The great thing about teaching as inquiry is the ability to pause and think at what you are doing or planning on doing and then change things when you realise what you had planned was a step ahead of what people needed.
I realised through conversations with colleagues that while they needed the PD around FM's - handy hints and trouble shooting what they really wanted was some 101 PD around understanding audiograms, hearing aid and ling refresher info. While for some staff the ling refresher will be old hat it will also serve as a reminder to check their practice to make sure they have not inadvertently got into bad habits such as not checking hearing aids individually or not doing the ling checks regularly and checking that the hearing aids are working correctly before doing the ling checks.
I will be interested to get people's feedback on the usefulness of the PD and then build on this with the PD I will do around the types of FM etc.
What the change in PD has meant for me is that I have taken the information that I had been reading in relation to refreshing my own understanding and linking it to the Assist work I do and putting this information down on paper for colleagues to be able to refer back to.
I have also had to look at what information to staff who have varied amounts of knowledge. I will be asking people to fill in a feedback form to help me see if I had aimed the information level appropriately and if it was useful information,
The following information is what all staff will get a copy off as did the interpreter prior to the meeting where I was facilitating the PD around Ling sounds, hearing aid checking, understanding audiograms.
https://docs.google.com/a/vanasch.school.nz/document/d/1_YDIexhfuKIHuLg98DGmH2QHpBs_Ylv5ZZrqS8kGvHQ/edit?usp=sharing
September 1st 2016
Following on from the PD on Tuesday my thoughts....
What went well -
having notes for people to be able to follow on with what I was talking about and having their audiograms that they could refer to make connections. There was a good balance of written and visual information although I realised afterwards that I should have had a visual for the key of the audiogram that we could have discussed further as it was knowledge that I had and assumed that others would refer to when looking at the audiogram. Discussions indicated that people were not familiar with this and often missed looking at it. I also realised that I had planned too much to be covered which meant that some of the discussion was a little rushed and some of the information such as the Ling handout has not been discussed.
I have emailed out a google forms feedback questionnaire to the staff who were at the meeting to get feedback on what was covered and also if information around the Ling sounds and testing is wanted.
For future PD I need to look at the content I am covering and how much to give as a handout and how much to talk about if I have a limited amount of time.
Sunday, 28 August 2016
Sunday, 31 July 2016
RTC's and Teacher Inquiry - how they link
Picture from :http://nickrate.com/tag/registered-teacher-criteria/
quote from above site for the image:
Inspired by how Rocky mapped her thinking out I have played around with how the 12 criteria align with teacher inquiry shown below using the graphic from Timperley’s Teacher Professional Learning and Development: Educational Practices Series, p. 26-27). The orange text boxes are the original cycle, with the pink boxes the 12 criteria matched to the best fit stage of the inquiry. The exception being criteria 1, 2 and 3 which to me are more global and integrate throughout hence how they form a mini-cycle in the middle. (I like this graphic over others as it includes specific reference to role of leaders in schools.)
This image is also from : http://nickrate.com/tag/registered-teacher-criteria/
Team Work
Last year as part of the Assist work I attended a powhiri, this custom welcomed me on to the kura and meant that I could come in to the kura as I was no longer a visitor but part of the kura whanau. I had several visits to the school meeting the parents, class teacher and senco and building a relationship with the akonga to support her self managing her new aids (with some support from school staff). One of my visits was to upskill the office staff so that they could in turn support Kitana to have optimal output from her hearing aids (making sure that they were clean and batteries changed). Discussions with Mum and also the senco and RTLB indicated that while Mum had good intentions often these fell a little short in relation to Kitana being at school and Mum being able to support Kitana with wearing of the hearing aids. Systems were put in place as mentioned above to support Kitana to develop independence and self management with her hearing aids. The initial referral supporting the use of the hearing aids was in relation to Kitana's learning. Concerns had been raised in relation to her lack of achievement and could this be to do with her not being able to access the curriculum to the same level as her peers due to her hearing loss. For me this highlighted the importance of building a relationship with Kitana and her family and her school as if we could support her to wear her aids at school ad hopefully at home, we could help her to learn to understand what was being said around her. The exposure to the two spoken languages - Te Reo and English are shown at different areas on an audiogram. If Kitana wore her aids consistently this would in turn help her to differentiate between the two language.
For me the learning around and feeling comfortable in the kura was able to be linked back to the te ara reo courses I had done at the open wananga. I realised that without those opportunities I would have felt considerably more nervous however it does raise the need for me to go back and refer to the notes I made around common phrases and conversations so that I can take the opportunity to develop my te reo further,
This year(term 2) audiology contacted me in relation to the possibility of Kitana getting an FM system at school. Kitana was wearing her hearing aids at school (above noted strategies had been successful in helping Kitana to wear her aids at school). I contacted the senco and had several email conversations about an FM system. This technology was unfamiliar to the staff at the kura so a meeting was organised (term 3, week 1) with the class teacher, senco, Mum, Kitana and myself. This meeting was an opportunity for me to come and talk to them and show them all what a personal Fm was and also an opportunity for them to ask me any questions. The day before the meeting I checked to see if we were still all set for the meeting and yes we were. Unfortunately on the day of the meeting Moira the senco contacted me to say that Kitana was not at school and they weren't able to get in contact with Mum or grandma. She asked me if I would still like to come and see her and the class teacher or would I prefer to reschedule. I asked if we could reschedule as I would like Mum and Kitana to be there so that they are involved in the discussions and decision making and not having things 'done to them'. The collaborative process provides opportunities for best outcomes for Kitana. The kura also put high importance in having the whanau involved. They are aware of the challenges involved in this but are passionate about having high expectations for their akonga. As well as acknowledging the strengths and needs of their akonga and their family. These values fit in well with my own values and beliefs and support the assist perspective too. What worked well was acknowldege that some things can take longer than first planned and that's ok if you want buy on from everyone. what next - is to have the meeting and work on next steps and who support the student, family.
The meeting has been reschedule for term 3, week 2.
PTC 9 respond effectively to the diverse language and cultural experiences, and the varied strengths, interests and needs of individuals and groups of akonga - demonstrate knowledge and understanding of social and cultural influences on learning, by working effectively in the bicultural and multicultural contexts of learning in NZ.
PTC 10 - work effectively within the bicultural context of Aotearoa NZ - specifically and effectively address the educational aspirations of akonga Maori, displaying high expectations for their learning.
update: 7.8.2016
The meeting booked for week 2, term3 - the hui for the providers went ahead. The outcome of this meeting meant that the Senco, RTLB and the public health nurse as well as the social worker for the schools now have a better understanding around what a personal fm is and the potential benefits for Kitana, the class teacher and the other students can be. During the meeting a discussion was had around Kitana not being at school when I was coming in, so we were not able to see if the hearing aids were working properly, we talked about was there a possibility that the aids weren't working and Kitana was worried what would happen if this was found out. For me this meant that we needed to reassure her that if they weren't working it wasn't a problem but further more it meant that the upskilling of the people last year in relations to checking if the aids were working had not been successful as they were not regularly being checked. In turn this lead to a discussion around how we could change this to make it work. I am going to go in next Thursday when it was already planned for me to meet with Gran, Kitana and the class treacher, I would also meet with the RTLB, Senco and the health nurse to show them how to check the hearing aids are working. This then means that there are three people who can check the aids. The senco is going to learn the hearing aid checking and not the class teacher at this stage but she will look at supporting the class teacher to learn this skill. Also from the discussions at the hui as well as applying for the inspiro fm I will also apply for the mic that can be handed around during class time, powhiri and other events at school.
my mihi and karakia - something that came out of the meeting that I need to improve is my confidence in introducing myself in te reo, I did the te ara reo courses and know my mihi but need to practice it more so I can say it more confidently. Also I need to practice saying and knowing a number of karakia as it is part of the protocol at the kura to start meetigs with a karakia (if you have not already said one for the day) it also reinforces what we have been doing at our own staff meetings.
11.8.16
I attended the meeting with Kitana, her Mum and Grandmother, the RTLB, Health nurse and the 2nd class teacher and teacher aide. The purpose of this meeting was to provide information to the whanaua about the FM and the benefits of it for the child and class teacher. It was also to take the opportunity to upskill some of the people who support Kitana with checking her hearing aids were working. At the hui it was decidied that Joce the public health nurse along with the teacher aide would learn how to check hearing aids to enable them to support Kitana having ownership of the aids and feeling confident in knowing the aids were working and how to look after them.
What went well:
Joce and Teacher aide now feel more confident at supporting Kitana to check her aids. A system has been set up to facilitate this. Mum and Grandma have a better understanding of what the FM is for and are keen for Kitana to trial one. Kitana is hopefully less worried about breaking or losing hearing aids or if they are not work - knowing what to do or who to ask.
What was a challenge:
the class teacher who works with Kitana the most was away and last year seemed to find the idea of another challenge re supporting a student with her aids to be in the too hard basket. We had set up support systems to help her but the senco acknowledged that the FM trial would be another challenge for her and was keen to get others on board to hopefully encourage her to see the potential. The other class teacher who was at the meeting was challenging in relation to her own needs that she wanted to discuss I found that by listening to what she had to say and acknowledging her suggestions (while not necessarily accepting them) meant that she seemed more willing to listen to suggestions made by other team members.
Where to next:
I need to order the equipment and once it as arrived liaise with the senco how to best bring it into the classroom and supporting the class teacher to use the equipment.
Update Nov 2016 - equipment ordered in September however I did not initially include the pass around mic which delayed the fitting. Met with Kitana and the with team supporting Kitana, class teacher, Senco, Mum and was going to meet with RTLB and Public Health Nurse to work with them re how to use the FM, unfortunately when I went to fit the FM one of the hearing aids was not working the other aid when the receiver was fitted it said it was connected however it was not giving the audio output of the FM. This was frustrating as the purpose of the meeting had been to up skill people in the use of the FM. I was able to take the non working hearing aid to get it checked and then organised to send it away and while there asked if there was a program that needed to be activated in order for the receivers to work. Audiologist was unsure so rung Phonak and it turned out that yes there was a program and it hadn't been activated. Once this had been activated I was able to return to the school on the same day and successfully connect one receiver to the roger fm. I then met with the class teacher to show her how to use it and give her the opportunity to connect and use it. The look on Kitana's face with the FM was initially turned on was priceless. She looked at me with wide eyes and a surprised look on her face. I said to her you can hear me? A huge nod and a yes was her response. She was keen to go out of the room and see if she could still hear me, which she could. The class teacher was keen to support the others to use the FM, the offer is there for her to contact me if she thinks the other teachers need support, discussed with Senco re class teacher taking the lead role in upskilling others and she thought this was a great idea as the class teacher is "tech savy" and it was a great change from last year. We decided not to introduce the pass around at that stage and I went back at a later time to introduce this. I also took the opportunity to talk with the teacher aide who said that the FM was being used. Application was submitted and awaiting a response. I do need to talk with the Senco about supporting the public health nurse and the RTLB with using the FM. I also need to liaise with Mum and Grandma re feedback from Kitana to them and their thoughts. My main point of contact has been Moira the Senco. One of our most recent conversations ended with her saying to me "thanks for how you have worked with us" to me that tells me I am doing my job. I am part of the team and while I may have areas of expertise it is my responsibility to pass these on in such a way that everyone involved feels empowered. I still think there is work to be done in making the use of the FM and the pass around mic part of everyday practice and supporting Kitana to take ownership of the system and having the confidence to ask for it to be used if it is not being used. Moira and I are in contact regarding organising a meeting with next years teacher to support them to gain and understanding around the use of the FM in the classroom and wider school activities.
update: 7.8.2016
The meeting booked for week 2, term3 - the hui for the providers went ahead. The outcome of this meeting meant that the Senco, RTLB and the public health nurse as well as the social worker for the schools now have a better understanding around what a personal fm is and the potential benefits for Kitana, the class teacher and the other students can be. During the meeting a discussion was had around Kitana not being at school when I was coming in, so we were not able to see if the hearing aids were working properly, we talked about was there a possibility that the aids weren't working and Kitana was worried what would happen if this was found out. For me this meant that we needed to reassure her that if they weren't working it wasn't a problem but further more it meant that the upskilling of the people last year in relations to checking if the aids were working had not been successful as they were not regularly being checked. In turn this lead to a discussion around how we could change this to make it work. I am going to go in next Thursday when it was already planned for me to meet with Gran, Kitana and the class treacher, I would also meet with the RTLB, Senco and the health nurse to show them how to check the hearing aids are working. This then means that there are three people who can check the aids. The senco is going to learn the hearing aid checking and not the class teacher at this stage but she will look at supporting the class teacher to learn this skill. Also from the discussions at the hui as well as applying for the inspiro fm I will also apply for the mic that can be handed around during class time, powhiri and other events at school.
my mihi and karakia - something that came out of the meeting that I need to improve is my confidence in introducing myself in te reo, I did the te ara reo courses and know my mihi but need to practice it more so I can say it more confidently. Also I need to practice saying and knowing a number of karakia as it is part of the protocol at the kura to start meetigs with a karakia (if you have not already said one for the day) it also reinforces what we have been doing at our own staff meetings.
11.8.16
I attended the meeting with Kitana, her Mum and Grandmother, the RTLB, Health nurse and the 2nd class teacher and teacher aide. The purpose of this meeting was to provide information to the whanaua about the FM and the benefits of it for the child and class teacher. It was also to take the opportunity to upskill some of the people who support Kitana with checking her hearing aids were working. At the hui it was decidied that Joce the public health nurse along with the teacher aide would learn how to check hearing aids to enable them to support Kitana having ownership of the aids and feeling confident in knowing the aids were working and how to look after them.
What went well:
Joce and Teacher aide now feel more confident at supporting Kitana to check her aids. A system has been set up to facilitate this. Mum and Grandma have a better understanding of what the FM is for and are keen for Kitana to trial one. Kitana is hopefully less worried about breaking or losing hearing aids or if they are not work - knowing what to do or who to ask.
What was a challenge:
the class teacher who works with Kitana the most was away and last year seemed to find the idea of another challenge re supporting a student with her aids to be in the too hard basket. We had set up support systems to help her but the senco acknowledged that the FM trial would be another challenge for her and was keen to get others on board to hopefully encourage her to see the potential. The other class teacher who was at the meeting was challenging in relation to her own needs that she wanted to discuss I found that by listening to what she had to say and acknowledging her suggestions (while not necessarily accepting them) meant that she seemed more willing to listen to suggestions made by other team members.
Where to next:
I need to order the equipment and once it as arrived liaise with the senco how to best bring it into the classroom and supporting the class teacher to use the equipment.
