Reader Workshop Student
The purpose of this action research proposal is to determine how to increase student reading comprehension through the use of small guided reading groups in my fourth grade classroom. This guided reading group is a part of the Reader's Workshop method of instruction in which all students are involved in meaningful instruction working to master specific reading skills and strategies. Besides guided reading, other components of a Reader's Workshop stations discussed are independent reading, literature circles, and reading response journaling. Studies are reviewed that confirm the effectiveness of differentiated small group instruction within the context of a Reader's Workshop model.
Implementing a Reader's Workshop to Improve Student Comprehension
Introduction
I have just completed my second year teaching and I realize more than ever the challenges faced in an ordinary classroom. Children do not come in a “one size fits all” category for learning, especially when it comes to reading comprehension. Effective reading comprehension and fluency is the foundation for learning across all disciplines. As an educator, it is important to continually reflect and ask oneself “What can I change about my instruction that will benefit my students in reaching their full learning potential?”
Background
During the upcoming school year I plan to focus on restructuring my reading instruction. According to the district report card, there was a decline between third and fourth grade in the percentage of students that met or exceeded expectations for reading on ISAT scores during the 2006/2007 school year (the most recent statistics available). As third graders, 86% of student scores met or exceeded expectations while the following year they declined to 78%. This decline makes me question my practice. During the two years I have taught fourth grade I have closely followed Harcourt's lesson plan for reading (the language arts publisher District 4 chose). Harcourt focuses its plan more on the basal for reading with very little time spent on guided reading or small groups. In my opinion, this could possibly be the cause of lower reading comprehension scores. From what I have read by experts in the field of education, students need more individualized reading instruction. Thus, after reflection I ask myself—
Would implementing a Reader's Workshop instruction plan for the 2008/2009 school year allow me to focus on small group instruction resulting in an increase in reading comprehension for my fourth grade students?
Significance of Action Research
For my action research, I plan to learn more about the Reader's Workshop approach to instruction. By planning and implementing this program, I hope to see an improvement in my students' reading comprehension. Is this action research important? Absolutely! First and foremost, my goal is to improve the reading comprehension of each of my students. Reading is a life-long skill vital to everything a person does in life. In addition, implementing a successful reading instruction plan would also benefit the district. “No Child Left Behind”, like it or not, affects funding for each district. Low scores result in consequences no educator wants to face. Lastly, I feel my research could be of benefit to my colleagues.
School Demographics
As a bit of background, Wesley Elementary is located in Addison, Illinois—a village approximately twenty miles west of Chicago. Demographically, 52% of the students at Wesley are white, 34% Hispanic, 12% Asian, and 2% black (2007 School Report Cards). Twenty-two percent of those families qualify as low income (2007). Wesley is a relatively small school (335 students). With the exception of second grade, which has four sections including two bilingual classes, there are only two sections per grade level. Wesley is one of six elementary schools in District 4 which also includes one junior high. Upon completion of eighth grade, District 4 students attend either Addison Trail or Willowbrook High School.
Questions about Reader's Workshop
As I embark on this investigation to determine if restructuring my fourth grade reading program in the Reader's Workshop format will increase my students' reading comprehension scores, I am faced with many questions.
When I initially began to brainstorm ideas for an action research topic, my focus was on guided reading. As I stated previously, my hypothesis is that improving my reading instruction will result in an increase in my students' reading comprehension. The more I read on the topic and considered the subject matter I realized narrowing my research specifically to guided reading is not broad enough. Although I still believe guided reading is the catalyst for improvement—I kept coming back to several questions. First and foremost among the questions, does small group instruction, such as guided reading, indeed improve student comprehension? Since no two children are alike and with an average of 24 students per class, what would be the most effective way to group students that would provide the best opportunity for learning? How should I determine the composition of my guided reading groups? Assuming I am able to come up with a plan to deal with these issues, how will I know that the small group instruction actually improves student comprehension? If research supports my theory that it does and I choose to increase the time I devote to working in small groups, what will the rest of the class be doing while I devote myself to conducting a guided reading group involving only five or six students? It is important that the other students—80% of the class—be occupied in meaningful instruction as well, not just “busy work.” From my previous experience working with small groups of children, I know there are continual interruptions. Either someone doesn't understand whatever it is they are doing or they have to go to the bathroom or need a Band-Aid—there is always something. These constant interruptions cut down on the quality of small group instruction. How do I teach my students to be independent learners so they are able to work on their own while I am conducting a guided reading group? These are questions that need to be answered before I can restructure my classroom reading lessons.
