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The Effectiveness of Using Take-Home Readers to Raise Student Reading Levels Tamira BurbackUniversity of St. ThomasDr. Michael WeinmanApril, 2012Table of ContentsAbstract4Chapter 1: Introduction5Problem Statement and Background Information5Justification of Variables and Population of Interest6Self-Reflection7Justification9Definitions10Chapter 2: Literature Review12Motivating Students to Read at Home12Importance of the Teacher’s Role15Homework16Working with Parents17Importance of the Parent’s Role19Making Better Readers21Conclusion22Chapter 3: Method23Sample23Measures23Design25Procedure25Data Analysis Plan26Ethical Issues26Chapter 4: Results27Chapter 5: Discussion30Interpretation of Findings30Strengths and Limitations31Recommendations and Action Plan32References35Appendix37AbstractThe purpose of this research study was to observe whether using English leveled take-home readers would raise student reading levels in third grade bilingual students. This study included a pretest-posttest measure and survey quantitative designs during the research. In addition, students answered two qualitative surveys to assist the researcher in learning about their feelings at the end of the program. The purpose of the investigation was to explore the effectiveness of students and parents when using leveled take-home readers to create better readers in a third grade classroom. The research included a control group with 14 students and a treatment group with 13 students. Each student’s pre and posttest data was compared to show any changes in each student’s reading level. This group of students was taught how to use higher level question prompts during nightly reading assignments. Results of a t-test did not indicate a significant change in student reading levels from the use of leveled readers at home. Data did suggest that students were motivated to read more at home since they were allowed to keep some of the leveled take-home readers to add to their home libraries. Data implied that parental involvement was lacking during the study. The researcher provided recommendations and an action plan for future use. Chapter 1Problem Statement and Background InformationStruggling readers need more encouraging interactions with reading practice outside of the school day. Research has stated that reading at home with parents improves reading fluency and comprehension skills (The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, 2005). Sheldon and Epstein explained that parent-child reading activities generate a substantial improvement in language and reading skills in students from preschool age through high school (as cited in The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, 2005, p. 3). Children that live in homes where there is little time to read are not exposed to literature, and therefore have a harder time during reading instruction. Evidence by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has suggested that children who live at or near the poverty level underperform when compared to those from higher income homes (Hindin & Paratore, 2007). Getting parents involved in their child’s reading success will help strengthen the concept of homework as an extension to the school day for both students and parents. Using text that is on the student’s reading level will help the child become less intimidated about reading and want to read more frequently, both at home and school. Books, texts, and other homework must be relevant to the child in order for them to be engaged while reading and completing homework. This study examined the use of leveled take-home readers and how it affected motivation and attitudes toward reading, comprehension skills, and growth of reading levels. Does using leveled-take home readers create more encouraging interactions for struggling readers and thus boost student reading levels?Justification of Variables and Population of InterestLeveled take-home readers were used in one third grade classroom which had approximately 13 students whose reading levels extend from level C, a kindergarten reading level to level P, a third grade reading level according to Reading A to Z (2012). Students were introduced to the take-home reader homework system called Reading Rocks, which was formed by the researcher. At the first meeting, the students learned the expectations and guidelines of the new program. The purpose of the introduction meeting was to allow students to ask questions and become comfortable with what they would be doing during the research period. The goal of the research was to better recognize whether leveled readers were effective when taken home and read by students to parents after which the students answered questions about the text. Students were pre-tested by using the Writing Reading Assessment Profile (W.R.A.P.) leveled reading test (see Appendix, Figure 7) to see where each student stood before starting the program. The students in the treatment group were tested by the same test at the end of the study to find their final reading level for the research. Another class, which represented the control group, did not use leveled take-home readers, but underwent the same testing during the same time period to compare the student’s reading levels to see if the study was successful. Students who participated in the research process were based in a large suburban school district. The active participants in the study consisted of approximately 13 bilingual third grade students who received all their reading instruction in English. Included in this group was one student who was serviced by the school resource teacher in reading and math, one student who was serviced by the Dyslexia program, and two students that were serviced by the Gifted and Talented program. Thirteen of the students received free lunch and one student pays the reduced rate for her lunch. All students who participated were considered to be At-Risk since they were in the bilingual program. There were approximately 14 bilingual students in the control group who also received all of their instruction in English as well. The control group included two students that had previously been retained and one student that were serviced by the school resource teacher in reading. The researcher met with the active participant group twice weekly. Monday meeting’s purpose was to hand out new books and review expectations. The students were allowed to choose from several books that had been pulled according to the student’s current reading level. Thursday meetings consisted of students returning their books for the week and a quick question-answer session. Students were required to read their readers Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights with their parents, and then discuss and answer the higher level questioning prompts (see Appendix, Figure 7) that were in their bags. Parent interaction was welcomed on the question responses which will also be turned in on Thursdays. There were several variables other than the reading levels for the researcher. Another aspect taken into account was the amount of time and participation the parents spent helping their child with their reading homework. Motivation was an additional element the researcher contemplated during the course of this study.Self-ReflectionMy goal as a teacher is to help all of my students become better readers and thinkers. I want children to learn to have a love for reading that will empower them throughout their school career and allow them to be the best they can be in their adult life. Reading is essential whether a person is a scientist or a sports star, and I want to illustrate that concept to every child I teach. Most of the students and parents where I teach do not have a high motivation to learn. My wish is to close the gap between motivation and learning in the classroom, as well as at home. I want children to be able to read and solve their own problems at home based on the model they have been shown in class. I want to be the “invisible presence” that Vygotsky discussed when he stated that children act in collaboration with the teacher although the teacher may not be physically near him/her because they have been taught how to solve their problems