Spring Valley Elementary
The Implications of Goal-Setting on Student Work Completion
Primary Researchers
Makenna Adams, Intern, Baylor University
Thelma Collinsworth, BS Ed, Mentor Teacher, Spring Valley Elementary, Midway ISD
Melissa Cates, MS Ed, Intern Supervisor, Baylor University
Rationale/Introduction
As an intern in a self-contained second-grade classroom, I noticed that several of our on-level and below-grade-level students were consistently not completing their independent reading station work, and when work was turned in, it was often incomplete or did not meet the stated expectations. The lack of productivity during independent work time appeared to be due to time spent socializing with other students, wandering the classroom, leaving the classroom to use the restroom for extended periods, or simply not using their time efficiently. As a result, these students had less opportunity to practice the essential skills taught during whole-group instruction, thereby widening the knowledge and achievement gaps that already existed between these students and our higher-performing students. I began researching ways to improve productivity in the elementary classroom, and I found several sources that pointed to the effectiveness of goal-setting as a way to foster both motivation and productivity among students. According to Locke et al. (1918) in their article entitled “Goal Setting and Task Performance,” goal-setting is an effective way to improve performance in a variety of contexts because it “[directs] attention, [mobilizes] effort, [increases] persistence, and [motivates] strategy development.” In their article, these researchers also reported the results of a specific study conducted with adult participants which observed the greatest improvements in task performance when progress toward goal attainment was charted and displayed for others to see. Thus, I wondered how helping my students set realistic, measurable daily goals and tracking their progress toward those goals would impact the quantity and quality of their work completion and their ability to stay on-task during independent work time. I also wondered how goal-setting would impact students’ self-efficacy and sense of personal responsibility for their learning.
Question/Wondering
How does goal-setting and tracking impact the rate and quality of independent reading station work completion for six second-grade students?
Methodology/Results
I conducted my research study with two female and four male second-grade students between the ages of 7 and 9 who were all performing on or below grade level in reading. These six students represented a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds including Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic, and five out of the six students were considered socioeconomically disadvantaged. I began my study by collecting baseline data on the quantity and quality of independent station work students submitted every day for one week. I kept track of this data using a Google Sheet where I recorded quantitative and qualitative scores for each student’s submitted assignments. During this week, I also completed a Student Engagement Form to gauge the amount of time students were spending on and off task during station time. Lastly, I assessed students’ pre-intervention levels of motivation and sense of confidence in their abilities to complete their daily station assignments by conducting a self-efficacy survey. I launched my goal-setting intervention by pulling the six students for a 20-minute introduction session in which I delivered direct instruction on how to set reasonable goals and discussed why goal setting is important. Then, every day for three weeks, I provided students with a “Reading Station Checklist” which they used to set reasonable goals for the number of station activities they wanted to complete. They then used these checklists to track their progress toward their goals and briefly reflect on their effort and productivity at the end of station time. Students who met their work completion goal each day placed a sticker next to their name on a poster titled “I’m Achieving My Goals,” which was displayed in the classroom for their peers to see. At the end of each day of implementation, I recorded data on the quantity and quality of work completed by each student using the same Google Sheet mentioned previously. Furthermore, on the Thursday of each week of implementation, I completed a Student Engagement Form to determine the impact of the goal-setting intervention on students’ on-task behavior during station time. Finally, on the final day of implementation, I administered a post-study self-efficacy survey to measure the effects of the invention on students’ levels of motivation and sense of confidence in their capabilities as learners.
