GTN NCRA 2015 presentation on best practices for comprehension through writing

1. Using Action Research
To Empower North Carolina Educators
A Race to the Top Initiative
NC Department of Public Instruction
Educator Effectiveness Division

2. Demystifying the Written Component of
the mCLASS Reading 3D TRC
Laura Graham M.Ed., NBCT 1st Grade Teacher
Eaton Elementary
New Hanover County Schools

3. What is Action Research?
Systematic inquiry conducted by teachers
and other educators to find solutions for
critical, challenging, relevant issues in their
classrooms and schools.
Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher,
2014

4. What is Action Research?
Main Goals Include:
•Positively impact student outcomes
•Identify and promote effective instructional
practices
•Create opportunities for teachers to become
reflective practitioners
•Share research results with other educators
Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher,
2014

5. Demystifying the Written Component of the
mCLASS Reading 3D TRC
We, teachers in K-3, must lead our
students to show comprehension
through writing in the reading
proficiency measure mCLASS Reading
3D-TRC. There is insufficient
professional development delivered in
this area in order to help our students
succeed.

6. •Read to Achieve in 3rd grade
•Student performance in grades K-3
•School data
•Standard VI
•Develop college and career ready students
Demystifying the Written Component of the
mCLASS Reading 3D TRC
Why is this important?

7. Who would benefit from
reviewing my research?
•Teachers K-3
•Students K-3
•Curriculum Specialists
•Tutors
•Administrators

8. Purpose of Action Research
To explain and show the changes
that I have implemented in my
classroom based on my action
research in order to include an
"integrated model of literacy.”

9. •To describe the instructional points and
provide teachers with lessons that teach
evidence based comprehension through
writing.
Purpose of Action Research

10. •To provide teachers with the instructional materials to
conduct whole units of study on main idea, character-
setting-happenings, sequence of events, drawing
conclusions, character traits, fact-opinion, and cause-
effect.
These instructional
points are
recommended by the
NCDPI in this
document.
Purpose of Action Research

11. To demonstrate,
with videos and
photographs, how
to extend
understanding by
adding a "writing to
learn" section to
guided reading or
strategy lessons.
Purpose of Action Research

12. Access to my
wiki… a work in
progress!
http://gtnpd29.ncdpi.
wikispaces.net/About
+the+Project
Purpose of Action Research

13. To provide teachers with
strategies, recommendations, and
tools to differentiate their "writing
to learn" instruction for the
diversity in their classrooms.
Purpose of Action Research

14. Problems of Practice
What problems and implications
have you observed in your district?
{1 of each}
Let’s play Carousel Feedback!

15. My project is mainly based on
these premises:
Reading First recognizes the benefits
of “writing to learn” and states that if
the written material is tied to one of
the five big ideas of reading, writing
should be included in the reading
block. (VoyagerU Reading for Understanding)

16. Because the nature of using evidence
varies across pieces and depends on
the skill of the reader, individualized
conferences are an important part of
the instructional process. (Owocki,
2013)

17. Teachers should engage
students in “intentional
conversations” to expand their
ideas and help them to put their
thinking into words. (Fountas &
Pinnell, 2008)

18. Extensive use of oral language is a
critical feature in supporting the
writing process. (Calkins, 1983, 1986)

19. MakeKnowledgePublic
Analyze/InterpretData
CollectData
Innovation/Intervention
ActionResearchPlan
Focus Statement
Effective Literacy
Practices To
Improve Writing
About Reading in
First Grade.

20. MakeKnowledgePublic
Analyze/InterpretData
CollectData
Innovation/Intervention
ActionResearchPlan
Purpose of the Study
Encourage teachers to
take a second look at
the reciprocity
between reading,
writing, and interpret
their data to benefit
their students.

21. MakeKnowledgePublic
Analyze/InterpretData
CollectData
Innovation/Intervention
ActionResearchPlan
Study Participants
22 students:
11 male students
11 female students
1 student qualified for special
education services in reading
and speech (diagnosed with
dyslexia)
20 students were white
2 students African American

22. MakeKnowledgePublic
Analyze/InterpretData
CollectData
Innovation/Intervention
ActionResearchPlan
Study Participants

23. MakeKnowledgePublic
Analyze/InterpretData
CollectData
Innovation/Intervention
ActionResearchPlan
Innovation/Intervention
No innovations, just
took a deep look at best
practices, my readers,
the standards and
developed instructional
materials.

