Action Plan
What was implemented?
How did the study support culturally responsive practices to positively impact student learning and account for diverse learning needs?
An equitable and accessible learning environment is set-up to encourage extensive peer collaboration. Student desks are arranged in cooperative base groups of four and each desk is labeled 1a, 2b, 3a, and 4b, ranging from low ability, low-medium, high-medium, and high ability. According to each student’s ability level, they are assigned a number and placed into mixed ability groups. Each student has knowledge of their letter and number to allow cooperative discussions to run smoothly. A team captain is chosen daily to provide needed assistance and to ensure transitions are prompt. Procedures and routines are explicitly taught at the beginning of the year and revisited as necessary to ensure maximum learning takes place during small-group rotations. The small-group with the teacher station is strategically placed in the back of the room which allows other stations to operate and transition smoothly while the teacher is able to keep a watchful eye and monitor other rotations. Small-group rotations allow different forms of content to be taught through a variety of rotations. A culture of error is established and practiced in our room that allows students to feel comfortable openly communicating while sharing their ideas and mistakes further fostering inclusion and confidence. A positive, trusting community was established at the beginning of the year and is practiced through morning meetings weekly. Students are encouraged to self-regulate and choose strategies with meaningful purpose while maintaining a positive attitude.
Diverse learning needs are accounted through a variety of instructional techniques, such as flexible grouping, small-group rotations, base groups, and cooperative learning. Students will receive instruction specific to their individual needs during small groups. Instruction will be delivered using a gradual release model allowing students to first observe the teacher model the skill, join in and discuss observations, guided and independent practice, and lastly immediate teacher feedback. Students will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with their peers and apply skill practice through a variety of stations.
What was implemented?
My study included strategies based on inferencing, such as think alouds, graphic organizers, and generalizations. In order for my students to develop a deeper meaning of content in the classroom and develop accurate conclusions, inferencing skills must be used. Inferencing requires students to have the ability to combine prior knowledge and text-based evidence to create a thought or opinion of their own. The ability to draw inferences when information is not explicitly stated will improve various academic skills needed.
Data was collected through both qualitative and quantitative measures. Growth of scores on Storytown End-of-Selection weekly tests were measured. A teacher-made pre- and post-assessment was conducted at the beginning and end of strategy instruction. Students completed a morning task daily that was implemented into the morning message. The morning task was a simple one question or picture asking students to inference. Students were measured on proficiency using a four-point scale consisting of beginning, progressing, proficient, and beyond proficient.
Teacher anecdotal notes were collected weekly observing student progress. At the end of the experience, students were asked to complete a short answer question explaining how inferencing strategies have helped them grow in the classroom.
These data collection methods were selected because they are each effective and accurate representations of where my students are at in their learning process. Weekly Storytown tests accurately measure students’ comprehension and application of skills in accordance to the story of the week. Pre- and post-assessments provided a direct representation of growth before and after strategies are taught. Morning tasks provided the necessary repetition and practice that is needed. Lastly, anecdotal notes allowed individual student progress to be collected and observed throughout the experience.
Why these strategies?
All of the strategies presented have a common goal of leading to increased reading comprehension or the ability to understand the content on a deeper level. Inference making is the process of integrating information within text and between the text and one’s general knowledge of the topic (O’Brien, Cook, & Lorch, 2015). The two types of inferences stated in this study were text-based inference and knowledge-based inference. Both types require students to fill in the gaps in a text. In order for inference interventions to be successful, students must be explicitly taught how to identify relevant information from text while simultaneously building the needed knowledge to develop that inference.
Elbro and Buchiversen (2013) taught students how to identify relevant information in text and how to retrieve general knowledge in order to form knowledge-based inferences with the use of graphic organizers. A positive effect was observed by researchers and an increase on standardized assessment in the category of reading comprehension. Narrative and informational texts must be carefully selected ahead of time so that students are able to build a knowledge base. Discussing the text will help build content knowledge that the students will need to practice inference-making strategies. When students are able to make inferences, they are able to learn the material in a deeper manner. It is much more than settling for shallow knowledge. Fluency is an integral part of allowing the reader to make connections between new and previously learned content. Prior knowledge about a topic allows basic comprehension to increase and leaves working memory available to make the connection between newly learned material and previously learned information to make inferences (Davoudi, 2005).
How was it implemented?
I implemented three different instructional strategies to improve inferencing skills all using a gradual release model. The first strategy implemented was think alouds. Inference thinking stems and the ability to verbalize one’s thinking were explicitly taught. The verbalizations included prior knowledge, evidence from the text, and developed ideas from the combination of prior knowledge and the evidence provided.
The second strategy implemented was the use of graphic organizers. Graphic organizers that follow the format of “it says.. I say.. and so..” were used consistently throughout the study. Students were asked to gather evidence from the text and write it into the first box, in the second box students activated background knowledge. Lastly, the students were asked to develop an inference in the third box combining evidence from the text and their background knowledge.
The third instructional strategy used included making generalizations. The students developed statements based on provided information, observations, and experiences. After students were introduced to making generalizations, students completed task cards determining whether each generalization is valid or invalid. Each strategy was introduced and implemented first through a whole-group setting and then practiced and applied during small-group rotations. Students had the opportunity to apply knowledge daily through morning tasks and end-of-the-week selection tests.
Data Collection Techniques
Morning Tasks
End-of-selection quiz
Pre/post test
Morning tasks
Culturally Responsive Practices and Diverse Learning Needs
A teacher-made pre and post test was conducted at the beginning and end of the study. Pre- and post-assessments provided a direct representation of growth before and after strategies are taught. The pre and post test allowed me to compare data results if the students were able to find text evidence and use background knowledge to develop an inference before and after the study. The data collection from this method impacted instructional decisions, because I was able to identify which part of inferencing students struggled with before I began teaching the unit.
End-of-selection quizzes are completed weekly and formally assess students’ comprehension of the story that was read that previous week. Weekly Storytown tests They accurately measure students’ comprehension and application of skills in accordance to the story of the week. These quizzes are used as formal assessments to track student learning and make instructional decisions for further stories and skills. I use the results from the quiz to make instructional decisions about the following week and identify any skills or areas of improvement that may need retaught or extra practice.
Students completed a morning task that was implemented into the morning message. Each student received a graphic organizer that was divided into sections for each day. At the top of the organizer, it was split into three different sections: text/photo evidence, schema/background knowledge, and lastly the inference. Each day students would develop an inference over a new picture of passage. For example, the students may have had a picture of a man falling near a sign that says “Caution: Wet Floor.” Students would then find clues from the photo and write it into the correct box, students would have to activate their background knowledge in the second box, and then lastly combine their evidence and schema to develop an inference.
Teacher anecdotal notes were collected weekly while observing student progress. anecdotal notes allowed individual student progress to be collected and observed throughout the experience.Teacher anecdotal notes provided qualitative data to observe common trends or misconceptions students may have had during inference instruction.
Teacher anecdotal notes
Equitable and Accessible Learning Environment
An equitable and accessible learning environment is set-up to encourage extensive peer collaboration. Student desks are arranged in cooperative base groups of four and each desk is labeled 1a, 2b, 3a, and 4b, ranging from low ability, low-medium, high-medium, and high ability. According to each student’s ability level, they are assigned a number and placed into mixed ability groups. Each student has knowledge of their letter and number to allow cooperative discussions to run smoothly. A team captain is chosen daily to provide needed assistance and to ensure transitions are prompt. Procedures and routines are explicitly taught at the beginning of the year and revisited as necessary to ensure maximum learning takes place during small-group rotations. The small-group with the teacher station is strategically placed in the back of the room which allows other stations to operate and transition smoothly while the teacher is able to keep a watchful eye and monitor other rotations. Small-group rotations allow different forms of content to be taught through a variety of rotations. A culture of error is established and practiced in our room that allows students to feel comfortable openly communicating while sharing their ideas and mistakes further fostering inclusion and confidence. A positive, trusting community was established at the beginning of the year and is practiced through morning meetings weekly. Students are encouraged to self-regulate and choose strategies with meaningful purpose while maintaining a positive attitude. Culturally-relevant story problems or question prompts are chosen by linking to student interests and referencing diverse cultures.
Diverse learning needs are accounted through a variety of instructional techniques, such as flexible grouping, small-group rotations, base groups, and cooperative learning. Students receive instruction specific to their individual needs during small groups. Instruction is delivered using a gradual release model allowing students to first observe the teacher model the skill, join in and discuss observations, guided and independent practice, and lastly immediate teacher feedback. Students have the opportunity to work collaboratively with their peers and apply skill practice through a variety of stations.
Timeline
