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Action Research Plan:

Andrew Marama
(Final: December 23rd , 2013)
Action Research
Presented to the Department of Educational Leadership
and Postsecondary Education
University of Northern Iowa
--
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Master of Arts in Education
--
by
Andrew F. Marama
American School of Bombay,
Mumbai, Maharastra, India
(December 23, 2013)
-Dr. Robert Boody

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Introduction
Topic Description
Currently I am working with 3 differentiated groups of Grade 5 readers. Students in
this study are grouped according to their reading fluency and comprehension scores
from the Fountas and Pinnell reading program and the Fall Reading Measures of
Academic Progress (MAP) results. One group of 4 students are working towards
grade level, one group of 5 students are reading at grade level and one group of 7
students are reading above grade level. The focus at the moment in my classroom is
using fiction texts to acquire information text and to have students ask questions that
require a deeper level of thinking to ask and to answer. As a grade 5 teaching group
we hold regular literacy meetings with our literacy coach. At these one of the sessions
we as a group of teachers, noticed that the questions students were recording
questions in their reading journals and during literature circles were evidence of
students using a lower level order of thinking. The questions they were asking
required yes/no answers or were answers they could quickly find in the texts they
were reading. Therefore as a teaching point we set ourselves a goal where we would
help the students develop the ability to ask and answer questions that were open
ended responses to text showing a higher level of thinking during literature circles.

Area of Focus
The purpose of this study is to investigate what the effect of questions I ask during
literacy discussions have in preparing students to self lead their own discussion during
literature circles.

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What I Currently Understand about the Focus Area
Reconnaissance
As explained previously, the focus in my Grade 5 classroom is using nonfiction texts
to acquire information. In particular we are as a Grade 5 team are focusing on how we
can fine tune the skills of students to determine importance and create questions for
other students to ask and converse with. I would like to investigate how I interact
with students and how I prepare them to ask questions I use in my literacy groups
especially through the use of literature circles. At this time the Grade 5 teachers at
ASB are reviewing how we teach reading and in particular how we ask questions to
allow students to demonstrate a higher level of thinking and to prepare them students
to self lead their own discussions.

Literature review
In examining the literature in my review the point that really struck with me is that
teachers do too much talking. Maloch ( 2002) discusses how teachers in a majority of
literature circles, also known as book clubs or book circles, the teacher sets the topics
for discussion and determines the specific questions and probes. I also noticed that the
research says that when students were asked to ask questions that the types of
questions they were asking were procedural and superficial. Almasi (1995) and Eeds
and Well (1989), suggest that when discussion is less teacher directed, children can
have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in deeper discussion. Evans (1996)
agrees with Maloch and goes on further to say student led book discussions offer
another way for students to assume responsibility for their literacy learning. Martin
(2002) discusses that during literature circle allow for a more natural conversation and

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topics to be discussed are generated by the students. Part of my goal during reading is
to keep students engaged in the thinking and verbal contributions during book
discussions. Almasi (1995) in her research stated that students became quickly
disengaged during reading sessions when their answers werent what they perceived
what the teacher expected. When students gave answers where they felt the teacher
was not judging or chastising them, they were more likely to be engaged (p. 334). In a
study of 4th grade students, Almasi & Gambrell (1994) found that students in peer-led
discussions were better at identifying and resolving episodes of conflict within
literature than those in teacher-led discussions.

Summary
Having looked at the literature that is available, and upon reflecting on my reading
groups sessions, I recognize that intervention is required.

Research Plan Foundations

Define the context and variables
The context for this for this study is how students learning and my teaching can be
improved when particular attention is paid to preparing the students to self lead their
discussions using higher level questioning strategies.

