Date Approved

4-30-2001

Embargo Period

5-23-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in Learning Disabilities

Department

Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education

College

College of Education

Advisor

Urban, Stanley

Subject(s)

Fifth grade (Education); Science--Study and teaching (Elementary)

Disciplines

Disability and Equity in Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using Brain-Based strategies to teach science content. Data was gathered over a ten-week period, which encompassed the entire third marking period. The results were found using primarily the students' test scores. The scores were presented in two categories: whole class averages as well as the special education students' averages.

The subjects of this study include forty-six fifth grade students, ranging in ages from 10-11. Twenty-one are enrolled in the researcher's homeroom class, and twenty-one in a comparable fifth grade class in the same school. The researcher is the science teacher for both classes. Included in each class are five special education students. The classes are entirely Caucasian with the exception of one African American girl.

Results of this study showed that the class receiving a brain-based type of instruction scored higher on the content portion of the tests than the class receiving a direct instruction method. On the contrary, the class receiving the direct instruction method scored higher on the vocabulary part of their tests. Even though there were numerous variables that influenced these results, it was consistent throughout the entire trial period. The special education students' scores were looked at as well in a separate table. The special education students receiving brain-based instruction scored consistently higher on both the content and vocabulary portions of the test. Many of the variables present could have influenced these scores as well.

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