Reflection
Student Learning
Impact
This action research has impacted learning by meeting each student's needs based on both quantitative and qualitative data. I taught in a third-grade classroom, but that did not equate to the instruction my students needed. I was able to change what was implemented into guided reading to meet the needs of my students at the level they were. My students read at a kindergarten level so teaching third-grade material would have put them at a disadvantage. They were tasked to decode words in areas they needed additional assistance, like short vowels, based on data while taking into account what level of text would optimize their growth. Their confidence increased because they were given tasks and material that was challenging without becoming overwhelming.
All three students now had strategies to tackle more complex words. Towards the end of the study, two out of the three students still had a habit of guessing at the word but when reminded would implement the new strategies learned. All three showed more willingness to attempt to decode a word compared to when the process started. Rather than looking to me to tell them the word, they attempted to sound it out first more frequently. In the beginning, when I read with a student, the other two would put little to no effort into reading alone. They would put the book down or start an off-task conversation. After the implementation of the strategies, I saw more effort in reading independently without redirection.
Professional Growth
This study improved my teaching in numerous ways, particularly in how to assist students that are below grade level in reading. A realization I had early in the process was that I needed to slow down my instruction. I thought I pushed my students to optimize their growth, but all I was doing was overwhelming them. I realized that progress is progress, no matter how small. I looked at the data in its entirety and recognized that all of the slight progress amounted to substantial growth by its completion. All three students were able to read a text with confidence that at the beginning of the process would have resulted in immediate defeat. That was an accomplishment that needed to be celebrated more without focusing solely on the next goal. In the future, I need to find a balance between challenging my students to help achieve their goal while having realistic expectations.
Additionally, I needed to widen the types of data that I analyzed to impact student learning. I relied heavily on quantitative data when I should have used my qualitative data just as frequently. A physical or emotional reaction to the material, like off-task behaviors, told me a lot about how they were handling the material without relying on numbers. For instance, when feeling overwhelmed or upset Student C reacted by crying. This reaction indicated to me that I needed to relax my expectation for the day. My priority shifted; progress became a secondary concern behind finding the reason for the distress. I did not want to create a permanent resentment towards reading based on frustrations. I needed to remind my students that reading was a challenge, but it was not an impossibility.
Using my resources also significantly impacted my teaching, primarily because all three students were English Langauge Learners and below grade level. Since I taught at a dual-language building, that meant there were a plethora of teachers who had extensive amounts of experience teaching English Language Learners. They offered advice and guidance on what strategies would be most beneficial for my students. Without these teachers to help in translation, parental involvement would also have been limited due to a language barrier. Even though I taught third grade, all three students read at a primary level. The majority of my teaching experience was in third grade or higher, so I looked to educators who taught in younger grades for advice. They led me to change my instruction strategies to be more grade level appropriate. For example, I used manipulatives and visuals more consistently which stemmed from advice given to me by a first-grade teacher.
Questions that Remain
What impact did having two implementers have on the results?
In total, my action plan equaled forty minutes each day, twenty minutes with myself and twenty minutes with my paraprofessional. I provided him with daily lesson plans to follow with all materials needed, but that still left creative liberties in how he chose to present the material. This independence could have led to both pros and cons. It was advantageous because it gave them an opportunity to hear the material presented differently. For example, if a student did not understand the concepts with me, there was a chance they would comprehend it better based on how he relayed the information. A possible disadvantage was that my paraprofessional had limited teaching experience in an elementary setting before his time in my classroom. The majority of his classroom knowledge was in a secondary environment. He needed to change his teaching approach from older students to younger. His lack of experience in the age range could have affected how he taught the material in a way most appropriate for this age range.
How did outside factors impact student growth?
There were outside factors that could have contributed to each student's growth. First, Student B was inconsistently taking medication throughout the study which was prescribed to aid in concentration. This unpredictability could have impacted the amount of growth possible due to the struggle to focus on the task given. If the medication was taken consistently, there might have been fewer redirections needed due to lack of focus. However, the effect on possible success was not my primary question. My lingering question was what else could I have done to accommodate this hurdle. In teaching, there will always be obstacles and a need for tailoring instruction, and this should not limit growth. Going forward in my teaching, I will be self-reflecting more on what I can do for my students that have an obstacle out of their control.
Another factor I considered from this experience was the relationship between these three students and how it possibly affected growth, particularly with Student C. Student C had a turbulent relationship with Student B both inside and outside of the classroom. On days where the friendship was amicable more was accomplished during guided reading due to fewer interruptions. On days where an incident occurred outside of the room between the two, Student C struggled to contain negative emotions that manifested in tears. This emotion delayed how much was accomplished because time became dedicated to mending the problem.
To what effect did interruptions impact student achievement?
Something else to consider was how the weather affected the results of the study. Conducting this research over the winter months came with possible difficulties but the number of days missed due to weather was unexpected. In total, there was a week’s worth of days lost throughout which not only affected instructional time but scheduling. For days missed I tried to make up the skill the following day, but on some occasions, it was not possible due to school activities. I questioned how much effect this inconsistency had on the final results of the research. Reflecting on this experience, it cemented that I need to put more emphasis on planning for the unexpected. I needed to have a plan in place for how instruction would be made up in the following days.
Looking to the Future
In the years to come, I plan to introduce these decoding strategies at the beginning of the year so that they can be a staple in my classroom all year long. These are strategies that can be beneficial for all students regardless of reading level. All of my students will come across a word that they struggle to pronounce so having these strategies will help in independent reading. I also plan to use the diagnostic decoding survey in the future because it allows me the opportunity to see where my students need specific help in word study. I can quickly determine where each student needs additional assistance in word decoding and implement those sounds into guided reading instruction. After my action research, I have seen the positive effects of being able to manipulate letters and build words physically. The students get to be proactive in their learning and are responsible for their growth. I will continue to incorporate those manipulatives and visuals frequently due to the population of my school and its emphasis on teaching English Language Learners.
Throughout my career as a teacher, I will continue to be proactive in finding advice and guidance from those around me. This experience gave me the tools to seek out research on best practices. I was introduced to countless educators, authors, and online databases I can look to for future data-driven classroom implementations. Also, I will keep going to my team members and other educators in my school for advice to inform my teaching. I have learned from my students, cohorts, and other educational influencers throughout this process and the success of my study would not have been possible without these people. Overall, I will continue to live by the sentiment that a teacher should never stop learning.