But I Know it Worked: Unpacking Teachers’ Perceptions about the Effects of Literacy Strategies on Students Kelly Feighan and Debra Coffey Research for Better Schools Presented at the 2009 AERA Annual Meeting San Diego April 16

Research for Better Schools Striving Readers Project  U.S. Department of Education grant aimed at improving pedagogy and student achievement  Supports eight middle schools serving urban students in grades six through eight  Offers professional development for teachers in integrating strategies focused on vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension  Developer’s hypothesis: strategy integration would yield student gains  Statistical analyses showed no differences between treatment and control schools on student outcome measures 2

Research for Better Schools Original Research Questions  What are teachers’ perceptions about the impact of literacy strategies on students?  What evidence do teachers draw upon to substantiate their claims of a strategies’ effectiveness or ineffectiveness? 3

Research for Better Schools Methodology  Quantitative: three waves of surveys Administered immediately prior to focus groups Number of participants: 48, 62, 54  Qualitative: four waves of focus group interviews End of each semester for two years Twenty-eight total groups (n=5, 7, 7, and 9)  Themes developed, explored, and analyzed using Nvivo and Excel 4

Research for Better Schools Topics of Inquiry  Survey and focus group items asked about: Types of strategies used and how often Perceptions about benefits to students Usefulness of strategies Time required to integrate strategies 5

Research for Better Schools Survey Results  Some strategies were easy to implement because of: Increased student engagement levels Student enjoyment Simplicity of the concept  Other strategies were difficult to implement due to: Students’ lack of understanding Engagement challenges Teacher’s problems with execution 6

Research for Better Schools Survey Results  Teachers reported greater ease over time with strategy implementation  By the end of the program, 98% of respondents agreed that using strategies had improved students’ content understanding  A minority (16.7%) at wave three had used the strategies too infrequently to gauge their effectiveness  At wave three, every respondent agreed that the strategies were useful with their students 7

Research for Better Schools Focus Group Overview  These analyses are restricted to teacher comments about students  Most teachers indicated that their students had experienced at least some benefits Teachers described increases in student interest and in student reading behaviors  Several math and science teachers expressed concern that strategies were not as useful or helpful in their disciplines 8

Research for Better Schools Focus Group Codes ThemeIncluded codes VarietyVariety, novelty, choice, extra tools, visual nature, strategies for different learning styles, group work AttackAttack, organization, structure, higher-level thinking, independent use of strategies ReinforcementReinforcement related to repeated exposure, more than one teacher, across subjects Negative (no improvement) Judgments about student progress; relation to subject area Teacher factorsTeacher confidence, improvement, enthusiasm, participation in CLA Student attitudesStudent confidence, participation, motivation VariousTeacher modeling, assessment, need for time 9

Research for Better Schools Theme: Student Attitudes  Many teachers described noticeable increases in student confidence, motivation, and participation in class Some noted that students responded to teachers’ involvement in CLA class; others describe students responding to teacher interest and enthusiasm It makes me more excited to teach... the kids are excited, I’m excited, and it makes learning a lot more fun and so they retain more. 10

Research for Better Schools Theme: Student Confidence  Teachers attribute improvements in student confidence to improvements to their teaching and/or student use of literacy strategies I’ve noticed that my students are more comfortable with word problems. I used [the strategy] with one of their supplemental texts, and it actually boosted their confidence with reading.... It made them feel like they could participate more in discussion when we get into a particular story. 11

Research for Better Schools Theme: Motivation & Participation  By the third semester, some respondents cited improvements in student and teacher motivation levels: I think when you’re motivated, it motivates your kids. I think that’s the reason why I was learning the strategies last year, but I really didn’t feel as comfortable as I am now with the strategies. The strategies I have learned really helped me to motivate my students... I have really been pleased with how my students have reacted, and the motivation is there. 12

Research for Better Schools Theme: Reasons for Improvements  Variety of activities and strategies Keeps students interested Accommodates different learning styles Provides students with choices  Reinforcement of activities and strategies promotes thorough understanding By repeated in-class exposure Across subject areas With more than one teacher (up to 4) 13

Research for Better Schools Theme: Types of Improvement  Teachers describe improvements in student reading behaviors in several areas Text “attack,” or the ways that students now are able to approach and engage with new texts Students are better able to organize and structure their own work Students are talking and writing (and presumably thinking) about texts at higher levels  Teachers also describe independent use of strategies by students  Not every teacher felt that reading skills had improved 14

Research for Better Schools Theme: Text Attack When they’re able to have a few strategies to hold onto and apply everywhere, it makes them willing and wanting to learn.... I had one student who said, “Can I do an outline instead?”... The biggest thing for me is not that they’re using the [graphic] organizer I asked for, but [that] they know how to use something to put the information together.... Whichever one works for them, and they can do that now. 15

Research for Better Schools Theme: Higher-Level Thinking When you’re constantly working with [students] to build their higher-order thinking and high-level thinking, then they can go into any class and apply the strategies.... It’s building their level of thinking. [Learning to use the strategies] had really improved their comprehension. And they are able to look at the text, and they are able to elaborate... whereas before I wasn’t getting anything. 16

Research for Better Schools Focus Group Interpretations  Most teachers expressed the belief that students benefited from using the literacy strategies  Themes indicate that more time is needed before increases in student outcomes are achieved Teachers indicated a progression in their students from engagement to improvements in reading behaviors Teachers are still improving their implementation of literacy strategies in content areas It is reasonable to assume that student engagement and use precede increases in standardized test scores 17

Research for Better Schools Questions for Further Research  Original research questions were based on apparent disconnect between positive teacher perceptions and lack of change in student outcome measures  Improvements in student confidence and motivation and in reading behaviors are promising Are they sufficient to ensure future improvement? What types of reinforcement, if any, might be necessary to ensure continued improvement? For how long are they necessary?  How long should we allow before expecting to see changes in standardized tests? 18

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