of Parent-child Relationships and Teen Substance Use

What is the relationship between parent-child relationships and teen substance use? Our relationship with our parents can impact our lives for the better or the worse. To study this we analyzed a survey done by the Community that Cares. Alcohol use, marijuana use and tobacco use were determined by the respondent\u27s self-reported substance use within the last within their lifetime on a 7 point Likert scale that ranges from 0 times to 40 times. Parental Relationships was measured by the respondents\u27 feelings about how close they felt to their parents on a 4 point Likert scale ranging from no to yes. Family Conflict was measured by the respondent\u27s answers to whether or not there were arguments and yelling occurring in the home on a 4 point Likert scale ranging from no to yes. This study surveyed 570 students ages 12-19 in grades 7 -9 in 2008 at Northwest elementary and high schools. The hypothesis that high-quality parent-child relationships are inversely correlated with teen substance use was supported as was the hypothesis that poor parent-child relationships would be positively correlated with substance use

Literature Review of Drug Education Programs

The onset of drug use usually begins during adolescence. Adolescents and teenagers have the highest rates of drug use (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 2011a). Among 9th through 12th graders, drug use increases with each year in school, with rates being the highest for 12th graders (Stigler, Neusel, & Perry, 2011). While overall rates of drug use have been declining, the current rates of drug use among teens are still of concern. The current rates of drug use emphasize how important it is for drug education programs as well as prevention efforts to be began early on. The current drug use trends, as well as teens’ and adolescents’ perceived conceptions about the risks involved with drug use, help to show the importance of and need for more effective and widely available drug education programs. In this study, we plan to evaluate the efficacy of currently available drug education programs, critically examine the strengths and weaknesses of each program, and to synthesize core factors that seem to be the most effective in preventing drug use and delaying the onset of drug use. With this research, our goal is to draw conclusions and make recommendations as to what is most effective for preventing drug use among teens. A preliminary analysis of the literature suggests that certain factors from each of the different drug education programs would be important to include in a comprehensive drug education program that is implemented in schools. From the literature, it appears that interactive programs that are intensive in their training (meaning they last from 10 – 30 sessions), include skills training and competency enhancement, comprehensively cover all drug-related topics, and include normative education

Mathematics anxiety in student nurses

Mathematics anxiety is a significant problem amongst student nurses and can potentially have a negative impact on an individual’s ability to perform safely and effectively in practice. This creates problems for those involved in developing undergraduate nursing programmes and supporting the students in their learning. This study explores mathematics anxiety in student nurses in the belief that a better understanding may help to develop better strategies to prevent or reduce anxiety, or help to address the problems that it creates. The study employs a Mixed Methods design and consists of two stages. The first is a survey of one cohort of student nurses to determine the extent of mathematics anxiety within the cohort. A data collection tool was developed and 423 completed questionnaires were returned. A total of 68.1% of students reported moderate to very high levels of mathematics anxiety. Statistical tests were performed to determine any differences due to gender, age, educational history and previous mathematics qualifications. The second stage was in-depth narrative interviews with students who reported high or very high levels of mathematics anxiety, exploring any experiences they associated with when, why and how that anxiety developed. Nine students were interviewed and several themes emerged including the language of mathematics, the students’ inherited legacy of mathematics, implications for practice and interventions that students found most helpful. The results of the study suggest that for many students their mathematics anxiety did not arise from traumatic experiences with aggressive mathematics teachers as is often purported, but as a result of the way in which they were taught mathematics, a lack of a positive working relationship with their teachers or a lack of concern or support from their family. The findings also suggest that for some students, previous successes in mathematics have not increased their confidence in their ability, possibly due to their perceptions of it as a cold and remote subject and the surface approach to learning that they have adopted in order to pass mathematics examinations

Best Practices for the Occupation of Education for College Students with Mental Health Issues

