How can I use my assessment data in reading/writing to focus on my students needs to prepare them for the first grade?
Describe at least 1 formative and 1 summative data collection method you utilized during your inquiry in the chart below. Indicate whether you consider data formative or summative.
Formative: A way I was able to collect formative data was by collecting students self-assessments in their writing. During the writing block, students were required to write and meet the objective. Once they have completed their writing, students were able to show how they have met the objective by self-assessing themselves based on a county given rubric. While this method may not always work in every classroom, it is a reliable source of self-assessment for the students because they are held accountable for their own score. When I first collected the class' data, I was able to read their sentences and determine whether or not their self-assessment score matched their work and what their true score would be. After looking over their work, I would match their writing with their reading fluency data to determine if their writing and reading aligns with one another. The reading data was collected at an earlier time as stated in the summative data collection.
Summative: A way I was able to collect summative data was by determining where my students are as young learners in reading. When beginning this inquiry, I tested their word recognition in the beginning of the school year as they entered kindergarten from list one of their sight words and then with other lists until they were unable to read them fluently. I was able to record the data and determine which students needed the additional teacher support or if they were prepared to read their appropriate Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) books. The assessment also allowed me to create groups based on their specific needs to facilitate guided reading groups.
Describe at least 3 teaching strategies OR iterations of teaching strategies implemented connected to formative and summative data collection and the literature.
An effective strategy I benefited throughout my inquiry was small group instruction. According to Auten, "Small group instruction can make the classroom a safe place to make mistakes and learn from them- an environment that encourages social interaction, inventiveness, and critical thinking and lets students do new things." (p. 461). I found this to be accurate due to how well the students who needed the additional support in reading and writing were working and how well their progress improved.
An additional strategy I benefited from was student self-assessment throughout the writing process. According to Shatri and Zabeli, "students have the opportunity to evaluate themselves about specific learning goals and to evaluate their achievements." (p. 2). Allowing my students to self-assess their writing allowed them to meet their personal learning goals. As the teacher, it allowed me to compare all of their evaluations throughout my inquiry to monitor growth,
A final strategy I benefited from throughout my inquiry was decoding words throughout a text. Donnelly suggests to read through a text and focus on sounds and sounding out the words. To do this, he suggests covering the word with a ruler and reveal it slowly.While working with kindergarten students, it is difficult for me to not say the word for them as we read because the students must learn on their own without teacher support. I encouraged students to use their finger to cover up words, reveal it slowly by sounding out the letters, and then blending them altogether. This has encouraged the students to apply the same strategy in their writing when they come across as word they do not know how to spell.
How did you make sense of your data? Provide an explanation of how you looked at the data you gathered to inform your understanding of student learning (can be in collaboration with your CT).
When beginning my inquiry, I collected data to determine where my students were as young learners. By doing this, I formed small groups depending on students specific needs. For example, in the beginning of the school year five students were placed in a group where they needed to focus on the alphabet and the letter sounds. I would assess them on letter recognition and its sounds on the days I was present. With the support of my CT, she would pull the group who needed the extensive support on days outside of my internship day to ensure that the students were still being given the support. Once the students understood their letters and its sounds, they were prepared to focus on sight words to begin reading their appropriate DRA level books.
What gaps in student learning did you identify? Be explicit.
A gap I identified was the writing process. While I was focused on the students writing efficiency, I noticed four students who needed additional time than the given 20 minutes of their writing block of the day. The 4 students are very detailed in their drawings to support what they decide to write about that it causes them to lose time in their writing piece. As an assignment for my Teaching Writing in Elementary Education course, I was required to focus on a small group for guided writing to support them. The four students who struggled with time management became my focus for the assignment and it also gave m the opportunity to determine how much the students can write without distractions and teacher support to add into my inquiry. With two months left in the school year, the students have showed a remarkable improvement in their writing that aligns with their reading capabilities.
Describe how you will differentiate strategies based on students’ needs. How will this help you meet the needs of ELL learners? Make connections with your ESOL/TSL & EDP course texts as a resource for differentiation strategies.
In my classroom, there is an ELL student who benefits from a variety of strategies. The most effective strategy is small group instruction. In class, the student sits alone and often gets off task because they are distracted with books or peers around him. Small group instruction not only benefits ELL students but for students who need the extra support and undivided attention. Provided the small group setting for students allows them to be free from distractions and is a strategy that i would recommend for any student who gets off task. A strategy I would implement to challenge students who are able to read and write effectively would be for them to read a book and write about that topic. For example, students could read a book about animals in the zoo and would be required to write about their favorite zoo animal. For teacher support, the teacher could write down different types of animals with picture support. This would allow the student to align their reading skills with their writing skills.
References
Auten, A. (1985). Small group instruction: effective classroom management? Journal of Reading, 28, 460–462. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.usf.edu/login.aspxdirect=true&db=eue&AN=50817521&site=eds-live
Donnelly, P. (2019). A new guide for guided reading: More guided, more reading. Practical Literacy: The Early & Primary Years, 24(1), 9–11. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.usf.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eue&AN=133951346&site=eds-live
Shatri, Z. G., & Zabeli, N. (2018). Perceptions of Students and Teachers about the Forms and Student Self-Assessment Activities in the Classroom During the Formative Assessment. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 9(2), 28–46. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.usf.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eue&AN=130251581&site=eds-live
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