Similar Action Research
I am not alone in facing these classroom problems. Luckily, I have found several action research papers written by other educators that address the same issues that are troubling me. Many are advocates of a Reader's Workshop method. This method usually involves independent reading, guided reading, and a literature study (Fountas & Pinnell, 2001). During a 60- to 90-minute literacy block, teachers often begin with a whole-class mini-lesson targeting a specific reading skill or strategy (Fountas). After the introductory mini-lesson, students work in small groups (Fountas). While working with the teacher in a guided reading group, a specific skill or strategy is targeted that needs reinforcement (Fountas). During that time, the other groups of students read independently or work at a literacy station to reinforce the skills and strategies they have learned (Fountas).
Hopefully, reviewing the findings of these educators, along with research of my own, will lead me to the answers I am seeking. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to research the complexities of a Reader's Workshop, focusing on improving student reading comprehension through guided reading.
Key Terms
- Genre-reading category—such as fiction, nonfiction, fantasy, etc.
- ISAT-“Illinois Standard Achievement Test”; given to all Illinois public
school students in grades three through eight the first two weeks of March
- MAP-“Measurement of Academic Progress”; a computer generated program for reading, mathematics, or language usage; assesses student mastery of strategies and skills per content area; gives the teacher information needed to implement interventions to help the student master strategies and skills he/she is lacking (NWEA, 2008)
- Qualitative Data-(Mills, 2007)
- Quantitative Data-(Mills, 2007)
- Reader's Workshop-a 60- to 90-minute literacy block; begins with a whole-class mini-lesson targeting a specific reading skill or strategy; students work in small groups involving stations such as independent reading, guided reading (with teacher), literature study, journaling
- Semantic Differential-a survey that uses words or pictures from one extreme to the other (i.e. boring to exciting) to form a scale of measurement—usually with three mid variations; good for small children and visual learners (Mills, 2007)
Literature Review
Small Group Benefits
Does small group instruction, such as guided reading, indeed improve student comprehension?Although Foorman and Torgesen's research mainly focused on children at risk in reading, it can certainly be applied to all students (Foorman & Torgesen, 2001). They concluded that the best way to raise student comprehension was to either work in small groups or on a one-on-one basis (Foorman et al.). These strategies allowed teachers to provide “encouragement, feedback, and positive reinforcement” (Foorman et al., p. 209) that would otherwise be nearly impossible to do in a whole class setting. Working with a select group of students enabled teachers to target specific skills tailored to meet the needs of the group. According to the authors of these findings, “phonemic awareness, phonemic decoding, fluency in word recognition and text processing, construction of meaning, vocabulary, spelling, and writing can maximize the probability that all but a small percentage of children can learn to read on grade level” (Foorman et al., p. 210). Furthermore, research shows that one-on-one instruction is no more beneficial than small group instruction (Foorman et al.). Thus, with the time constraints teachers face in meeting district curriculum requirements, small group instruction is a viable teaching strategy.
