Due to being in Level 3 in Auckland for our Bursts and Bubbles this year we conducted this online. Above is the video I recorded about my inquiry this year and what I have found out. This year was far from normal but there was still some great data and evidence that came out of my inquiry. Please feel free to check it out or read through my script below.
Bursts and Bubbles script
My inquiry question for this year was: Will a focus on vocabulary and interest specific texts have an impact on reading achievement for my learners reading below 8 years? I identified this as my focus when I noticed that a group of my students were reading below the age of 8 years. This made me ask the question what is holding these learners back and what are some things that I can do in my teaching to help these students reach their expected reading age.
To build a picture of my students' learning I looked at a range of different data such as PAT reading, Star, Running Records and Student voice. I’ve broken this down extensively on my blog.
The main patterns of student learning I identified in the profiling phase were that these students were able to read and sound out the words correctly but they didn’t understand or have the strategies to understand what these words meant. By not understanding key and specific vocabulary it was making it difficult for the students to comprehend the text and answer vocabulary and inferential questions.
From speaking to other colleagues I found that vocabulary was a key element that many of our learners were struggling with. I explored what the literature said looking at “Vocabulary developments during read-alouds” and “Utilizing nonfiction texts to enhance reading comprehension and vocabulary in primary grades.”
The changes I made to my teaching were having a visual word wall in the classroom and online that was accessible to all learners. I changed our overall reading focus each week and made it a whole class activity. Each reading group would learn about the same topic where they would need to complete research. I introduced spelling activities each week where students were exposed to new vocabulary and would have a pre and post test. I tried to incorporate text specific journal articles where students would be exposed to the vocabulary during guided reading sessions. During our learning online my team stuck to this similar format of having specific topics each day with a research component along with word work.
The easiest thing to change was having an overall topic each week for the students to explore. Some of the challenges were finding specific non-fiction texts related to the overall topic and at the level of these students.
Overall I would rate the changes in students' learning as partially successful. Students were really engaged with learning about new topics. My target group showed more confidence with reading in new vocabulary and working out the meaning using clues from the text. My mid year data showed improvements in reading ages for some of my students. This data also showed key areas that needed to be worked on during our guided reading. Student voice showed a shift, with many of my students saying they enjoyed reading and could understand what they were reading.
A highlight from this year was when we spent a lot of time learning about the earth spheres. After learning about this for a few weeks we began our swimming lessons and one of my students called over to me in excitement to say that they were currently swimming in the hydrosphere.
The most important learning I made about my inquiry was that language and vocabulary is very powerful and once students know how to use clues and not be afraid to ask questions they are able to work out meaning. My target learners are more inquisitive about new vocabulary and understand that if they read words into the context of the story or article they are able to understand the meaning. My students are more engaged and excited about reading which has had a huge impact on how and what they choose to read.
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