Action Research Proposal
Jodi Mae Herold
July 2011
INTRODUCTION
As this year closed, many teachers were breathing a sigh of relief as the OAKS testing
window had been closed and no more grueling days of spending hours testing students and
feeling like the computer lab is their second home. Unfortunately, as teachers do, we began to
look forward to next year and reflect. In my building, the question was already being discussed
of how we are going to raise our OAKS Math scores for next year, especially our ELL learners.
Our scores were as follows as we concluded this school year:
Grade
Eyre Elementary
3rd
78%
th
4
83%
5th
60%
th
5 (Herold) 60%
Salem-Keizer School District
64%
68%
69%
State of Oregon
64%
66%
58%
*Note: Our ELL population was 66.66%. With a margin of error of 4-5%, we most likely passed in this subgroup
this year. The magic number was 70% this year and is raised each year.
The Oregon Department of Education recently changed the math standards and rewrote
the OAKS testing to reflect these new standards. The State also raised the passing score. As
each year passes, the percentage of children needing to pass OAKS increases due to the No
Children Left Behind act. This determines if a school and district has met AYP (Adequate
Yearly Progress) or is in Need of Improvement. Schools must meet in subgroups (e.g. ELL,
IEP) as well to meet AYP. When a school does not meet AYP after a specified period of years,
measures are taken to improve the school including restructuring of curriculum, programs, and
staff. As one can see, this can cause tremendous stress to the district and school administrators
as well as teachers.
Eyre Elementary did not meet AYP the previous year 2009-2010 due to two ELL
students not passing their OAKS tests.
Based on the information stated, my research question is How can I help my ELL learners
pass their OAKS Math test?
LITERATURE REVIEW
As I have conversed with fellow teachers this year about students not passing the OAKS
math test, I heard most often that the issue was word problems and students not being able to
understand the complex vocabulary and long-winded sentences, pull out the important
information, and know which operation(s) to use. The literature review is centered on ELL
learners, math examinations, its hindrances, and interventions.
Abedi, J., & Lord, C. (2001). The Language Factor in Mathematics Tests. Applied Measurement
in Education, 14(3), 219-234.
This study focused on the importance of language in student test performance on math problems.
Eighth grade students were given National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics
assessment in its original form as well as the questions rewritten to reduce their linguistic
complexity. The modified version produced higher scores, especially in the lower level classes
and average classes and also the ELL and SES students.
Martiniello, M. (2009). Linguistic Complexity, Schematic Representations, and Differential Item
Functioning for English Language Learners in Math Tests. Educational Assessment,
14(3/4), 160-179.
This particular study addressed the issue of the blending of English language skills and math
concepts with word problems in formative testing. The purpose was to determine if the problem
lies in the linguistic complexity of a word problem or the concept for ELL learners. It analyzed
a fourth grade state math test. Items in the strands of data analysis, statistics, and probabilities
proved to be linguistically complex. Patterns, relations, and algebra tended to favor ELL learners
due to its visual representations. The study showed that efforts need to be made to assess math
proficiency by using words that are appropriate for their English level proficiency and use more
pictorial and schematic representations to facilitate comprehensibility of math word problems.
Martiniello, M. (2008). Language and the Performance of English-Language Learners in Math
Word Problems. Harvard Educational Review, 78(2), 333-368. Retrieved from
EBSCOhost.
This study delves into the syntactical aspect of math word problems. Martiniello describes the
linguistic features of the 2003 MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) 4th
grade word problems that prove difficult for ELL Learners. She includes think aloud interviews
of first-generation ELL students while they are completing math problems to help support her
position that comprehension is a hindrance for ELL learners. ELL learners take a significant
amount of time determining the meaning of each word and when they have completed that task,
it is difficult to put all the words and meanings back together again and answer the questions
correctly. In this study, she urges educators to engage in mathematical discourse with their
students and use textbooks to combines natural and academic language, mathematical terms,
symbols, and graphs. The teaching of math cannot be isolated from teaching of language.