independently CITATION Hak08 \p 2 \l 1033 (Hakkarainen & Bredikyte, 2008, p. 2). Releasing learning to children gradually teaches them to become responsible for their own learning, thereby preparing them to become a responsible citizen of society one day. By showing students how to do their reading at home before I assigned the task, each student was helped to better understand what they were to do at home. Once they saw what was expected of them, I found that they were able to carry out the responsibility of practicing their reading at home in order to become a better student. This gradual release model is a compilation of several different theorists, such as Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bandura CITATION Fis08 \l 1033 (Fisher & Frey, 2008). I also found that students felt more powerful and in control when they were able to be involved with the choices in their learning experiences. By having several books to choose from, I felt that each student will feel as if they have the opportunity to be in charge of their own learning, thus giving them the intrinsic desire to learn. By teaching students to become aware of their own learning at school, and then extending that learning to the home, I invited students to engage in conversation and share their thoughts about what they had read with their parents. Not only do I want to see my students succeed in the academic world, but I also want to use the reading homework time as a time for bringing family closer together and having opportunities to connect with one another. Learning has to be a shared effort between home and school in order to have more positive outcomes.Another goal of mine is to get the parents of my students involved in their child’s learning so that they can see what an important role education will play in their child’s future. Currently, the parents at my school are not always active participants in their child’s schooling. By welcoming parents to take part in their child’s school life, I am anticipating that parents will want to be more involved, not only in their own child’s learning, but also with school activities. Having parents volunteer and help with different happenings at school will help parents know they are welcome and wanted by teachers and other school employees. JustificationAfter doing an extensive search for literature to support the use of leveled take-home readers, it seemed as though very little research had been documented exclusively on the subject. An abundance of literature was found regarding homework and its effects on student’s academic and social behaviors. Some studies have been recorded involving the use of leveled readers in a school setting. The researcher wanted to make a difference in a child’s life and improve parent-school interaction. To achieve the goal of making school a team effort and involving parents in their child’s learning the researcher wishes to bring both leveled readers and homework together. Assisting children in how to use strategies to become better readers will facilitate the student’s future learning and help better prepare them for adulthood. Interacting with parents and anticipating their involvement with school activities and their own child’s achievement is a means of crossing that bridge over troubled waters. Connecting students and parents of a lower economic background with a love for reading and school can be challenging, but is not out of the reach of educators. Once students and parents experienced the pleasure of spending quality time together and saw that reading success was attainable, both parties felt motivated to move forward in reading achievement. By teaching my student strategies and skills for reading, they will be not only lifelong readers, but also lifelong learners.DefinitionsReading Rocks- Name of the program researcher will be implementing during the study. Each bag will contain the question cards and books for each student to take home and read with parents during the research.English leveled take-home reader- A text determined by a pre-assessment that is at the appropriate instructional reading level for each student. This allows for the reader to read at a level that is comfortable, yet challenging for them.Fluency- Fluency occurs when a student reads text with speed, accuracy, and proficiency. It is calculated by how many words a student reads per minute.Generating questions- This reading strategy involves requiring students to ask specific questions designed to elicit important information from texts. When students ask themselves their own questions about a text, it encourages them to read more actively and helps the student to be more engaged. Question stems may start with words such as who, what, when, where, why, and how.Graphic organizer- Graphic organizers are usually a visual chart and tools used to represent and organize a student’s knowledge or ideas. Graphic organizers can be used while reading to sequence events, analyze cause and effect, compare and contrast, or develop concepts in detail.Monitoring understanding- Monitoring comprehension is the ability of a reader to be aware if the text that is being read is making sense by using background knowledge and asking questions before, during, and after reading.Reading level- A term used to indicate the average reading skill expected of students when reading. This level is determined in an assessment given by a teacher before small group instruction begins.Reading strategy- This is a plan that is taught to students to assist them in comprehending and thinking about texts before, during, and after reading. The most common used strategies used today include using background knowledge, making connections, generating questions while reading, monitoring comprehension, determining importance, and synthesizing meaning.Writing and Reading Assessment Profile (W.R.A.P.)- W.R.A.P. is a reading/writing assessment tool to assist teachers in determining what reading and writing level each student is on at the time of assessment. This assessment helps the teacher to prepare for individualized reading and writing instruction.Chapter 2Literature ReviewMany students today are not exposed to literacy as children once were. Many families struggle to clothe and feed their children, and thus have little time to care about lengthy homework or reading long, tedious stories. Teachers and parents must come together and find ways to work jointly to prepare children to become better readers (Caravette, 2011). Research states that reading to a child from a very early age influences school performance. Studies indicate that the most valuable form of parent involvement is directly working with their child, reading and working on other learning activities (Michigan Department of Education, 2001). Educators must find a way to guide and motivate parents and students to read to succeed.Motivating Students to Read at HomeThere are many factors that affect student motivation when it comes to reading homework. Children of any background can have trouble with reading, but there seems to be a higher rate among low-income students who struggle with learning how to read. Fewer opportunities for these students, such as not being read to at an early age, have negative effects on children as they enter school (Hindin & Paratore, 2007). It is suggested that people’s beliefs about themselves help shape their achievement. Research has proposed that for beliefs to change, unpleasant experiences with school and homework must be transformed into ideas that create success for students (Margolis & McCabe, 2005). One way that teachers can help students become more motivated to read is to make tasks and texts relevant to their lives and create opportunities for children to make connections. When a student is engaged and involved, better comprehension is achieved. When asked, students prefer to write about how school materials relate to their own life rather than just about the material itself. Helping children uncover an interest while reading can enhance the development of their reading skills (Caravette, 2011). Research has shown that the two most influential instructional design factors that improve reading comprehension and motivation are students having access to numerous