It is estimated by the year 2025, ELLs will make up one-quarter of the student population in the U.S. (Baecher et al., 2012). Simultaneously, literature has repeatedly demonstrated a lack of preparation for preservice and Inservice teachers to meet the needs of ELLs (e.g. Ballard, 2016; de Jong, 2013; Lucas et al., 2013; Villegas et al., 2018;…

Co-teaching is an approach to inclusive education that has become important to the academic and behavioral successes of students with disabilities. However, inclusive elementary school teachers often face numerous challenges to co-teaching, including a lack of adequate training, poor collaborations between general and special education teachers,…

This study explored how adopting an empathy education framework and strategies for teacher empathy modeling and student-centered learning experiences cultivates more empathy in middle school classrooms. This study extended the work of Snead et al. (2016) entitled "Challenge Course Work around Teaching Empathy in the Classroom."…

Video Modeling (VM) is a widely used intervention strategy to promote academic learning and positive social interactions in children with disabilities by watching a video clip modeled by a peer (peers) demonstrating the desired behavior. Limited research has been conducted on this topic to examine VM's effectiveness on promoting positive social…

I embarked upon this study with an interest in how one teacher educator supports pre-service teachers to recontextualize their literacy learning as they enacted the roles of both learner and future teacher in their education coursework. My research extends the current literature on modeling and feedback by examining the modeling and feedback given…

Reports of 2022 employment rates demonstrate that while 65.4% of adults without disabilities are employed, only 21.3% of adults with disabilities are employed (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). Researchers have reported that employees with disabilities are unable to maintain employment often due to difficulty fitting in socially at the…

This causal comparative study examined differences between Modeling Instruction delivered through distance learning (DL) versus face-to-face (FTF) in terms of teachers' performance on professional development evaluation tools for content knowledge and self-efficacy. The theoretical foundation of this study included elements of professional…

Federal legislation for students with disabilities mandates that all students receive appropriate and relevant instruction across environments to improve postsecondary outcomes across domains. Teachers and parents alike have found that one way to meet individual student needs and increase instructional opportunities for students with disabilities…

This study explores teacher educators' beliefs and practices related to the modeling of effective instruction in the pre-service classroom. Previous research has shown that when teacher educators model effective instructional practice, there are positive learning outcomes for pre-service teachers and for teacher educators (Daniel, 2011; DeLuca,…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) impacts one in every 44 children in the United States (CDC, 2022) and is characterized by marked deficits in social communication with the presence of restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Students with ASD are increasingly being educated in the general education classroom and are expected to meet the…

Critical thinking (CT) is widely recognized as an important component for effective instruction and learning. Numerous researchers have studied critical thinking and its impact on students and educational institutions at all levels (Pithers & Soden, 2000). Puig et al. (2019) acknowledged that very little research had been done to capture…

The implementation of effective classroom management strategies has been associated with increases in student academic engagement and decreases in student disruptive behavior. However, teacher-training programs often fail to provide pre-service teachers with the knowledge base and experience necessary to implement these strategies. Training…

Literacy coaching is not new to education. Since the 2001 shift in the United States (U.S.) educational policy towards high-quality teacher training, accountability, and student achievement, literacy or reading coach positions have been a core part of the educational institution (U. S. Department of Education, 2003). However, with undefined…

This dissertation focuses on the ways in which conceptual modeling illuminates, supports, and enhances historical thinking; and examines the extent to which modeling can help students get past the misconceptions that form barriers on their way to gaining better understanding. Conceptual modeling is done in four phases---preparation, development,…

My dissertation research involves the implementation of a parent-provided point-of-view modeling (POVM) intervention created to improve social interaction between parents and their children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A series of studies ultimately lead to my dissertation study. The first manuscript entitled "Autism-Related Insurance…