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Action Research Project

Aaron Conner

Action Research Project

Aaron Conner 1

Primary Meeting with Ms. White


Students Chosen:
Student J: Student J was chosen by Ms. White because of his disinterest in reading and writing and for his low reading level. He had difficulty staying focused in the classroom setting and would often ask to go to the teacher work room to complete his reading or other work. Ms. White thought that he would benefit from one-on-one time with me and could definitely improve in his reading level and in focusing on his tasks in the classroom. Student J does not enjoy reading and will do almost anything to get out a reading assignment. Student C: Student C was chosen by Ms. White because of the extent to which he is behind in reading compared to the rest of his peers. He is three whole reading levels behind the rest of the class, has a hard time with comprehension and he does not enjoy reading in an academic setting or at home. He has a reading coach come in and help him with fluency and vocabulary on almost a daily basis. He is absent from class quite often and is subsequently behind in most subjects.

Formulated Question
Both Student J and C have a large amount of help in the area of comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary as they are assisted by the reading coaches and have additional assistance from Ms. White. When formulating my question for the Action Research Project I asked Ms. White what the strongest need was when it came to helping these boys. She simply said that she needed these boys to enjoy reading so that they would help in the learning process. I took this to heart and decided that the best way for me to be effective was to help these boys develop a passion or at

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least a tolerance for reading. My question developed into: How can I motivate these young boys to have a positive attitude towards reading? Over the course of the semester I would ask many more questions but they all stemmed from this central idea of a positive reading attitude.

Initial Assessment
For the initial assessment, I administered the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey to both Student J and Student C. This assessment is a series of twenty questions that have different cartoon Garfields as the answers. Each Garfield is displaying a different emotion ranging from happy to sad or grumpy. There are four scores for each answer and the student must choose which Garfield best represents their attitude to the particular question. For example, if the question was How do you feel about reading at home? the child would circle the smiling Garfield if they did in fact enjoy reading at home. I gave the assessment to each student and found that they did not enjoy reading at all. The highest and best attitude for reading would have been represented by a score of eighty and obviously a twenty, the lowest possible score, would represent total disdain for all reading. The first ten questions dealt with recreational reading and the second set of ten questions represented academic reading. The average score for their age was 56.5 out of 80. Student J scored 19 on the recreational reading and 15 on the academic portion for a total of 34. Student C scored 19 as well for the recreational portion and scored 17 on the academic reading for a total of 36. Both scores were very close to each other but were extremely below the median for their grade level. Below is an example of the assessment that was given.

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Elementary Reading Attitude Survey Date________________ Grade ______ Name___________________

1. How do you feel when you read a book on a rainy Saturday?

2. How do you feel when you read a book in school during free time?

3. How do you feel about reading for fun at home?

4. How do you feel about getting a book for a present?

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5. How do you feel about spending free time reading?

6. How do you feel about starting a new book?

7. How do you feel about reading during summer vacation?

8. How do you feel about reading instead of playing?

9. How do you feel about going to a bookstore?

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10. How do you feel about reading different kinds of books?

11. How do you feel when the teacher asks you questions about what you read?

12. How do you feel about doing reading workbook pages and worksheets?

13. How do you feel about reading in school?

14. How do you feel about reading your school books?

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15. How do you feel about learning from a book?

16. How do you feel when it time for reading class?

17. How do you feel about the stories you read in reading class?

18. How do you feel when you read out loud in class?

19. How do you feel about using a dictionary?

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20. How do you feel about taking a reading test?

Kear, D.J. & McKenna, M. C. (1999). Measuring attitude toward reading: A new tool for teachers. In S. J. Barrentine (Ed.). Reading assessment: principles and practices for elementary teachers. A collection of articles from The Reading Teacher. p. 199-214. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Garfied Images approved for use in this document only.

Baseline Data
40 35 30 25 Recreational Reading Score 20 15 10 5 0 Student J Student C Academic Reading Score Combined Score

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Research

Abundant Motivation: The Essential Key to a Positive Reading Attitude Aaron Conner Samford University Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education

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Abstract By having a strong support system and an abundance of motivation, a student can increase his or her enjoyment of reading as well as transform their negative outlook on reading from negative to positive. It is through the direct intention and efforts of those who care about the student that they in turn will develop a passion and desire to read for recreation and to read to perform well in their academic lives.