METHODS
Participants
The participants in this study are my fifth grade homeroom students at Mary Eyre
Elementary. This classroom is a bilingual classroom (English/Spanish). Every student tests
regardless of language or learning disability. The only exclusions are students that have been in
the United States for less than one year or are on an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) that
explicitly states that they will take an extended test which is done one-on-one using a
paper/pencil version. They are counted as an automatic “Does Not Meet” which lowers the
school’s percentage.
Methods/Techniques and Instruments/Tools
There are several methods to be used in this action research project. First and foremost
are the OAKS scores for all years available. The scores are available by strand to see the strong
and weak areas of each student. The District interim assessments provide data on units recently
taught and pre-assessment data for the next unit of instruction.
“Think aloud” student interviews will be conducted with students to observe their process
of solving math problems and their strategies to comprehend the problems. These interviews
provide opportunity for probing if necessary.
Surveys will be given to students to see what they feel are the most difficult parts of
taking an OAKS test. This will be given after taking the first try, so I can use this information to
drive instruction and create small intervention groups.
I will observe students and discover which math concepts pose difficulty, areas of weak
comprehension (e.g. vocabulary and sentence structure), and what fundamental skills are lacking.
A checklist will be used to mark which standards and substandards have been mastered in both
simple and complex approaches as well as in word problems. Anecdotal notes will also be taken.
Data Collection Procedures
This action research project will take place over the course of the school year. OAKS
testing begins in October and ends in late May. During the first month of school, an evaluation
of the OAKS data of each student from previous years will be completed. Student interviews
and observations will be done throughout the year. Checklists and anecdotal notes will be
completed throughout the school year. The student surveys will be taken after the first round of
testing has been completed. District interim assessments time frames are determined by the
District.
Data Analysis Plan
The OAKS and District interim assessments data can be sorted by score or strand data on
their websites. The website allows for report generations in forms of tables, graphs, and
spreadsheets to see areas of strengths and weakness as well as progression over the year or
academic life of a student. This will be used a starting point in creating year long plans and
placement of students into focused intervention groups. Interviews answers will be arranged by
question and be placed parallel to easily see the similarities. Checklists and observation focal
points will be entered into a spreadsheet, so I can monitor the students for change over time or
distinguish stagnancy.
BIAS AND ETHICS
In order to ensure that all students are represented, I will observe and create a checklist
for each student. The observation list will have central points to avoid a shift of focus, especially
student behavior, disinterest, or off-task talking. Observations will take place often to reduce
students acting differently when they know they are being observed. A checklist will explicitly
state what standard or substandard is being mastered and what students must do to obtain
mastery. To ensure objectivity, OAKS tests and interim tests will be closely evaluated as they are
written and graded by outside personnel and computerized systems.
Ethic considerations will be made since this project involves human children. The
Institutional Review Board must approve my proposal for this study. Informed consent will be
obtained by students and their parents using an informed consent form. Students will not feel
intimidated or forced in any fashion to participate in this study. Students will not be negatively
consequenced if they choose not to participate. To maintain confidentiality, no specific
identifying information or names will be published. Students will be assigned a number to avoid
identification. The research will be planned to meet APA standards for avoiding deception in
research and meeting ethical responsibility. This study will comply with all state and federal
laws. District and school administrators will receive a copy of my action research proposal and
then authorize its conduction if permissible. They will be kept updated as the study progresses
via summaries after a round of testing is completed, have access to OAKS and District
assessment websites as well as visiting the classrooms and viewing my classroom data.
REPORTING AND SHARING RESULTS
The results will be shared with teachers, parents, students, District and school
administrators, District bilingual department staff, and members of the Eyre Elementary Site
Council which includes community members, parents, and school employees. Students see their
results within five seconds of submitting their tests on the computer screen. Parents are notified
about the OAKS test results throughout the year at parent-teacher conferences as well as a
concluding letter sent at the end of the year to inform them of their child’s growth and readiness
for the following year. District and school personnel continually monitor OAKS testing and
District interim testing throughout the year using their websites. At the conclusion of the school
year, administrators complete preliminary AYP results using the State of Oregon’s formulas with
the official results being released in July.