Action Research on Learning of Kindergarten Students free essay sample

Classical studies regarding teaching methods and classroom curricula are conducted by outside observers of particular classroom interactions. Through such studies, generalizable methods are formulated and considered appropriate for application in different classrooms across the board. Such process, though not necessarily ineffective, leaves out an important aspect of the classroom setting, the individual characteristics of teachers and students. Here, action research comes in. A method involving scrutinizing one’s own practice and children’s behavior, family background, and social influences, action research allows for the consideration of peculiar details inherent in every classroom (Borgia, E. Schuler, D., 1996). Upon gathering results of particular changes implemented in personal classroom environments, concurrence from other teaching professionals may be sought (Borgia, E. Schuler, D.). Thus, a bottom-up process of gathering information and formulating teaching methodologies is applied. Such a process would answer for quirks in the system wherein classical research methods produced data not generalizable to learning classes. As researcher, the teacher takes an active stance in finding out how current education concepts and theories actually translate in real classrooms (Ritchie, G.). The process starts with an inquiry and a plan of accounting for and measuring the relation of certain innovative practices on already known concepts. Subjective and personal accounts are then kept by the teacher-researcher and conclusions later drawn (Borgia, E. Schuler, D.). The generalizability of conclusions and theories arrived at are found out through collaborations with colleagues, presentations in seminars or articles in publications (Mohr, M.). Such change in established and most times mandated curricula may meet resistance, or worse, admonishment. However, teachers maintain the right to act in new and creative ways (Florio-Ruane, S., 2002). Kersten and Pardo introduce two methods by which teachers may implement the change they desire in the curriculum without upsetting existing political situations: finessing and hybridizing (2007). Finessing requires maneuvering around established policies, although not necessarily contradicting the same while hybridizing requires manipulation of the manner in which teaching curricula or policies are implemented so as to answer the needs of actual students (Kersten, J. Pardo, L.). Thus, in both cases a uniquely different teaching method may be observed although the original plan of the policy-makers is still in place. Such methods should not be seen as aberrations from the norm, rather they are active creations implemented to address the learning situations of actual classrooms. The teacher then becomes as much a curriculum and policy-maker as those outside objective observers. Such active stance employed by the teachers address the variety of needs that arise from diverse classrooms (Kersten, J. Pardo, L.). Action Research and Free Reading Time This paper seeks to address the question on whether or not kindergarten students learn during free reading time employing action research as a means of research. Using action research as a methodology, significant changes have been implemented by reading teachers across grades. Included in these studies have been voluntary reading studies. Classes often devote a portion of their time to free reading wherein students may read whatever book they want. This is done to supposedly increase the reading, writing and comprehension skills of the students as well as broaden their vocabulary range (Krashen, S., 2006). This free reading time has been hailed as an ingenious way of engaging students to love reading. It has also been lauded for its supposed benefits on the learning progress of students as those who practiced free reading time outshone their counterparts who only practiced traditional methods of learning literacy skills (Krashen, S.). Krashen posits that in order for free reading time to be truly effective, there should be no reports or other such requirements asked of the students after the activity and they should be given complete choice in the material to be read, as a wide variety of potentially interesting material is made available to them. However, observations made by teachers applying this free reading time model have shown that students still emerge reluctant to read (Maguiness, C. Parr, J.M., 2005). There were students who read during class time but did not pursue their reading interest outside of the classroom and there were others who were reluctant to simply participate in the activity itself. As a result several teachers at the said school decided to simultaneously improvise on the model by engaging the students in conversation regarding what they had read at the end of each activity. The students were still allowed to choose any reading material that they preferred and were in fact encouraged to bring to school any materials they had started reading outside of class or the library. The teachers conversed openly with the students and allowed them to freely and fully express themselves, perhaps allowing expressions that a teacher would normally reprimand in class. The conversations dwelled on the choice of books, their impressions on the same, their impressions on material they had not chosen, and the like. The teachers actively encouraged the students to read through these conversations and through modeling as they themselves expressed their impressions on books they had read. As the year progressed students began talking with one another about the material they were reading outside of the groups organized by their teacher. As a result, there was marked improvement in the class’s attitude towards reading and the students began reading a wider variety of books as they explored choices made by those they conversed with. There was also a marked improvement in the borrowing records of the students as they took books home to read. Another case of improvisation on the established curriculum was made by Sullivan who had