Date of Award

Fall 2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Committee Chair

Sydney Brown

Abstract

This study was an action research project seeking to gather evidence regarding the impact of integrating academic objectives and resiliency-building topics. As the focus on trauma and mental health increased, literature provided rich descriptions of how trauma may negatively impact students. Research presented findings indicating potential physical, mental, emotional, social, academic, and behavioral effects resulting from trauma. What was lacking were studies investigating the impact of implementing trauma-informed instructional strategies. In an effort to address gaps in the literature and improve professional practice, action research in a mixed methods approach was conducted with two research questions exploring the impact, if any, the integration of topics, specifically chosen to build resiliency through reading and writing, have on student academic achievements and perceptions of resilience. An integrated unit in a sixth-grade English language arts classroom was studied, and data in the form of academic assessments, Brief Resilience Scale assessments, and reflective journal entries were gathered. Both quantitative and qualitative data indicated a positive impact on academics and resilience when the integrated unit was implemented.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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