books and having a personal choice of what to read (Allington & Gabriel, 2012). Allowing students to have access to a wide variety of reading materials is another way to help motivate students. Having different genres available for students to take home and read enables the development of good reading habits. Klein (n.d.) suggests that programs such as Reading A-Z offer a variety of fiction and nonfiction readers that teachers can send home with students. Most of the leveled readers in the program offer an assortment of reading strategies, such as monitoring understanding, generating questions, summarizing, and the use of graphic organizers. These organizers go along with each book and can be sent home to give parents tips on how to help their child work on a specific skill while reading. This program also includes running records (see Appendix, Figure 5)on each reading level to be used by the teacher consistent with what the students are reading at home at night. Running records are a formative assessment developed by Marie Clay (2000) which helps teachers obtain a better understanding of each student’s reading progress through graphic representation, oral reading, and use of reading strategies. The W.R.A.P. (see Appendix, Figure 7) is another tool that will help students feel more comfortable while reading. By identifying each student’s individual reading level, each child will want to read more because they can read the words and comprehend the text. This instrument has been previously used in a trial performed in Pinellas County schools that proved to be useful for teachers in planning and making instructional decisions with regards to their students (Brighton Point Literacy, 2011). Giving students more choices in what they are reading and what tasks they complete helps them experience ownership of their learning. Of course students will not always get to choose every book they read, but they should be given the opportunity daily to choose something they want to read (Allington & Gabriel, 2012). In a study, students who had several assignments to choose from for homework performed better on unit assessments than those who were unable to choose CITATION Gam11 \l 1033 (Gambrell, 2011). Teachers can use the bounded choice plan, which gives four or five choices that the teacher has previously viewed to check for the appropriate reading level before sharing choices with the students. This strategy also allows for the students to learn how to choose appropriate levels for themselves. Social interaction is imperative when motivating readers. Students want to know and hear what their friends are reading; this helps students stay engaged. Letting students share for a minute with each other allows them to communicate what is happening within their own reading.Students need to be moderately challenged when reading. Providing texts that are too easy permits students to become bored, while texts that are too difficult may cause frustration. Teachers need to supply texts that will present students with evidence of progress and achievement. Researchers say that struggling readers do not fail because they lack motivation, but because they do not experience progress in their reading, or feel competent to succeed.Giving children sufficient time to engage in sustained reading is another way to help motivate struggling readers. This gives students time to become more proficient with their reading, thus becoming better readers. According to Gambrell (2011), studies have shown that the more time spent reading inside and outside of school helps with reading comprehension skills. Some students need to start with shorter reading times, and build up to the required time in order to strengthen not only their reading skills, but also their self-esteem. Incentives can be used as motivators, as long as teachers choose the right type. When thinking about incentives, teachers should choose incentives that reflect the value and importance of reading. A study showed that students who receive praise and support are more motivated to learn than those being given some tangible prizes, such as stickers or toys. Some appropriate incentives could be bookmarks, extra time to read for fun, or any incentive that shows the value of reading to the students (Gambrell, 2011). Children are like adults, if they find a certain topic exciting, it is okay if the book is too easy because it allows for the child to practice reading. On the other hand, if the book is too hard, it will allow an opportunity for a teacher or parent to read with the child and have an encouraging interaction (Caravette, 2011). Positive interactions are thought to increase motivation, which leads to students being more engaged and enjoying reading activities (Mansell, Evans, & Hamilton-Hulak, 2005).Importance of the Teacher’s RoleTeachers play a vital role in the success of students and their reading skills. Educators must stay abreast of the latest research and studies that will help students succeed at higher rates. Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) created by Fountas and Pinnell, is based on empirical research regarding reading difficulties. By learning how to use the strategic, research-based plan, teachers can provide the path to successful reading from an early age. LLI lessons support a home-school connection for teachers to send home to help parents become a part of their child’s road to reading CITATION Fou11 \l 1033 (Fountas, Pinnell, & Ward, 2011). Teachers can train parents on this program to provide the support the parent may need to assist their child while reading at home. The books that are provided are paper copies that students can keep at home to start their own book collection, or home library. Helping parents and students create their own library brings the student’s home closer to being literate. Having a literate home does not mean that one must read and write in English, it simply means valuing reading no matter what language is being spoken, and making sure that everyone picks up a book and is reading on a regular basis (United States Department of Education, n.d.). As a teacher, one must understand on what level each student resides and how to best meet the needs of each student. Before teachers can help their struggling readers, one must first know if students are at the emergent reader stage, the early reader stage, the transitional reader stage, or the self-extending reader stage. Each stage provides specific needs to be addressed for each reader. For example, transitional readers are more fluent readers and can read text with many lines. These readers usually enjoy easy chapter books (Caravette, 2011). Knowing what stage each reader is in helps the teacher find what level books are appropriate for individual students. Teachers must use their knowledge of reading and care for children to extend interactive learning not only to students, but to parents as well. Homework. According to Bailey (2006), engaging students and parents during homework assignments is essential to foster children’s thinking. Both parties must be interested in the topic to be most effective. It is the responsibility of the teacher to explain to students how it is related to what they are learning and why it is assigned. Children must understand that homework is important, and that it is a necessary way to extend their learning and not a punishment or busy work. It is also helpful for struggling readers to feel comfortable asking questions or requesting help if they are unsure of what their assignment is. Struggling students need assistance learning helpful strategies and specific steps on what to do when they are completing their reading or other work at home. It is of equal importance to teach the students how to monitor their progress and the use of strategies to see if what they are doing is working or if a new strategy is needed. Another method that could be useful for students is repeated reading. With this idea teachers would have students read the same story or text several times. A study conducted by Rasinski and Stevenson assessed this strategy, concluding that the intervention brought significant gains for the students who were at-risk for reading failure (Hindin & Paratore, 2007, p. 94). Homework