1. Findings, Conclusions, and Implications
Rachel Lowery
College of Education, Department of Mathematics Education, Science Education and Instructional Technology
East Carolina University,
How will educational supports, specifically mnemonics and peer-based support, impact students' with OHI and SLD in their vocabulary development when using project-based learning?
Abstract The purpose of the explanatory mixed-methods study is to determine the impact of peer support used along with mnemonic vocabulary strategies on academic performance of students with special needs in a project-based classroom.
Limitations
One possible limitation is that students with special needs were not randomly selected but chosen based on whether the student with special needs is diagnosed with other health impairment (OHI) or specific learning disability (SLD). All of the students with special needs in the study meet only two criteria only and may not be a significantly diverse group of students with special needs. Brock et al (2016) saw this as a limitation that could be avoided by randomly selecting students that meet the criteria overall. Another limitation is that students selected for peer tutors were not randomly selected but chosen based on the following criteria: academic performance in all core classes, attendance, and the student had to be placed in the enrichment block to receive peer tutoring training. One student with special needs selected based on determined criteria is habitually absent and this could provide a limitation if that student is unable to receive peer tutoring during class time due to absenteeism.
Introduction My research addresses the impact of peer supports and the use of mnemonic devices during vocabulary instruction for special needs students with learning disability (LD) and other health impairment (OH). Since inquiry-based learning and project-based learning requires cooperation and peer interaction, addressing the needs of special needs using peer supports has implications for cooperative learning as well as establishing positive peer relationships in the science classroom. Inquiry-based instruction and project-based instruction are important because science instruction should be accessible to all students, including students with special needs (NGSS 2013).
Table 1 - Data Analysis – Average Pre and Post Test Scores of Tutors (General Education Students)
Table 2 - Data Analysis – Average Pre and Post Test Scores of Tutees (Students with Special Needs with Learning Disability or Other Health Impairment)
Literature Review Sears, Mercer, and Sindelar completed a study to determine if they could train students with learning disabilities to effectively use the keyword mnemonic method on their own and they found that students were able to learn more using mnemonic methods and preferred the mnemonic method to more traditional teaching methods (Sears 1992). Researchers trained teachers to use cards that contained the word, definition, and illustration. Teachers trained students on implementing the mnemonic learning device for key vocabulary. Teachers communicated that they enjoyed teaching the intervention and researchers concluded that further investigations had to be completed to determine the effectiveness of the intervention.
Methods In order to determine the effectiveness of peer mediation in the inclusive science classroom, general education students were trained to implement the keyword mnemonic vocabulary strategy in an inclusive science classroom as an intervention. This explanatory mixed-methods design study took place in a 6th-grade mixed-ability general education science classroom located in an intermediate school that consists of 5th and 6th graders. One classroom included in the study consists of 28 students and the other class consists of 29 students. Twelve students with special needs were selected for this study based. Twelve general education students were selected as peer tutors based on their classroom performance and attendance. Peer mediation training took place during enrichment class. Peer tutors received two sessions of 50-minute peer mediation training using the keyword mnemonic vocabulary method strategy. Students were trained in the following behaviors: (1) how to provide positive verbal reinforcement when working with peers (2) identify unfamiliar content words (3) recognize stems or prefixes in key term (3) develop an interactive image, picture, or keyword (4) practice learning keyword (5) practice retrieval of keyword. Peer mediation using mnemonic keyword method strategy was implemented 15 minutes for five consecutive school days for each set of 12 words. Thirty-six key vocabulary terms for the Unit: Earth’s Systems, Structures, & Processes: A Study of Earth’s Lithosphere were selected by the county-wide 6th-grade science professional learning community that meets yearly to plan out curriculum for the upcoming school year. These words are considered to be key terms that students should know and understand in order to master science content for the 6th-grade unit. There are 12 words for each of the mini-units included in the larger unit: soil, rocks, and Earth’s boundaries. Google Classroom quiz forms were used to collect and score student pre and post-tests. Data was collected in a table and students were assigned numbers to maintain anonymity.
Data Analysis Students were given three matching vocabulary pre-tests prior to intervention being implemented at the beginning of the study. Students were scored on the number of correct answers. Each question was weighted 8.33 points each. Table 1 displays average scores for tutors. Table 2 displays average scores for tutees. Scores were rounded to the nearest hundredth for analysis. The pre-test scores for peer tutors was for the rocks pre-test, for the soil pre-test, and for the plate tectonics pre-test. After treatment, post-test scores were 79.46, 90.15, and consecutively. The pre-test scores for the tutees was for the rocks pre-test, for the soils test, and for the plate tectonics test. After treatment, post-test scores were 34, 52.73, and There was an increase in the average test scores from pre-test to the post-test after the peer tutoring mnemonic devices intervention was implemented.
Findings, Conclusions, and Implications
There is a positive relationship between student post-test scores and participation in the intervention treatment. On average, students with LD or OHI increased their vocabulary recognition from 0 or 1 term correct to recognizing 5 terms correctly. On average, general education students increased their term recognition from 4 terms correct to recognizing 11 terms correctly. Student absences were not a factor in my data collection. Several students were absent due to the flu, virus and habitual absenteeism. Due to this, participating in the treatment intervention was not consistent for some students included in the study. Therefore, students absences was not accounted for if a student missed a tutoring session due to an absence.

2. Rachel Lowery
College of Education, Department of Mathematics Education, Science Education and Instructional Technology
East Carolina University,
How will educational supports, specifically mnemonics and peer-based support, impact students' with OHI and SLD in their vocabulary development when using project-based learning?
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