After three weeks of implementation and data collection, I compiled all of my data to create a set of summative charts and graphs which I analyzed to determine the impact of my interventions on students’ self-efficacy ratings and their quantity and quality of work production. This process of data analysis led to three key findings. First, a comparison of students’ pre- and post-study self-efficacy surveys revealed that the goal-setting interventions described were effective at improving students’ overall self-efficacy and confidence in their capabilities as learners. Before any intervention, the average self-efficacy rating for these six students was 11/15. After the intervention, this rating increased to 13/15. Next, an analysis of the quantitative data recorded in Google Sheets along with the weekly student engagement forms showed significant improvements in students’ productivity throughout the three weeks of intervention. Specifically, I observed a 57% increase in the average number of station activities the students completed each week and a 32% increase in on-task behavior during station time. Regarding the quality of student work, however, I did not see significant improvements, and in some instances, I even observed a decrease in the quality of work submitted as students rushed to complete the assignments and check them off their lists. Thus, returning to my original research question, the results of my study support my previous research findings that goal-setting and tracking positively impact student productivity in terms of the quantity of work they complete and the amount of time they spend on-task, but more research will need to be conducted to determine the most effective way to improve the quality of student products.
Implications/Recommendations
After reflecting upon the results of my study, I have concluded that goal-setting and tracking is a practical and effective way to foster student motivation and productivity. The methods I implemented in this study were simple and did not disrupt the established classroom structure, and they yielded powerful positive results that extended beyond the six students participating in the study. For instance, as the students in my research group focused on achieving their goals, they spent less time wandering the classroom and disrupting other students during station time, thereby promoting a more productive classroom environment that was conducive to the learning and success of all students. Furthermore, due to the decrease in off-task behavior, my mentor teacher and I did not have to waste precious instructional time during reading stations to redirect behavior and could instead focus on providing quality, targeted instruction to the students in our small groups. Lastly, by completing their daily station activities, the students provided me with formative assessment data regarding their understanding of the related lesson concepts and skills which I could use to identify gaps in their understanding and provide differentiated instruction on succeeding days. Given the observed benefits of goal-setting for both individual students and the classroom environment as a whole, I plan to incorporate a goal-setting and tracking system in my future classroom, and I would encourage other teachers to do the same. However, as I consider the future implications and practical application of my findings, I must address the apparent weakness of the specific methods outlined in this study: the negative impact on the quality of student work. In the future, perhaps it would be more effective if an additional goal relating to students’ grades on the station activities was included on the checklists. I also wonder if there would be any benefit of goal-setting and tracking for students who already have high intrinsic motivation and do not struggle to complete assignments independently. Should goal-setting and tracking be implemented as a regular classroom routine for all students, or is it best reserved for students who need additional support?
Reference(s)
Locke, E. A., Shaw, K. N., Saari, L. M., & Latham, G. P. (1981). Goal setting and task performance: 1969–1980. Psychological Bulletin, 90(1), 125–152. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.90.1.125.
Oakes, W. P., Lane, K. L., Cox, M., Magrane, A., Jenkins, A., & Hankins, K. (2012). Tier 2 Supports to Improve Motivation and Performance of Elementary Students with Behavioral Challenges and Poor Work Completion. Education & Treatment of Children (West Virginia University Press), 35(4), 547–584. https://doi-org.ezproxy.baylor.edu/10.1353/etc.2012.0024.
Pommereau, A. (2020). The Effects of Goal Setting on Student Work Completion in a Lower Elementary Montessori Classroom. SOPHIA: An e-community of scholars. https://sophia.stkate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1360&context=maed#:~:text=Overall%2C%20the%20data%20collected%20suggests,over%20the%20four-week%20study.
