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

Graphic Organizers and Reading Comprehension Heather Stack Scotland County Schools Wagram Elementary

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

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

What is Action Research? A systematic research process to: ● Identify an area of focus (critical, challenging issue) ● Develop an action research plan ● Implement action research plan in classroom/school ● Collect, analyze, and interpret data ● Share findings to inform practice Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 2014

Problems of Practice What problems are you having in your classroom or school that you could research?

Problems of Practice Problem Solution Where you received your information

Graphic Organizers and Reading Comprehension Low reading comprehension in lower grades, consistent across the school Low comprehension begins to affect all subject areas beginning in third grade Research could benefit educators searching for ways to improve reading comprehension or conduct action research in their classrooms Giving students a strategy for improving their comprehension will give them power

Peer-Reviewed Research Jiang & Grabe: Graphic organizers in reading instruction: Research findings and issues. “The authors propose a number of generic forms of graphic representations that apply to regularly recurring text structures. If the graphic organizer matched the text structure of the selection, comprehension was improved.” Kim, Vaughn, Wanzek, & Wei: Graphic organizers and their effects on the reading comprehension of students with LD: A synthesis of research. “Visual displays of information such as those provided by graphic organizers enhance the reading comprehension of students with LD, possibly by helping these students organize the verbal information and thereby improving their recall of it.”

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Focus Statement The most prevalent need our students have in kindergarten through second grade is low reading comprehension. Beginning in third grade, other subject areas begin to be affected by this lack of comprehension.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of direct instruction using graphic organizers on nonfiction reading comprehension.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Study Participants 8 Second graders who are low-performing in the area of reading comprehension 8 Third graders who are low-performing in the area of reading comprehension *as determined by BOY TRC scores

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Study Variables Teacher as assessor Student absences Researcher’s other duties Classroom assessments School testing schedule

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Research Questions Will graphic organizers increase reading comprehension in struggling readers? Will students find greater comprehension gains when making their own graphic organizers? Will students stay motivated during the use of graphic organizers?

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Innovation/Intervention Short non-fiction articles from Ranger Rick magazines High-interest articles, 2-3 paragraphs in length Story maps Main idea graphic organizers Thinking Maps

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Collect Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Implementation in the Classroom

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Collect Data Findings: Second Grade

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Collect Data Findings: Third Grade

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Collect Data Findings Expected growth: two levels in Second and Third Grades between BOY and MOY 50% made expected growth (8 students) 31% grew zero to one level (5 students) 6% regressed one level (1 student) 13% grew significantly-five levels (2 students) The graphic organizers I used did not provide significant gains to TRC scores.

Make Knowledge Public Analyze/Interpret Data Innovation/Intervention Action Research Plan Collect Data Recommendations After switching to Thinking Maps, my students became more animated and involved Use Thinking Maps that fit the task/text Be consistent throughout school This is not a sales pitch!

Activity Complete a Thinking Map of your choice while reading your article How did the Thinking Map help your comprehension?

References Jiang, X. & Grabe, W. (2007). Graphic organizers in reading instruction: Research findings and issues. Reading in a Foreign Language, 19(1), Kim, A., Vaughn, S., Wanzek, J., & Wei, S. (2004). Graphic organizers and their effects on the reading comprehension of students with LD: A synthesis of research. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 37(2),

Conclusion of Presentation Thank you for your participation! Contact Information: Heather Stack Wagram Elementary/Scotland County Schools