Update Nov 2016 - equipment ordered in September however I did not initially include the pass around mic which delayed the fitting. Met with Kitana and the with team supporting Kitana, class teacher, Senco, Mum and was going to meet with RTLB and Public Health Nurse to work with them re how to use the FM, unfortunately when I went to fit the FM one of the hearing aids was not working the other aid when the receiver was fitted it said it was connected however it was not giving the audio output of the FM. This was frustrating as the purpose of the meeting had been to up skill people in the use of the FM. I was able to take the non working hearing aid to get it checked and then organised to send it away and while there asked if there was a program that needed to be activated in order for the receivers to work. Audiologist was unsure so rung Phonak and it turned out that yes there was a program and it hadn't been activated. Once this had been activated I was able to return to the school on the same day and successfully connect one receiver to the roger fm. I then met with the class teacher to show her how to use it and give her the opportunity to connect and use it. The look on Kitana's face with the FM was initially turned on was priceless. She looked at me with wide eyes and a surprised look on her face. I said to her you can hear me? A huge nod and a yes was her response. She was keen to go out of the room and see if she could still hear me, which she could. The class teacher was keen to support the others to use the FM, the offer is there for her to contact me if she thinks the other teachers need support, discussed with Senco re class teacher taking the lead role in upskilling others and she thought this was a great idea as the class teacher is "tech savy" and it was a great change from last year. We decided not to introduce the pass around at that stage and I went back at a later time to introduce this. I also took the opportunity to talk with the teacher aide who said that the FM was being used. Application was submitted and awaiting a response. I do need to talk with the Senco about supporting the public health nurse and the RTLB with using the FM. I also need to liaise with Mum and Grandma re feedback from Kitana to them and their thoughts. My main point of contact has been Moira the Senco. One of our most recent conversations ended with her saying to me "thanks for how you have worked with us" to me that tells me I am doing my job. I am part of the team and while I may have areas of expertise it is my responsibility to pass these on in such a way that everyone involved feels empowered. I still think there is work to be done in making the use of the FM and the pass around mic part of everyday practice and supporting Kitana to take ownership of the system and having the confidence to ask for it to be used if it is not being used. Moira and I are in contact regarding organising a meeting with next years teacher to support them to gain and understanding around the use of the FM in the classroom and wider school activities.
Supporting students and families
Part of the Assist role is supporting families and schools in relation to assistive technology.
Recently I had the opportunity to work as part of the team supporting Tala,a student who had recently returned to NZ and lives with his Grandparents. Samoan is spoken at home. Tala had an early dagnosis but it is possible that he has not been a consistent wearer of hearing aids and therefore has not had good access to the any spoken language.
He came to assist's attention via an RTD who was working in the class that Tala was in with another child with a hearing loss. When she mentioned Tala to me and asked what to do I made a couple of suggestions based on our conversation. Firstly for her to encourage the school to suggest to Grandad that he takes Tala to his local dr and ask for a referral to the audiologist or if he was already under an audiologist that the dr was aware of ask if an appointment could be made. If this was not able to be done I could contact the audiologist to get him referred or an apportionment booked. My second suggestion was that Tala may meet the criteria for an RTD application. I asked for the class teachers email and asked the RTD to mention to the class teacher that I would be in contact in regards to coming in to do an observation and talk to him about how we could best support the child, the family and also the class teacher. This initial email opened the lines of communication, the class teacher got back in touch to say that an RTLB was also involved and he had given her my email details so we could also communicate. This then led to phone conversations and emails to fill me in on the family background and what support had been implemented so far. As I had only spoken to Grandad over the phone and not had met Grandad and we were looking at how assist could support Tala a meeting was organised with Grandad. At this meeting a plan of action was discussed in relation to what the RTLB was doing, the class teacher and assist was doing. This gave us the opportunity to talk with Grandad about any questions he might have.
what came out of the meeting: continued support with literacy (ESOL), continued support by T.A, continued support from RTLB - with books going home that were of high interest but at a level appropriate for Tala. Assist would apply for RTD support and also look at the option of a FM application.
Did I have any concerns? Yes I wasn't sure how much of what was being discussed Grandad fully understood. I could see that the school had a relationship with the Grandad and I knew that in relation to getting paperwork signed that this would be the best way to get this done.
What can I do about this? I need to find out more from the class teacher or RTLB? re their thoughts on if Grandad is understanding fully what is being discussed. I am also wondering if a Samoan interpreter could be used at our next meeting? I don't want to be disrespectful to the Grandfather but at the same time I want to know that he is understanding what is being discussed and the papers he signs.
New learning for me: Previously Tala had been called Tj but Grandad now wanted him to be called Tala as he was 'a big boy now' I need to learn if this is the norm for Samoan families re children's names, and if there are other customs that I need to be aware of.
From that meeting I have applied for Tala to be on the RTD caseload and he has been accepted. Pre FM trial forms have been sent to the class teacher and returned and an FM roger pen and receivers ordered. Unfortunately when I went fit the fm system Tala was not wearing his new hearing aids as he had been to audiology to get them. Tala was not able to tell me when he would be going to audiology. Talked with Tala about his new roger pen - I needed to keep my language simple in relation to what I knew Tala could understand eg the pen would be his, but not yet and receivers not fit his hearing aids. Need his new hearing aids. Upon ringing audiology I discovered that the new hearing aids had not arrived yet. This is being followed up and Lisa at audiology is going to let me know what has happened to the hearing aids.
For me I need to follow up - use of a Samoan interpreter is the appropriate?
- Samoan customs and protocol that I need to be aware of in my Assist role.
PTC 1 - Relationships - engaging in ethical, respectful, positive and collaborative professional relationships with akonga, colleagues, whanau and agencies, groups and individuals in the community.
PTC 2 - demonstrate commitment to the well being of all akonga - acknowledge and respect the languages, heritages ad culture of all akonga
PTC 5 - Show leadership that contributes to effective teaching and learning -undertake areas of responsibility effectively
PTC 7 - Promote collaborative, inclusive and supportive learning environment - demonstrate effective management of the learning setting which incorporates successful strategies to engage and motivate akonga. (use of the FM system)
PTC 9 - Respond effectively to the diverse language and cultural experiences, and the varied strengths, interests and needs of individuals and groups of akonga - select teaching approaches, resources, technologies and learning assessments that are inclusive and effective for diverse akonga. - use of fm technology - provide better access to what is happening in the classroom what class teacher and peers are saying, promote appropriate social interactions, opportunity to be involved.
PTC 11- Analyse and appropriately use assessment information which has been gathered formally and informally - communicate assessment and achievement information to relevant members of the learning community. - application to RTD caseload, observation for assistive technology application.
PTC 12 - Use critical inquiry and problem-solving effectively in their professional practice - critically examine their own beliefs, including cultural beliefs, and how they impact on their professional practice and achievement of akonga. - - lack of knowledge is not excuse - its an opportunity to learn and develop my understanding. (my next step)
Saturday, 23 July 2016
Friday, 22 July 2016
Handy tips to pass on to others about blogger
giving your blog a new name:
http://www.superwebtricks.com/give-new-name-and-address-to-blog/
adding tabs and labels
http://blogaholicdesigns.com/tutorials/add-blogger-posts-to-pages-navigation-menu/
https://www.youtube.com/user/BlogaholicDesigns
creating a static page :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QKaaxMyrs0
creating a static page option 2:
http://www.pirob.com/2013/01/create-static-home-page-for-blogger.html
DA 2016
PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL PLAN (Development
Agreement)
Name: Cj
Lavender-Amyes School: van Asch Deaf Education Centre Date: 2016
Criteria
|
Objective
|
Actions
and timeline
|
Support
(Prof Dvpt)
|
PTC 4
Demonstrate commitment to ongoing
professional learning and development of professional practice.
iii – initiate learning opportunities to advance personal
professional knowledge and skills.