The grade 5 students of the American School of Bombay are predominantly

from ex-patriot families from the high socio-economic end of the community.
Families are here in Mumbai for the employment of one or two of the parents. Other
students in grade 5 are known as, persons of Indian origin (POI), this means that they
may be born in another country and or have residence in another country. Students at

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the elementary level are in class groups are of the same age and of mixed academic
ability, the classes are not streamed. Some of the students are not natives speakers of
English and may have some or very little English in speaking, writing or reading.
Therefore they receive English as an additional language (EAL). EAL students do not
sit the grade 5 Reading comprehension MAP test as they are often two years or more
behind grade level in reading. In my classroom there are 20 students, 4 students
receive full-time support from the EAL teacher for reading and writing that comes in
both push in, (the EAL teacher comes into the classroom) and pull out, (the EAL
teacher takes the student out of the classroom to give extra support). Full EAL support
is considered as students having daily contact of 40 minutes with an EAL teacher.
Throughout the year in reading, the grade 5 teachers create mixed groups
depending on what the reading goal is. Reading groups are fluid and are created and
then can be recreated according to reading goals for each trimester. Students can be
grouped according to their Fountas and Pinnell level which determines their reading
fluency and comprehension level. It is during these sessions, students in the group
read the same leveled book to extend vocabulary and comprehension. Students may
also be grouped according to their need in a skill area according to their MAP test
results, for example students of differing F&P levels can be in the same group if their
need is inferencing according to the MAP test. Other variables to be considered are
such as that even within one group there can a spread of fluency and comprehension
levels rather than all students being at one level, e.g. Blue reading group is made of 5
students who according to F&P have are from a range of levels U, V and W. Like
wise for the MAP scores, students can be grouped from a percentile range rather than
an exact percentile. In this action research study, it is the 4 students who are reading
one to two years above the grade 5 reading level and comprehension that are the

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subjects. They will be guided to ask deeper level of thinking through open ended
questions, this giving a deeper, richer response of texts read in literature circles both
orally and written. During literature circles students are assigned tasks, one of the
task is for a student to ask a set of questions regarding the text they are reading.
Traditionally, students ask questions that require yes or no, or are facts recalled from
the text. Students will be guided to think about questions that they can ask fellow
students that are beyond yes/no and answers quickly found in texts, they will move
away from objective to open ended response to texts. By doing this, students can
move towards having book club talks in the literature circle talks. This is where
they are asking each other questions and actually discuss their thoughts, opinions and
findings.

State the research question(s)

What effect will the questions I ask during literacy discussions have in preparing
students to self lead their own discussion during literature circles?

Describe the proposed intervention or innovation

In collaboration with the other members of the grade 5 team and the elementary
school literacy coach, I will use a reading guide that guides to me the types of
questions that I can use to encourage a deeper level of thinking. The grade is about to
launch into new fiction books and each teacher has volunteered to be in charge of
creating the lessons for a particular book club book. Lessons will be designed around
asking questions. Teachers will model questioning techniques for the students.
Ultimately the goal is to have the students lead discussions and ask questions of each

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other, the teacher is the session will be the observer and prompt the students if they
are off track in the discussion of the concept being discussed. At the end of the unit,
we will assess the students and determine whether each student is showing evidence
of a) being able to ask questions orally and or written the are evident of having depth
or are open ended questions b) being able to hold their own conversations regarding
the text read.

Describe the membership of the action research group (stakeholders)

The key stakeholders are the 4 students in my reading group. These students are up to
two years above their grade 5 reading level. There is also the elementary schools
literacy coach, my 3 grade 5 teaching colleagues and 3 the teaching assistants who
will be involved in this project. The parents are informed in the bi weekly newsletter
that goes out to the grade 5 parents explaining the goal for literacy during this period
of time. A written reflection of the childs progress in this area will be made in the
students trimester report. The principal of the elementary school will also be
informed via the literacy coach who reports on the literacy program for the grade 5
students and teachers.

Describe negotiations and communications that need to be done

The grade 5 team made up of 3 other teachers and 3 teaching assistants meet with the
literacy literacy coach twice during an 8 day cycle. The grade 5 team also have the
time to meet each day to collaborate when deemed necessary as teachers for all areas
of the grade 5 programme in areas such as math, reading, writing and social studies.

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School administration has encouraged the literacy coach to implement a coaching
cycle programme throughout the elementary school.

