Action Research

University School

Action Research:

Based on studying the work of Sharon Taberski (first grade teacher at the Manhatten New School and author of On Solid Ground),  Debbie Miller (Reading With Meaning), and my friend Lester Laminack as well as the recommendations of the International Reading Association, I am working to increase the time first graders spend actively engaged in purposeful, self-selected literacy experiences.  I am partnering with Dr. Laurelle Phillips and graduate students enrolled in her Reading methods and Research courses in fall 2007 and fall 2008 to create and implement developmentally appropriate reading centers for first graders to self select. 

Action Research Goals:

The goal of this project is to increase the amount of time first graders spend engaged in self selected reading activities.

Question:

Will increased opportunities for self selected reading activities result in increased time engaged in literacy experiences?

Subjects:

First graders--  7 boys and 13 girls

Procedures:

Dr. Phillips and a graduate research assistant will perform time sampling measures to quantify the literacy behaviors of the class during the reading block.  We are looking for student involvement in “The Daily 5” – Reading to Self, Reading to Someone, Working on Writing, Listening to Reading, and Spelling/Word Work.  Pre testing will take place in the fall.  Graduate students enrolled in the Literacy class will work on 6 first grade projects – organizing the classroom library, creating and implementing a listening center, creating and implementing a making words center, creating and implementing a big book/buddy reading center, creating and implementing a poetry center, and creating and implementing an interactive pocket chart center.  Some of these centers currently exist.  Reading graduate students will reorganize and update centers to make them more attractive to students.  After the new centers are put into place in the fall, students enrolled in Early Childhood Research will collect and analyze data during the spring semester.  Time samples will be used again in spring and compared with data collected in the fall to evaluate the effectiveness of the new/updated centers.   

Results:

Conclusions:

Recommendations: