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Student 2 -
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Student 1 -
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Student 3 -
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Students were given a pretest before inference instruction, most of the students scored in the beginning range while no students scored advanced. After reviewing the data based upon the pretest, I observed that students did not have knowledge how to effectively use their schema or background knowledge to develop an inference.
By the end of the study, the data demonstrates that 72% of students now scored at the advanced level. Explicit teaching of each individual step to inference and the utilization of graphic organizers effectively assisted students when combining text evidence and schema to develop an accurate inference.
Data Analysis
Students complete an end-of-selection quiz weekly based on the current story that is read from the curriculum. These quizzes are used as formal assessments to track student learning and make instructional decisions for further stories and skills. After the students complete 4-5 stories along with the weekly formative quizzes, a summative theme test is given. Growth of the scores on these weekly quizzes were measured. As a baseline score, 10/18 students scored in the beginning level, 4/18 students scored at a progressing level, 4/18 proficient, and 0/18 advanced.
The questions that required students to inference on weekly comprehension quizzes varied from 5-7 questions per quiz. The data shows a large increase in scores between Week 1 and Week 2, the exact reasoning why Week 2 scores were so high is unknown, perhaps it was due to initial explicit teaching of inferencing and initial student acknowledgement of application of inference skills during comprehension quizzes. After Week 2, I began to highlight the questions that required students to utilize inference skills to provide a visual reminder for students to go through the steps of inferencing. I encouraged students to place the questions, evidence, and schema into their graphic organizers, but it was not a requirement. By Week 3 and Week 4, the data shows that scores began to gain more consistency. Week 4 had a percentage of 22% students that scored at the beginning level, there were a couple of factors that may have impacted these scores, such has a short school week, parent-teacher conferences, and a lack of preparation.
The first trend I noticed at the beginning of inferencing instruction was the lack of ability to identify important text or photo evidence from the given selection. Slowly, students began to accurately find text or photo evidence and students eventually were able to develop an accurate inference, but lacked the ability to use their own schema that would lead to the inference. Throughout the middle of the study, students were accurately identifying photo/text evidence and progressing to develop an inference, but still struggled activating schema.
By the end of the study, trends showed that students were accurately identifying all three areas and ensuring that the combination of photo/text evidence and schema was evident in their inference. Students were using appropriate academic vocabulary during each step, such as "In the text/photo, I know that, I can infer... etc."
Trends indicated by teacher anecdotal notes that students were first very reluctant to particpate and acted intimidated by initial thoughts of inferencing. Students did well with text evidence, but had great difficulty using their own background knowledge. Students would revert back to the text and using text evidence and not state their personal experiences or thoughts. The teaching of schema required very explicit teaching.
I initially started with text passages during the morning task practice, but quickly made the observation that perhaps photographs would have been a better start to inferencing. Trends from anecdotal notes demonstrated that students began to improve activating their background knowledge, but still needed more practice. By Week 3, students began to verbally use thinking stems which helped tremendously when using background knowledge and coming to the end inference. Students began to make connections in all content areas and began to identify questions that required inferencing on their own. By the end of the study, students gained much more confidence and as indicated by the pre/post tests and end-of-selection quizzes, there were only a few students who did not achieve proficiency or mastery of the skill.
Questions still remaining...
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What caused the spike in scores on the end-of-selection quizzes between Week 1 and Week 2?
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Would students have benefitted if pictures were utilized during morning tasks before being exposed to text passages?
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What was the impact of teaching the skill Making Generalizations? Was it taught too late in the study?
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