Hands-On Learning of Subtraction of Single-Digit Numbers in Kindergarten
Primary Researchers
Adriana Diaz, Intern, Baylor University
Kristi Fajardo, MS Ed, Mentor Teacher, Spring Valley Elementary School, Midway ISD
Melissa Cates, MS Ed, Intern Supervisor, Baylor University
Rationale/Introduction
Studies have shown that there is a correlation between content knowledge and the implementation of games during instruction. Cutler et al. state that “Rather than teach math skills by drilling and rote memorization, teachers can plan rich environments and offer developmentally sequenced opportunities that allow children to explore math concepts in the context of play” (p. 23). As an intern in a kindergarten classroom, I became aware of the variety of learning levels that the students had during whole group lessons. During my time with the students in my math small group, I was able to focus on the differentiation portion for each of my students since there were less of them, but having moved to whole group, I realized that many of the students were not benefitting from the whole group instruction due to them being off task as a result of their varying learning levels. During this whole group time, I taught a lesson on the concept that we were learning about and would see the students become progressively disengaged throughout the lesson being that they were either bored or confused. I began to reflect on whether this type of teaching during whole group instruction was beneficial to the students or whether we could use another teaching strategy to increase the students’ engagement during the lesson which would impact their understanding of the subject. Throughout my study, I implemented differentiated versions of games and hands-on activities during the whole group math instruction to investigate the engagement and understanding levels of all of the students.
Question/Wondering
How does the implementation of math games or hands-on activities during whole group math instruction impact the engagement levels of both the advanced and remedial level kindergarten students?
Methodology/Results
The research group consisted of nine females and eleven males and within those, twelve are Caucasian, four are Hispanic and four are African American students, who all come from a variety of different backgrounds and who all range from striving to advanced learners. To begin the research process, I provided the students with both a qualitative and quantitative assessment to evaluate their overall understanding of the math concepts that had been taught throughout the year to be able to group them based on their levels.
For the quantitative assessment, I combined problems from the Reagan Tunstall worksheets that the students were familiar with as well as a couple word problems and ended it with two number sentence problems. When analyzing this data, I was able to identify what procedural misconceptions the students were having when completing problems. Then, after the students finished their quantitative assessment, I pulled each of them one-on-one to determine what their conceptual knowledge on subtraction was and whether they could explain their problem solving process to me. Along with the assessment, I also administered engagement forms to observe who was on or off task during the usual whole class lesson. When analyzing the data on both forms, I was not surprised to see that all of the striving and advanced students were on task less than 50% of the time and the on-level students ranged from a 70% to 100% engagement. It was evident to me that the engagement of the students was directly correlated to their learning level.
Once this information was obtained, I started implementing the small groups based on their levels in a whole group class setting during the math instruction. Along with this, I planned to organize a game for each of the three weeks in which the games were able to be adapted and differentiated for each group of students. During the first week, we played a game where students tossed counters into a square and would make a subtraction number sentence based on the number of counters that landed in the square. Depending on their learning levels, the students received a different number of counters to be able to subtract. The second week, the students focused on making a subtraction number sentence off of a number line, so students were split into two groups and depending on their learning level received a number line with numbers 0-10 or 0-12. Finally, during the third week, the students played a game of Around the World where they were able to work as a team and come up with the answer to a number sentence. To differentiate for this game, I provided them with pictorial models that aligned with the number sentences.
Throughout those three weeks, I noted whether the students seemed more engaged by conducting engagement forms each week and I took note of the students' understanding by informally checking their worksheets every day. At the end of the three weeks, I re-administered all three of my pre-assessments to see whether this process was able to support the students’ learning experience in the classroom and to my surprise the students showed a lot of improvement. When comparing the first engagement form to the last engagement form that I took of each sample of students, they went from being within a range of 40-60% total engagement to a high score of 90% total engagement by the third week. Then, when comparing their quantitative assessment scores to each other, I noticed that there was a 100% growth rate in which all of the students’ scores increased. It then became evident that the students’ participation in the hands-on games and activities had not only increased their engagement levels during class but it also, in turn, improved their overall conceptual knowledge of subtraction.
Implications/Recommendations
Through this study, I have found that the implementation of differentiated games and hands-on activities during whole group math lessons is effective. Students not only became more engaged but also developed a better overall understanding of the concept that they were learning. This study had many strengths as it was based on research and on my daily observations which would guide my instruction for the next day to meet the students’ needs. In the future, I would like to apply this strategy of learning to other subjects as well as keep incorporating it throughout my teaching.
