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Effective Reading Fluency Strategies for Adolescents: Insights from a Systematic Review
No full textThis review focused on fluency interventions or practices designed to help children in fourth grade through ninth grade learn to develop adolescent reading skills related to fluency. Eleven peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2024 met inclusion criteria, representing 115 students, including those with disabilities, multilingual learners and students at risk. The majority of studies used single-case research designs and implemented Tier 3 interventions. Repeated reading emerged as the most common and effective strategy, often paired with phonics, vocabulary instruction, or progress monitoring practices such as graphing results. Findings suggest repeated reading combined with explicit instruction and motivational supports improved fluency, particularly for students with disabilities. Evidence for multilingual learners was limited, and most interventions occurred in Tier 3 settings, constraining generalizability. Future research should expand to Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions, address student motivation, and evaluate technology-based interventions
Resilience in the Wake of Faith-Based Trauma: Investigating the Role of Social Support in Complex Posttraumatic Stress and Well-Being After Religious/Spiritual Abuse
No full textReligious/spiritual (r/s) abuse involves the mistreatment of individuals within religious or spiritual contexts, often resulting in psychological and spiritual harm (Ellis et al., 2022; Johnson & VanVonderen, 1991). Although research examining the potential benefits of religion and spirituality has proliferated, harm stemming from religious/spiritual experiences remains relatively understudied (Ward, 2011). This study investigated associations between r/s abuse severity, complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) symptoms, and psychological well-being. To identify potential protective factors, the moderating role of perceived social support in the relationships between r/s abuse and CPTSD and well-being outcomes was examined. Additional exploratory variables included current spirituality and religiosity, the community context in which r/s abuse occurred (i.e., rural, urban, or other), and mental healthcare use to process religious/spiritual experiences. Data were drawn from 325 adults with a range of experiences in Christian or Bible-based religious/spiritual communities. Linear regression moderation analyses and multivariate analyses of variance were conducted. Results indicated greater r/s abuse severity was associated with higher CPTSD symptoms and lower well-being. Perceived social support and current spirituality did not significantly moderate these relationships. However, current religiosity intensified the negative association between r/s abuse severity and well-being, though it did not moderate the relationship between r/s abuse severity and CPTSD symptoms. Participants who sought mental health services to process r/s abuse reported greater CPTSD symptoms and higher abuse severity than those who did not, though no significant group differences emerged in well-being or perceived social support. No significant differences in outcomes were observed across abuse community contexts. These findings contribute to the emerging literature characterizing r/s abuse by documenting its psychological consequences and exploring factors that may shape post-abuse trajectories. Results also support growing calls to expand trauma frameworks beyond DSM-5-TR criteria to better account for the psychological toll of extra-criterion trauma
Remember to Say Her Name - Addressing Black Women\u27s Experiences of Vicarious Police Brutality and Testing a Racial Trauma Meditation
Full text linkBlack women and girls are disproportionately impacted by police violence, as some are victims of brutality but also as viewers of police violence videos and advocates for police reform (Williams, 2021). Yet, most media coverage centers on police brutality against Black men, rendering the suffering of Black women largely invisible. Studies indicate heightened rates of distress experienced by Black women as a result of race-based stressors, compounded by their limited access to adaptive coping mechanisms (Beauliere, 2022; Hawkins, 2022). This study investigated the psychological effects of vicarious police brutality exposure on Black women. In addition, this study evaluated the effectiveness of three interventions: a racially specific mindfulness meditation, a relaxation practice (progressive muscle relaxation), and an active control condition involving a popular podcast in reducing Black women’s state anxiety, anger, and depression levels. A secondary objective was to explore which intervention produced increased levels of state mindfulness and resilience levels to buffer the effects of a vicarious race-based stressor. Sixty-four collegiate Black women viewed a video depicting police brutality. They completed repeated measures assessing state anxiety, anger, depression, mindfulness, and resilience at three time points: Time 1 (baseline), Time 2 (post-stress induction), and Time 3 (post-intervention). Results showed that exposure to the police brutality video significantly increased participants’ state anxiety, depression, and anger across all groups. Following the intervention, their distress levels decreased significantly, with anxiety dropping below baseline levels while anger and depression returned to baseline across all groups. Both the race-based mindfulness meditation and relaxation groups showed significant increases in state mindfulness. All intervention groups showed increased state resilience over time. However, no significant differences were observed between intervention types in reducing distress symptoms. Findings from this study provide insight into culturally tailored coping strategies to mitigate the harmful effects of race-based traumatic stressors experienced by Black women
Faculty Handbook
No full textFaculty Handbook for Georgia Southern University for the 2025-2026 academic year. The Faculty Handbook is published online by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and archived in Digital Commons@Georgia Southern
Black Male Math Teachers Influence on Student Retention
No full textBlack male teachers constitute only about 2% of the U.S. K–12 teaching workforce (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). However, studies indicate that their presence can significantly improve student attendance (reducing chronic absenteeism) and decrease disciplinary incidents (e.g., suspensions), particularly for students with prior academic or behavioral challenges (Holt & Gershenson, 2015). These educators often leverage empathy, relationship-building, and cultural understanding to engage students and increase their sense of belonging, which in turn boosts student engagement and retention (Ingram, 2020). Moreover, culturally responsive teaching and a shared racial teacher-student identity have been linked to higher student motivation and academic success (e.g., better graduation and college enrollment rates) (Lindsay, 2025). Many Black male teachers personally reflect that their supportive presence and high expectations lead to improved student behavior and more consistent attendance in their classrooms (Ingram, 2020)