Action and Assessment Plan
This study stemmed from the identified need for kindergarten students to be more focused and engaged during scheduled reading workshop activities. Although students tend to remain engaged while working in their reading groups, students completing their individual seatwork assignments behave very differently. These students rush through the assignment to maximize the amount of time they have available for free play activities. Some students will spend as little as 10 minutes on their seatwork assignment when the average amount of time to complete the assignment should be closer to 30 minutes. This current structure gives students an incentive to complete their seatwork assignments in a hurried manner, thereby making the assignment relatively ineffective. As a result, I believe that activities for students who are not participating in a reading group with the teacher or aide need to be restructured to provide a more meaningful learning experience.
Intervention
Following up on the assessed need the current intervention plans to keep students engaged and learning. As part of the classroom schedule in the Kindergarten classroom, a one hour period is devoted each day for group reading time. During that time period, five groups, each consisting of five or six students, read with the teacher or aide for approximately 15 minutes. While the teacher and aide work with two reading groups, the other students will participate in literacy center activities. These activities will be collaborative, independent or technology based.
Based this assessed need, I plan to keep the seatwork assignment in place and will have students participate in learning centers after they turn in the seat work assignment while the teacher and aide work with the reading groups. However, because the students demonstrate such an eagerness to play, these learning activities will be structured to feel like play time in order to maximize their impact.
Intervention Timeline
How will student independent work time be affected by the addition of literacy centers?
During the first phase of the action research project, which will span three weeks, I plan to introduce a new literacy focused activity each week. Students will have the opportunity to select and complete these activities. The first activity will be completing the seatwork assignment that is already in place. I want to discover if the addition of literacy centers will affect the students focus during this time period. Within this phase, I hope to find out the following:
· How will the integration of iPads affect student engagement?
· How will the integration of independent literacy activities affect student engagement?
· How will the integration of group games affect student engagement?
Intervention
Following up on the assessed need the current intervention plans to keep students engaged and learning. As part of the classroom schedule in the Kindergarten classroom, a one hour period is devoted each day for group reading time. During that time period, five groups, each consisting of five or six students, read with the teacher or aide for approximately 15 minutes. While the teacher and aide work with two reading groups, the other students will participate in literacy center activities. These activities will be collaborative, independent or technology based.
Based this assessed need, I plan to keep the seatwork assignment in place and will have students participate in learning centers after they turn in the seat work assignment while the teacher and aide work with the reading groups. However, because the students demonstrate such an eagerness to play, these learning activities will be structured to feel like play time in order to maximize their impact.
Intervention Timeline
How will student independent work time be affected by the addition of literacy centers?
During the first phase of the action research project, which will span three weeks, I plan to introduce a new literacy focused activity each week. Students will have the opportunity to select and complete these activities. The first activity will be completing the seatwork assignment that is already in place. I want to discover if the addition of literacy centers will affect the students focus during this time period. Within this phase, I hope to find out the following:
· How will the integration of iPads affect student engagement?
· How will the integration of independent literacy activities affect student engagement?
· How will the integration of group games affect student engagement?
Week One
In the first week, I will introduce collaborative literacy activities. These activities will be placed in green tubs. As an example, students will be able to select an activity called “ Sight Word Bingo.” This activity involves two players reading sight words while playing bingo. Students will continue to “check their name” on a board with pictures of various literacy centers in lieu of checking what toy they may play with. They can then grab this activity from the shelves with the green tubs. Before sending students to play these games, I will model how to play the new games provided.
In the first week, I will introduce collaborative literacy activities. These activities will be placed in green tubs. As an example, students will be able to select an activity called “ Sight Word Bingo.” This activity involves two players reading sight words while playing bingo. Students will continue to “check their name” on a board with pictures of various literacy centers in lieu of checking what toy they may play with. They can then grab this activity from the shelves with the green tubs. Before sending students to play these games, I will model how to play the new games provided.
Below is a sample literacy game called parking lot where players must name various high-frequency sight words.
I also plan to introduce activities using iPads, including applications that help students recognize sight words or practice phonics. However, since the classroom has access to a total of seven iPads twice per week, I will need to limit the number of students who having an option to select an iPad activity using a rotating schedule. Due to this, I plan to model a new iPad application each week and will give children a chance to use the particular application of the week during their designated iPad time. For the two days the classroom has iPads, I will split the time up equally so every child has a chance engage in the weekly application. Some sample applications I plan to use include, ToonTastic, Raz Kids, and Teach Me Kindergarten.
Week Two
In the second week, I will introduce independent literacy activities. These activities will be available in plastic folders that students can grab and work on at their desks or quiet spots around the classroom. Students will be able to select one of these word work activities or choose to read independently in the classroom library. These activities are intended to keep students both engaged and quiet during group reading time. These independent activities can also be adjusted to be suitable for students at different learning levels. Some examples of literacy centers include read/write around the room, where a child takes a wand and reads and writes down various words they come across around the room. I will also have an area in the room where students will be able to write in a classroom journal. Some sample independent activities are shown below.
