Term
Summer 2018
Capstone
Thesis
Degree Name
MALED
Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair
Vivian Johnson
Secondary Advisor/Reader One
Kari Ross
Peer-Reviewer/Reader Two
Krista Jibben
Abstract
The goal of this curriculum design project is to design and integrate new lessons in my current first grade reading program that will enable students the opportunity to grow as a reader at the same time they are also strengthening their social emotional skills. Research from Michael Optiz and others demonstrates that students benefit from working with peers of varying ability levels through flexible groups. Joseph Zins, Roger Weissberg, Margaret Wang, and Herbert Walberg also have research that explains how integrating social emotional learning into the curriculum can be an important factor contributing to students success. Using this research as a foundation these newly developed lessons combine flexible grouping with social emotional learning while teaching reading in a first grade classroom. From the beginning of the school year this enhanced approach to teaching reading will have my students working in flexible groups. Working in flexible groups will enable them to work with peers of all ability levels while also they are working on social emotional learning. The new lessons will have my students learning about compliments, goal setting, and self reflection in the context of our reading instruction. Implementation of reading instruction that explicitly teaches some social emotional learning skills allow my students to work with peers of different abilities, complimenting and encouraging each other, self reflecting on their learning, and growing reading skills.
Research Methodology
Curriculum Development
Keywords
Curriculum, Learning Styles, Reading
Recommended Citation
Pogulis, Miranda, "Flexible Reading Groups And Social Emotional Needs In A First Grade Classroom" (2018). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations. 4420.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_all/4420