Objective: To examine the available evidence for interventions provided on college campuses that address mental illness in college-aged students. Method: The scoping review process laid out in Arksey and O’Malley (2005) was utilized to help guide the process. Four databases were used to search for articles. Specific search terms for each database were developed with the aid of a librarian. A total of 82 articles were included in the final scoping review. Results: Interventions were categorized based on the Public Health Model and intervention type. 30 articles fell within the tier 1, universal category, 52 articles fell within the tier 2, targeted category, and 32 articles fell within the tier 3, intensive category. Regarding intervention types, 33 articles were classified as specialized counseling, therapy, or peer support; 30 articles were classified as stigma reduction; 21 articles were classified as prevention/health promotion; 18 articles were classified as mental health literacy; 14 articles were classified as help-seeking/disclosure; and 5 articles were classified as supported education. The findings have limited generalizability due to less rigorous research designs and small sample sizes. Conclusion: More rigorous research needs to be completed regarding what is being done to address mental health in college and university students. There is also a need for more research on appropriate accommodations as there is currently little research on this topic. Finally, there needs to be more research on occupational therapy’s role in this area of practic

Life History of Zondra Thompson, MOT OTR/L

This study offers a glimpse into the life of Zondra Thompson from the time she graduated in 1972 from the Occupational Therapy Program at the University of North Dakota to the time she retired in 2007. This life history is one of the 31 life history interviews which are a part of a larger project, Life Histories of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Developing Occupational Therapy (OT) in North Dakota and Wyoming. The purpose of the project is to gather information about the history and evolution of occupational therapy (OT) practice in North Dakota and Wyoming through life histories of individuals who have been influential in developing OT in these two states. This study is intended to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of the history and how occupational therapy practice has evolved from its inception to current practice in North Dakota and Wyoming.https://commons.und.edu/ot-oral-histories-posters/1059/thumbnail.jp

Smarter Lunchrooms

Award for Best Applied Experience Display . Abstract School lunches are commonly to blame for the rising obesity rates in youth, which pushed law makers to enforce stricter regulations on what schools were able to offer their students. However, with these regulations in place many schools saw a drop in their rate of lunch participation. This led to the creation of The Smarter Lunchrooms Movement, which aims to making the healthy choice the easy choice, without taking the options away. The initial movement began in 2009 where examination of how principles of behavioral economics, the study of how the social and physical environment influences decision-making, can influence students’ food selection and consumption in school cafeterias. The initial thought of using behavioral economics in the lunchroom led to the partnership with multiple elementary, middle, and high schools for the opportunity to field test the principals of behavioral economics within the school cafeteria. After receiving Smarter Lunchrooms training, the researcher applied what she learned to the Monticello School District in order to assess the school lunchrooms and develop an action plan for improvement

Motivation and Attitudes Toward Learning French in the University\u27s Foreign Language Classroom

In second language research and pedagogy, motivation has been labeled as a key factor for success (Clément, 1980; Dörnyei, 1998; Tremblay & Gardner, 1995; Deci & Ryan, 1985); namely, language learners with high levels of motivation will be more successful than those who exhibit more negative attitudes towards learning the TL. Through classroom observations, student survey responses and personal interviews conducted in a beginner-level university French class, this study attempted to determine broad motivational patterns using Gardner\u27s (1982) binary integrative and instrumental model, and then determine specific origins for these motivations. Four interviewees were selected: two with high instrumental and integrative orientation, and two with low integrative and instrumental orientation. Research questions aimed to determine initial motivational tendencies of the students and how these changed or remained consistent throughout the semester; additionally, a comparison between what interviewees indicated about their own motivational tendencies and their class performance were analyzed. The findings of this study indicated that integrative motivational tendencies shifted positively over the course of the semester, whereas instrumental motivational tendencies remained consistent. The change in integrative motivation was mainly due to cultural francophone insights brought to the classroom through the instructor and textbook materials. The malleable nature of integrative motivation presupposes that students\u27 investment (Norton-Pierce, 1995) in, or motivation, to learn the TL language culture must grow in order for integrative motivation to do so as well. Implications include how larger university environments can more successfully hone in on individual achievement through teacher awareness of student motivational behaviors in the classroom. Additionally, pedagogical implications will aid educators in better understanding their pupils\u27 motivation for learning foreign languages and recognizing how student behavior can be helpful indicators of waning or waxing motivation in class. Results suggest that teaching culture in the FL classroom can help augment integrative motivation