Data Analysis
Prior to incorporating beyond the text reading strategies students were given a benchmark test. This summative test gave students two short stories to read; one fiction and one nonfiction. After each story students were given multiple choice comprehension questions and one text dependent open ended question to answer. Prior to incorporating annotating with close reading, notice and note signposts, and text dependent questions our class benchmark average was 67%. After incorporating strategies our class benchmark average was 85%. All students made growth on their summative benchmark test to assess for student comprehension of text.
The ranges of student growth and number of students in each range are shown in the infographic. Five students made between 0-10 points of growth between the pre summative test and summative test taken during the strategies being incorporated. The mode of my data showed six of my students making between 11-20 points of growth. Four students made between 21 and 30 points of growth. Two students made huge progress with points of growth between the ranges of 31-40.
At the end of each week students were given a formative test. These formative tests gave students a fiction or nonfiction passage to read, a set of comprehension questions over the passage and one written text dependent question requiring students to cite evidence. Each week the class average was compared to a fiction and a nonfiction test that students were given at the beginning of the year, before new reading comprehension strategies were implemented. Initially our student average steadily increased, but then seemed to follow no pattern from week to week. The weekly tests are further analyzed below.
Weekly tests were compared by genre. Our class average for the fiction formative test prior to implementing strategies students averaged a 75%. When comparing our fiction test in the order they occurred I noticed that student scores did improve on test two and test five, scoring an 88% and an 84%. On test three student scores decreased, but only down to 72%. Students may have been able to connect more with the fiction tests as the notice and note strategies that we used only incorporated fiction stories as they focused on character analysis. This additional exposure to fiction text may have allowed students to improve their scores.
Our class average for the nonfiction formative test prior to implementing strategies students averaged a 73%. When comparing our nonfiction test in the order they occurred I noticed that student scores did improve on one test, scoring an 82% . On the next two nonfiction tests the students average dropped to 70% and 73%. Analyzing these tests I noticed that most students still used annotating strategies and were able to successfully answer the text dependent question. Students struggled with answering comprehension questions. This may be due to the notice and note signposts focusing mostly only on fiction stories giving students less exposure to additional nonfiction stories.
During each weekly test and text dependent question practice activity I monitored students working and analyzed their annotating to check for the most common strategies they used. This showed me how my students were analyzing a piece of text, what they saw as important information, and made their thinking visible on paper. Students were taught 8 different annotating strategies (shown on the left). I noticed four common strategies that students regularly used (shown on the right). Students who annotated generally tended to score better on their test than students who did not annotate. Students annotated each test using the strategies that helped them connect with the reading, so students didn't necessarily use the same strategies on every piece of reading. The images below show the test pages of three students.
Student example of an annotated test - This student used two annotating strategies: underlining important information and writing in the margins. This student scored a 100% for comprehension questions.
Student example of an annotated test - This student used only one annotating strategy: writing in the margins. This student scored a 75% for comprehension questions.
Student example of an annotated test - This student used no annotating strategies that were taught. This student scored a 50% for comprehension questions.
In addition to improving students ability to comprehend beyond a piece of text, one goal I had for my students was to see if students opinions or engagement in reading would improve their scores. Qualitative data prior to this action research showed me that many of my students did not enjoy reading, resulting in a lack of engagement. The following survey results tracked students opinions about reading. Student responses were categorized as enjoying reading, somewhat enjoying reading, and not enjoying reading. These survey results showed that after strategies were implemented more students gave responses indicating that they enjoyed reading more, or somewhat enjoyed reading more. Fewer students gave responses on the post-survey indicating that they did not enjoy reading. Overall it seemed that more students enjoyed reading from these results and strategies implemented. Student's increase in reading enjoyment could attribute to the increase in student summative benchmark test scores.
Students that were categorized as students that "enjoy reading" gave responses such as...
"Reading is great! I like to read fantasy because I can see how creative the writer can be."
"I LOVE reading. I can curl up in a ball with a blanket, snacks and my kindle all day."
Students that were categorized as students that "somewhat enjoy reading" gave responses such as...
"I think reading is fine. I don't like it enough to read at home."
"Sometimes I think reading is boring, but other times I can get nose deep in a book and I won't know somebody is talking to me."
Students that were categorized as students that "do not enjoy" reading gave responses such as...
"To me reading is boring. I just can't find the right type of book."
"Reading is not my favorite subject, but I still try and work hard at it."
Analyzing the Triangulation of Data
The triangulation of this data showed me that students were able to successfully apply multiple strategies to their reading beyond the text. I was able to see how the incorporation of annotating, notice and note signposts, and text dependent questions were able to impact students comprehension. Through annotating students were able to make their thinking visible and show their connections to a piece of text. Once students had learned their signposts they were able to annotate more on their pages. The annotations students made allowed them to easily pull out evidence to support their text dependent questions. The ability to incorporate their new strategies helped students become more successful on their test. I feel that because students were able to successfully increase their benchmark test scores and their fiction weekly test scores they were able to have greater confidence and more positive attitudes towards reading.