Creating Groups
What would be the most effective way to group students that would provide the best opportunity for learning? How should I determine the composition of my guided reading groups?Amy Doss, wrote “Developing an Effective Guided Reading Program: A Student Teacher's Experience” after her first year of teaching (Doss, n.d.). Doss stressed the importance of keeping a running record for each student. In these records she noted what reading skills and strategies her students were lacking (Doss). Running records and reading response journals are what Doss used to determine the make-up of her guided reading groups. For reading response journals, she read aloud a story and then the students wrote about it in journals (Doss). Doss used the journals to determine the different levels of comprehension amongst the students in her class. The students were then grouped according to strategies upon which they needed to improve (Doss). This is considered flexible grouping—students are grouped together to learn one specific skill (Chevalier, Del Santo, Scheiner, Skok, & Tucci, 2002). Chevalier et al. believed in flexible grouping students combine their strengths to help each other learn the focus strategy. Doss used leveled books that covered the targeted strategy. Most guided reading instruction uses a broader way to group students by focusing on overall reading ability. Homogeneous, or ability grouping, divides the class into low, middle, and high reading levels (Chevalier et al.). Hewitt warns against the tendency for teachers to treat homogeneous groups differently, often expecting more of the students in the highest group (Hewitt, 1996). Such grouping can also result in poorer self-esteem for the lower group of students (Hewitt). Therefore, it is important that guided reading groups not become static. It is necessary that the make-up of groups change periodically (Hewitt).
Results of Small Group Instruction
How will I know that small group instruction, such as guided reading, actually improves student comprehension?Linda Anderson researched small-group reading instruction as part of her master thesis. According to Anderson, one way to know if group reading instruction is effective is to consider the student error rate (Anderson, 1982). Anderson says that statistically, appropriate reading instruction should be difficult enough that there will be a 20% error rate (Anderson). This level of error allows for students to be left with enough of a challenge to continue learning without it being too difficult for them to make progress. Along with running records and reading response journals, Doss created a chart for informal assessment that encompassed skills and strategies she felt students needed to use for comprehension (Doss, n.d.). The chart allowed her to see the areas where students were making progress as well as what skills and strategies she needed to re-teach for better comprehension (Doss). Similarly, Seelman used running records but focused more on student writing to assess progress (Seelman, n.d.). Hewitt used a reading assessment chart along with a student survey to determine the effects of using a Reader's Workshop to improve student reading skills (Hewitt, 1996). In my opinion, allowing the students feedback gave an insight into how to restructure future stations—was there one area, such as vocabulary instruction, that needed more focus to help improve reading comprehension? All of these methods, running records, charting, and reading response journals, are excellent methods of assessing students. Yet, these assessments require a large time commitment on the part of the classroom teacher. Whereas, an end-of-story test is a quicker method—the students take a test on paper and the teacher uses an answer key to grade it. However, assessments such as these do not easily show the specific skills the students are lacking.
Implementing Reader's Workshop
What will the rest of the class be doing while I devote myself to conducting a guided reading group involving only five or six students?Carrie Seelman's research focused on this classroom management problem. Her answer was to set up nine different reading centers for the students to rotate through during the week while she worked with small groups (Seelman, n.d.). The reading stations involved students in various activities that supported reading strategies and skills—from writing, partner reading, independent reading, to computer reading games (Seelman). According to the authors of “Comprehension: The Key to Reading Success”, a Reader's Workshop approach involves all students in reading at the same time—just working in different ways (Chevalier, Del Santo, Scheiner, Skok, & Tucci, 2002). This is beneficial because it allows the student ample time for independent reading. Independent reading is when he/she practices the skills and strategies learned while participating in guided reading (Chevalier et al.). Working independently to practice reading skills makes the student self-reliant (Chevalier et al.). This, in turn, leads him/her to enjoy reading and become more apt to read for pleasure (Chevalier et al., 2002). An increase in the amount of time spent reading automatically makes for a better reader (Chevalier et al.). In addition to work stations with tasks designed for specific targeted reading areas, it is necessary to have extra activities on hand for students that complete the work ahead of time (Anderson, 1982). Otherwise, an idle student could be a major distraction to everyone else.
Independent Learners
How do I teach my students to be independent learners so they are able to work on their own while I am conducting a guided reading group?Before students are expected to be able to work independently, it is important to explain procedures and rules (Anderson, 1982). In other words, Anderson would recommend practicing centers before actually implementing them. As a result, there would be less confusion and interruptions.