PTC 6 Conceptualise, plan and
implement an appropriate learning programme
i – Articulate clearly the aims of their teaching, giving
sound professional reason for the adopting these aims, and implement them in
their practice.
PTC 8
Demonstrate inn practice their
knowledge and understanding of how akonga learn.
ii- provide opportunities and support for akonga to engage
with, practise and apply new learning to different contexts.
|
To
develop my knowledge around the types of FM technology that is available and
the compatibility with the various hearing aids and CI processors being used
and how it can be utilised in the classroom. To provide professional
development to staff to promote their confidence in trouble shooting and
supporting staff and students to use their equipment effectively.
|
Term
1 and Term 2 upskill my own knowledge around what is currently available.
-
Attend superregional audiology meetings where possible
-
Attend PD sessions – cochlear presentation 30th
March
-
(1.30-3.30pm),
-
- Oticon PD –
9th May (2-4pm)
-
- Phonak PD – 10th
May (3-5pm)
-
Attend ANZCED conference – talk with exhibitors re what
technology they are currently promoting and what information is available to
help with upskilling staff.
End
Term 2 survey staff as to what knowledge they currently have and areas they
need additional support with.
Term
3 – develop PD presentation and handouts for staff
-
Liaise with individual staff if their survey response
indicates a need for one to one support eg new staff not having the same
knowledge as experienced staff
-
Organise for PD (Brent from Phonak) 101 learning about the
equipment your students use – hands on?
-
Survey staff again as to their knowledge around trouble
shooting and confidence with technology their students are using.
Term
4 – write up?
|
Brent
Tustin – Phonak
Corey
Anderson – Oticon
Emma
Holden – VADEC
AODC
– Diane Carley
|
Self
Appraisal
Evaluation/comment
on achievement
|
Appraiser’s
Comments
|
||
Observation of Teaching/Task (formal
observation report attached)
Signatures:
Appraiser:
|
Date
|
Appraisee:
|
Date
|
Interesting Article Links
Interesting Articles
Below is a links to interesting articles that I can not add here in full due to copy write. Many of these articles have been read to further my own knowledge or following from a conversation with a colleague, professional development or an interest or need that has got me searching on the internet.
Fluency and comprehension:
http://www.education.com/reference/article/fluency-contributes-comprehension/
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar04/vol61/num06/Creating-Fluent-Readers.aspx
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/common-questions-about-fluency
https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiJqPSiy4XOAhUBxJQKHfJuADkQFggaMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aacps.org%2Ftesting%2Fresearchbriefs%2FAction%2520Research%2520Paper%2520McConnaughhay%2520-%2520BR.doc&usg=AFQjCNEh00qwHsfjoXWXbsEwUzuZ-ePqkQ&bvm=bv.127521224,bs.1,d.dGo
Below is a links to interesting articles that I can not add here in full due to copy write. Many of these articles have been read to further my own knowledge or following from a conversation with a colleague, professional development or an interest or need that has got me searching on the internet.
Fluency and comprehension:
http://www.education.com/reference/article/fluency-contributes-comprehension/
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar04/vol61/num06/Creating-Fluent-Readers.aspx
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/common-questions-about-fluency
https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiJqPSiy4XOAhUBxJQKHfJuADkQFggaMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aacps.org%2Ftesting%2Fresearchbriefs%2FAction%2520Research%2520Paper%2520McConnaughhay%2520-%2520BR.doc&usg=AFQjCNEh00qwHsfjoXWXbsEwUzuZ-ePqkQ&bvm=bv.127521224,bs.1,d.dGo
Fluency in reading
Following an observation of a team member and the discussion around fluency and the view that the person seemed to have in relation to fluency eg that it was about reading faster. This lead on to was the student capable of doing this based on how they had read a supposedly familiar text? In this case the answer was no the student was having issues recognising and decoding the words so the chances of him reading fluently were slim Why was this? Because "Reading fluency is composed of 3 main components: speed, accuracy, and prosody. Let’s take a look at each of these: Speed – Fluent readers read at an appropriate rate of speed for their age or grade level (usually measured in words per minute or wpm). They visually scan 3+ words ahead when reading aloud, and maintain smooth visual tracking line to line. Accuracy – Fluent readers have highly automatic word recognition, and the skills to sound out unfamiliar words; dysfluent readers make frequent mistakes, have poor word recognition, skip words, substitute similar-appearing words, and struggle with unfamiliar words. Prosody – Fluent readers use prosody (pitch, stress, and timing) to convey meaning when they read aloud; dysfluent readers typically use less expression, read word by word instead of in phrases or chunks, and fail to use intonation or pauses to “mark” punctuation (e.g. periods, commas, and question marks)". Reading Fluency What is it and Why is it Important? By Linda Balsiger, M.S., CCC-SLP http://www.bendlanguageandlearning.com/Reading%20Fluency.pdf
This discussion also brought into focus the importance of knowing where your students are at, what they are capable, the challenges they are facing and with this the need for us to be able to prioroites when we are visting a child only once a week. We need to have good communication with the class teacher so that we are on the same page as to what the priority needs of the student are.
What this meant in my feedback to the team member was that I felt they needed to look back at the reading they had done around fluency and think about what it meant in relation to the student they were working with. It also meant that I was suggesting to them that they need to look at what they are focusing on with the student eg 'th' being omitted of words at the end and planning and teaching an activity when the child didn't have hearing aids on. But also where were the links between what he saw as the students needs and the student being able to practice these new skills to embed the learning.
What it meant for me was that I went back and double checked my own understanding around fluency and also the perspective of top down or bottom up approach for this student as the team member said he was using the bottom up approach with the student but I couldn't see evidence of this.
My readings on both approaches made me think in this students case he would benefit from an integrated approach especailly as the team member was only seeing him once a week
The where to from here: want to see evidence that the team member has gone back to the articles on fluency that he has read and reflected on how this would work with the particular student mentioned above. Would like to see evidence of discussions with class teacher where an agreement is made about the priority needs of the student.
Further readings on fluency:
http://www.education.com/pdf/fluency-contributes-comprehension/
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar04/vol61/num06/Creating-Fluent-Readers.aspx
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/common-questions-about-fluency
https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiJqPSiy4XOAhUBxJQKHfJuADkQFggaMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aacps.org%2Ftesting%2Fresearchbriefs%2FAction%2520Research%2520Paper%2520McConnaughhay%2520-%2520BR.doc&usg=AFQjCNEh00qwHsfjoXWXbsEwUzuZ-ePqkQ&bvm=bv.127521224,bs.1,d.dGo
This discussion also brought into focus the importance of knowing where your students are at, what they are capable, the challenges they are facing and with this the need for us to be able to prioroites when we are visting a child only once a week. We need to have good communication with the class teacher so that we are on the same page as to what the priority needs of the student are.
What this meant in my feedback to the team member was that I felt they needed to look back at the reading they had done around fluency and think about what it meant in relation to the student they were working with. It also meant that I was suggesting to them that they need to look at what they are focusing on with the student eg 'th' being omitted of words at the end and planning and teaching an activity when the child didn't have hearing aids on. But also where were the links between what he saw as the students needs and the student being able to practice these new skills to embed the learning.
What it meant for me was that I went back and double checked my own understanding around fluency and also the perspective of top down or bottom up approach for this student as the team member said he was using the bottom up approach with the student but I couldn't see evidence of this.