Provide a timeline
The intervention will occur over the course of 3 weeks lessons. After the 3 weeks, the
grade 5 team will review the intervention and plan for future modified intervention or
a new intervention. Thus is the Action Research cycle.

Pre planning
Meet with literacy coach to discuss focus and timeline. The students in the grade will
be reading from 4 different fiction texts. The texts are books chosen because they are
directly related to the unit of inquiry, Economy/Business. The texts meet the
requirement to use and explain economy terms at various reading levels. The fiction
texts are matched according to the Fountas and Pinnell (F&P) reading levels of R one year below grade 5 reading level, T - at grade 5 reading level and V, - 1 year
above grade 5 reading level. The grade 5 teachers will meet to collaborate for one
particular book club group. I have chosen to plan with another grade 5 teacher for
students who have a reading level one to two years beyond the grade 5 level. We will
be reading and discussing a level U book. The other grade 5 teachers will be reading
the other texts and we will all have the same overarching goal in mind, to reflect on
the way we ask questions and to help students develop higher order/level questions
which require a deeper level of thought to answer.

Week One

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Asking Questions - teacher brings in a mystery object. Students record 5
questions that they have about the mystery object.
Students share and then are asked to sort the questions according to types of questions
1) short answer questions 2) questions that involve some research 3) questions that
involve some deeper thinking. Draw the students attention to the characteristics of the
3 different types of questions. Record the characteristics on a chart.

Prompt students thinking by using questions from the teacher resource Ask
Questions (2011) ask the teaching assistant to video the discussion.
Post teaching session analysis: reflect - in my personal journal about how I felt the
session went, my new learnings and what changes I could make.
Reflect - personal reflection from what I saw on the video discussion.
Reflect - with the literacy coach
Meet with grade 5 team teachers to discuss the outcomes of the lesson, the
connections to the goal, new learnings and what changes I could make.
Record reflection on the Literacy blog.

Session Two: Introduce book to the reading group. Students will be introduced to the
book using a strategy known as, I see, I think and I wonder. Students take notes of
what they think the story will be from visual clues such as the books cover, its title
and illustrations found on the cover. The students will be assigned the first four
chapters to read over the next 2 days. During the two days the students task is to
identify key vocabulary that is connected with our social studies theme,
Economy/Business and write down questions they have about the book. Students will

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record their vocabulary on-line using a Google presentation ready to share with the
group at the next reading session.

Week Two
Meet with reading group twice a week.
Prompt students thinking by using questions from the teacher resource Ask
Questions (2011) ask the teaching assistant to video the discussion.
Post teaching session analysis: reflect - in my personal journal about how I felt the
session went, my new learnings and what changes I could make.
Reflect - personal reflection from what I saw on the video discussion.
Reflect - with the literacy coach
Meet with grade 5 team teachers to discuss the outcomes of the lesson, the
connections to the goal, new learnings and what changes I could make. What effect
will the questions I ask during literacy discussions have upon how I teach and how the
students learn.
Record reflection on the Grade 5 Literacy blog.

Week Three
Meet with reading group twice a week.
Prompt students thinking by using questions from the teacher resource Ask
Questions (2011) ask the teaching assistant to video the discussion.
Post teaching session analysis: reflect - in my personal journal about how I felt the
session went, my new learnings and what changes I could make.
Reflect - personal reflection from what I saw on the video discussion.
Reflect - with the literacy coach

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Meet with grade 5 team teachers to discuss the outcomes of the lesson, the
connections to the goal, new learnings and what changes I could make. What effect
will the questions I ask during literacy discussions have upon how I teach and how the
students learn.
Record reflection on the Literacy blog.

At this point the grade 5 teachers will meet to share the data to determine if we might
try the intervention again, and if so, what other variables we might change.

Describe resources needed

A key resource in this study is the literacy coach,
Teacher resources - The Continuum of Literacy - Gay Pinnell & Irene C. Fountas
The reading teacher guide, Ask Questions - Stephanie Harvey & Anne Goudvis
My grade 5 colleague with whom I will create the reading lessons with.
Leveled readers :
1 year plus Grade 5 : Flat Broke - Gary Paulsen
At Grade 5 level: Lawn Boy - Gary Paulsen
6 months towards Grade 5 level: Toothpaste Millionaire - Jean Merrill

The fiction text to be read a copy for each student and one for myself.
Students will use their reading journals and Google Docs online to record the initial
word bank that they create.
A reading space is set aside in the classroom for reading groups.
The literacy coach has been asked to video my reading sessions with the students.