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Abundant Motivation: The Essential Key to a Positive Reading Attitude A huge problem with students in the elementary and even middle and high schools today is that they do not have a positive attitude towards reading. In fact they have quite a negative outlook on learning and on reading especially. In an age where technology is readily accessed at the touch of a finger and can be viewed on a screen at almost any location, students are finding it less and less appealing to read. Many kids are growing up in homes without present parents and are being taught by the TV and by technology. It that case, students are spending more time with their teachers than they are with their very own parents. A large portion of the task of instilling a positive attitude about reading falls on the hands of educators everywhere. Dr. Joseph says that the development of positive reading attitudes is often overlooked. She is a member of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and puts a lot of value in motivating students to enjoy reading more. On the NASP webpage, she says that, Children with positive reading attitudes tend to be willing to read, enjoy reading, become proficient, and become lifelong readers. On the other hand, children with poor attitudes toward reading may only read when they have to read, tend to avoid reading, and may even refuse to read altogether. A childs attitude toward reading may have a profound impact upon his or her overall academic progress. Obviously reading attitude is not simply a nice topic to cover when all others have been met but should be a priority if it can impact the child in their life further down the road. On the webpage, she also says that it is both parents and teachers who can have a massive impact on the attitude of the student when it comes to reading. When advising parents and teachers, the majority of the advice dealt with having a good selection of varied reading

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sources as well as setting the example by reading and having a positive reading attitude of their own. The parents were advised to take their children to the library, read with them often, and discuss what books the child is reading so that they can remain engaged in what they are reading. Teachers were advised to provide a variety of resources, model the reading, teach foundational skills, and stay connected with the student. Lee said in her article that she conducts sustained silent reading (SSR) with her class but that one of the key points is to have a steady stream of encouragement coming from the teacher (213-214). She talked about a student she had that did not like to read and during the SSR she would lay her head down and not read. The teacher would often tell her to read but that only made the student resist harder. She realized that she had to come at the problem with a different approach. She asked the student what she was interested in and the student said that she was not interested in anything. The teacher wanted to give up but knew that she had to go further. She told the student that she was a brilliant and interesting girl and that surely there must be something that she was interested in. Right in that moment the student realized that the teacher cared for her and was ready to read. The teacher found her a book and learned that some students do not need more punishment or discipline but rather encouragement and a mentor to come to their level and provide them with the materials they need to succeed. This story was meant to paint a picture of the importance of that one-on-one relationship between the teacher and his or her students. Likewise Corcoran says on page 138 in her article that teachers can help facilitate this motivation and encouragement by establishing a classroom environment that promotes confident and comfortable student outlooks. The fifth pillar in effective reading instruction is motivation and engagement. Page 19 of the Effective Reading Instruction book discusses the six Cs that make up the motivation

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construct. They are choice, challenge, control, collaboration, constructing meaning, and consequences. Choice is important for students to know that they have some say in how they learn the lesson but it is important to have the structure behind the lesson. This means that the student is given a few choices that all coincide with the objective that the teacher has selected for that particular lesson. Challenge can motivate students by giving them something to overcome and see a victory in their work. The challenge must be attainable but also difficult enough that the student still feels a sense of satisfaction in completing it. Control is allowing the students to have a say in what they are reading so that they can play an important role with the teacher. Collaboration is when students are encouraged to share ideas and opinions with their peers in an attempt to increase that joy for reading. Constructing meaning is great to let students see the deeper meaning behind what they are working on. Instead of simply demanding that they complete a worksheet, they are encouraged to dig deeper and look to find hidden meanings and bigger ideas. The idea of consequences is keeping the student aware of the class expectations so that when assignments or work is due they know exactly what to provide for the desired outcome. Motivation is not just for athletes or for those who are undergoing extreme hardship. Motivation is necessary in all aspects of life, especially one as crucial as literacy and having a positive attitude about reading. Parents and teachers are both in the prime position to motivate and model the way to a positive attitude and often are the best resource a student has. It is vital that both parents and teachers take the time to understand the individual needs of each student and work hard to support them or challenge them in a way that produces an inclination towards a desire for reading.

Action Research Project Works Cited

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Corcoran, C., & Mamalakis, A. (2009). Fifth grade students. Reading Improvement, 46(3), 137142. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.samford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=88d4d386d9f2-406e-b773-12ee74a28fa6@sessionmgr114&vid=1&hid=106 Joseph, L. (2004). Reading - encouraging positive attitudes: Strategies for parents and teachers. Retrieved from http://www.naspcenter.org/home_school/reading_2004.html Lee, V. (2011). Becoming the reading mentors our adolescents deserve: Developing a successful sustained silent reading program. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 55(3), 209218. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.samford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=be38f07722c4-4343-91dd-cff651490817@sessionmgr112&vid=14&hid=106 Reutzel, D., & Cooter, R. (2012). Teaching children to read the teacher makes the difference. (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.

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Timeline of Strategies and Learning Goals


Date October 1 October 8 October 15 Activity Determine members of group with Ms. White Administer Reading Attitude Survey 1 Take boys to library to look for desirable genres and choose books to check out (Choice) October 22-29 Read chosen books together (Constructing Meaning) November 5 Play game/activity (Challenge), Reading Attitude Survey 2 November 12 Discuss real world application of reading (Collaboration/Construction Meaning) November 19 Administer 3rd and final Reading Attitude Survey December 3 Final Action Research day (Free Day)
Determine members of group with Ms. White This is where Ms. White and I will determine the at-risk students and who will be a part of this Action Research Project. Administer Reading Attitude Survey 1 This survey will be given to set up a baseline for the data and give me an idea of a goal to strive for in the students over the next semester. Take boys to library to look for desirable genres and choose books to check out (Choice) I will use one of the six Cs in the Fifth Pillar of Effective Reading Instruction: Motivation and Engagement to start my efforts to motivate the boys. I will take them to the library and give them an opportunity to choose a book that they want and will offer suggestions to insure they choose a book that will increase their attitude towards reading. Read chosen books together (Constructing Meaning) We will read the books that were chosen at the previous session and will use them as the media base for the rest of the time together.

