Using Action Research
To Empower North Carolina Educators
A Race to the Top Initiative
NC Department of Public Instruction
Educator Effectiveness Division
ELL Literacy: From Home to School
Leia Bruton
Rowan-Salisbury Schools
North Rowan Elementary School
Objectives:
● Participants will identify areas of need within their own
schools or districts to initiate action research.
● Participants will analyze the data and discuss which home
literacy strategies were most effective or beneficial.
● Participants will apply and create a personal plan for
promoting literacy strategies (or another issue) at home
with their students.
https://todaysmeet.com/BrutonESL
Communication and Questions
What is Action Research?
Get out Your Electronic Device and Go to
Kahootit.com
*Type in Code To Join*
https://play.kahoot.it/#/k/cf551182-6d62-48c0-83f3-97272f24b93a
What is Action Research?
Systematic inquiry conducted by teachers and
other educators to find solutions for critical,
challenging, relevant issues in their classrooms and
schools.
Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher,
2014
What is Action Research?
Main Goals Include:
•Positively impact student outcomes
•Identify and promote effective instructional
practices
•Create opportunities for teachers to become
reflective practitioners
•Share research results with other educators
Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher,
2014
What is Action Research?
A systematic research process to:
● Identify an area of focus (critical, challenging
issue)
●
Develop an action research plan
●
Implement action research plan in
classroom/school
●
Collect, analyze, and interpret data
●
Share findings to inform practice
Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 2014
ELL Literacy: From Home to School
•What?
•Who?
•Why?
•How?
Take 5!
Brainstorm critical issues or innovations you
would like to explore in your own school or
district. Formulate a research question of your
own to focus on and investigate.
Table Text
● Open Pages or Word document
● Type your problem and your rough draft
question
● Pass
● Comment on strategies, ways to approach
the question
● Pose a new question to clarify and pass
● Repeat twice, then return device to owner
What Does Peer-Reviewed
Research say about my focus
area?
•Language Development important in the early
years of a child’s life (Ballweg & Cortada)
•ELLs would greatly benefit from at-home
strategies in literacy (Wallace & Zeece)
•Multiple literacy practices inside and outside of
school have great impact on students (Haneda),
(Feiler et.al.), and (Martini & Senechal)
Action Research Plan
Literacy Impact at Home in
younger ELLs
Make Knowledge Public
Analyze/Interpret Data
Collect Data
Innovation/Intervention
Purpose of the Study
Make Knowledge Public
Collection, Personal Dictionary
December: Visualize, Reading
Apps & Websites
January: Making Connections,
Artifacts
February: Making Inferences,
Mystery Bags
March: Questioning, Literacy
Games
Analyze/Interpret Data
October: Summarize, foldable
November: Clarify, Word
Collect Data
Innovation/Intervention
Action Research Plan
Innovation/Intervention
Make Knowledge Public
● Rotate around to various
stations to view student
work samples, sample of at
home activities and
comprehension posters
Analyze/Interpret Data
•Carousel Activity
Collect Data
Innovation/Intervention
Action Research Plan
Implementation in the
Classroom
Analyze/Interpret Data
Collect Data
Innovation/Intervention
Action Research Plan
Make Knowledge Public
Findings
Jigsaw
● Shoulder Partner- How can
you use these strategies at
your own school? What
would you modify?
● Partner with another group
to discuss
● Share out in whole group
Make Knowledge Public
Analyze/Interpret Data
Collect Data
Innovation/Intervention
Action Research Plan
Recommendations
References
●
●
●
●
●
●
http://highered.mheducation.
com/sites/0073525960/student_view0/chapter24/multiple_choice_quiz.html
- Action Research Quiz
Ballweg, J. & Cortada, J. (2014). The Early Years: Dual Language
Learners. WiDA Focus On August Edition.
Wallace, B.M. & Zeece, P.D. (2009). Books and Good Stuff: A Strategy for
Building School to Home Literacy Connections. Early Childhood Education
J 37:35-42.
Haneda, M. (2006). Becoming Literate in a Second Language: Connecting
Home, Community, and School Literacy Practices. Theory Into Practice.
Fall 2006, Vol. 45 Issue 4, p337-345. 9p. DOI: 10.1207
/s15430421tip4504_7.
Martini, F. & Senechal, M. (2012). Learning Literacy Skills at Home: Parent
Teaching, Expectations, and Child Interest. Canadian Journal of
Behavioural Science Vol. 44, No. 3, 210-221.
Feiler, A. et.al. (2008). The Home School Knowledge Exchange Project:
linking home and school to improve children’s literacy. Support for
Learning Vol. 23 Number 1.
Conclusion of Presentation
•Thank you for your participation!
Leia Bruton
brutonld@rss.k12.nc.us
Wiki:
Follow me on Twitter: @BrutonESL