+ Action Research Trace Crossings - Fall 2013 Taylor Blair Classroom Teacher: Mrs. Norris 2 nd Grade

+ Background Information Conference with Mrs. Norris on September 17 th We targeted two students who needed extra help with vocabulary How to accurately monitor student progress as a result of the action research vs. Mrs. Norris’s teaching Choosing words – mainly from the assessment, some from text + class vocab list Student A is a female, tier 1, ELL student Does not use a wide vocabulary when speaking Student B is a male, tier 1 student Frequently asking what words mean Both students have trouble retaining multiple meanings of words

+ Question What strategies are the most effective for teaching vocabulary to struggling learners; including English Language Learners? Concentration: I focused on helping the students understand context clues, learn a variety of words used in everyday language, make connections to these words, and identify synonyms and antonyms to broaden the students’ knowledge of English words.

+ Baseline Data Students were first assessed on October 8 th with the Abecedarian Reading Assessment for Vocabulary. Student A scored 14/18 on the production portion (giving the definition of the word) 0/17 on choosing the opposite meaning of the word given and 7/10 on choosing the same meaning of the word given Student B scored 17/18 on the production portion 14/17 on choosing the opposite meaning of the word given and 16/18 on choosing the same meaning of the word given. Often had to explain the meanings of the three choice words

+ What does research say about learning Vocabulary? Vocabulary is built through language conversations With conversation children are able to pick up the meaning of words due to the context Semantic maps A blue print for students to map out what they know about the word Link Vocabulary studies to a book Students learn best if the new words are related to a topic or story Vocabulary Games Young learners are more engaged when playing interactive games Explicit instruction Providing the definition; using semantic maps; linking new to known; examining synonyms and antonyms

+ Works cited Reutzel, D. Ray, and Robert B. Cooter. Teaching Children to Read: The Teacher Makes the Difference. Sixth ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, Print. Yip, Florence W. M., and Alvin C. M. Kwan. “Vocabulary Games As A Tool For Teaching And Learning English Vocabulary." Educational Media International 43.3 (2006): ERIC. Web. 4 Dec

+ Strategies used for teaching Conversation and making connections to real life Initial conversations before beginning lessons and activities Explicit instruction Provided the definition; linked words to everyday life; discussed synonyms and antonyms for words Graphic word organizer Victory – Definition, synonym, antonym, picture, use the word in a sentence Interactive games ‘Slap the word’ – given the definition students have to race to find the word first. Taboo – word is on a sticky note on a student’s forehead and he or she has to guess the word when the partner give and explanation of the word Words from a text Giraffes Can’t Dance Amelia Bedelia – Introduce the importance of understanding word meanings and context clues

+ Final Assessment Students were finally assessed on December 3 rd with the Abecedarian Reading Assessment for Vocabulary which was used for the initial assessment. Student A scored 16/18 on the production portion (giving the definition of the word) 17/17 on choosing the opposite meaning of the word given and 16/18 on choosing the same meaning of the word given Student B scored 18/18 on the production portion (giving the definition of the word) 17/17 on choosing the opposite meaning of the word given and 18/18 on choosing the same meaning of the word given. Both students only needed the choices read on a few occasions

+ Impact on student achievement Student A

+ Impact on student achievement Student B

+ Impact on student achievement I noticed that students retained the meaning of words best when we played games, made connections to the words and read stories that included the words. Student A made an obvious improvement on her knowledge of words, but mainly on her understanding of synonyms and antonyms (same and opposite). In the beginning she did not understand what it meant for a word to have an opposite meaning. Assessment results Student B improved on his knowledge of the words he learned throughout this process, and I have even observed him using the words in daily conversation. As far the concrete score from the initial and final assessment, not much improvement was made. Both Student A and B had no difficulty completing the final assessment compared to their uncertainness when they took the initial assessment. Improved confidence!

+ What I learned… At our first meeting on October 1 st I focused on getting to know my students, and learn about their interests and what they like to do. This allowed us all to begin with a good start Explicit instruction is necessary, but interactive activities even if they are paired with explicit instruction not only keeps the students engaged but helps students retain the information better. Conversation/making connections Explaining in your words Create a game to improve the lesson