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Play game/activity (Challenge), Reading Attitude Survey 2 We will take another survey to assess any progress that may or may not be present. We will go off of the books that were read the previous session and will act out different parts to check on understanding and to challenge them to think about the book in a new way. Discuss real world application of reading (Collaboration/Construction Meaning) I will use two of the Cs in the Fifth Pillar of Effective Reading Instruction: Motivation and Engagement to give the boys an opportunity to work together and dig deeper into reading. I will accept any question they present to me and will allow them to run the day so that the entire time is centered around what they want to learn. Administer 3rd and final Reading Attitude Survey This will act as my final results in seeing if the boys have gained, stayed the same, or digressed in their attitude towards reading. Final Action Research day (Free Day) I will give the boys a free day to spend together and enjoy the achievements that we will have hopefully accomplished.

Progress Monitoring Chart


Tasks to Complete Fill out Initial Reading Attitude Survey Choose book from library based on interests Read books together Play in character roles Complete Intermediate Reading Attitude Survey Participate in Discussion Complete Final Reading Attitude Survey Student J X X X X X X X Student C X X X X X X X

*Students both took a spelling inventory that was not initially planned

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Data
Initial Reading Attitude Survey Scores
Student J C Recreational Score 16 16 Academic Score 13 15 Total Score 29 31

Intermediate Reading Attitude Survey Scores


Student J C Recreational Score 16 17 Academic Score 15 18 Total Score 31 35

Final Reading Attitude Survey Scores


Student J C Recreational Score 21 26 Academic Score 23 23 Total Score 44 49

The spelling inventory was given to both students and they scored as follows: Student J: 10 words correctly spelled and 15 words misspelled Student C: 8 words correctly spelled and 17 words misspelled

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I added this assessment in at the third week because I was noticing that the boys were having trouble with many words and did not know what they were or how to spell them.

Strategy Outcomes
The most effective strategy was the combination of the collaboration and constructing meaning. The boys loved being in a more grown up setting and loved the opportunity to talk to each other and me about their interests and dive into the reasons why reading is so beneficial. They also enjoyed playing the make-believe game but I would have to say that they were more engaged and more active during the discussion and conversation that we had. We went to the teacher work room and spent thirty minutes going around posing questions to each other and questioning the others opinions. We laughed and the boys began to see how reading could be a source of happiness.

Reflection
Student J:
After administering the final Reading Attitude assessment for Student J, I was blow away by the progress he had made but also left with a desire to see him continue to grow. He scored 44 out of 80 which is still below the median for his age but is an increase of 13 points. J has a very unfortunate situation at home and does not receive that essential support from his single parent who works when he goes home from school. He does not have many books at home and has no adult to encourage him to read or to read to him. He often plays video games or watches TV with his multiple brothers. His teacher is a phenomenal woman and gives him all the support that he

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can handle. Ask I observed J while he read and worked I noticed that there were numerous factors at play that hindered his reading ability as well as his desire to read. J was constantly hungry and sleepy, most likely a product of a lack of parental presence in his house. He had a hard time focusing on most tasks and especially on reading and I noticed that he was sleepy which contributed to his lack of attention. J also is very emotional and often goes from excited and fun loving to depressed and crying almost at the drop of a hat. Ms. White goes from being his best friend to a mean ole lady if she says something to him that he does not like. I also took into consideration his poor score on his spelling inventory. Overall I would say that motivation is a key factor in getting J to perform better in reading but I cannot deny the presence of other needs that he has such as sleep, regular meals, parental influences at home, and a more stable set of foundational reading skills. We have taken the first steps and successfully increased his positive attitude towards reading.

Student C:
Student C scored 49 out of 80 on his final Reading Attitude assessment. Now this is still not as high as the median score for his age is but this is an increase of 18! I am so proud of C and hope that he continues to grow at such a promising rate. I personally feel that C is at somewhat of a disadvantage from the other students in his class due to the fact that he is constantly being taken in and out of the room for some form of remediation. He definitely benefits from the additional aid but is constantly playing a game of catch up with all of his subjects. He works on reading more than other subjects which I found as a reason why his attitude towards reading was negative. He really enjoyed the games that we played but really enjoyed our conversations on the applications of reading better. He was glad that an adult male was speaking into his life and seeking out his passions and desires and sharing experiences with him. I believe that he needed a

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positive role model in his life that did not think education was stupid and that had his best interests in mind. I was honored to be that man and I definitely think that he is on a track to growing in literacy and in his positive outlook on the benefits of reading in his life.

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