instills responsibility, accountability, and self-confidence when students feel they are successful at the task assigned. One way to make homework personal is to have students set goals for themselves, permitting them to have some ownership in the situation. Teachers must create assignments that are relevant to students and allow students and their families to understand that learning does not just occur at school. For example, struggling readers are more successful with short, simple assignments, so teachers should make certain that any homework is at the independent reading level. Tasks should also be something that the student is familiar with and has done before (Margolis & McCabe, 2005). Homework should incorporate tasks that allow meaningful interactions between parents and their children; enabling collaboration between the two will move toward students becoming more independent (Bailey, Silvern, Brabham, & Ross, 2004). Working with parents. A 2003 analysis of more than 25 public opinion surveys by Public Agenda, a nonpartisan public opinion research organization, found that 65 percent of teachers say their students would do better in school if their parents were more involved, and 72 percent of parents feel that children whose parents are not involved sometimes “fall through the cracks” in school (The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, 2005). Teachers and parents must work together to help our students become better readers and learners. In order to do this, teachers must view parents as participants in their child’s learning. For this to happen, teachers must believe that home life matters, and that many goals can be accomplished by collaborating with parents to create a path to lifelong literacy for their children. One way that teachers could include parents is by making a visit to the child’s home, which might help a parent who does not have transportation, or may not have child care while they meet with the teacher. Classroom newsletters are another way of informing parents of school-related events including all classroom subjects. Having parent meetings where parents are invited to come share information, ideas, concerns, ask questions, and learn strategies to help their child become a better reader are helpful so that parents feel they are taking an important role in their child’s education. Take-home book programs are another way to include parents in their child’s learning. These sets are usually sent home with tips and questions for parents to use while reading with their children. Other suggested ways to continue family literacy include journaling between parents and their child, photo projects, and cooking (Crawford, Zygouris-Coe, & Vicky, 2006). Asking parents to become part of their child’s homework routine connects that home-to-school link that is sometimes missing. Teachers must consider how parents can improve the development of their child. One way teachers can help reconnect that missing link is to open up to parents and invite them to become a part of their child’s learning process (Checkley, 1997). Communicating with parents is essential when helping struggling readers. Teachers and parents should discuss how the student is progressing at home with homework to make sure that what is being assigned to read is not frustrating the child on a regular basis. Another way to work together with parents is to create reading goals for the student. It is also suggested to discuss positive events happening with parents, instead of focusing on negative issues all of the time (Vize, 2012). It is crucial for teachers to create a welcoming environment so that parents will come and learn about what they can do to help their children with homework. Teachers should also keep parents informed of any program structure changes, classroom and learning expectations, and extra opportunities for students to learn outside of the classroom. This can be done through parent meetings or during teacher conferences. Allowing parents to give their input about assignments and their child’s needs encourages the parent to become more involved during homework and reading times at home. Findings from a study on Interactive Homework Assignments (IHA) concluded that there is a relationship between parents learning how to help their child with their reading homework and students understanding how to infer during reading (Bailey, Silvern, Brabham, & Ross, 2004). Training parents on effective reading strategies will help parents feel more comfortable when reading with their child at home. A study concluded that the strategy used most often to help pronounce an unknown word was to tell their child the word 60% of the time; using phonetic clues only 10% of the time (Hindin & Paratore, 2007). To maximize effectiveness, all homework must be designed to interact with parents and allow them to collaborate when making decisions that affects their child’s learning (Bailey, 2006). Importance of the Parent’s RoleParent-child reading activities provide noteworthy improvement in reading skills from preschool through high school (The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, 2005). According to Bailey, et al (2004), research shows favorable student outcomes when parents take an active role in their child’s reading and homework. Studies dating from the 1960s until now establish positive learning experiences from parents being involved with their child’s work at home. One study showed parental involvement with homework to be the leading cause for improving academic performance. Another study reported that students are more likely to finish their homework if their parent is interested (Bailey, Silvern, Brabham, & Ross, 2004). According to research, when parents read to their children, it increases vocabulary. In addition to the vocabulary expansion, children expand fluency, comprehension skills, and sense of story while listening to a parent read out loud at home (Allington & Gabriel, 2012). It is important for parents to provide students with feedback, or miscues during oral reading. Parents must use feedback as an opportunity for positive input while practicing strategies that will make a better reader. During the Haringey Project, parents were encouraged to listen to their child read from two to four times a week for two years. These parents had children who made great strides in their reading compared to other students who received help from the teacher or no help at all. After three years another check-up was completed and the Haringey Project students maintained advances made during their reading times with their parents (Mansell, Evans, & Hamilton-Hulak, 2005). Another way guardians can help their child become more successful is to monitor activities such as video games or watching television. Instead of these activities, the family could read together for fun or play a game that involves some form of literacy. It is imperative that parents portray reading as something positive (United States Department of Education, n.d.). Parents should attend meetings to learn strategies to help their child become a better reader. If time is a problem, parents should feel comfortable contacting the teacher to work out a time when a meeting can be scheduled to share information, ideas, and concerns. Parents can also help their child with take-home readers by listening to the child read and follow any tips that may be included to help discuss and better understand the book more in depth (Crawford, Zygouris-Coe, & Vicky, 2006). According to the Reading A-Z website, evidence suggests that parental involvement has a positive effect on academic achievement.Making Better ReadersAccording to the Alabama research, offering homework that is interactive for both parents and students improves children’s ability to infer; thus better reading comprehension skills result (Bailey, Silvern, Brabham, & Ross, 2004). Positive feedback from parents fosters the opportunity for a child to increase his/her motivation to read and become an independent reader. The Home Repeated Reading Intervention study showed students made substantial gains through reading a story or text multiple times. All students in the study improved 4.4 levels in independent reading and 4.8 levels on reading