My readings on both approaches made me think in this students case he would benefit from an integrated approach especailly as the team member was only seeing him once a week
The where to from here: want to see evidence that the team member has gone back to the articles on fluency that he has read and reflected on how this would work with the particular student mentioned above. Would like to see evidence of discussions with class teacher where an agreement is made about the priority needs of the student.
Further readings on fluency:
http://www.education.com/pdf/fluency-contributes-comprehension/
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar04/vol61/num06/Creating-Fluent-Readers.aspx
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/common-questions-about-fluency
https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiJqPSiy4XOAhUBxJQKHfJuADkQFggaMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aacps.org%2Ftesting%2Fresearchbriefs%2FAction%2520Research%2520Paper%2520McConnaughhay%2520-%2520BR.doc&usg=AFQjCNEh00qwHsfjoXWXbsEwUzuZ-ePqkQ&bvm=bv.127521224,bs.1,d.dGo
The Relationship Between Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension for Third-Grade Students - Carla M. McConnaughhay 2008
The Relationship Between Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension for Third-Grade Students
By Carla M. McConnaughhay
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Master of Education
May 2008
Graduate Programs in Education
Table of Contents
List of Tables
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i
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Abstract
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ii
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I. Introduction
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1
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Statement of the Problem
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3
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Statement of Research Hypothesis
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3
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Operational Definitions
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3
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II. Review of the Literature
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4
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4
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Decoding
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5
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Reading Fluency
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6
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Reading Comprehension
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8
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The Relationship between Reading Fluency and
Comprehension
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10
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Reading Instruction
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13
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Summary
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14
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III. Methods
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15
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Design
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15
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Participants
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15
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Instruments
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16
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Procedure
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18
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IV. Results
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21
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V. Discussion
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22
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Implications
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23
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Threats to Validity
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24
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Comparison with Other Research
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26
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Recommendations for Future Research
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27
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References
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29
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List of Tables
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20
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22
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension. A correlational study design was used. Participants in the study were 50 third-grade students who were enrolled in one suburban public elementary school. Of the 50 students involved in the study, 31 were females and 19 were males. Data regarding students’ performance on the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, Sixth Edition (DIBELS) and the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Reading Assessment 2, comprehension section was collected and analyzed using the Pearson correlation. The analysis showed a significant relationship between third-grade students’ reading fluency rates and reading comprehension performance. The study also examined the DIBELS instructional categories (at risk, some risk, low risk) in relation to the comprehension assessment levels (basic, proficient, advanced) using a simple analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results from the ANOVA revealed that the instructional categories were highly related to the mean comprehension score and level of performance. Recommendations for future research include using a different comprehension measure, selecting participants from a different grade level, and conducting an experimental study using a fluency intervention.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Overview
The ultimate goal of reading is comprehension and understanding. In third grade instruction begins to shift from learning to read, to reading to learn. When students reach middle school a reduced amount of time is spent on comprehension strategies and skills, and students are expected to understand what they are reading. As a result, many students struggle with reading comprehension.
Research has been done to identify ways to solve this problem. Different interventions have been developed and there are numerous articles and books written on which strategies and techniques can best teach children to understand what they are reading. Comprehension is the basis for reading, and in order for students to obtain and use effective comprehension skills and strategies they must possess a variety of skills, including decoding and fluency (Pardo, 2004).
In recent years fluency has become a topic of interest in education. It is often believed that fluency can be the link between decoding and comprehension. Decoding refers to a child’s ability to recognize words. Word recognition skills can be taught through phonemic awareness and phonics. For many readers problems with word recognition can lead to problems with fluency, which can lead to problems with comprehension. According to Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn (2001), less fluent readers focus their attention on decoding words, leaving less attention for comprehension. When students begin to develop decoding skills and word recognition becomes natural and automatic, gains in fluency and comprehension can be made. Fluency also allows the reader to see that meaning is not only carried through by words, but by expression, punctuation, and phrasing (Rasinski, 2003). Once a student can learn to accurately, effectively, and effortlessly decode words he or she can begin to naturally read passages and stories, and can focus on understanding.
The relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension is of considerable interest because it has significant implications for assessment (Wood, 2006). Due to the fact that high-stakes testing is timed, it is very important that students are reading the testing material quickly and accurately, and are able to comprehend what they are reading. A recent study by Wood found a strong relationship between oral reading fluency and performance on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) for third, fourth, and fifth graders. The CSAP is designed to measure reading comprehension and to assess state standards in reading comprehension at each grade level. It was found that oral reading fluency predicted CSAP reading performance equally well for third, fourth, and fifth grade, indicating that the relationship between fluency and comprehension is consistent across the intermediate grades (Wood). Results of this study support the idea that short “curriculum-based measures of reading fluency can provide important indicators of the abilities required to perform well on standards-based reading achievement tests” (Wood, p. 100). This demonstrated relationship between fluency, comprehension and reading performance suggests that fluency instruction and interventions can have an effect on reading comprehension and increase reading assessment scores.
Statement of the Problem
This study examined the relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension. The study was designed to determine if students’ fluency rates are related to their reading comprehension.
Hypothesis
There will be a significant relationship between third-grade students’ reading fluency rates and reading comprehension performance.
Operational Definitions
Reading comprehension performance was defined in this study as a student’s overall score on the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Reading Assessment 2, comprehension section. The scores were calculated into percentages. Percentages were defined by the county reading office as follows: scores of 59% and below are “basic,” scores 60% to 79% are “proficient,” and scores 80% and above are “advanced.”
Reading fluency was measured by students’ performance on the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, Sixth Edition (DIBELS). DIBELS defines fluency rate as the number of correct words read per minute. Fluency rates are divided into three categories: at risk, some risk, and low risk. An oral reading fluency score of 66 or fewer correct words read per minute is considered “at risk.” A score between 67 and 91 correct words read per minute is defined as “some risk,” and an oral fluency score of 92 or higher is “low risk.”
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
This literature review examines the relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension. The first section offers an overview of the components in reading. A brief synopsis about decoding is examined in section two. Section three provides an introduction to reading fluency. In section four reading comprehension as well as instructional practices and strategies are discussed. Section five explores the relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension. Reading
Decoding
Decoding is the process of recognizing letters and sounds in order to read words. Effective readers use decoding skills to translate printed text into the sounds of language. These skills involve instruction in phonics, phonemic awareness, and word recognition. As decoding skills become more proficient for a child, less attention can be spent on identifying what a word is and more time can be spent identifying what the word means.
Fluency is seen as the link between decoding and comprehension. Problems with fluency may stem from poor decoding skills. A recent study conducted by Rasinski and Padak (1998) reviewed a large number of remedial readers and found almost all the children were well below grade level in comprehension, decoding, and fluency. Fluency was the biggest area of concern due to the lengthy manner in which the students decoded the words and read the passages. Since decoding and word recognition skills were so poor, it made it difficult for the students to comprehend any of the passages (Rasinski & Padak). Students may view reading as pronouncing words correctly and may not focus on comprehension. When students read words automatically they have good accuracy, and speed is not interrupted by frequent attempts to decode words. This automatic reading can free a student’s attention to focus on comprehension skills and strategies, and can promote a better understanding of the text.
