The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify which skillsets a successful teacher possesses to help students positively work through behavioral situations rather than immediately exit the student from the classroom. The common themes could allow school leaders to reflect, develop, or improve current strategies for helping teachers develop…

Every year, more autistic students apply for and attend higher education in the United States. With increased numbers of autistic students indicating a goal of higher education in their future, this number is likely to increase. Many colleges and universities have recognized this likely increase and have implemented programs tailored to autistic…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about executive functions utilized in reading instruction of kindergarten through third-grade students. This research study used open-ended, semi-structured interview questions to gain a better understanding of what teachers know and…

This mixed method study investigated the impact of various levels of professional development (PD) on middle school educators' knowledge of second language acquisition (SLA) and the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs). This study also investigated participants' reasons for choosing their selected level of participation and their feelings…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs held by teacher candidates (TCs) regarding the integration of fictional literature into elementary science instruction. Data were collected in the forms of a Q sort completed by two sections of TCs as an in-class activity, demographics and background information…

This is a dissertation study regarding effective leadership practices in language immersion programs. Much of the previous research concentrates on students' academic achievement in immersion programs. The purpose of this research is to discover actions, attitudes, knowledge, and skills that immersion leaders of successful programs exhibit. Using…

Faculty are responsible for providing the academic accommodations needed and used by students with learning disabilities (SWLD). Since learning disabilities (LD) are hidden, faculty may question the need for, efficacy of, and fairness of accommodations. Yet academically accommodating SWLD is important to academic success and persistence. This…

Special education services provided students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Saudi Arabia have been growing rapidly over the last two decades and teachers must be well-versed to address their students' needs. However, studies examining aspects of these services are scarce. The current study aimed to assess knowledge about ASD,…

Head Start is a federally funded program providing comprehensive social and early education services to children from low-income households and their families. Seeking to boost outcomes of Head Start students, in 1998 Congress amended Head Start's statement of purpose, specifying school readiness as the program's top priority. This mission change…

This study was intended to enhance the limited research on the knowledge and confidence of special education teachers in public education regarding transition services and the quality of transition plans they develop. The key variables examined in this study are knowledge, confidence, and the quality of student transition plans. The sample…

Traditionally, models of instructional leadership espouse data-informed decision making in response to student assessment outcomes as one of the core school leader behaviors. In recent years, rising expectations from accountability policies and related assessment practices have myriad implications for school districts, specifically in the areas of…

This dissertation investigates the relationship between district supported teacher leadership and improving the teaching and learning of English learner (EL) students, a rapidly growing, yet continually underserved population of students. Utilizing a comparative case study design, this dissertation focuses on the work of two district-supported…

The Internet has changed not only how we conceptualize knowledge, but also how we learn in classroom. Knowledge is not any longer transmitted from experts to non-experts, but is constructed through communication, collaboration, and integration among a network of people. In this context, teachers are expected to facilitate student-centered learning…

Educators are continuously confronted with initiatives to increase student achievement; however, teacher isolation may hinder advancements to improve student learning. Teacher isolation may be a problem at many schools in which student achievement is not progressing, and teachers are not sharing pedagogical knowledge or instructional practices.…

This case study explores the relationship between teachers' language knowledge and their grammar teaching practices within the context of a bilingual school for the deaf in Sweden, a country that has demonstrated success in educating deaf children bilingually in written Swedish and Sweden's signed language. The study's participants were two…