Data Methods
Weekly Comprehension Checks
Weekly comprehension checks were completed with every student. This method was chosen because the comprehension checks align with our state standards. Testing the students using the standards helped me determine what areas needed more instruction and guided me to what I should be asking using targeted questioning. Students were accustomed to the comprehension checks, which kept them in a routine. These checks were done to determine progress on books at their instruction level during guided reading time. The books selected were short stories at their instructional level or just above. Comprehension checks focused on within, beyond, and about questions of the book similar to the Fountas and Pinnell questions. Students could earn a possible 3 points for each question type. I recorded the response of the students’ answers to the questions by writing down exactly what they said in order to track how they were answering questions. Each question was graded on a scale from one to three. Students were scored on a total scale of nine points; the scale was broken down into not proficient (zero to three), limited (four to five), approaching (six to seven), and proficient (eight to nine). The goal was to have the students score proficient each time. Students were each asked a within, beyond and an about the text question. Each question was scored out of three points, dependent on the accuracy of their answer. Therefore, for the student to receive a proficient score they needed to answer at least two of the three questions correctly and give a partially correct answer on one of the questions. Due to snow days and staff development days, I was only able to complete five weeks of checks.
Weekly Whole Group Comprehension Quiz
My goal was to determine whether or not our work in guided reading would carry over to our weekly whole group readings. Each week, my students took a comprehension quiz over our whole group reading. This method was chosen because, as a class, we had already been taking weekly comprehension quizzes. Using this method kept my students in a familiar routine and helped me see if the use of targeted questioning in guided reading affected how students were able to comprehend the whole group passages. This quiz contained a total of ten questions that varied in reading skills and levels. The questions covered content that was similar to Fountas and Pinnell’s within, beyond, and about the text questions, I implemented during guided reading. I collected this data and organized it by my class's average scores over the course of the research period. This method was used to help monitor student progress throughout the course of the entire study. Looking at the weekly tests helped inform my instruction by showing me where my class currently performed and where extra instruction was needed. I was able to reteach the areas of need during guided reading. While grading, I wanted to see a balance of scores between eight and ten; overall, I was looking for growth in each student’s data.
Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Testing
At the beginning of my research, I wanted to see how my students would grow in reading levels, according to the Fountas and Pinnell leveling system. Within my district, we use the Fountas and Pinnell benchmark testing to establish the student’s guided reading level. This method was chosen because it aligned with my curriculum and allowed me to discover if improvement in comprehension increased the students overall reading achievement. Students were also familiar with the benchmark testing process, which made the testing process run efficiently. Completing this benchmark testing gave me the current reading levels and helped me to group my students according to ability. By grouping students according to reading levels, I was able to challenge them with questions at their instructional level. I used this testing to see if their ability to comprehend was holding back my students from moving up reading levels. The students were tested using books to push them to their frustration level. The pre and post benchmark assessment had the same format, asking questions that used within, beyond and about, but using different passages. An example of one of these tests can be seen on the left. The students were again tested at the end of the research to show growth. The benchmark testing at the end was used to help guide teaching throughout the end of the year and re-organize reading groups which ensured students received instruction at their correct reading level.