comprehension. Pardo said “Comprehending is a complicated process. It is one of the most important skills for students to develop if they are to become successful and productive adults” (Klein,n.d., p.5). Students improved on weekly tests, but the largest gain was in fluency during the short period of time the study lasted (Hindin & Paratore, 2007). A previous study revealed the importance of having students read texts they can read accurately and understand. In this study research suggested that 98% or higher is needed for reading acceleration and anything less than 90% accuracy does not increase reading ability in any fashion. It is not the time spent with a book in a child’s hand, but the strength of successful reading that determines the progress of learning to read (Allington & Gabriel, 2012). Fluency is essential for students to master in the primary grades according to Rasinski (2011). It is associated with reading comprehension and achievement in the lower grades. Fluency is important because it leads to sustained silent reading with a higher level of comprehension. Studies show that repeated reading can lead to improved silent reading when students are held accountable for their work. Better readers also can be seen spending time reading at the appropriate level to increase reading achievement. ConclusionTraining teachers and parents strategies to use and how to interact during reading will facilitate in a positive way how students view reading and homework. Teachers can help to motivate students by collaborating with parents to share and receive ideas for developing better reading and study habits for children. Studies show that repeated reading and homework are beneficial in raising student achievement levels. By bringing the two together, the researcher can prepare instruction that allows students to read at home with their parent at their individual reading level. It is the job of teachers to empower students to go and succeed in the world, but reading is absolutely fundamental to their success.Chapter 3MethodSampleThe sample for the study was comprised of 13 bilingual third grade students from a suburban public school. The student’s ages ranged from eight to nine years of age at the time of the study. There were six males and seven females being studied in the treatment group. The control group was also made up of eight and nine year old students who were all bilingual. There were 14 students in the control group, with six males and eight females. Students who participated in the study have been chosen because the researcher was interested in how effective leveled take-home readers were for bilingual students whose reading instruction was taught in English. The students were chosen as a purposive sampling since the researcher had prior knowledge of the students to be sampled and was studying specific criterion possessed by the subjects.Permission to conduct the study was approved by the University of St. Thomas, Pasadena Independent School District (see Appendix, Figure 1), the principal of the school, and by the parents of the students. Each parent/guardian received an informed-consent form (see Appendix, Figures 2 and 3) that explained the purpose of the study and how it was to be conducted. Each parent was required to sign a form to state whether permission was granted for their child to participate. MeasuresDuring the ten week study, the researcher used several running records (see Appendix, Figure 6), as well as a grid that has choices of higher level questions prompts for students to answer when they were reading with their parents at night. The researcher also had students answer a reading inventory survey prior to starting the study. The W.R.A.P. Assesment (see Appendix, Figure 7) was performed on each student prior to and at the completion of the study at hand.Running records were used as a qualitative measure to make informative quick assessment during the study. Running records can be unreliable when they are used as the only assessment; however, during this analysis readers were assessed by running records on several occasions, making it a more reliable and valid choice of evaluation. Higher level questioning prompts (see Appendix, Figures 8 & 9) have supportive research for teaching students to ask questions before, during, and after reading. Teaching students to generate questions when reading helps to engender thoughtful and independent readers; they are more apt to comprehend the text and make connections while reading, according to Harvey and Goudvis (2000). Higher level questioning strategies revisit ideas from Bloom’s Taxonomy, which classified higher order thinking skills, and emphasized the importance of reaching the highest level of thinking in order to build knowledge and meaning. There has been much research on using questioning strategies while reading, therefore leading this method to be reliable and valid.The W.R.A.P. measured each student’s instructional reading level prior to and after the study was performed. This test has told the researcher how many reading levels each student had progressed over the duration of the study. A variety of measures were used in order to guarantee reliability and validity of the current study, although the study may be deficient in generalizability in regards to age, race, and grade.DesignA one-group pretest-posttest and survey quantitative designs was utilized for the research. The purpose of the upcoming investigation was to explore the effectiveness of students and parents using leveled take-home readers to create better readers and thinkers in a third grade classroom. The design was chosen because the survey allowed the researcher to gather information from students regarding their perspective concerning reading at home and in general. The research also included the use of the one-group pretest-posttest design which allowed testing of each student before and after the study has been conducted. Each student’s pre and posttest data was compared to show any changes in the student’s reading level. ProcedureBefore the study began the researcher gave all students in the study a reading inventory (see Appendix, Figure 4) to fill out anonymously. This allowed for the researcher to better understand what genre of books to have available for students to choose from during the research. Each student was assessed by the W.R.A.P. pre-assessment to determine the starting instructional reading level for the study. After the surveys and pre-assessments were complete, the researcher met with students to model strategies and discussed the expectations for their reading homework. After practicing together, students met with the researcher twice a week. On Mondays, the students and the researcher reviewed strategies and chose new books. The students read the books and answered questions each night with their parents on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. On Thursdays, the researcher and students met again to discuss their books and check for parental signatures. Students also had time to discuss their books with each other while running records were performed. At the end of the study, students completed an End of Program Survey (see Appendix, Figure 10) to state whether they felt this method had helped improve their reading skills and motivation to read. Students were also assessed with a post W.R.A.P. test to compare instructional reading levels.Data Analysis PlanFor this study, data were collected through surveys, running records, higher level questioning prompts, an End of Program Survey, and the W.R.A.P. Assessment. During the research all data were kept in a locked file cabinet before being transferred to the researcher’s computer. The data were collected and maintained only by the researcher and was analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods to record findings for the study. Students were assigned a number to ensure anonymity for all students. Ethical IssuesFor this study, written permission was granted by the school district, the principal of the sample school, and informed consent of the parents of the participants. The researcher met with the treatment group and explained the study and its expectations. All parents received a newsletter with study