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A website will be set up to allow for teachers to record reflections on the reading
sessions.
Videos will also be posted on the website for myself and colleagues to view.
Teacher journal, to log observations and learnings
Chart paper for recording questions for the group.

Data Collection and Analysis

Describe the types and sources of data to be used
Data collected and analyzed will be qualitative. Sources for collecting data will be:.

Observational Data I will have my own personal blog where I record my

reflections on the reading session, stating my observations, learnings and
wonderings. These will be posted on the Grade 5 blog along with any video or
photographs showing the questions students were writing and students self
leading their own discussions.

My teaching assistant and or the literacy coach will video my reading sessions
with the specified reading group.

The literacy coach will view the videos and sessions to state what she
witnessed, whether open ended questions were being asking, and the students
participation and responses. We will critique the video according to the goals
set for this study. I will answer the question,
- What effect did the questions I ask during literacy discussions have upon how
I teach and how the impact on students learning?
- How am I preparing the students to ask questions of a higher order that are
open ended?
- How am I preparing the students to lead their own discussions using open

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ended questions ?

Together the literacy coach and I will discuss our blog entries, the observation
comments regarding commonalities and differences we saw in the videos. We
will pay particular attention to open ended questions both the students and I
were asking.

Daily, formative homework assignments will be given focusing on responding

to questions asked during reading lessons.

Students will be asked to record questions in their reading journal regarding.

The reading groups will make a chart with copies of open ended questions that
can be used as a reference for the students to look at during future
discussions.

Describe probable analysis approaches

I will look through the students reading journals at the end of each reading
session to see whether open ended questions were being asked during the
reading sessions.

Students will peer critique each others questions and sort them according to
levels of thinking from yes/no to open ended questions.

Initial analysis will be during discussions with the literacy coach and my grade
5 colleagues in particular the colleague I worked with in planning for the
sessions.

Observational Data - videos will be viewed by myself and the literacy coach.
We will critique the video according to the goals set for this study. I will
answer the question,

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- What effect did the questions I ask during literacy discussions have upon how
I teach
and how the students learn.
- How am I preparing the students to ask questions of a higher order?
- How am I preparing the students to lead their own discussions?

Triangulate the data using students written responses in their reading journals,
my journal responses, video observations and the literacy coachs observations
of the lessons and video reflections.

Based on what I have learned what do I do now? Thus continues the Action
Research cycle.

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Bibliography
Almasi, J.F. (1995). The nature of fourth graders' sociocognitive conflicts in peer-led
and teacher-led discussions of literature. Reading Research Quarterly, 30, 314-351.

Almasi, J.F. & Gambrell, L.B. (1994). Socio-cognitive conflict in peer-led and
teacher-led discussions of literature (Reading Research Report No. 12). Athens, GA:
National Reading Research Center.

Daniels, H. (2002). Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading
Groups. Stenhouse Publishing.

Eeds, M., & Wells, D. (1989). Grand conversations: An exploration of meaning

construction in literature study groups. Research in the Teaching of English, 23, 4-29.

Evans, K. S. (1996). Creating spaces for equity? The role of positioning in peer - led
literature discussions. Language Variety and Teaching the Language Arts, 73, 3, 194202.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/41484060

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Harvey, S & Goudvis A. (2005) Ask Questions, The Comprehension Toolkit, New
Hampshire: Firsthand Heinemann

Merrill J. (1972) Toothpaste Millionaire, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

McGregor T. (2007), Comprehension Connections, Bridges to Strategic, New

Hampshire: Heinemann Publications

Paulsen G. (2011). Flat Broke A Companion to Liar, Liar. New York: Random House
Books

Paulsen G. (2007) Lawn Boy, New York: Random House Books