Themes/Results
Theme 1: After looking at our data, the first theme we found was about the assessments. The pre and post assessments should have been the same or at least similar in style.
We believe that if the pre and post assessments were the same the results for reading comprehension would have been easier to determine. If we did not want to have the same test given, then these tests should have been at least similar in style.
The pre-assessment had a nonfiction biography passage that was both sides of the paper in length. After reading this long passage, the students were required to answer an assortment of questions. There were eleven comprehension questions including a question in which the students had to label three different statements on main idea showing which one was a narrow main idea, which one was broad, and which would be the best example of the main idea for the entire passage.
There were four questions on vocabulary words. These questions had a statement from the selection that had an unknown vocabulary word underlined. The students had to look at three different answers and choose which word was closest to the underlined word definition, and which was the opposite. Many of the students were confused on this part because there were three blanks. They thought they were supposed to put an answer in each of the three blanks, but this was not the case.
The post-assessment consisted of a passage that was nonfiction informative, one page in length. There were three comprehension questions on this assessment: one multiple choice, two short answers. The multiple choice question and one of the short answer questions focused on the main idea of the selection. There were nine vocabulary questions. The students had to find the word in a paragraph given that matched the synonyms.
Reading Comprehension Results:
There were two students who made a one-hundred on the pre-assesment on Frederick Douglass.
There were four students who made a one -hundred on the post test. Out of these students, two made an eighty -four on the pretest, one made a seventy- four and one made a twenty- six. These four students kept up a steady grade ranging from an eighty- four to a one- hundred on each of the vocabulary strategies used.
Main Idea Comprehension Results:
On the pre-assessment, there were # students who scored a one-hundred on the main idea questions. Of these students, # scored a one-hundred on the vocabulary questions as well.
On the post-assessment, there were # students who scored a one-hundred on the main idea questions. Of these students, # scored a one-hundred on the vocabulary questions as well.
These scores show us that...
Theme 2: Visual Learner vs. Kinesthetic Learner and Logical Learner
The strategies that were incorporated into our research mainly fell into three types of learners: visual learners, kinesthetic learners and logical learners.
A visual learner is a learner who needs "to see the teacher's body language and facial expression to fully understand the content of a lesson. They tend to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's heads). They may think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs. During a lecture or classroom discussion, visual learners often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information.
Visual learners learn through seeing; they can typically recall what they have read or observed. They prefer to look at illustrations, or watch others doing something, rather than listening only. They are the learners that usually take and make lists. In addition, they tend to be more productive when their environments are neat" (Bogod, 1998).
There were three visual activites that we used in our research: the tree diagram, drawing a picture, and charts. Within each of these strategies, there was not a major difference within the strategies. We did notice that the second week of using these strategies, the grades would go up for each student. If the student made a 90 the first week, the second week he/she would have a 100. There was even one student who had a 65 the first week and jumped to a 100 the second week.A kinesthetic learner is a person who "learns best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration. These students learn through moving, doing, and touching. Kinesthetic learners need to use their bodies in the learning process. They need to do, not just watch or listen, to gain understanding" (Bogod, 1998).
The charades strategy was the only kinesthetic activity that we included in our research. After looking at our data, we noticed that charades was really not an effective way of learning vocabulary. Looking at both weeks of this strategy, they were both equal. Some students who did better the first week did worse the second week and vice-versa.
A logical learner is "when you like using your brain for logical and mathematical reasoning. You can recognize patterns easily, as well as connections between seemingly meaningless content. This also leads you to classify and group information to help you learn or understand it. Logical learners work well with numbers. They can typically work through problems and issues in a systematic way, and they like to create procedures for future use. These learners like creating agendas, itineraries, and to-do lists and number them in the order in which they should occur. These learners also support points with logical examples or statistics and like to work out strategies using simulation" (Advanogy, 2007).
There were two logical activities that we included in our research: synonyms and antonyms and reading in context. After looking at our data, we noticed that there are a lot of logical learners in our classrooms. Although the students may classify themselves as kinesthetic learners, there were only two to three students who did not make a one-hundred on these tests.
Theme 3: Norms used
For each of these strategies, we had a constant, or norm, for each day. Monday, we introduced the strategy with seven new vocabulary words and the students made predictions of what the new words meant. Tuesday, we introduced the actual meaning of the words. Wednesday, the students practiced using the words in sentences. Thursday, the students studied the words on their own and then studied with a partner. On Friday, the students took a quiz and wrote a reflection about the strategy used that week.
Out of all of these norms, we found that most of the students enjoyed filling in the blank and studying with a partner equally. Most students enjoyed trying to figure out which word correctly fit into the sentence. If they did not like filling in the blanks, then they were the students who enjoyed working with a partner. We did not go back and look at those particular students to see if working with the partner was effective. We are curious to find if those students scores went up or down. Were they actually studying with the partner or socializing?
Since the students enjoyed these specific norms the most, we have decided to continue with partner review and filling in the blank to study words. We are still curious on whether or not these norms will be the same ones that future students will enjoy.
