Term
Fall 2025
Capstone
Capstone Project
Degree Name
MAT
Facilitator(s)
Betsy Parrish
Content Expert
Melissa Okumura & Elizabeth Vandergon
Abstract
The research question addressed in this capstone project is: How can I scaffold fifth grade social studies texts for immigrant students who are far below a fifth grade reading level to maintain content standards, student engagement, and promote literacy growth? The capstone paper documents multiple approaches to fostering student engagement and effective ways to grow literacy skills in learning spaces. The document also follows the creation of a unit of curriculum to foster student engagement and literacy growth, targeting Latin American immigrant students whose reading levels are below grade-level. The unit topic focuses on Central and South American Native civilizations to be culturally responsive to the target student demographic. Major influences in this project’s development were: Tegmark et al. (2022), Kozen et al. (2006), Ukrainetz (2015), Symons (2021) and Wiesendanger (1986). The topics focused on are: how to generate student engagement with texts, and effective strategies – both active and passive – to promote the growth of literacy skills. Included within this capstone paper and project are a literature review of relevant research, a unit plan for the curriculum, and materials and resources necessary. Lastly, the paper concludes with a reflection of the limitations of the curriculum and suggestions for both future usage of the curriculum and continued research on the topic of scaffolding non-fiction texts to be culturally relevant to different populations of students.
Project Type
Curriculum
Keywords
Curriculum, Developmentally Appropriate Practice, ESL/ ELLs, Literacy, Multicultural Education, Reading
Recommended Citation
Maloney, Brendan, "Scaffolding Social Studies Texts for Below Grade-Level Readers to Promote Literacy Growth and Student Engagement" (2025). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects. 1155.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/1155
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Projects