Reading Fluency
Reading fluency is the ability to read text accurately and quickly (Hudson, Lane, & Pullen, 2005). It is a set of skills that allows readers to rapidly decode text while maintaining high comprehension (Hudson et al.). Fluency also involves reading a text with proper expression. There are three major components of fluency: accuracy, which refers to the person’s ability to read words correctly; rate, the speed a person reads; and prosody, which is commonly referred to as reading with feeling and involves the stress, intonation, and pauses when reading (Hudson et al.; Rasinski, 2006). Fluency is often considered the bridge between word recognition and comprehension (Armbruster et al., 2001; Pikulski & Chard, 2005; Walczyk & Griffith-Ross, 2007). According to Rasinski, “readers must be able to decode words correctly and effortlessly and then put them together into meaningful phrases with appropriate expression to make sense of what they read” (p. 704). A recent study conducted by Eldredge (2005) suggested that phonemic awareness and word recognition were a precursor of fluency. Kuhn (2004) believes one important reason for the need of fluency instruction is that fluent readers no longer have to decode the majority of the words they encounter, but instead can recognize words accurately and automatically. This can allow for readers to shift their focus to comprehension and provides the main reason why fluency is so important.
Instruction and Interventions
Fluency instruction includes modeling oral reading rates, providing direct instruction, providing readers with text at their independent reading level, providing multiple opportunities to repeatedly read familiar text independently, and providing opportunities to practice reading (Chard, Vaughn, & Tyler, 2002; Hudson et al., 2005; Kuhn, 2004). Instruction should also provide word-study activities to build accuracy. Fluency is not a reading program itself, but “part of a comprehensive reading program that emphasizes both research-based practices and reading for meaning” (Hudson et al., p. 708). This implies that fluency should be woven into all aspects of reading instruction.
Modeling is a very important aspect of fluency instruction. Students need to hear and see what fluent reading sounds like. Modeling is the basis of all good fluency instruction. Teachers can implement daily classroom practices such as read alouds, books on tape, and partner or buddy reading to provide modeling (Armbruster et al., 2001). By using guided oral instruction, fluency can also increase. Some techniques include choral, echo, phrase, and punctuation reading (Armbruster et al.). All of these methods provide practice with accuracy, rate, and prosody.
Another method of fluency instruction is the use of repeated readings. With repeated readings students read a passage or story several times and are given guidance and instruction from their teacher. According to researchers, repeated reading can be a useful technique when instructing students to read fluently (Armbruster et al., 2001; Chard et al., 2002; Hudson et al., 2005; Kuhn, 2004; Rasinski, 2006). The National Reading Panel investigated two approaches to teaching fluency: repeated reading and independent silent reading. It was found that repeated reading improved overall fluency and reading achievement, as well as comprehension (Armbruster et al.).
Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension can be defined as the level of understanding of a passage or text (Bouchard & Trabasso, 2003). It is a “process in which readers construct meaning by interacting with text through the combination of prior knowledge and previous experience, information in the text, and the stance the reader takes in relationship to the text” (Pardo, 2004, p. 272). The ultimate goal of reading is to understand what has been read (Nation & Angell, 2006). Comprehension is the reason for reading. It involves a complex process that includes many skills and strategies (Kolić-Vehovec & Bajšanski, 2006; Nation & Angell; Pardo). To be a good reader it is critical to not only be able to identify the words, but to understand them as well. If readers can read the words, but do not understand what they are reading, they are not really reading. This process requires a numbers of skills, from recognizing individual words to “forming a coherent and cohesive mental model of a text” (Nation & Angell, p. 86). Effective reading comprehension is the culmination of mastering vocabulary, phonics, fluency, and reading comprehension skills (Dougherty-Stahl, 2004).
Instruction and Strategies
Effective instruction includes direct explanation, modeling, guided practice, and application (Armbruster et al., 2001; Bukowiecki, 2007; Kolić-Vehovec & Bajšanski, 2006). Comprehension skills should be taught and applied before, during, and after reading takes place (Bukowiecki). Instruction in comprehension can help students understand what they have read, remember what they have read, and communicate to others what they have read (Armbruster et al.). A primary method of teaching reading comprehension is modeling reading comprehension skills, a technique that accelerates the improvement of reading comprehension. Teachers must model effective comprehension strategies. According to Armbruster et al., “text comprehension can be improved by instruction that helps readers use specific comprehension strategies” (p. 49). Bukowiecki further asserts, “classroom instructors must model and directly teach students specific strategies that will enable them not only to understand the meaning of individual words, but also to comprehend the meaning of the entire text” (p. 61).
Comprehension strategies must be explicitly taught, and scaffolding should be used to ensure appropriate utilization of the strategies (Dougherty-Stahl, 2004). Effective strategies include making predictions, drawing conclusions, making inferences, monitoring and clarifying, asking questions, connecting events to prior knowledge, visualizing, and summarizing (Nation & Angell, 2006). Dougherty-Stahl reported that good readers apply numerous comprehension strategies such as predicting, visualizing, making inferences, monitoring, synthesizing, and summarizing. These strategies “have the potential to provide access to knowledge that is removed from personal experience” and allows readers to understand and recall more of what they read (Dougherty-Stahl, p. 598). In a recent study conducted by Kolić-Vehovec and Bajšanski (2006), upper elementary school children’s use of comprehension monitoring, a strategy used by readers to monitor their understanding as they read, revealed a significant improvement in text-level comprehension. The correlations showed that comprehension monitoring is considerably and consistently associated to reading comprehension for upper elementary school-aged children (Kolić-Vehovec & Bajšanski). Furthermore, reading comprehension can be developed by teaching comprehension strategies and by helping readers use those strategies, flexibly and in combination (Armbruster et al., 2001; Bukowiecki, 2007). By providing direct explanation, modeling, guided practice, and application teachers can ensure the comprehension success of their students.
The Relationship between Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension
Poor Fluency Can Have an Effect on Reading Comprehension
Comprehension is not guaranteed with fluency, but it is difficult without fluency. If a reader has to frequently stop to figure out unknown words, most likely the reader will not remember or understand much of what is read (Perfetti, 1985, 1999; Pikulski & Chard, 2005; Samuels & Flor, 1997). Often students skilled in comprehension read faster than students with poor reading comprehension (Jenkins, Fuchs, van de Broek, Espin, & Deno, 2003). Fluent readers recognize words and comprehend at the same time, whereas less fluent readers must focus their attention on figuring out the words, leaving them little attention for understanding the text (Armbruster et al., 2001; Perfetti; Samuels & Flor). When gains are made in fluency, readers can focus their attention on comprehension and understand more of what is read (Pikulski & Chard).
If children are too focused on word reading, then little remains for higher-level comprehension (Pikulski & Chard, 2005). Two theories, the automaticity theory (Samuels & Flor, 1997) and the verbal efficiency theory (Perfetti, 1985, 1999), highlight the harmful effects of inefficient fluency skills on comprehension. According to both theories, beginning readers first concentrate on word reading and gradually shift their attention to what they read and understand (Perfetti; Samuels & Flor). Perfetti suggested that when readers focus attention heavily on decoding accurately, less attention is available for comprehension. However, when decoding becomes automatic, requiring little attention, more attention may be allocated for comprehending a text (Perfetti). Thus, a direct relationship can be assumed between fluency and reading comprehension.
According to Hudson et al. (2005), each aspect of fluency has a clear connection to reading comprehension. For example, inaccurate word reading can lead to misinterpretations of the story, poor automaticity can strain the reader’s ability to construct ongoing interpretation of the story, and poor prosody can lead to confusion through inappropriate groupings of words or the inappropriate use of expression (Hudson et al.).