been hearing reports from students that they were not interested in the assigned readings in class (1991). Sullivan decided to change the atmosphere by allowing students to read their choice of material and asking them to submit a personal anthology of collections of works or passages. As a result, more of the students became interested in their class session as they related what they had read to the lesson. There was also feedback from other students that their interest in reading was sparked as they made their anthologies. Yet another teacher improvised on the free reading time by choosing the reading material for her students (Braxton, B., 2006). A reading period was set for the students such that they were able to finish reading the book. After this period, creative challenges were given to the students along the lines of the adventure story that they had just read. In order to accomplish the challenge, the student needed facts gained from the reading. These activities were followed by a short five-question quiz. The tasks were not mandated and the students had the choice of attending or not, however it was observed that every day a challenge was handed out the students would be there. The teacher also checked on the borrowing records of the students and saw that most of the students, particularly those who had not been borrowing books prior the challenges, had begun borrowing books for leisure reading. Method The history of teacher research on the field of voluntary reading has laid the foundation for the methodology of answering the question on whether or not kindergarten students actually learn from such voluntary reading. The positive aspects of voluntary reading span a wide variety of lessons, reading, writing, comprehension, and vocabulary skills. What will be observed herein will be reading and comprehension skills of the students participating in the free reading period. Reading will be construed to include the inclination for voluntary reading, outside the requirements of school. Taking insight from Braxton’s ingenuity (2006), it would better suit the grade level to have students demonstrate what they have learned through play-analogous activities. The reading material will be chosen by the teacher and read aloud to the class during reading time. After the story has been read the teacher will engage the class in a discussion regarding the elements of the story, such as characters, plot, and theme, and will draw the insights made by the students. These insights will be recorded and later analyzed. The students will then proceed to the activity. The activity should be in line with the text read and would place the students in a situation similar to that faced by the character in the story. The accomplishment of the activity will be made through an action, word, or method that has been displayed in the story. The manner in which the activity is accomplished will also be recorded and later analyzed. If the students are able to answer the questions regarding the essential elements of the story then this will be regarded as a sign of basic comprehension of what has been read. When the students raise points outside the plain text of the story, such as when they relate it with their own experiences or they elaborate on the perspective of the characters, this will be taken as proof of a deeper level of comprehension. As regards the activity, the manner in which the students approach the situation and the degree to which they apply what they have just heard and learned from the story will mark the level of learning they have attained from the story. The teacher will also note through follow-up inquiries with the families of the students, or through observation in the school or classroom library borrowing system, whether or not the children have taken to reading outside of the class. All these standards are comparative in nature and so, the first observations that the teacher should make is the level of understanding of stories and the interest in reading exhibited by the students prior to a change in classroom management. Conclusion Voluntary reading has been found to be an invaluable tool in literacy and even in communication skills. As such, schools have inculcated in their curriculum varying models of a free reading period for the students. However, across the board observations have shown that such reading times are not as effective as originally hoped. Thus there is a need to analyze whether students are still learning during this period. To find out, action research is employed and the students are observed whether or not their reading and comprehension skills have improved. This is done through a procedure involving a group dialogue between the teacher and the students and an activity or challenge much like organized play. The content of the students’ contribution to the dialogue and their manner of answering the challenge will show their ability to comprehend and apply the concepts inherent in the text read. References Borgia, E. T. Schuler, D. (1996). Action Research in Early Childhood Education. Eric Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Retrieved October 29, 2007 from http://www.ericdigests.org/1997-2/action.htm Braxton, B., (2006). Free Voluntary Reading. Teacher Librarian, 33 (5). Florio-Ruane, S. (2002). More light: An argument for complexity in studies of teaching and teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 53, 205–215. Kersten, J. Pardo, L. (2007). Finessing and Hybridizing: Innovative Literacy Practices in Reading First Classrooms. The Reading Teacher, 61 (2), 146-154. Krashen, S. (2006). Free Reading. School Library Journal 52 (9). Maguiness, C. Parr, J.M. (2005). Removing the silent from SSR: Voluntary reading as social practice. Journal of Adolescent Adult Literacy, 49 (2), 98-107. Mohr, M. So What is Teacher Research? Retrieved October 29, 2007 from http://gse.gmu.edu/research/tr/ Ritchie, G. The Importance of Teacher Research to the Classroom Teacher. Retrieved October 29, 2007 from http://gse.gmu.edu/research/tr/ Sullivan, A. M. (1991). The natural reading life: A high-school anomaly. English Journal, 80 (6), 40-46.