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A Descriptive Study of Literacy Learning and Teaching during an Author Study/Visit

Hayward, Susan M.

Abstract Details

2002, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, EDU Teaching and Learning.
A growing interest in schools among teachers and school administrators is using an author visit to enhance reading and writing in the curriculum. The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of a school author study / visit on seventh graders' literacy activities in one seventh grade language arts class. This study looked at the learning opportunities planned for the students by the staff and their classroom teacher, but also looked at how these learning opportunities were shaped and co-constructed by the students, teacher and other adults. This study has potential significance in adding to the body of research on an author study / visit by describing how an author study / visit shapes teacher and students; discussions in reading and writing, interests in reading, the support of the teacher's efforts to stimulate and encourage writing, to offer insights into the creative process of writing, and to promote lasting appreciation of the written word. This study should be a contribution to the reading / writing literacy used to inform future researchers about the findings on author studies / visits by providing effective strategies for teachers. The period of data collection for this study was seven weeks. Data collection was divided into three phases, prior to the author visit, during the author visit and after the author visit. This study used a qualitative perspective for data collection with participant observation, audiotapes with full transcription, field notes of classroom observations, transcribed audiotaped interviews (formal and informal with the teacher), student interviews, and school artifacts. The major findings of this study were that the author study / visit affected student attitudes in literacy learning. The indicators of connections made in reading and writing are as follows: students experienced the work of an author and extended this knowledge through the author sharing her experiences; students recognized that stories came from the author's life experiences; students were able to better understand the read aloud once they heard the author had shared the writing process of this book; the teacher indicated students were still reading the author's books at the end of the school year (six weeks following the visit); two students modeled the author's plot structure in a narrative writing piece and in the student year end reflections, seven students listed one of the author's books as the best book they had read that year. The continuum of teacher-led to student-led discussions of questioning and the sharing of personal experiences can directly affect the motivation and development of comprehension.
Janet Hickman (Advisor)
Karin Dahl (Committee Member)
Raylene Kos (Committee Member)
Rudine Sims Bishop (Committee Member)
214 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hayward, S. M. (2002). A Descriptive Study of Literacy Learning and Teaching during an Author Study/Visit [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1394724156

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hayward, Susan . A Descriptive Study of Literacy Learning and Teaching during an Author Study/Visit. 2002. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1394724156.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hayward, Susan . "A Descriptive Study of Literacy Learning and Teaching during an Author Study/Visit." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2002. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1394724156

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)