The first thing Ms. Seelman did before setting up reading centers for her students was to reflect on what strategies for classroom management she used that were already successful (Seelman, n.d.). She realized that when the students could make their own decisions about what activities to participate in they were more focused (Seelman). Initially Seelman set up the centers around the room and allowed the students to choose whatever they wanted to do. However, this quickly escalated into another problem because invariably there were certain activities that were more popular than others (Seelman). Ultimately, she came up with a plan for changing the stations very little over the course of two weeks, requiring each student to participate in three centers per day. Since most of the stations had several activities, it was necessary to revisit each station in order to participate in all stations over the two-week period (Seelman). Seelman stated that reflecting upon the activities at the end of each Reader's Workshop was an important part of the routine that allowed students the opportunity to discuss what they had learned and helped her to restructure future stations to better meet their needs (Seelman). Seelman attributed using a Reader's Workshop format with enabling her class to function independently while she worked with a small percentage of students at a time (Seelman).
Conclusion
These research projects have provided me with some of the pieces I need to fit into the puzzle in order to implement a successful Reader's Workshop in my fourth grade classroom. A program such as this will allow me to work with guided reading groups and as a result, I predict my students' reading comprehension will improve. I am confident that this research information, along with colleague interviews and my further delving into texts written by experts in the field of education will assist me in restructuring my reading instruction program for the 2008/2009 school year.
Data Collection and Analysis
Introduction
During the upcoming school year, I will use a combination of quantitative and qualitative data for my research. Using both will give me a more complete picture of my students' reading abilities. Quantitative data will provide the answers to “what” a student knows because this data assesses the reading strategies already mastered—“what” he/she already knows. It can also tell me the leveled book a child should be reading. Qualitative data can explain more of the “why and how”. Why does the student struggle? How can I tailor instruction to re-teach the skills and strategies that will make the student a better reader?
Rational for Using Quantitative Data
The use of quantitative data enables me to see what percentage of success a student is achieving. As state earlier, one way to know if group reading instruction is effective is to consider the student error rate (Anderson, 1982). Anderson says that statistically, appropriate reading instruction should be difficult enough that there will be a 20% error rate (Anderson). This level of error allows for students to be left with enough of a challenge to continue learning without it being too difficult for them to make progress.
Quantitative Data Used
End-of-story and end-of-theme tests provide a quick assessment that is easy to score. The end-of-theme test, given every five weeks, is an especially useful tool to see what strategies or skills need to be re-taught. Again, this will be an excellent source to use to create flexible groups to target topics that specific students need to have reviewed without having to re-teach the subject matter to those that have already mastered the concept. When I give an end-of-story or an end-of-theme test, if a student does not answer at least 80% of the assessment correctly, I will re-teach the specific skill or strategy the student does not understand. This will be the basis for forming flexible groups to meet the needs of students that lack similar skills and strategies.
Another form of quantitative data I will use is student Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) scores. My incoming fourth graders will take a MAP test the first week of the school. Since they took the test in May at the end of third grade, I will be able to compare the results of the two tests to determine if he/she has retained his/her level of reading comprehension over the summer. The MAP test will also identify what skills and strategies each student needs to focus on to improve reading comprehension. It will allow me to form flexible guided reading groups by identifying the level book the child should be reading. The Map test will be given three more times during the year, in October, February, and May. After the assessments, I will be able to print out a graph showing each student's progress during the year.
The last form of quantitative data I intend to use regularly is a running record (Appendix a). A running record will allow me to assess a student's oral reading ability and the strategies he/she uses, such as reading accuracy, self correction, omission, repetition—and other reading behaviors. I will use these records to help determine what leveled books the student should be reading. Conferencing with the student periodically will enable me to assess if there needs to be a change in the level of the book the student reads.