information and ideas that could be used when reading with their child. All students were assigned a number to ensure all data will be valid and reliable. No members of the sample were identified during the reporting of data or conclusions regarding the research obtained.Chapter 4ResultsThe target for this study was to discover whether using English leveled take-home readers would increase student reading levels in third grade bilingual students. One of the purposes of the investigation was to explore the effectiveness of students and parents who were using leveled take-home readers in order to create better readers and thinkers in a third grade classroom. In their classrooms students were taught how to use leveled take-home readers and question cards during nightly reading assignments with parents. The study indicated that using leveled readers at home was effective in raising student reading levels as well as the fact that parental involvement with reading homework grew during this time.During the ten week study, the researcher issued leveled take-home readers three nights a week, as well as higher level questioning prompts for students to answer while they were reading with their parents. Before each student began the study, they filled out a Reading Inventory (see Appendix, Figure 4) to inform the researcher of what genre each student preferred. The researcher performed the W.R.A.P. (see Appendix, Figure 7) on each student prior to and at the completion of the study at hand. One running record (see Appendix, Figure 5) was completed during the research period. At the end of the study, students completed another anonymous survey (see Appendix, Figure 10) to state if they felt that this method had helped improve their reading skills and motivation to read. Students were also assessed with a post W.R.A.P. test to compare instructional reading levels. Thirteen students participated in the study. Students in the treatment group had beginning reading levels that ranged from D through P. One hundred percent of the students turned in their Reading Inventory before the study started. Thirteen percent of the students moved four reading levels during the study. Thirty-four percent of the students of the students that took part in the study progressed three reading levels. Twenty percent of the participants advanced one reading level while less than 1% of them did not advance at all. The 14 students in the control group started with levels from I to M. Thirty-six percent of these students moved five reading levels during the study. Twenty-nine percent of the students moved four reading levels during the same time period. Seven percent of the students in the control group progressed three levels while 14% of the control group moved two reading levels. Another 14% percent of the class moved one reading level leaving 7% of the class not moving any reading levels.An independent-samples t-test was conducted to compare the control and treatment groups change in reading levels. There was not a significant difference in the scores for the treatment group (M= 2.62, SD= 1.45) and the control group (M= 3.14, SD= 1.66) conditions; t (25) = 0.88, p>.05. These results suggest that using leveled take-home readers does not have a statistical significance on reading levels. Specifically, our results suggest that using leveled take-home readers at home three times a week does not improve independent reading levels as Table 1 suggests below.Table SEQ Table \* ARABIC 1Comparison of Changes in Reading Levels between the Control and Treatment GroupsGroupControlTreatmentMean3.142.62Standard Deviation1.661.45Even though results suggested student reading levels were not raised by the leveled take-home readers, a student survey suggested several positive aspects about the study. According to the thirteen students surveyed, 12 of them will read the books they were allowed to keep again, ten of the students stated that they read more than usual, and eleven of the students would like to do the program again next year. The survey also suggested that students were enthusiastic about reading and being able to keep the ten Reading A-Z books for future reading at home. Another finding suggested by the survey was that students were perceived to have increased the amount of time reading at home and with their parents. Several students noted on their survey that the best part was reading with their parents, while most stated that keeping the take-home books was their favorite feature. The survey did ask what students would like to change about the program and most answered to read shorter amounts of time nightly and not having to answer questions to turn in. While the data reflect that there are a small percentage of students who encountered minimal effects or change throughout the study, the results generally support that leveled take-home readers are definitely associated with students’ reading levels in a positive way as Figure 1 portrays. Figure 1End of Program Student Survey Results.Chapter 5Discussion Interpretation of Findings Several findings were discovered from the data collected throughout the ten week study. First, the researcher observed that students' reading behaviors and attitudes improved with regard to reading at home. Next, most of the students identified that they enjoyed the process of having several different books to choose from each week to take home and read. Lastly, students appreciated having ownership of the Reading A-Z take-home readers.The findings of the study supported the idea that positive interactions can increase motivation, which lead to students being more engaged and enjoying reading activities (Mansell, Evans, & Hamilton-Hulak, 2005). In the current study students were motivated by having books to choose from so that each student could find a text he/she could enjoy. The fact that students were excited about having several books to choose from helped make them a part of the process of owning their learning. Allington and Gabriel (2012) discussed that allowing students to have a personal choice in what they read is a motivator. The researcher also modeled and practiced what she expected the students to do at home in regard to reading the readers and answering the questions. Margolis and McCabe (2005) also believe that tasks should be something that students are familiar with and have done before. The researcher gave students several books to choose from each week and allowed the students to choose what higher level question prompts (see Appendix, Figures 8 & 9) they wanted to complete each week. The researcher felt that the lack of parental participation in reading with their child may have been a reason why reading levels did not increase more. Bailey (2006) stated that it is essential that students and parents be engaged with homework in order to foster children’s thinking. If parents were interacting with their child during reading, there would have been a better chance to improve reading skills. Bailey, et al. (2004) declared that collaboration between parents and children allow meaningful interactions that would help move the student towards independence. Again, if students were given more support at home, it is possible that the outcome of the study might have been different. Students need guidance not only at school, but at home when it comes to homework. Bailey, et al (2004) indicated favorable outcomes when parents take an active role in their child’s reading and homework.Strengths and LimitationsThere were several strengths of this study. There was a high return rate for parental consents (see Appendix, Figure 2), the Reading Interest Inventory (see Appendix, Figure 4), and the End of Program Surveys (see Appendix, Figure 10). The students did a terrific job at returning their forms and both surveys. All students, except, for one returned their book bags that contained their books, questions, and reading logs (see Appendix, Figure 5) every week. There was also a high internal validity since all students were bilingual students in the third grade. An additional strength for this study would be the ability to be replicated. Other teachers could easily implement this program in their classroom to help their students become more motivated to read at home. There