This study could have improved more with using the data used for report card testing rather than administering an entire new pre-assessment. Coming up with pre-assessments and administering them took time used for learning away from our day and students need to get tested for their understanding of the subject for their report cards so to gain data prior to implementation, I would use the report card assessments instead.
Reference(s)
Cutler, K. M., Gilkerson, D., Parrott, S., & Bowne, M. T. (2003). Developing Math Games Based on CHILDREN’S LITERATURE. YC Young Children, 58(1), 22–27. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42729714
Ramani, G. B., & Eason, S. H. (2015). It all adds up: Learning early math through play and games. The Phi Delta Kappan, 96(8), 27–32. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24375883
Small-Group Handwriting Instruction
Primary Researchers
Rachel Head, Intern, Baylor University
Ailsha Devlin, B.S., Mentor Teacher, Spring Valley Elementary, Midway ISD
Melissa Cates, M.S., Intern Supervisor, Baylor University
Rationale/Introduction
As a second-grade intern, I became aware of my students’ handwriting abilities. Three students had writing that was difficult to decipher and had improper letter formation. I plan to implement explicit small-group instruction to analyze students’ letter formation, line awareness, and spatial awareness. Many articles connect the importance of handwriting with academic growth. McCarroll (2017) states that “as these skills become automatic, students are freer to concentrate on higher-level thinking and communication skills needed for success in school and life.” Throughout the four weeks, I will use a variety of activities and assessments to monitor my student’s handwriting progress. My students and I will fill out weekly goal sheets to track progress over time, updating them once a week. I will administer a pre- and post-assessment to show student growth.
Question/Wondering
How does implementing specific small-group handwriting instruction improve three below-level, male, second-grade students’ application skills regarding letter formation, line awareness, and spatial awareness?
Methodology/Results
My second-grade classroom includes a time each day called What I Need or WIN. I lead a small group that incorporates specific handwriting instruction during this time. My small-group involved three below-level male second-grade students, ages 7-8, of varying ethnicities, including Hispanic and Caucasian. Student A receives SPED reading instruction, and Student C receives Tier 3 reading instruction. We met for 15-20 minutes Monday through Thursday.
I began the first week with a pre-assessment, which included the students writing a lower- and uppercase letter sample and copying three sentences onto lined paper without guidance. The sentences were then scored out of 20 points based on a rubric I created that analyzed letter formation, line awareness, spatial awareness, sizing, and overall neatness of each student's handwriting. Each student scored between 45% and 55% for the sentence writing. We also created and reviewed goals for the coming weeks. The students concluded their goal setting by writing a final statement stating their initial goal, stating if they felt they met it, and explaining how they achieved that goal. To guide students’ letter formation, I had a fine motor skill activity once a week, while the other days were focused on a specific handwriting activity and completing alphabet packets.
After four weeks of collecting data, the students completed the post-assessment by writing a lower- and uppercase letter sample and copying the same three sentences. I scored each using the same rubric previously used. After analyzing, Student A improved by 30%, achieving 85% accuracy, and Student B and C improved by 35%, achieving 80% and 85% accuracy.
Implications/Recommendations
During my research, I observed the efficiency of explicit handwriting instruction in a small group. I gained knowledge in my use of data collection and activities related to handwriting instruction and its effectiveness. For the future, I strongly recommend increasing the time for handwriting instruction, especially for below-level students who need more instruction than others. My data showed significant improvements from the four weeks and the students’ goal setting. I know that it was worth their time and my time to have our small-group meetings. After conducting the study, I found that the students' recently improved handwriting performance has slightly regressed for class assignments since stopping our small-group meetings. I feared this would occur, leading to wondering about what would happen if these students began handwriting instruction from the start of the school year and continued to the end.
Reference(s)
McCarroll, H., & Fletcher, T. (2017). Does handwriting instruction have a place in the
instructional day? the relationship between handwriting quality and academic success. Cogent Education, 4(1), 1386427. doi:10.1080/2331186X.2017.1386427.
Project-Based Learning of Addition and Subtraction of Multi-Digit Numbers in Second Grade
Primary Researchers
Jordan Nguyen, Intern, Baylor University
Kailyn Conrad, M.S.Ed., Mentor Teacher, Spring Valley Elementary School, Midway ISD
Melissa Cates, M.S.Ed., Intern Supervisor, Baylor University
Rationale/Introduction
As a preservice teacher, I have had the opportunity to observe a variety of mathematical instruction with an on-level group of students in second grade. Throughout my observation, I have seen students learn the content and continuously not retain the material being taught. Through personal connection and higher-level thinking skills, students can gain a further understanding of the content and relate the information to the real world. The reason for this research is that I would like to improve my students’ higher-level thinking skills in mathematics. In the process of action research, the students will be learning addition and subtraction of multidigit numbers. I want to engage the students through projects and collaboration with their peers to provide students with higher-level thinking opportunities through project-based learning.
Project-based learning can provide on-level students with an understanding of addition and subtraction of multi-digit numbers by providing a more interactive and collaborative way to learn. Fostering critical thinking skills will significantly impact my on-level small group understanding of the content that we are learning. The article, Children's Conceptual Structures for Multidigit Numbers and Methods of Multidigit Addition and Subtraction by Karen C. Fuson, highlights the content that was going to appear during the project-based lesson. Having the students understand, retain, and apply the information they are learning is the first step in teaching, but getting the students to dive deeper into the content area is the ultimate goal. Creating a personal connection, whether that is being hands-on or finding a solution to a problem, will grow the students' understanding of the content.
Similar to “Making Change” in Second Grade: Exploring Money through Project-Based Learning by Karen Capraro, I am going to perform project-based learning opportunities for an on-level small group to investigate the addition and subtraction of multi-digit numbers. Creating a successful investigation for the students to engage with will provide the extra experience to gain higher-level thinking skills that could be used throughout different content areas. Delivering the content in a way that is interactive for the students will improve their learning abilities, the article, Using Multimedia to Overcome the Problems with Problem-Based Learning by Bob Hoffman and Donn Ritchie, discusses the different forms of multimedia to improve the process of project-based learning as well as how to create student-centered lessons to increase student engagement and motivation. Figuring out the flaws of project-based learning will allow me and my students a smoother transition into project-based learning. Through this method of teaching, I am hopeful that my students will grasp the ideas of multidigit addition and subtraction and gain skills to improve their higher-level thinking. This will allow them to explore higher-level learning and make real-world connections to the content and provide them with the opportunity to be successful in the content that they are learning.
The reason for this research was to challenge students to collaborate and utilize higher-level thinking strategies. The investigation started with a small group of five on-level students, who ranged in age from seven to eight years old, consisting of three male and two female students from a variety of economic statuses and racial backgrounds. The goal of the research was to promote the development of students' higher-level thinking skills and apply them to real-world problems. Conducting real-world situations and using the content being learned in class will provide them with the opportunity to grow these skills with the support of other students. Introducing this new form of learning to my on-level students in a small group help them become more equipped with higher-level thinking skills and to become more equipped with different mathematical strategies. Collaboration is a key part of project-based learning because it will allow the students to work together on issues and create solutions that would fit with the mathematical content being taught.
Question/Wondering
In what ways does engagement in project-based learning activities impact a small group of on-level second-grade students’ understanding of addition and subtraction of multi-digit numbers?