Qualitative Data Used
The majority of the data for my action research proposal is qualitative. As part of my research, I created a questionnaire that I emailed to four educators (see Appendix b). The questionnaire included what a typical daily/weekly reading plan looks like as well as how small group instruction is handled, methodologies used, and how reading comprehension is assessed. In addition, I asked what advice each of them could offer me. It was interesting to see one common theme emerge from the questionnaires—the importance of practicing rules and what is expected of the students before asking them to work independently. These teachers have provided me with valuable insight I will be able to use in my classroom as I implement a Reader's Workshop format during the upcoming school year (see the Proposal and Prediction section for specifics).
I will also use three forms of qualitative data that my students will complete—a student questionnaire (see Appendix ), a semantic differential (see Appendix ), and reading response journals (see Appendix ). Since these methods of gathering data are more objective, they will be a more time consuming way to assess student comprehension. However, in the long run it will be well worth the extra effort because to answer questions the student has to use more in-depth strategies such as predicting, connecting, inferring, synthesizing, analyzing, and critiquing (Fountas & Pinnell, 2001). Practicing these strategies during reading improves student comprehension (Fountas).
I plan to design a student questionnaire that I will give my students the first week of school to assess what prior knowledge my students have as far as familiarity with genres, reading skills and strategies they use as they read, and what each student's likes and dislikes are when it comes to reading. Along with creating flexible guiding reading groups from what I learn are needs, I will use this information to help my students select books for independent reading.
Another form of qualitative data I will use is a semantic differential. Semantic differentials are surveys that use words or pictures from one extreme to the other (i.e. boring to exciting) to form a scale of measurement—usually with three mid variations (Mills, 2007). A semantic differential can provide me with much the same type of information as a student questionnaire. However, this style of survey is appealing for a visual learner (Mills, 2007). I am thinking of giving each student five small paper plates and asking him/her to draw faces on the plates with five variations—from a big smile to a frown (I will demonstrate five different faces on the board). Around the classroom I will have five different theme posters. For instance, it could be genres of books, favorite hobbies, foods, vacations, etc. I'll ask each student to tape his/her plate up according to how he/she feels about the particular topic. Getting up and posting preferences will also help the kinetic learner that needs movement. I'll reuse this way of polling my students about their interests throughout the school year and use the information to group the students homogeneously according to interests. This procedure will be another way to organize flexible groups. Each group will then work together in a literature study reading about a specific topic (for instance everyone that chooses baseball will read a book about a baseball player—such as the fictional Jim and Me: a Baseball Card Adventure or a nonfiction biography of a famous baseball player).
A reading response journal is an informal method of responding to reading as compared to a more formal book report. My students will write in a reading journal as a regular part of the Reader's Workshop throughout the year. This not only allows the student to reflect on what he/she has read, but also provides a dialogue in which I will be able to comment—extending the student's critical thinking with questioning. The reading response journal will also be used as an assessment of each student's ongoing progress.
The final method of qualitative data I will use on a continual basis are informal observations. These are referred to as field notes (Mills, 2007). Field notes are an excellent way to assess student comprehension through discussion and questioning. It will allow me to quickly assess student understanding. I will keep notes from these observations and use them to re-teach specific skills and strategies accordingly. From my notes, I will be able to assemble students in flexible groups that can be designed to target specific areas.
Proposal and Predictions
Reader's Workshop/Weekly Plan
I will restructure my fourth grade reading instruction for the 2008/2009 school year using a Reader's Workshop format. Four days per week (Monday through Thursday) I will set aside a ninety minute literacy block. On Fridays students will take an end-of-story reading assessment in the morning. In the afternoon, I will introduce the next lesson in Harcourt's basal. This will include new vocabulary, spelling, author's purpose, genre review, and whatever the specific reading strategy is for the week. Harcourt focuses each lesson on a different skill, such as comparing and contrasting. Weekend homework will be to read the story and answer the “think and respond” questions for the story.