were also some limitations to the study. One concern was the validity of each student’s survey. Even while participants answered all surveys using an anonymous system, there was always a possibility of how honestly students would answer the survey. Students answered the surveys while in class with the researcher, but were instructed to answer honestly since there were no names on the surveys that were completed. Another concern that would limit the validity of the study is the maturation of the students, as natural intellectual changes have occurred within the students during the period of this study. Attrition affected the study due to the transient population of the school. There were several students who moved to another school during the study creating a substantial mortality rate. There were some extraneous variables that may have caused a change in the results of the study, such as students in the control group reading nightly at home.Recommendations and Action PlanThe main goal of the study was to raise independent reading levels in bilingual third graders. Although the study did not show a significant change in raising reading levels, the survey did show that students were motivated to read more and acquired a love of reading by being allowed to keep the Reading A-Z take-home readers each week. The researcher recommends that teachers using this program in the future do one of two things. One plan is that the teacher would allow students to take home their readers and read at home for the motivational aspect. This would mean that students would be expected to record the book in his/her reading log that is signed and returned to school, but be allowed to keep the book at home. A more complete idea would be to use a take-home reader for an entire week during small group instruction that targets areas of need for the students. During the small group time, have students read the book and do activities such as a thinking map. The students will take their book home to re-read for homework nightly during that week, and then be allowed to keep the book to add to their home library. Since there was little parental involvement found in the study, the students would benefit from being able to keep their book for further readings, but in addition would benefit from discussing the book with other students and the teacher in a small group setting. Since the students appreciated being able to have ownership of the take-home readers, the researcher plans on using more of these readers in her classroom. Although the idea of allowing students to keep the Reading A-Z readers for further use at home, there are some concerns to ponder. Budget is the main concern the researcher has for implementing this initiative. It costs money to print the books and make copies for students. To cut down on costs, the researcher would propose to provide students with a take-home reader every other week to that will remain at home and supplement with other readers from the basal or the leveled library. The researcher would also like to hold the students accountable for using the books. In order to do this, the students would keep a reading log which must be signed by their parents stating that the child read the book. Another way the researcher would recognize if the student had read the book would be by observations during small group instruction, or perhaps a before or after school book club.The researcher would like to introduce the latter plan to lower grade students, such as first and second graders next school year. She would like to compare how younger students react to the program. She would like to identify if the program is something that teachers could use to better prepare students to read in the lower grades; thus developing higher level readers for student moving into STAAR testing grades. The researcher also feels that the program will help motivate the students to grasp a love for reading at an early age as suggested in the study. By carrying out an additional study incorporating the lower grades next year, the researcher will have a more thorough understanding whether the idea of using leveled take-home readers is beneficial for the lower grades and would be facilitate more motivated and fluent readers. If the research produces positive outcomes, then one would want to continue the initiative in the lower grades in order to lead to better readers in the higher grades. If the program does not bring any significant outcomes, the researcher will appreciate that the use of leveled take-home readers is not advantageous for growing better readers.References BIBLIOGRAPHY Allington, R. L., & Gabriel, R. E. (2012, March). Every Child, Every Day. Educational Leadership, 69(6), pp. 10-15. Retrieved from Bailey, L. B. (2006). Interactive Homework: A Tool for Fostering Parent-Child Interactions and Improving Outcomes for At-risk Young Children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 34(2), 155-167. doi:10.1007/s10643-006-0114-yBailey, L. B., Silvern, S. B., Brabham, E., & Ross, M. (2004). The Effects of Interactive Reading Homework and Parent Involvement on Children's Inference Responses. Early Childhood Education Journal, 32(3), 173-178. doi:1082-3301/04/1200-0173Brighton Point Literacy (2011, March 31). New Heights Program. Research/White Paper. Brighton Point Literacy. Retrieved from research/Caravette, L. (2011). Portrait of the Reader as a Young Child. Children & Librarians: The Journal of the Association for Library Services to Children, 9(2), 52-57.Checkley, K. (1997). Homework--A New Look at an Age-Old Practice. 39(7). Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Retrieved September 7, 2012, from ASCD: Clay, M. M. (2000). Running Records for Classroom Teachers. Portsmouth: Heinemann.Crawford, P. A., Zygouris-Coe, & Vicky. (2006). All in the Family: Connecting Home and School with Family Literacy. Early Childhood Education Journal, 33(4), 261-267. doi:10.1007/s10643-005-0047-xFisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Chapter 1. Learning, or Not Learning, in School. In D. Fisher, & N. Frey, Better Learning Through Structured Teaching (pp. 1-16). Alexandria: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.Fountas, I., Pinnell, G. S., & Ward, E. (2011). Leveled Literacy Intervention Research and Data Collection Project 2009-2010. Portsmouth: Heinemann.Gambrell, L. B. (2011). Seven Rules of Engagement: What's Most Important to Know About Motivation to Read. The Reading Teacher, 65(3), 172-178. doi:10.1002/TRTR01024Hakkarainen, P., & Bredikyte, M. (2008, 4). The zone of proximal development in play and learning. Cultural-Historical Psycology, pp. 2-11.Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2000). Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement . Portland: Stenhouse.Hindin, A., & Paratore, J. R. (2007). Supporting Young Children's Literacy Learning through Home-School Partnerships: The Effectiveness of a Home Repeated-Reading Intervention. Journal of Literacy Research, 39(3), 307-333. doi:10.1080/10862960701613102Klein, A. F. (n.d.). Providing Differentiated Reading Instruction to Meet the Individual Needs of Students. Reading A-. Retrieved from readinga-Mansell, J., Evans, M. A., & Hamilton-Hulak, L. (2005). Developmental changes in parent's use of miscue feedback during shared book reading. Reading Research Quarterly, 40(3), 294-317. doi:10.1598/RRQ.40.3.1Margolis, H., & McCabe, P. P. (2005). Resolving Struggling Readers' Homework Difficulties: A Social Cognitive Perspective. Reading Psychology, 25(4), 225-260. doi:10.1080/02702710490512064Michigan Department of Education (2001). What Research Says About Parent Involvement in Children's Education. Michigan Department of Education.Rasinski, T., Samuels, S. J., Hiebert, E., Petscher, Y., & Feller, K. (2011). The Relationship Between a Silent Reading Fluency Instructional Protocol on Students' Reading Comprehension and Achievement in an Urban School Setting. Reading Pyshology.The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement (2005). Getting Parents Involved in Schools. Retrieved from United States Department of Education(n.d.). Literacy Development Begins at Home, With a Literate Home Environment. Retrieved from Vize, A. (2012, August 20). Why Can't My