In the second week, I will introduce independent literacy activities. These activities will be available in plastic folders that students can grab and work on at their desks or quiet spots around the classroom. Students will be able to select one of these word work activities or choose to read independently in the classroom library. These activities are intended to keep students both engaged and quiet during group reading time. These independent activities can also be adjusted to be suitable for students at different learning levels. Some examples of literacy centers include read/write around the room, where a child takes a wand and reads and writes down various words they come across around the room. I will also have an area in the room where students will be able to write in a classroom journal. Some sample independent activities are shown below.
Week Three
Once all of the collaborative activities, independent activities, and iPad activities have been introduced during the first phase, I will change the pictures on the chart daily giving each child an opportunity to explore each activity. The daily seatwork that currently is expected to be completed will now be turned in before students can begin using the various literacy centers. Over this period of time, I will continue to introduce new activities from each category. I also plan to offer free choice play during the last 15 minutes of this time frame as a means for determining how an incentive like free choice play affects student behavior.
Once all of the collaborative activities, independent activities, and iPad activities have been introduced during the first phase, I will change the pictures on the chart daily giving each child an opportunity to explore each activity. The daily seatwork that currently is expected to be completed will now be turned in before students can begin using the various literacy centers. Over this period of time, I will continue to introduce new activities from each category. I also plan to offer free choice play during the last 15 minutes of this time frame as a means for determining how an incentive like free choice play affects student behavior.
Data Collection
My action research question focuses on engagement. In order to measure student engagement and participation I will collect data that informs me on engagement while participating in each type of literacy activity. I will be looking for how engaged students are in participating in each type of literacy center. I will also monitor how quickly students are finishing their seat work assignment. I will take samples of seatwork jobs from and compare work from pre-intervention and post-intervention. Last, I will attain student feedback through small group discussions.
1. Observations:
I will write anecdotal notes daily to look at what activities certain students are participating in and how quickly they were finishing work. I will also take notes on how engaged they are while participating in activities. It will be a way to tell if students are learning while playing collaborative games or if they are still goofing off. I will also be able to see how quickly students rotate from one activity to the next. It will be important to take note on individual students and what activities they choose to complete during this time. I am looking for how focused and productive students are while participating in iPad centers, independent activities and collaborative group games.
2. Student Work:
I will collect a sample of student work every week. These concrete samples will be from completed seatwork assignments. From this work I will see if students are taking their time on their assignments without the enticement of free play. I will be able to determine if they are rushing through the assignment or taking their time. Each week, I plan to take a small sample and use a check sheet to see if students who choose to do seatwork are spending more time or are rushing through seatwork and activities.
3. Student Feedback:
I will obtain student feedback to see what type of activities they enjoy most and least. Once a week during guided reading group time I will have a short conversation with each reading group. I will ask them what their favorite activity is and why and what activity they like the least. This will help guide me with planning future literacy centers. I will be checking for the particular types of activities they feel they are learning the most from and which activities cause the greatest amounts of distraction. This will help me understand how my students feel, while holding them accountable for their engagement and learning.
My action research question focuses on engagement. In order to measure student engagement and participation I will collect data that informs me on engagement while participating in each type of literacy activity. I will be looking for how engaged students are in participating in each type of literacy center. I will also monitor how quickly students are finishing their seat work assignment. I will take samples of seatwork jobs from and compare work from pre-intervention and post-intervention. Last, I will attain student feedback through small group discussions.
1. Observations:
I will write anecdotal notes daily to look at what activities certain students are participating in and how quickly they were finishing work. I will also take notes on how engaged they are while participating in activities. It will be a way to tell if students are learning while playing collaborative games or if they are still goofing off. I will also be able to see how quickly students rotate from one activity to the next. It will be important to take note on individual students and what activities they choose to complete during this time. I am looking for how focused and productive students are while participating in iPad centers, independent activities and collaborative group games.
2. Student Work:
I will collect a sample of student work every week. These concrete samples will be from completed seatwork assignments. From this work I will see if students are taking their time on their assignments without the enticement of free play. I will be able to determine if they are rushing through the assignment or taking their time. Each week, I plan to take a small sample and use a check sheet to see if students who choose to do seatwork are spending more time or are rushing through seatwork and activities.
3. Student Feedback:
I will obtain student feedback to see what type of activities they enjoy most and least. Once a week during guided reading group time I will have a short conversation with each reading group. I will ask them what their favorite activity is and why and what activity they like the least. This will help guide me with planning future literacy centers. I will be checking for the particular types of activities they feel they are learning the most from and which activities cause the greatest amounts of distraction. This will help me understand how my students feel, while holding them accountable for their engagement and learning.