Can the explicit teaching of reading skills through the implementation of graphic organisers improve standards, confidence and develop independence in learners? Louise Elizabeth Larsen, Masters in Educational Practice, November 2016 Aims and Research Questions Intervention and Methodology Findings Aims The aim of my inquiry was to improve reading skills through explicit teaching whilst improving confidence of learners in the hope to develop independent learners. For many learners there is a clear discrepancy between their national curriculum English level and their chronological reading age. I endeavoured to promote enjoyment and engagement in higher order reading skills through the use of visual scaffolds, rather than the teacher, providing learners with opportunities to develop confidence of Literacy. The intention is that these transferable skills can then be used cross-curricular resulting in improved NRT scores, developing confidence and consequently promoting independence for life, as recommended by Donaldson (2015). Research Questions How does explicitly teaching reading skills through visual scaffolds enable pupils to improve their reading? Do learners build confidence when given activities which actively engage them in the text? Can the development of confidence promote independent learners? Research Questions How does explicitly teaching reading skills through visual scaffolds enable pupils to improve their reading skills? 5 of the 6 learners’ reading skills improved with a mean improvement of 1.3 sublevels of progress in a reading assessment. Do learners build confidence when given activities which actively engage them in the text? 5 of the 6 learners from the focus group appeared to grow in confidence through the inclusion of graphic organisers. Can the development of confidence promote independent learners? Many of the learners developed confidence and began to be less dependent on the teacher for support, learners were more inclined to attempt the reading tasks and ask their peers for reassurance. Intervention The small scale action research project was implemented over a two week period, six lessons in total, with a year 8, set 2 English class. Over the course of the intervention learners were explicitly taught reading skills through the implementation of graphic organisers into teaching. Learners were introduced to a range of graphic organisers focusing on higher order reading skills such as summary and analysis. Learners were assessed before and after the intervention to gauge skill development and academic progress. In addition to this learners were observed and questioned to assess changes in confidence leading to developing independence of learning. Impact Learners: Learners have increased confidence in their reading ability gaining awareness of explicit reading skills, acknowledging that the skills are transferable across the curriculum. Learners are less dependent on the teacher for support and are working independently or with peers in order to access reading texts and/ or tasks. Increased enjoyment of Literacy. Teachers: Increased awareness of strategies to teach reading skills, teaching them explicitly to raise Literacy standards. Content: After recommendation by the Literacy coordinator, senior leadership team, are considering imbedding graphic organisers in all Literacy rich subjects in order to imbed continuity. Wider context: Meeting with Literacy advisor from Central South Consortium to plot suitable opportunities to imbed the graphic organisers into schemes of learning in Literacy rich subjects. Methodology Research methods which were used included: Questionnaires using closed questions and likert scales Analysis of reading assessments Reflective journal entries Semi-structured focus group interviews using open questions Participant and non-participant observations of the focus group Analytical coding of research questions References Donaldson, G. (2015). ‘Successful Futures’ http://gov.wales/docs/dcells/publications/150225-successful-futures-en.pdf Didau, D. (2014). The Secret Literacy: Making the implicit explicit. Carmarthen: Independent Thinking Press. Estyn. (2015). Literacy in Key Stage 3: An Interim Report. https://www.estyn.gov.wales/thematic-reports/literacy-key-stage-3-interim-report-january-2015