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

2. Discovering Syllable Types:
What are They and Why Do We Need to Teach Them?
Adeena East
Stanly County Schools
Central Elementary School

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. NCDPI, Reading Foundations

6. 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

7. Focus Statement
What can I do to increase comprehension levels with our struggling readers?
Innovation/Intervention
Collect Data
Analyze/Interpret Data
Make Knowledge Public
Action Research Plan
Share your area of focus and your reasons for choosing this topic; perhaps you reviewed school data to identify areas of need or met with your principal or school leadership team to identify target areas for school improvement, etc…

8. Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to increase students’ reading comprehension through the recognition of the six syllable types and strategies to decode multisyllabic words. 
Innovation/Intervention
Collect Data
Analyze/Interpret Data
Make Knowledge Public
Action Research Plan

9. Problems of Practice Group Activity
Count off by fours. Locate your number table.
When the music starts, find your new group members.
On your chart paper, list what you know about syllable rules in the English Language.
We will share these in 10 minutes.

10. Discovering Syllable Types: What are They and Why Do We Need to Teach Them?
Our teachers and students are not aware of the six main syllable types in our language.
Knowing syllable types helps with decoding multisyllabic words.
Knowing the syllable types and lessons to teach them will benefit all reading teachers
These lessons and strategies will help readers identify multisyllabic words.

11. What Does Peer-Reviewed Research say about my focus area?
Confounded by lack of knowledge and confidence in their ability, struggling readers typically do not make attempts to break longer words apart to determine where there are portions they could read by themselves.
Mary Knight-McKenna

12. Linnea Ehri, 2002 Reading Foundations Training

13. Study Participants Team discussion-5 students
At-risk 4th Grade Students
White, Black, Asian, Hispanic
All had attended Summer Reading Camp after 3rd Grade
Innovation/Intervention
Collect Data
Analyze/Interpret Data
Make Knowledge Public
Action Research Plan

14. Data Sources Data Collected Action Research Plan
North Carolina Third Grade End of Grade Reading Tests
North Carolina Read to Achieve Test
CORE Phonics Survey
Elementary Spelling Survey
Reading 3D assessments: TRC, DORF, DAZE
Anecdotal Notes used as a formative account of daily work
Action Research Plan
Innovation/Intervention
Data Collected
Analyze/Interpret Data
Make Knowledge Public

15. Study Variables
Will the students be ready to learn and apply all 6 types?
Students
Time
Innovation/Intervention
Collect Data
Analyze/Interpret Data
Make Knowledge Public
Action Research Plan

16. Research Questions
Can teaching the six syllables types improve reading comprehension with 4th grade students?
What specific lessons must be presented to develop automaticity and fluency with syllable type recognition?
Innovation/Intervention
Collect Data
Analyze/Interpret Data
Make Knowledge Public
Action Research Plan

17. Research Questions
Will the students be able to transfer their knowledge to authentic reading in their regular environments?
Will the CORE assessments and mClass data provide appropriate measures for comprehension skill levels?
Innovation/Intervention
Collect Data
Analyze/Interpret Data
Make Knowledge Public
Action Research Plan

18. Innovation/Intervention
Explicitly teach students the major syllable types of the English language.
Develop lessons to teach the major syllable types.
Action Research Plan
Innovation/Intervention
Collect Data
Analyze/Interpret Data
Make Knowledge Public

19. Implementation in the Classroom
Share photos, anecdotal notes, video clips, student work samples
Action Research Plan
Innovation/Intervention
Collect Data
Analyze/Interpret Data
Make Knowledge Public

20. Implementation in the Classroom
Share photos, anecdotal notes, video clips, student work samples
Action Research Plan
Innovation/Intervention
Collect Data
Analyze/Interpret Data
Make Knowledge Public

21. Activity
Let’s look at an informational note taking sheet that the students worked with.
Pass out CLOVER guide sheet.
Guide participants as they fill out the information on the CLOVER Guide Sheet.

22. Activity

23. Findings Positive with 4 of the 5 students
Increase with the 5th student only in decoding skills
Lessons to be more focused
Regular meetings are critical.
Action Research Plan
Innovation/Intervention
Collect Data
Analyze/Interpret Data
Make Knowledge Public
You may need multiple slides of your findings; this is where your charts and graphs would go. Ask participants to interpret the data (activity) you are sharing and then share your thoughts

24. Recommendations The research is THERE.
Develop more focused lessons for explicit instruction.
Begin process in Kindergarten, definitely by First Grade.
Action Research Plan
Innovation/Intervention
Collect Data
Analyze/Interpret Data
Make Knowledge Public
Based on your action research results, would you recommend the innovations/strategies you investigated as effective practices other teachers/schools may implement? Do you think further research is warranted for this topic

25. Questions and Discussion Time
How can I help you implement this practice in your classroom?
What would you like to know more about?

26. References
Cohen, E., & Brady, M. (2011). Acquisition and generalization of word decoding in students with reading
disabilities by integrating vowel pattern analysis and children’s literature. Education and Treatment of
Children. 34 (1) Retrieved July 31, 2014, from EBSCO/ERIC database.
Moats, L., & Tolman, C. (2009). Six Syllable Types [Electronic version]. Language Essentials for Teachers of
Reading and Spelling (LETRS): Spellography for Teachers: How English Spelling Works (Module 3)
Retrieved July 31, 2014, from EBSCO/ERIC.
Knight-McKenna, M. (2008). Syllable Types, A Strategy for Reading Multisyllabic Words. TEACHING Exceptional
Children. 40 (3) Retrieved July 31, 2014, from EBSCO/ERIC database.
Spear-Swerling, L. & Brucker, P. (2004) Preparing novice teachers to develop basic reading and spelling skills in
children. Annals of Dyslexia 54(2), Retrieved July 31, 2014 from EBSCO/ERIC database.
Archer, A., Gleason, M., & Vichon, V. (2003) Decoding and fluency: foundation skills for struggling older readers.
Learning Disability Quarterly 26, Retrieved July 31, 2014 from EBSCO/ERIC database.

27. Conclusion of Presentation
Thank you for your participation!
Contact Information:
Name: Adeena Koch East
School/District: Stanly County Schools
Phone: