Using Action Research To Empower North Carolina Educators A Race to the Top Initiative NC Department of Public Instruction Educator Effectiveness Division

Title of Presentation: Responding to Text: Written Comprehension Presenter: Amanda Boleratz District: Orange County Schools School: Central Elementary

What is Action Research? Systematic inquiry conducted by teachers and other educators to find solutions for critical, challenging, relevant issues in their classrooms and schools. Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 2014

What is Action Research? Main Goals Include: Positively impact student outcomes Identify and promote effective instructional practices Create opportunities for teachers to become reflective practitioners Share research results with other educators Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 2014

What is Action Research? A systematic research process to: ● Identify an area of focus (critical, challenging issue) ● Develop an action research plan ● Implement action research plan in classroom/school ● Collect, analyze, and interpret data ● Share findings to inform practice Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 2014

Responding to Text: Written Comprehension Using writing as part of the reading process helps students connect with the text and strengthen their comprehension whether they are reading fiction, nonfiction, or a content area textbook. Reading response journals require students to interact with the text and engage in deeper reading in order to create responses to the text.

Problems of Practice Think about the barriers your students have with writing comprehension. What hinders them from proficiently responding to a text? Make a list of the barriers you have seen in your classroom. After two minutes share your list with a partner. What factors do you have in common?

What Does Peer-Reviewed Research say about my focus area? Reference (APA format): Peery, Rebecca. (1996). The Effects of the Shared Writing Process on Reading Comprehension of Second and Third Grade Students. What this study was about: This study determined the effect of shared writing activities on reading comprehension. The experimental group, who engaged as the same literature as the control group, but received instruction on a wide range of writing activities, scored significantly higher on multiple-choice comprehension questions. The writing activities included writing prompts where each student was encouraged to expand on his/her ideas. Newspaper articles, letter writing, cause and effect webs, journal writing, and character assimilation were some examples of the creative writing activities. The students were essentially working on higher-level thinking while engaged in active tasks in contrast to passive modes of participation.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Focus Statement The focus of this study is to determine if reading comprehension will improve as a result of explicit instruction on written response to text.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Purpose of the Study Based on TRC data, at least half of our students are below grade level. The majority of these students are fluent and accurate readers, and can answer questions orally, but are unable to answer written comprehension questions. Based on instructional observations, teachers have not been modeling what a written response to text should look like. Teachers have not been teaching the academic vocabulary necessary to understand the questions. Through my action research, I hoped to show teachers that reading comprehension will improve, if written response to text is explicitly taught.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Study Participants A small group of five 3 rd grade students. Student data showed high accuracy and oral comprehension, but low written comprehension based on the TRC assessment.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Research Questions Does writing comprehension increase reading comprehension? Does explicit instruction on responding to text increase writing comprehension? Does explicit modeling of responding to text improve student responses?

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Innovation/Intervention Reading response journals R.A.C.E. model of response Explicit modeling Gradual release of responsibility R.A.C.E. Format Sample Gradual Release Schedule Sample Gradual Release Schedule

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom Planning Guide Question Stems: 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom 2 nd Grade Fiction: Sample Planning Guide 3 rd Grade Nonfiction: Sample Planning Guide

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom Explicit Modeling Thinking aloud for each step of the writing process Teacher creates an exemplar model response that the students copy in their notebook to use as a guide.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom Teacher gradually releases responsibility to the students, by providing support while they respond independently, until they are able to respond on their own.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom Sample of student using the teacher’s model response to guide their response independently.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom Student #2: Toward the beginning of our group, he does not restate the question or cite evidence. He is using background knowledge.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom Student #2: Is now restating the question, he still needs to work on citing evidence.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom Student #2: He is using the same book for a different question.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom Student #2: A few weeks later, he is restating the question and cites evidence. He also uses the same prompt with another book.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom Student #5: At the beginning of our group, she did not even address the prompt.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom Student #5: After a few weeks in the group, there is still no progress.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom Student #5: After several weeks, she is finally restating the question, and addressing the prompt.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom Student #5: She is now able to apply the question to another text.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Data Collected TRC Assessment BOYMOY Student 1 JN Student 2 EI Student 3 JM Student 4 LN Student 5 JJ

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Data Collected Listening Comprehension BOYMOY Student 1 23 Student Student 3 23 Student 4 02 Student 5 33

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Collect Data Findings

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Collect Data Findings 2 students grew 4 reading levels from BOY to MOY 1 student grew 3 reading levels from BOY to MOY 1 student grew 2 reading levels from BOY to MOY 1 student did not make any growth. This student was diagnosed with ADD right after MOY, and is now on medication.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Collect Data Recommendations 1.Carefully plan lessons 2.Explicitly model 3.Gradual release of responsibility 4.Included guided writing in guided reading 5.Repetition

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Collect Data Recommendations Model, Support, Expect! Model (Whole-group) Explicitly model responding to the text through writing, taking students through the entire process, while thinking aloud. Create an anchor chart for students to refer to. Support (Small-group) Support students by including guided writing in your small group reading instruction. Expect (Independent) Expect students to respond to text through writing independently, using books on their independent reading level.

References Yildiz, Ali (2012). Prospective teachers’ comprehension levels of special relativity theory and the effect of writing for learning on achievement. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 37(12), Yates, Joanne M., (1987). Research Implications for Writing in the Content Areas. National Education Association Collins, Carmen. (1981). The Use of Writing to Improve Reading Comprehension. Barackman, Linda. (1995). Improving Reading Through Writing. Peery, Rebecca. (1996). The Effects of the Shared Writing Process on Reading Comprehension of Second and Third Grade Students.

Conclusion of Presentation Thank you for your participation. Contact Information: Name: Amanda Boleratz School/District: Orange County Schools Phone: x Website:

Discussion How could you use this in your classroom? Whole group? Small group? What resources did you find useful?

Questions

Activity Use the planning guide to create a lesson that you could teach to your class.