Document Type

Graduate Project

Date of Degree Completion

Summer 1999

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

Department

Education

Committee Chair

Nancy E. Jurenka

Second Committee Member

Luetta Monson

Third Committee Member

Andrea Bowman

Abstract

Practices in constructivist techniques in education and the application of thematic models were researched; the effect of motivation on learning was researched the connection between reading and writing was investigated, the link between vocabulary and reading ability was explored as well as the importance of schema and metacognition. A curriculum was designed using a theme, bicycles, based upon student interests. The curriculum implementation employed a cross-curricular, constructivist model. Research indicated that when reading instruction is delivered via a topic that the students have interest in and ownership of, the students become engaged in the instructional practice. Implications for curriculum design are discussed.

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