During the literacy block on Mondays through Friday, I will begin with a ten minute direct instruction mini-lesson focusing on a skill or strategy according to the district curriculum guide. From there, one-fourth of the students will report to one of the following literacy stations: a small skill/strategy based group or guided reading, independent reading, language/word study, and reading response journaling (Fountas & Pinnell, 2001). These centers will be set up as follows:
- Small group-I will work with small groups of students—five or six at a time. The grouping will be flexible, focusing on a specific skill or strategy. Since the group will constantly change according to needs, stereotyping won't be an issue (Hewitt, 1996). Teaching skills and strategies is an excellent time to assemble heterogeneous groups—the highest students along with the lower.
- Guided Reading: When I am not working on skills or strategies with a small heterogeneous group of students, a group will work with me on guided reading. This will be a homogeneous group of students reading at the same level. MAP testing and running records will be what determines the level a student reads. This year Wesley will have 30 different titles per level of book, with six copies per set of books.
- Independent Reading: Using the student questionnaire, I will assist my students in trying to find a book that interests him/her. I have approximately 100 books in my classroom library and as a class we go to the school library once per week. The books in the school library are leveled. Since MAP testing indicates what level a student is reading, I will use the information to help students select books from the library he/she is capable of reading.
- Language/Word Study: This station is where students will review grammar skills taught in the mini-lessons and small group settings. This is also where the students will practice new vocabulary and spelling words. Once per week, I will reserve a cart of eight laptop computers for this station. There are a variety of education games available on the computer for language and word study.
- Reading Response Journal: This center will include journaling and reading graphic organizers to reinforce student comprehension. The other fourth grade teacher l work with this year, Cari Walters, uses a “Think, Tac, Toe” strategy. I would like to implement this method in this station to give my students a work choice. Think, Tac, Toe. When using Think, Tac, Toe, the teacher designs nine different related activities for the station (FCPS, 2008). The activities are arranged on a three-by-three grid (FCPS). The top row assignments are the easiest, middle row in between, and the bottom row the most challenging (FCPS). As with the game tic-tac-toe, the object is for the student to choose three activities in a row (FCPS). According to Fayette County Public School website, teachers that use Think, Tac, Toe give their students the opportunity “for authentic learning based on students' needs, interests and talents” (FCPS).
The Reader's Workshop method of instruction is flexible in that it allows teachers to vary the activities. The stations I have listed above are the ones I plan to use on a regular basis. However, I will also use different reading activities throughout the year—such as novel studies and Reader's Theater.
Predictions
References
"2007 School Report Cards." 2007. Addison District 4. 6 July 2008
http://www.asd4.org/docs/srcards/Wesley.pdf.
Anderson, L., Evertson, C., & Brophy, J. (1982). Principles of small-group
Instruction in elementary reading. East Lansing MI: Michigan State
University. ED 223981.
Chevalier, K., Del Santo, J., Scheiner, D., Skok, E., & Tucci, L. (2002).
Comprehension: the key to reading success. Chicago, IL: Saint Xavier
University. ED 467286.
Doss, A. (n.d.) Developing an effective guided reading program: a student
teacher's experience. Retrieved July 3, 2008. Williamsburg, VA: College
of William and Mary. htttp://www.wm.edu/education/599/ 05Projects/
Doss_599.pdf
FCPS Curriculum. (2008). Retrieved July 18, 2008.
http://teach.fcps.net/trt7/Think%20Tac%20Toe.htm
Foorman, B. & Torgesen, J. (2001). Critical elements of classroom and small-
group instruction promote reading success in all children. Learning Dis-
abilities: Research & Practice, 16 (4), 203. EJ637166.
Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G. (2001). Guiding readers and writers. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
Hewitt, C.; and others. (1996). Improving low reading skills through the use
of reader's workshop. Chicago, IL: Saint Xavier University. ED 398546
Mills, G. (2007). Action research: a guide for the teacher researcher. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
NWEA. Retrieved July 16, 2008. http://www.nwea.org/assessments/map.asp
Seelman, C. (n.d.) Moving out of chaos: A reading workshop approach.
Retrieved July 2, 2008Madison, WI. www.madison.k12.wi.us/sod/car/abstracts/372.pdf
We provide a professional essay writing service that thousands of our customers use as an effective way of improving their grades, improving their research and saving them lots of time.
