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IRAP Inquiry Project

Phase 4-Looking and Listening

Gina Boyd

Gosport Elementary School

 

Inquiry Question: What would happen if I used a repeated reading procedure as a method to increase fluency for the least-fluent reader in my class?

 

KEY:

Changes to my looking and listening methods are in blue.

Reflections are provided in red.

 

I revised my question to reflect the change in my focus from several aspects of fluency to just two -- reading rate and accuracy-- because I thought that would focus my project and make it more manageable.

 

 

Ways I Will Look and Listen

Details for Each

Reflection

1. Student Observation Data

 

1. Teacher Observation Data

 

I changed this category to clarify that I would be taking anecdotal notes as I use this procedure with the student.

 

(Repeated Reading Process)

 

(Repeated Reading Cycle)

 

I decided to change the name of this procedure to “cycle” to better represent the process and explain that it has steps that will be repeated.

 

Who: I will implement a repeated reading procedure with a student in my classroom that is struggling with reading fluency and reading two grade levels below 3rd grade level.

 

What: Repeated Reading Procedure (Repeated Reading Cycle and Anecdotal Notes)

 

Throughout the process, I will take anecdotal notes organized by date. Each day I will record anecdotal notes about his reading rate, reading accuracy and general observations about his reading process and the method.

 

Step 1: Together, the student and I will choose a text for him to read. He will read the unpracticed text to me and graph the words per minute. Together we will set a goal for WPM, phrasing, and intonation.

 

I changed the procedure to make it more predictable for the student. Originally, I had a lot of choices for the student to make, but this particular student didn’t always make good choices. Specifically, he chose texts that were too hard.

 

Day One (Monday)

  1. I will give the student a text at his reading level (1st grade). I will use the DIBELS Assessment texts for 1st grade.

  2. The student will read the text for one minute and I will assess his rate (WPM) and accuracy (% of correct words read) using the DIBELS assessment materials.

Why: The process I’ve developed is a combination of several repeated reading techniques I read about. I want to find out if repeated reading will increase my student’s fluency in terms of word recognition, phrasing, expression and rate.

Based on my previous work with the student and data collected prior to the project, I’ve changed my focus to just two aspects of fluency for this student: rate and accuracy.

 

Observing as a participant and taking anecdotal notes during the repeated reading process will allow me to notice:

 

1. Watch his reaction to repeated readings to determine if it’s a viable strategy for students who struggle with reading. and may not be fond of reading to begin with.

 

I took this out because I realized motivation, while important, is not what I’m collecting data about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After that reading, the student and I will:

q  look back the words miscued and make flash cards of those words to read on days 2, 3, and 4 in the cycle.

q  record the accuracy (in terms of %) and set a goal of 95% to 100% for his final reading on Day 4.

q  record the rate on the record sheet (see attached) and make a goal for his final reading on Friday. This goal will depend on his initial reading. I anticipate increasing his rate 40-50 words per minute by his final reading on Day 4.

I will write anecdotal notes about his reading rate, reading accuracy and general observations about his reading process and the method.

 

Step 2: I will provide direct instruction on chunking the text for phrasing and expression. In addition, I will model fluent reading of the text several times.

Day Two (Tuesday)

  1. The student will practice the flash cards made from his miscues the day before. I will help him with any words he’s unsure of. I will direct him to read them quickly when he sees them in the text.

  2. As we read the text 3 times together, I will be providing a fluent reading model.

  3. I will write anecdotal notes about his reading rate, reading accuracy, and general observations about his reading process and method.

Step 3: The student will practice rereading the text for fluency. He may practice the text alone, with me, or with a partner. He will practice the text several times until he feels he is reading it fluently. He will record reading the text and play it back to analyze his fluency.

 

Day Three (Wednesday)

  1. The student will read practice reading the flash cards. The student will repeat the words until he can read each one quickly.

  2. The student will read the text 3 times with to me.

  3. I will time the student on the 4th reading for one minute and count the number of correct words per minute to give the student an indication of progress.

  4. I will write anecdotal notes about his reading rate, reading accuracy and general observations about his reading process and the method.

 

 

 

3. Determine if allowing the student to choose his own text (with guidance from me) is the best course of action.

I took this out because I did not allow the student to choose his text.

 

4. Determine which method of practicing the text is preferred by the student and which method allows for the most time on task.

I took this out because I took out the choices.

 

1. How much listening to a fluent reading model influences the student’s rate and accuracy.

 

Reading together was tricky at first. Sometimes I read too slowly or too quickly for the student. We soon developed a system. He gave me a “thumbs up” to speed up and “thumbs down” to slow down. When he wanted to read alone, he tapped me with his elbow.

 

2. If practicing words in isolation (flash cards) is a sound method for increasing accuracy.

 

The flash card use went better than I thought. I was concerned he would find it boring and tedious. The student enjoyed going through the flash cards at the beginning of each session.

 

Step 4: The student will read the text to me a final time and we will graph the WPM again. A new text will be chosen and the procedure will begin again. The procedure will continue for 4 weeks.

 

Day Four (Thursday)

  1. The student will read the text for me again and I will use the DIBELS tools to measure for rate and accuracy.

  2. The final numbers will be recorded and the student I will discuss the results.

  3. I will write anecdotal notes about his reading rate, reading accuracy and general observations about his reading process and the method.

     

    Where: My classroom.

     

    When: Each cycle will take four days to complete. The cycle will be repeated for four consecutive weeks.

     

         The changes I made to the method were positive changes. By streamlining the process, the student and I were both clear about the goals we wanted to achieve and the method we would use to reach the goal.

         Our first week things moved a bit slower than I anticipated and it took about 20 minutes a day to complete the process. The first few days we used the method, the student found the repeated reading a bit tedious and was anxious to stop.

         By the second week, the student and I had a routine established and the process moved more quickly. Also by this time, the student was excited about his progress. With a taste of success, the tediousness was gone. In fact, he often requested to read the text, “just one more time.”

         I looked forward to working with the student each day in this context, and he seemed to enjoy it, too. One of the best aspects of the method was listening to the student read fluently after several repeated readings. It was the first time I heard this student read at a good rate with accuracy and expression. It was wonderful to hear.

     

 

2. Student Observation Data

 

(Fluency Checklist)

 

I decided to remove this observation from the project because I changed the project to focus on rate and accuracy. The checklist I originally developed didn’t focus on those.

In addition, my schedule changed allowing my more one-on-one time with the student.

 

Who: I will observe the student as he works with Ms. Todd, the inclusion teacher, in a small group setting.

 

What: I will use a checklist I developed based on the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) for primary grades.

 

Where: My classroom.

 

When: During his small group guided reading time 1-2 times per week.

 

Why: The checklist I developed is designed to look for more than just reading rate. I will be listening for automaticity, intonation, and phrasing.

 

Fluent reading is more than a fast reading rate. I developed the checklist to monitor the student’s ability to recognize words, read expressively, and read with proper phrasing.

 

The checklist will allow me to refine the lessons I do with the student during the modeling and explicit teaching part of the repeated reading procedure.

 

2. DIBELS Data: Oral Reading Fluency of Grade Level Text

Who: The same student I have been using the repeated reading procedure with.

 

What: I will compare the student’s rate and accuracy on grade level texts before and after the repeated reading intervention.

 

Where: My classroom.

  

When: DIBELS assessments will be administered weekly.

Why: I want to know if the repeated reading cycle impacts his performance by increasing his rate and accuracy on cold reads at grade level.

 

 

Teacher Observation Data: I was happy about the change to teacher observation. Taking anecdotal notes about the process was more valuable than the checklist I had planned. The open-ended format of anecdotal notes provided flexibility that I liked.  At first I found taking the notes a bit awkward because I waited until the student and I were finished with our session to write them. Often, as soon as the student and I finished, I found myself surrounded by other students who needed my attention. It was hard to take notes under those conditions. I started wearing a hat to signal to the other students that I wasn’t available.  Then I got into the habit of jotting notes as the student and I worked together.  In fact, sometimes the student helped me with my notes by summarizing what we did that day as we worked together.

 

Oral Reading Fluency DIBELS Data: This assessment was used every week with the student so we were both used to it. The student was very much aware of that fact that his goal was to increase his fluency, and he took a special interest in his DIBELS results.