Fluency Instruction Can Have an Effect on Reading Comprehension
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) found a close relationship between fluency and reading comprehension (Armbruster et al., 2001). A representative sample of the nation’s fourth-grade students who scored low on fluency measures also scored low on comprehension measures (Armbruster et al.). This suggests that fluency is often neglected in many classrooms across the country and may be affecting many students’ reading comprehension. All three fluency areas -- accuracy, rate, and prosody -- need to be developed for effective comprehensive reading instruction for students (Hudson et al., 2005). Although some readers may recognize words automatically in isolation or on a list, they might not read the same words fluently when they appear in context. It is important to provide students with instruction and practice in fluency as they read (Pikulski & Chard, 2005). A study conducted by Jenkins et al. (2003) revealed that context fluency, which is accurately reading words in context, was a stronger predictor of comprehension than list fluency. The study suggested that “context fluency captures significant comprehension processes beyond those measured by pure word-list fluency” (Jenkins et al., p. 725). These findings can allow teachers to use a measure of context fluency to estimate overall reading comprehension.
According to Reutzel and Hollingsworth (1993), fluency development showed a positive effect on second graders’ reading comprehension. The study assessed the effects of developing second-grade students’ oral reading fluency using the oral recitation lesson (ORL) and the effects that fluency training had on reading comprehension (Reuzel & Hollingsworth). Results of this study found that the performance of students who participated in the ORL group was “superior to that of the control group” (Reutzel & Hollingsworth, p. 329), suggesting fluency development had a strong effect on reading comprehension (Reutzel & Hollingsworth).
Repeated reading is considered the most commonly recommended procedure for improving reading rate (Armbruster et al., 2001). Repeated reading of text aimed at developing fluency also may be related to improvement in students’ reading comprehension (Reutzel & Hollingsworth, 1993). When accuracy and reading rate are considered together, reading rate accounts for a significant difference in reading comprehension, suggesting that rate is more related to comprehension than accuracy (Jenkins et al., 2003). A study conducted by O’Conner, White, and Swanson (2007) found that repeated reading not only improved reading rate, but also word identification and reading comprehension for below-level readers in grades two through four. This suggested that repeated and monitored oral reading improved reading fluency and overall reading achievement.
Reading Instruction
Effective reading instruction involves numerous components, including phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Teachers are responsible for modeling appropriate reading skills. According to Bukowiecki (2007), no matter the “age, grade level, and reading proficiency of the student, the teacher is a valuable component in the reading act” (p. 59). Teaching decoding skills, helping students to build fluency, building and activating prior knowledge, teaching vocabulary words, motivating students, and engaging students in personal responses to the text are all considered effective methods of instruction (Pardo, 2004). It is the educator’s responsibility to ensure that effective methods are employed and strategically taught.
Summary
The ability to read is crucial for a student’s success both in and out of school. Effective reading instruction is necessary for success in reading. In the classroom, it needs to be recognized that knowing how to read is much more than being able to identify the words on a page; it is being able to understand what is being communicated as well. Thoughtful attention to fluency can have a positive impact on reading comprehension. The ability to read fluently can increase reading comprehension, and by focusing on fluency instruction, educators can impact reading achievement.
CHAPTER III
METHODS
The purpose of this research study was to determine whether or not a relationship exists between reading fluency and reading comprehension, and, if so, to what degree.
Design
The study used a correlational design in order to gain insight into the relationship between two variables: reading fluency and reading comprehension. Participants in this study completed two measures that assessed their level of reading fluency and reading comprehension. The results of both assessments were then correlated to determine the relationship between the variables. Both assessments were completed over a three-week period.
Participants
The participants used for this research were 50 third-grade students ranging in age from eight to nine years old from Manor View Elementary School
The participants were selected randomly from a group of 92 students using a table of random numbers. This ensured a random sample was used to conduct the study.
Instruments
This study used two instruments: the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, Sixth Edition (DIBELS) and the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Reading Assessment 2, comprehension section, for third grade.
DIBELS is designed to be given individually to students in grades kindergarten through third. It is intended to identify and monitor those students who are unlikely to meet state reading standards in third grade. DIBELS consists of seven different assessments: Letter Naming Fluency, Initial Sound Fluency, Phoneme Segmentation Fluency, Nonsense Word Fluency, Oral Reading Fluency, Oral Retelling Fluency, and Word Use Fluency. Normative data was collected between 1997 and 2001 by the Early Childhood Research Institute at the University of Oregon University of Oregon
The researcher used DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency (DORF) to conduct an assessment of students’ reading fluency. The DORF is a standardized test of accuracy and fluency. Passages used in the DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency measures were gathered from the Test of Oral Reading Fluency. Readability was determined using the Micro Power & Light readability software, and Spache readability was used to revise and refine passages to keep the readability in a target range for each grade (Good & Kaminski, 2002). Passages included both fiction and nonfiction stories.
The official DIBELS web site (University of Oregon
The Anne Arundel County Public Schools Reading Assessment 2 for third grade is a group administered, timed assessment. It is designed to measure student performance in reading. Standards, indicators, and objectives are within the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum for Reading
Test items for the Reading Assessment were purchased from a standardized item bank published by Harcourt. The items were selected by p-values. The p-value refers to the test item’s difficulty level. It is calculated as the proportion of a specific group that answers a test item correctly. p-values range in value from 0.0 to 1.0, with lower values corresponding to more difficult items and higher values corresponding to easier items. During test construction, the Anne Arundel County Reading Office attempted to average out the p-values so that the test was close to a 0.6 p-value. This information only applies to the selected response items. The Reading Office constructed the brief-constructed-response items, so they are less reliable statistically. The Anne Arundel County Testing and Accountability Office has run studies that indicate the benchmark assessments are very good predictors of MSA success, believed to be a 0.8 correlation (K. Callison, personal communication, February 17, 2008).
Procedure
Student performance on DIBELS was measured by having students individually read three different passages aloud for one minute. The researcher informed the participants they would be reading three different stories aloud and would be timed for one minute on each story. The researcher pointed to the first word of the first passage, asked the student to begin, and started the stopwatch when the student said the first word. Words omitted, substituted, and hesitations of more than three seconds were scored as errors. When the minute was up, a bracket was placed after the last word provided by the student. The number of correct words per minute was the oral reading fluency total for that passage and was recorded. The procedure was repeated for the next two passages. The median score of the three passages was recorded as the oral reading fluency rate. The rate was divided into three categories: at risk, some risk, and low risk. An oral reading fluency score of 66 or less was considered “at risk.” A score between 67 and 91 correct words read per minute was defined as “some risk,” and an oral fluency score of 92 or higher was “low risk.”
Participants were given 65 minutes to independently complete the reading comprehension assessment. Students were instructed to read five short passages and had to answer 17 selected-response and four brief-constructed- response items. The participants recorded their answers for the selected- response items on a scantron answer sheet, and brief-constructed-response items were answered on a separate response sheet. The selected-response items were scored using a scantron machine. The brief-constructed-response items were scored by four third-grade teachers using a rubric system of 3, 2, 1, or 0, three being the highest score possible. A scoring tool and sample responses were provide by the test maker and used during scoring. Results of the comprehension assessment were scanned for each participant and student profile sheets were created. The scores were calculated into percentages and the county reading office defined each percentage as follows: 59% and below is a “basic” score, 60%-79% is a “proficient” score, and 80% and above is an “advanced” score.
CHAPTER IV
RESULTS
The purpose of this research study was to determine whether or not a relationship exists between reading fluency and reading comprehension, and, if so, to what degree. The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, Sixth Edition (DIBELS) was used to measure reading fluency and the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Reading Assessment 2, comprehension section, was used to measure reading comprehension. Fifty third-grade students were randomly selected and results of both assessments were analyzed using a Pearson correlation. The results of the analysis are presented in Table 1 below.