Methodology/Results
The first part of my research was to conduct a pre-assessment of what the students already knew. Along with this pre-assessment, I had the opportunity to pull each student to interview their attitude towards project-based learning. Through the data from the assessment as well as the interviews, I created project-based lessons that focused on the areas of addition and subtraction. Throughout this process, I collected student samples of what they learned and how they applied their knowledge to the project-based lesson. Week One consisted of my small group creating their personalized taco trucks. Students were challenged to design, budget, and reflect on their creation of a taco truck while using their subtraction skills. Week Two consisted of a mystery lesson, where students investigated a mystery box that they needed to open by solving and collaborating on addition and subtraction word problems. Lastly, Week Three of implementation consisted of students creating their own word problem book that contained addition, subtraction, and multi-step word problems in a story format. Toward the end of my action research, I concluded the investigation with a post-assessment that monitored what my students had learned throughout the project-based lessons. I also was able to do post-interviews with my small group, and it was unanimously voted that they loved doing project-based lessons. From the results of the projected-based lessons, I discovered that project-based learning improved the students’ mathematical skills. Based on their pre-and post-assessment results, there was improvement with all students in my small group. On the pre-assessment, the students received a group average of 57.7%. After the project-based lessons, the post-assessment showed a 35.7% increase overall from their pre-assessment scores.
Implications/Recommendations
Through implementing project-based learning, I discovered that it might be a significant amount of work to do in the classroom all the time. Planning these lessons was difficult. There were a plethora of variables that went into creating these lesson plans such as content, collaboration, creativity, student engagement, and other factors that played a role in what the students were tasked to do. For someone like me, who would like to plan engaging lessons that immerse students within the content, I do think that occasionally this type of lesson will benefit the students. Another discovery I made was completely by accident. This finding was cross-curricular teaching. In week three of implementation, the students were invited to create stories that consisted of multi-digit addition and subtraction word problems in a story format. Without even knowing, the students utilized what they had learned in writing and brought that knowledge to their math lessons. Especially in second grade, we are preparing our students with many opportunities to practice their writing skills before going into third grade. So bringing a subject like writing to math was a challenge. With this activity, there was a lot of step-by-step instruction and guidance, but the students created some fascinating stories.
For future implementations, I would focus on the students asking higher-level questions. Giving the students time to think and ask questions would provide extra higher level of thinking opportunities. Students can question what they are learning and find ways to answer their questions. This could expand their thinking and extend their learning beyond the addition and subtraction of multi-digit numbers. Based on what I have seen in math, I do wonder if this model will work with different content areas and in different grade levels. In second grade, we are limited to what the students know and how capable they are with certain skills. If I were challenged to do this at an upper-grade level, it might entail more difficult content, but still keeping that engagement and higher-level thinking experience.
Reference(s)
Capraro, K. (2017). “Making Change” in Second Grade: Exploring Money through Project-Based Learning. YC Young Children, 72(3), 30–37. https://www.jstor.org/stable/90013679
Hoffman, B., and Donn R. (1997). Using multimedia to overcome the problems with problem-based learning. Instructional Science, 25(2), 97–115. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23371480
Fuson, K. C., Wearne, D., Hiebert, J. C., Murray, H. G., Human, P. G., Olivier, A. I., Carpenter, T. P., & Fennema, E. (1997). Children’s Conceptual Structures for Multidigit Numbers and Methods of Multidigit Addition and Subtraction. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 28(2), 130–162. https://www.jstor.org/stable/749759
Gains of Explicit Handwriting Instruction
Primary Researchers
Sydney Unger, Intern, Baylor University
Hillaree Hogg, MS Ed, Mentor Teacher, Spring Valley Elementary, Midway ISD
Melissa Cates, MS Ed, Intern Supervisor, Baylor University
Rationale/Introduction
As an intern in a Kindergarten classroom, I have noticed a decrease in the accuracy of letter formations among all students. Despite the initial introduction of each letter, its corresponding sound, and proper formation during our alphabet bootcamp at the beginning of the year, there seems to be a lapse in retention. Upon reflection, I considered the implementation of a handwriting station during our reading stations to address this issue. According to The Importance of Teaching Handwriting for Cognitive Development, Rigg (2019), it is stated that letter formation practice should be implemented in every phonics lesson. This holistic approach leads the student to success, “As children hear the sound, they develop strong auditory recognition; as they say the sound they develop strong pronunciation skills; as they see the sound/letter, they develop strong visual recognition skills; and as they write the sound/letter they develop strong letter formation skills” (Rigg, 2019). We have a reading station that is specifically designed for fine motor which does increase the ability for the students to learn how to grip a pencil, however they do not apply it after the activity. My intention is to modify the fine motor station to incorporate a more focused handwriting component. I will provide explicit lessons on letter formation, followed by the practical application of these skills within a sentence. I have observed a potential disconnect between practicing individual letters and the challenge of applying them in sentence writing. To bridge this gap, I aim to offer immediate feedback on students' handwriting. By infusing handwriting into our stations and maintaining a consistent focus on letter formations, I hope to address the observed decrease in accuracy and foster a more lasting understanding among the students.
