Action Research Proposal_ Research Procedures

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1 Action Research Proposal: Research Procedures Jenna Hassett American College of Education RES5153 Dr. Audra Pickett March 10, 2023

2 Research Procedures In recent years, the field of education has agreed that teaching content is no longer the priority for students, but rather they should be mastering skills that can be applied to different subjects and situations (Sackstein, 2019). Because of the spotlight on teaching skills, it is important for educators to evaluate the best strategies for teaching skills and what to do when students are struggling to learn or apply their skills. This new emphasis has led me to question the effectiveness of interventions and whether students' literacy skills can improve after having small group instruction. For this action study, a mixed methods approach is best suited for the purpose of the research. This methodology will use quantitative methods like measuring growth with test scores in combination with qualitative methods like student observations and teacher interviews. The research design will include a concurrent triangulation and experimental research to draw conclusions about the impacts of small group instruction. This is done by having two groups of students, one of which will receive small group instruction, and then the educator measures each groups’ growth by administering a pre and post assessment. Research Questions The action research study is heavily focused on students’ literacy skills and explores what possible interventions will lead to an increase in these skills. While teaching content and skills in an effective way is a priority for teachers, it is also important to think about what to do when students have been taught, but are still not mastering content and skills. Students who are struggling must have instruction that is “more explicit and comprehensive, more intensive, and more supportive than the instruction required by the majority of children” (Foorman & Torgesen, 2001, p. 206). This type of instruction can be accomplished through implementing small group

3 instruction because students are receiving more attention and support from the teacher. Therefore, the question that will guide the action research study is: How will the implementation of small-group instruction impact literacy skills, including speaking, listening, reading, and writing? Methodology and Design A mixed method approach is best suited for the purpose of this action research study. This is done by collecting and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data because “a single data set is not sufficient and, therefore, it is required to use different types of data.” (Almeida, 2018, p. 139). A mixed methods approach allows for more flexibility so that the researcher is able to align the methodology to their studies' specific needs. This data will be collected and analyzed using a concurrent triangulation design, which means that both methods can be done simultaneously. In this action research study, the triangulation involves collecting the pre and post assessment data while also observing students and interviewing educators. In addition to this design method, an experimental study design is also well-suited for the action research. An experimental design helps the researcher determine the specific impact of an independent variable (small group instruction) on a dependent variable (literacy skills) (Turner, et al., 2020). The experimental design involves measuring the literacy growth of two groups, one of which has received small group instruction. Population, Sample and Professional Practice/Workplace Setting The action research will be conducted with around 10-15 eighth grade students from two different English language arts classes in a building that contains grades 5-8. The goal of the

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4 research is to determine the impacts of small group instruction on students’ literacy skills. Therefore, the students will be chosen by looking at their current grade, assessment scores, and general classroom observations. The school district uses literacy assessment data to place students into one of four categories: at/above grade level, on watch, needs intervention, and urgent intervention. For the purpose of the research, the focus students will be chosen from the last three categories. However, this will be cross referenced with teacher observations and grades because a student might be considered “urgent intervention”, but they read and write proficiently in class and receive good grades on their reading assignments. Therefore, the focus students will be in the last three literacy categories and have noticeably struggled in ELA class. Data Collection Plan Because a mixed methods approach is being used for the action research study, the data collected will be both quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative data will be collected through a pre and post assessment given to students. The assessment is mandated by the district and is administered by having students answer 35 multiple choice questions based on the Massachusetts state standards. Students complete this assessment three times throughout the school year. The results show students’ Lexile levels, as well as their reading grade level, which will be considered when choosing focus students and when measuring the focus’ students growth. The qualitative data will be collected through student observations and teacher interviews. For the student observations, field notes will be taken while students complete an assignment that demonstrates their ability to use literacy skills. This will occur before and after students have received the small group instruction. The assignment will contain tasks that relate to fluency, decoding, vocabulary, and analyzing a text. For the teacher interviews, students’ social studies

5 teachers will answer questions that ask about their literacy skills. These questions will ask about students’ comprehension, participation, and interactions with different texts. The three data sources will provide the researcher with comprehensive information about the focus of the study.

6 References Sackstein, S. (2019, March 29). Content or skills? it's the chicken or the egg conversation in Education (opinion) . Education Week. Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-content-or-skills-its-the-chicken-or- the-egg-conversation-in-education/2019/03 Foorman, B. R., & Torgesen, J. (2001). Critical elements of classroom and small‐group instruction promote reading success in all children. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice , 16 (4), 203-212. Almeida, F. (2018). Strategies to perform a mixed methods study. European Journal of Education Studies . Turner, D. P., Deng, H., & Houle, T. T. (2020). Understanding and applying confidence intervals. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain , 60 (10), 2118-2124.

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