Table 1
Pearson Correlation Between DIBELS Fluency and
AACPS Reading Assessment 2, Comprehension Section
Measures
|
Pearson Correlation
|
DIBELS Fluency
|
0.783*
|
AACPS Reading Assessment 2, Comprehension Section
|
*p < 0.001
The data supports the hypothesis that there will be a significant relationship between third-grade students’ reading fluency rates and reading comprehension performance.
CHAPTER V
DISCUSSION
The purpose of this research study was to determine whether or not a relationship exists between reading fluency and reading comprehension, and, if so, to what degree. The results suggested a significant relationship between third-grade students’ reading fluency rates and reading comprehension performance. Based on the analysis of the data using the Pearson correlation, the relationship between the scores on the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, Sixth Edition (DIBELS), and the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Reading Assessment 2, comprehension section, was statistically significant (r = .783, p < 0.001). This indicated that the strength of association between the variables (fluency and comprehension) was very high and the correlation coefficient was significantly different from zero (p < 0.001). “p < 0.001” means that the probability was less than 0.1 percent that the observed relationship was due to chance alone. In summary, a higher score on the DIBELS was associated with a higher score on the comprehension assessment, and a lower score on DIBELS was related to a lower score on the comprehension assessment.
A further analysis was used to investigate the DIBELS instructional categories (at risk, some risk, low risk) in relation to the comprehension assessment levels (basic, proficient, advanced). A simple analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine if there was a significant difference among the DIBELS instructional categories and the means of the comprehension scores. The results of the analysis are presented in Table 2 below.
Table 2
Simple Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) between
DIBELS Instructional Categories and
Comprehension Assessment Mean Scores and Levels
DIBELS Instructional Categories
|
Comprehension Mean (%)
|
Comprehension Assessment Level
|
Low Risk
|
87%
|
Advanced
|
Some Risk
|
76%
|
Proficient
|
At Risk
|
38%
|
Basic
|
Results from the ANOVA revealed that the instructional categories were highly related to the mean comprehension score and level of performance. Students in the “at-risk” category for DIBELS scored significantly lower on the comprehension assessment than those students in the “some-risk” and “low-risk” category.
Implications
This study is very valuable from an educator’s perspective and provides helpful data for reading instruction. The results indicate how important fluency is for a reader and how it can be related to achievement in reading comprehension. Comprehension is a complex process and by focusing some attention on fluency skills during reading instruction, a teacher can help ease this process.
The instructional categories provided by DIBELS can be a useful tool for any teacher. Teachers could give DIBELS in the early part of the school year and determine who their “at-risk” students are. Once a teacher has indentified that subgroup, efforts could be made to work on fluency skills as well as comprehension strategies. These categories could also be used to predict the outcome for the comprehension assessment. Preventive measures could be taken to aid these students in both fluency and comprehension. Additionally, specific interventions in fluency might be used with the “at-risk” students. It is also important to note that if a student is a fluent reader, less attention could be focused on fluency skills and more to other comprehension skills and strategies, such as vocabulary development.
Threats to Validity
There are several threats to validity in this study. Both measures used lack technical evidence for validity and reliability. Most of the validity and reliability for DIBELS was reported by the maker of the test and can be found on their website. According to Brunsman (2004), the documentation provided by DIBELS for the reliability of the scores and the evidence of validity for the described purposes is inadequate. Furthermore, Brunsman argues that additional information on the reliability and validity is insufficient to support the use of the DIBELS instructional categories and that the developers did not describe any studies investigating the predictive relationship of DIBELS scores to state assessments of reading standards.
The Anne Arundel County Public Schools Reading Assessment 2 for third grade was developed by reading teachers in the county and has little evidence of reliability and validity. Although test items for the Reading Assessment were purchased from a standardized item bank published by Harcourt, this was done based on the p-value of the items and only for the selected response items. The Reading Office developed the brief-constructed-response items, so they are less reliable statistically. All of the information about the reliability and validity of this test was reported by the test maker and therefore could be considered inadequate. Another important threat is that the assessment was created in 2001, therefore causing the norms to be outdated.
An additional threat to validity is related to the scoring of the brief-constructed-response items. These items were scored by four third-grade teachers using a rubric system of 3, 2, 1, or 0, three being the highest score possible. A scoring tool and sample responses were provided by the test maker and used during scoring; however, the reliability of the scoring can come into question due to the subjectivity of these items. The items were written responses and not all students’ responses coincided with the sample responses and therefore were left to the interpretation of the scorer.
One final threat is related to the teachers and the amount of test preparation before the comprehension assessment. The participants in this research were taught by four different teachers, each with their own teaching style and level of expertise. Of the 50 students in the sample, 12 were taught by teacher one, 11 by teacher two, 8 by teacher three, and 19 by teacher four. While some of the teachers found it necessary to take time to review possible material on the test, others did not. In some of the classes, sample brief-constructed-response items that were found on the assessment were given to students prior to the test. In addition, the assessment was administered by different teachers, and different motivational or encouragement strategies may have influenced a student’s performance.
Comparison with Other Research
Results of this study help to support research signifying the relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension. In a recent study conducted by Wood (2006), a strong relationship was found between oral reading fluency and performance on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) for third, fourth, and fifth graders. It was found that oral reading fluency predicted CSAP reading performance equally well for third, fourth, and fifth grades (Wood). The research reported by Wood supports the current study by emphasizing the relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension and the use of the instructional categories provided by DIBELS.
An additional study by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) found a close relationship between fluency and reading comprehension (Armbruster et al., 2001). A representative sample of the nation’s fourth-grade students who scored low on fluency measures also scored low on comprehension measures (Armbruster et al.). This study is similar to the current research findings that students who scored “at risk” on the DIBELS assessment also performed poorly on the comprehension assessment, achieving at the “basic” level.
Furthermore, Rasinski (2003) supports that there is a relationship between a student’s lack of fluency and comprehension problems. Rasinski stated, “students struggle so much with fluency, and in putting so much cognitive effort into the task, that little is left over for understanding the text” (p. 35). Rasinski’s statement directly supports the results of the current study by suggesting that those students who scored below average on the comprehension assessment did so based on their level of fluency, according to their DIBELS score.
Recommendations for Future Research
Suggestions for future research include using a different comprehension measure, selecting participants from different grade levels, and conducting an experimental study using a fluency intervention.
DIBELS is a widely-used and popular tool for assessing fluency. The same cannot be said for the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Reading Assessment. This assessment is used only in Anne Arundel County Maryland
The researcher also recommends using participants from different grade levels. The participants used for this study were all third-grade students and results only pertain to that grade level. By using students in fourth and fifth grades and middle school students as well, the results could be generalized to a larger population. Also, results would indicate whether or not fluency still remains a factor in students’ comprehension levels as they get older.
Furthermore, conducting an experimental study using a fluency intervention could lead to establishing a relationship between reading fluency interventions and reading comprehension. The researcher suggests pre-assessing students in reading comprehension and fluency and then providing a six-week fluency intervention. Upon completion of the fluency intervention, the researcher would reassess those students to indicate if growth in reading comprehension and fluency had been made, therefore determining if gains in fluency caused achievement in comprehension. The use of a control group would help to determine if the gains in fluency influenced the comprehension success or if time and maturity accounted for the achievement in comprehension.
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