Question/Wondering
How does implementing small group handwriting stations in a Kindergarten classroom improve the students’ ability to write letters accurately?
Methodology/Results
The kindergarten class consists of nine girls and eleven boys who are between five and six years old. Among these students, we have a variety of ethnicities including African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian. Six of the twenty students qualify for free and reduced lunch. During my data collection week, the students completed an alphabet chart paper. This showed me their baseline knowledge without instruction. I also had students write a sentence that included a variety of letter strokes. This provided evidence to see if students could apply their letter formations within a word and sentence. Through the pre-assessment, I identified the type of handwriting stroke the students struggled with the most. With this data, I started to re-teach the specific stroke for the first week. Within two, ten-minute periods of time, I explored different ways to teach letter formation. Each week I included a multi-sensory aspect to the station. This gave the students a break, away from the pencil and paper. It also allowed for students to quickly erase mistakes if they occurred. Within the one-week period, I also had a sentence that included words that used the letter stroke we focused on. After the completion of the four weeklong station work, I readministered the original assessment alphabet chart and sentence. Along with these two pieces of data, I collected anecdotal notes that commented on their letter formation, confidence, and amount of time used on each assessment.
The post assessment data proved that the small amount of additional handwriting instruction was enough to help improve the students’ handwriting. There was an overall growth of 12%; I calculated this by determining if the letter was accurately formed out of the twenty-five-word sentence. When I analyzed the data on the lowercase letter accuracy, I did not have a decrease in growth. 70% of the students grew 20% or more in their overall formation accuracy. Without a heavy amount of uppercase letter implementation, 80% of the students increased their abilities by 20% or more. My goal was to find the weakest letter formation and focus on that first. In my class, we struggled with fall letters. These are letters that go below the baseline. Before implementation, my class needed explicit instruction on this type of letter. With this being provided through the lessons, the students grew to accurately write fall letters 20% of the time. The students did show improvement; however, it is still a low percentage for accuracy. To conclude, I found that my students are more confident and fully understand the formations. To answer my original question, small group implementation does improve the student’s ability to form letters accurately.
Implications/Recommendations
With the understanding that small amounts of handwriting instruction can make an impact, I will be continuing this type of instruction in my future classroom. My original worry of the ten-minute instruction period not being enough time was overcome by the improvements that I did see at the end of implementation. My multi-sensory activity was administered after the pen and pencil activity. The students were excited to work with their letters in the sand so their motivation to finish the paper packet was higher. This is something that I will continue in the future as well because the sand element eliminated frustration when the students were asked to re-do their letter. Looking at my data, I had growth with fall letters, but it was not a high percentage. In the future, I will put a higher focus on letters that go below the baseline starting with extra instruction at the beginning of the year.
Reference(s)
Rigg, D. (2023, August 2). The importance of teaching handwriting for cognitive development. PLD. https://pld-literacy.org/the-importance-of-teaching-handwriting-for-cognitive-development/