IRAP Inquiry Project

Phase 1-Questioning and Wondering

Gina Boyd

Gosport Elementary School

About Me

My name is Gina Boyd and I teach at Gosport Elementary School. My first teaching degree was in Secondary English Education. I taught middle school language arts for nine years.  I enjoyed teaching reading and literature, but I felt unprepared to help students with reading difficulties at that level. I felt I was assessing reading, not truly teaching reading.

About eight years ago, I was offered a position at Gosport Elementary School. The school was a low socio-economic school in the same school corporation in which I was already teaching. At the time, Gosport Elementary had a waiver allowing any teacher with a license, regardless of level, to teach in the building. I took the position because I was ready for a change and I looked forward to integrating the disciplines. I also knew I would be going to a building rich in professional development history.  I began teaching sixth grade there, and I enjoyed it very much. I learned much more about teaching struggling readers, but I still felt inadequate to help the kids who really needed help learning to read. Then along came No Child Left Behind, and I was forced to go back to school to get an Elementary license or return to the secondary level. I got a Master’s in Elementary Education. I don’t regret that for a minute.

Last year, the opportunity came to change to a primary grade and I jumped at the chance. I welcomed the opportunity to participate in Reading First. I wanted to know more about how kids learn to read, the process of reading, and the remediation of reading difficulties. I found myself in a third grade classroom. Again, I wanted to know, how do I help the struggling readers I have?

Five Possible Inquiry Questions:

Question 1: Would my struggling readers be more motivated to reread if we used reader’s theater and/or performance reading?

Why is this a question I might like to focus on?

My struggling readers are not motivated readers. I want them to have opportunities to reread that they enjoy. I know rereading builds fluency and I think having a real audience would motivate them to reread with purpose.

What might I look at and listen to in my classroom and school to help me answer the question?

I would seek out teachers in my building or corporation who have used reader’s theater successfully and observe or discuss the results with those teachers. I would also try it with small groups of students using a script.  I would note using a journal progress with fluency and motivation to reread.  I might also use interview students. 

Question 2: What if I started using high-frequency words daily with my most struggling readers? Would their fluency increase over time?  I could take 3-5 minutes each day to quickly go through high-frequency flash cards with them.

Why is this a question I might like to focus on?

I’ve noticed my most struggling readers need to increase their fluency of high-frequency words. They know the words, but it takes a long time for them to process them and say them.

What might I look at and listen to in my classroom and school to help me answer the question.

I could choose one student and drill the words daily with him or her for a few weeks then monitor (student observation, checklist) to see if there is an increase in fluency.

Question 3:  What would happen if I used “repeated reading” as a method of increasing fluency for my less than fluent readers?

Why is this a question I might like to focus on?

I have 1 student in mind who is struggling with fluency.  I would like to try this strategy one-on-one with him to see if his reading fluency increases.

What might I look at and listen to in my classroom and school to help me answer the question.

I will observe the inclusion teacher using this strategy with a small group in her classroom.  I will also use a checklist to monitor the student’s progress.  I can model the list using the DRA for primary grades.  Dibles scores can also help me determine if his reading fluency has increased.

Question 4: What would happen if my students chose from a menu of station activities each week and I pulled small groups and individuals to work with them on specific things?

Why is this a question I might like to focus on?

Right now I feel my stations are not as student driven as they could be. I think motivation and engagement would increase if students were given more choices.

What might I look at and listen to in my classroom and school to help me answer the question.

I would try the menu of items for a few days and see how it goes. We would have to practice choosing stations, using a checklist, and moving to new station.  I could also observe teachers who set up their stations this way.  I could also interview the students about the new choices they are given.

Question 5: What would happen if my students practiced retelling during partner reads?  Would their grade level text improve?

Why is this a question I might like to focus on?

Grade level text is difficult for a handful of my students.  I’m not sure my students are monitoring comprehension and attending to text as they read. I would like to teach them a strategy that is simple, but effective to use during Partner Reading to increase their monitoring and comprehension.

What might I look at and listen to in my classroom and school to help me answer the question?

I would model using a retell like Get the Gist several times in the whole group and provide time for student practice. As students demonstrate mastery of the strategy, I would use the strategy as part of our 90 min. block station activities. I would assess the strategy by having students write Get the Gist summaries.