24. MakeKnowledgePublic
Analyze/InterpretData
CollectData
Innovation/Intervention
ActionResearchPlan
Implementation in the
Classroom
Student Samples

25. MakeKnowledgePublic
Analyze/InterpretData
CollectData
Innovation/Intervention
ActionResearchPlan
Students using accountable
“speech bubbles” to talk about
books and developing
academic vocabulary.

26. MakeKnowledgePublic
Analyze/InterpretData
CollectData
Innovation/Intervention
ActionResearchPlan
Anchor Charts to model
comprehension strategies and
conduct shared writing lessons.

27. MakeKnowledgePublic
Analyze/InterpretData
CollectData
Innovation/Intervention
ActionResearchPlan

28. Data Collected

29. MakeKnowledgePublic
Analyze/InterpretData
Innovation/Intervention
ActionResearchPlan
DataCollected
Data Collected

30. MakeKnowledgePublic
Analyze/InterpretData
Innovation/Intervention
ActionResearchPlan
DataCollected
Data Collected

31. MakeKnowledgePublic
Analyze/InterpretData
Innovation/Intervention
ActionResearchPlan
CollectData
Recommendations
Many!

32. Recommendations

33. Recommendations
Model
strategies
and share
the pen!

34. Recommendations
Provide
opportunities
for students
to collaborate
across
language
domains.

35. Recommendations
Add a “writing to
understand” section to
guided reading or
strategy lessons.

37. Recommendations
Exercise strategy
development across
language domains. This is
crucial for ELLs.

39. Provide daily explicit
writing instruction
and practice that build
stamina
Recommendations

40. VOCABULARY!!!!!
Recommendations

41. Recommendations

42. Recommendations
Make
“Response to
Text” a must
in your
literacy block.

43. Recommendations
Incorporate book
clubs or literary
circles based on
student choice and
state
recommendations.

44. Give close reads a
chance!
Recommendations

45. Nothing will beat
the power of high
expectations!
Recommendations

46. Get out of your comfort
zone!
Recommendations

47. References
• Higgins, B., Miller, M., & Wegmann, S. (2006). Teaching To The Test…Not! Balancing Best Practice And Testing Requirements In Writing.
The Reading Teacher, 60(4), 310-319.
• Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (2012). Guided Reading: The Romance and the Reality. The Reading Teacher, 66(4), 268-284.
• Scharer, P. L., & Pinnell, G. S. (2008).Guiding K-3 writers to independence: the new essentials. New York: Scholastic.
• Applegate, M. D., Quinn, K. B., & Applegate, A. J. (2006). Profiles In Comprehension. The Reading Teacher,60(1), 48-57.
• Robertson, D. A., Dougherty, S., Ford-Connors, E., & Paratore, J. R. (2014). Re-Envisioning Instruction. The Reading Teacher, 67(7), 547-
559.
•Anderson, N., & Briggs, C. (n.d.). Reciprocity Between Reading and Writing: Strategic Processing as Common Ground. The Reading
Teacher, 546-549.
•Benson, V., & Cummins, C. (2000). The power of retelling: Developmental steps for building comprehension. Bothell, WA: Wright Group.
•Boushey, G. (n.d.). The Daily 5. Stenhouse Publishers: Portland, Maine.
•Boushey, G., & Moser, J. (2009). The CAFE book: Engaging all students in daily literacy assessment & instruction. Portland, Me.:
Stenhouse.
•Collins, K. (2004). Growing readers units of study in the primary classroom. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse.
•Cunningham, P., & Allington, R. (1999).Classrooms that work: They can all read and write (2nd ed.). New York: Longman.
•Dalton, B. (n.d.). Engaging Children in Close Reading: Multimodal Commentaries and Illustration Remix. The Reading Teacher, 642-649.
•Lemov, D. (2010). Teach like a champion: 49 techniques that put students on the path to college. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
•Miller, D. (2002). Reading with meaning teaching comprehension in the primary grades. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse.
•Owocki, G. (n.d.). The common core writing book, K-5: Lessons for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
•Owocki, G. (2012). The common core lesson book, K-5: Working with increasingly complex literature, informational text, and
foundational reading skills. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
•Richardson, J. (2009). The next step in guided reading: Focused assessments and targeted lessons for helping every student become a
better reader. New York: Scholastic.

48. Conclusion of Presentation
Thank you for your participation.
Contact Information:
Name: Laura A. Graham NBCT, M. Ed.
School/District: Eaton Elementary, New Hanover
County Schools
Phone: 910-591-9907
Email: laura.graham@nhcs.net
Website: http://wherethemagichappensdaily.blogspot.com/

49. Questions