Child Read? Communication Between Teachers and Parents: Helping Your Child to Learn to Read. Retrieved from AppendixFigure 1: Pasadena Independent School District Approval FormFigure 2: Parent Consent-EnglishFigure 3: Parent Consent-SpanishFigure 4: Reading Interest InventoryFigure 5: Weekly Reading LogFigure 6: Sample Running RecordFigure 7: Sample W.R.A.P. AssessmentFigure 8: Higher Level Questioning Prompts-EnglishFigure 9: Higher Level Questioning Prompts-SpanishFigure 10: End of Program SurveyFigure 1: Pasadena Independent School District Approval FormFigure 2: Parent Consent Letter-English-85123935560 Parents, I am very excited to let you know that your child, with your permission will be participating in a study this year that will help with reading skills with your permission. This program will be called “Bags of Knowledge”. The purpose of this program is to discover if using texts on your child’s reading level three times a week will improve their reading skills. Each week your child will choose several books on their reading level to fill their bag. Along with the books, each bag will have a set of questions for your child to answers at night. Each Monday your child will bring home their bag. I ask that you spend 20 minutes Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights reading the books, discussing the books and answering the questions. Please return the books and the questions with your signature on Thursdays. Research shows that a student who reads 20 minutes a night for five nights a week will have experienced 60 days of extra reading practice by 6th grade, while a student who reads four minutes a night will have only had 12 days of extra reading practice. All students will be assigned a number in order to maintain privacy and confidentiality during and after the research. This program is voluntary and will pose no harm to your child. Research results may be published, but will not contain any identifying information about your child specifically. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with your kids during this program and expect great results! If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at (713) 740-0600.Happy reading, Mrs. BurbackGolden Acres Elementary Literacy CoordinatorPlease choose an option and sign below.__________________________My child may participate._______________I do not wish for my child to participate.-31898138222Figure 3: Parent Consent Letter-Spanish252412519050043815053975Padres,?Estoy muy emocionada de saber que su hijo/a, con su permiso va a participar en un estudio este a?o que le ayudará con sus habilidades de lectura. Este programa se llama "Bolsas de Conocimiento". El propósito de este programa es descubrir si el uso de textos en el nivel de lectura de su hijo/a tres veces a la semana, mejorarán sus habilidades de lectura.????? Cada semana su hijo escogerá varios libros en su nivel de lectura para llenar su bolsa. Junto con los libros, cada bolsa tendrá una serie de preguntas para que su hijo/a responda por la noche.????? Cada lunes su hijo/a llevará a casa su bolsa. Les pido que pasen 20 minutos el lunes, martes y miércoles por la noche leyendo los libros, hablando de los libros y contestando las preguntas. Por favor, devuelva los libros y las preguntas con su firma los jueves.????? Las investigaciones muestran que un estudiante que lee 20 minutos durante cinco noches a la semana habrá experimentado 60 días de práctica de lectura adicional para cuando llegue al 6? grado, mientras que un estudiante que lee cuatro minutos por noche tendrá sólo 12 días de práctica de lectura adicional.????? A todos los estudiantes se les asignará un número con el fin de mantener la privacidad y confidencialidad durante y después de la investigación. Este programa es voluntario y no representa un da?o a su hijo/a. Los resultados de la investigación pueden ser publicados, pero no contendrá ninguna información que identifique a su hijo/a en particular.????? Estoy muy emocionada de tener la oportunidad de trabajar con su hijo/a durante este programa y esperamos grandes resultados! Si usted tiene alguna pregunta, por favor no dude en llamarme al (713) 740-0600.?Feliz lectura,??Sra. BurbackCoordinadora de Lectura de la Primaria Golden Acres??Por favor, elija una opción y firme abajo.?____________________________Mi hijo/a puede participar?____________________________No deseo que mi hijo/a participe00Padres,?Estoy muy emocionada de saber que su hijo/a, con su permiso va a participar en un estudio este a?o que le ayudará con sus habilidades de lectura. Este programa se llama "Bolsas de Conocimiento". El propósito de este programa es descubrir si el uso de textos en el nivel de lectura de su hijo/a tres veces a la semana, mejorarán sus habilidades de lectura.????? Cada semana su hijo escogerá varios libros en su nivel de lectura para llenar su bolsa. Junto con los libros, cada bolsa tendrá una serie de preguntas para que su hijo/a responda por la noche.????? Cada lunes su hijo/a llevará a casa su bolsa. Les pido que pasen 20 minutos el lunes, martes y miércoles por la noche leyendo los libros, hablando de los libros y contestando las preguntas. Por favor, devuelva los libros y las preguntas con su firma los jueves.????? Las investigaciones muestran que un estudiante que lee 20 minutos durante cinco noches a la semana habrá experimentado 60 días de práctica de lectura adicional para cuando llegue al 6? grado, mientras que un estudiante que lee cuatro minutos por noche tendrá sólo 12 días de práctica de lectura adicional.????? A todos los estudiantes se les asignará un número con el fin de mantener la privacidad y confidencialidad durante y después de la investigación. Este programa es voluntario y no representa un da?o a su hijo/a. Los resultados de la investigación pueden ser publicados, pero no contendrá ninguna información que identifique a su hijo/a en particular.????? Estoy muy emocionada de tener la oportunidad de trabajar con su hijo/a durante este programa y esperamos grandes resultados! Si usted tiene alguna pregunta, por favor no dude en llamarme al (713) 740-0600.?Feliz lectura,??Sra. BurbackCoordinadora de Lectura de la Primaria Golden Acres??Por favor, elija una opción y firme abajo.?____________________________Mi hijo/a puede participar?____________________________No deseo que mi hijo/a participeFigure 4: Reading Interest Inventory659130239395Student Number:______________________Reading Interest InventoryRate the types of text 1 to 10 (1 = least favorite and 10 = most favorite).Fantasy____ Realistic Fiction____Mystery____ Adventure____History____Poetry____ Humor____Informational____Biography___ Persuasive_______What do you like to read about (animals, cars, recipes, etc.):1.____________________2.____________________3.____________________4.____________________00Student Number:______________________Reading Interest InventoryRate the types of text 1 to 10 (1 = least favorite and 10 = most favorite).Fantasy____ Realistic Fiction____Mystery____ Adventure____History____Poetry____ Humor____Informational____Biography___ Persuasive_______What do you like to read about (animals, cars, recipes, etc.):1.____________________2.____________________3.____________________4.____________________Figure 5: Weekly Reading LogReading Log for week of____________Name__________________________Day of the WeekName of BookParent SignatureStudent SignatureMonday8thTuesday9thWednesday10thReturn this page in on Thursday with your book and questions in your book bag.Figure 6: Sample Running Record76200-114300Figure 7: Sample W.R.A.P. Assessment1905038100Figure 8: Higher Level Question Prompts-English00Figure 9: Higher Level Questioning Prompts-SpanishFigure 10: End of Program SurveyEnd of Program Survey What did you like the most about the take-home readers program?What did you not like about the take-home readers program?Will you read the books that you were allowed to keep again?What would you like to change about the program?Did you read with your parents?Did you read more than you usually do at home during the program?Did you read more with your parents than you usually do at home during the program?Would you like to do a program like this next year? ................
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