Date of Award/Publication

2007

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MS in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to improve student literacy in the science classroom by providing weekly literacy practice. A total of 94 inner-city students from the Rochester City School District in the State of New York participated in weekly reading practice using selected reading passages that varied in difficulty. Students were instructed to complete 6 essential questions based on each reading passage and chart their weekly progress. These reading passages, accompanying questions, and diagnostic graphs were selected from a text entitled Reading in the Content Areas: Science (2005). It was hoped that students would develop an active searching attitude about what they read and therefore set the stage for higher comprehension. The weekly literacy practice, along with other literacy strategies used throughout the week, resulted in most student literacy scores either staying the same or increasing.

COinS