ACTION RESEARCH

By Rebecca Hastings
Featuring 1 st Grade
Students

The Initial Meeting

Initial meeting with Mrs. Gartman took
place face-to-face and through email.
Decided to work with 3 first grade
high-mid readers.
All 3 were proficient in comprehension
and fluency.
Focus areaVocabulary

The Essential Question

Initial question:
After examining the fluency level of a
student, what are good strategies to use to
improve a high-middle readers vocabulary?
Final question:
After identifying the need for growth in
vocabulary, what are some strategies that
can be used to improve a students
understanding of synonyms and antonyms?

Consulting the Research

Overview
A readers vocabulary is not going to
develop strictly from a teacher reading story
books to an early elementary class. Different
strategies might be needed to fully develop
this vocabulary. By instructing and also
assessing students in the areas of prefixes,
suffixes, root words, antonyms, and
synonyms, students will be able to gain a
larger vocabulary and be able to place words
into certain categories in their minds.

Consulting the Research

Teachers need to lead students in learning
techniques to increase vocabulary.
Strategies students can use on their own.
Strategies teachers include in instruction
(Pikulski 2004)

Consulting the Research

Teachable strategies
Instructional Read-Aloud
Read a book aloud and discuss unknown words on
each page. (Pikulski, 2004)

Combination of Morphemic Elements

Understanding root words, prefixes, and suffixes

Understanding of Synonyms and Antonyms

(Ambruster, 2003)
Establishing word meaning through schema
Place words in categories to make connections
(Carr, 2012)

Consulting the Research

Assessments:
Vocabulary Recognition Task
Given a list of words from one subject area
Circle words relating to that certain vocabulary
area Place circled words on a concept map
(Stahl)

The Abecedarina Reading Assessment

(Wren, 2002)
Vocabulary Recognition
Antonyms
Synonyms

Works Cited
Armbruster, B. B., Lehr, F., Osborn, J., ORourke, R., Beck, I., Carnine, D., & Simmons,
D. (2003). Put reading first. Center for the Improvement of Early Reading
Achievement (CIERA).
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=oXG_eWWddpcC&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&d
q=how+to+teach+prefix+and+suffix&ots=iL9aLTWSZ6&sig=x5SuLpdkJaoe0Kl-j_Tw
wE1x1W0#v=onepage&q=how%20to%20teach%20prefix%20and%20suffix&f=false

Carr Edwards, E., & Font, G. (2012). Teaching WordLearning Strategies. Vocabulary
Instruction: Research to Practice, 139.
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=gXdnnX0ysIcC&oi=fnd&pg=PA139&d
q=strategies+improving+vocabulary+prefix&ots=Qv2ZdGuEek&sig=Hd_2qsXLTYmrhc
OzID2KILFavSM#v=onepage&q=strategies%20improving%20vocabulary%20prefix&f=f
alse

Pikulski, J. (2004). Teaching and Developing Vocabulary: Key to Long-Term Reading

Success. Retrieved October 14, 2015, from
http://www.eduplace.com/state/pdf/author/pik_temp.pdf

Stahl, K. (n.d.). Classroom Vocabulary Assessment for Content Areas. Retrieved

October 14, 2015, from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/classroom vocabulary-assessment-content-areas

Wren, S. (2002). BalancedReading.com -- Abecedarian Assessment. Retrieved

Assessments Given
Initial
Synonym

Initial
Antonym

MidPoint

Final

Student H

7/10

7/10

9/10

5/10

Student K

9/10

7/10

10/10

10/10

Student G

4/10

0/0

6/10

6/10

Strategies Used
San Diego Quick Reading Assessment
Multidimensional Fluency Assessment
Abecedarian Reading Assessment
Instructional Read-Aloud
Choral Reading
MCREL Nonlinguistic Representation
MCREL Similarities and Differences

Sessions Layout
Session 1
Initial Assessments (Two of the three different assessments will be
given to identify the needs of each individual student).
San Diego Quick Reading Assessment
Multidimensional Fluency Scale

Session 2
Initial Assessments (The final of the initial assessments will be given to
identify the individual needs of the students).
The Abecedarian Reading Assessment

Session 3
Action Research Meeting:
Reading PassageChoral Reading Instructional Read Aloud
Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type

Session 4
Action Research Meeting:
Synonyms Lessonto introduce the concept of synonyms to the students
Pitch and Throw, Grasp and Know

Synonym matching game

Each student had a set of cards with one word on the front and one on the back. One student
would call out the word, and the other students had to find the synonym. The winner of that
matching pair would then call out the new word on the back.

Sessions Layout
Session 5
Action Research Meeting
Synonym Review and Practice
Synonym picture cards. The students had a set of picture cards. One student would say the word of the picture in their hand.
Then another student would say a synonym of that picture.

Synonym SlamHands on synonym game

Students had a page of synonyms in front of them. The teacher would call out a word, and they would slap the synonym of
that word.

Session 6
Midpoint Assessment
Abecedarian Reading AssessmentSynonym identification section

Session 7
Action Research Meeting
Antonyms lessonto introduce the concept of antonyms to the students
The Foot Bookwe choral read this book together, then we discussed the meaning of antonyms using the book for examples

Synonym Antonym Pair Sort

Students had to sort word pairs to determine if they were synonyms or antonyms

Session 8
Action Research Meeting
Synonym Antonym Review and Wrap Up
Synonym Antonym Word Sort
Students had to sort words to determine if they were synonyms or antonyms (different sort than the previous)

Session 9
Final Assessment
Abecedarian Reading AssessmentAntonym identification section

Session to Session Instructional

Changes
After giving assessments I recognized their
knowledge of synonyms and antonyms was
low and decided to focus on that area of
vocabulary.
I focused on synonyms in the next session
realized thy needed more work in this area.
I then decided to move onto antonyms.
Through observations and formative
assessments, I recognized they needed 2
sessions for antonyms.

Necessary Instructional Changes

Initially was focusing on synonyms,
antonyms, and affixes.
Time allotment did not allow that
instructionaltoo broad of a goal
Chose to focus on synonyms and antonyms
based off of their assessments.

Final Assessment Reflection

Student H, Student K, and Student G all improved
Student H had a set back on her final antonym
assessment
Formative assessments did not predict this result
Student K showed continual improvement
Quick to understand and received a 100% on both
the synonym and antonym assessments
Student G improved the most
She went from a 0% to a 60% on the antonym
assessment and a 40% to a 60% on the synonym
assessment
Was slow to comprehend and process information

Overall Assessment Reflection

Improvement was seen in the students
Gave me experience in evidence-based
strategies and research
Looking back on the process, I now
understand different strategies, techniques,
and focuses I should have done.
Growth as a teacher
Growth in the students

Questions?
Do YOU have any suggestions on what
I should have done differently or what I
should do next?
Any questions for me?