Initial Tests Done and My Reaction So Far

The first class of the 2nd semester is over and step one of my TIP is complete. Gathering data on their initial reading fluency scores. I conducted 1 minute oral reading assessments that assessed their words correct per minute, and their ability to use proper expression, volume, pacing, and phrasing.

My initial reaction? Well, I have a feeling that this reading fluency focus would be better with a younger group of students. Despite the fact that almost all my students are not native English speakers, their scores tended to be quite good. This leads me to think that there's just not going to be much room to grow with this group. Y'know, part of me was hoping to have some major breakthrough with tremendously needy and weak readers. Well, dang it, it turns out they can read just fine without me, thank you very much!

Oh well, the flipside is that these gr. 8 students will have the maturity to make some pretty sweet podcasts!

Here's an image that captures my facial expression at the end

of a workweek.

(actually, it's Jakob. On his first glass bottomed boat ride)

Rough Plan for TIP Implementation

Tommorrow is it. The day that I begin my TIP with my the new students in my Reading Class. I thought, that since this my reflection journal, it would be appropriate to walk through some of the things I need to do in the first week and a half of this course to ensure that my TIP takes off.

1.) Assess Student Initial Reading Fluency

• I will conduct individual, grade specific, 1 minute oral reading assessments. These 1 minute tests will provide me with the following data - the percentage of words correct that they read - the number of correct words per minute that they read - and I will score them on expression and phrasing using a rubric. These are 3 different sources of data that I'll be collecting from one simple 1 minute test. These tests will occur 3 times in the five week block. Personally, I think 3 times is overdoing it, so maybe I'll cut it to 2. Ideally this should be done over a longer period than 5 weeks, but, that's what I've got.

2.) Podcast Instruction

• I hope to introduce my middle schoolers to podcasting in a step by step way. The first thing I'll do is play a few, including one that I created in year 2.
• Then I'll give them a chance to create a class product together in which each of them will have a scripted line. All of this will be done while the LCD projector is on and kids can see how Audacity works. I hope that this gets kids over the fear of the mic. and hearing their own voice, as well as showing them that they don't need to be intimidated by the technology because it really is simple to use.
• After that lesson, we'll head to the computer lab and get them to create a podcast as a group. This podcast will require them to read orally from the stories they are reading so that they are practicing reading orally with the hope that it impacts their reading fluency. i don't think I'll require a script...but we'll see. More of a storyboard would be better, I think.
• Once they've done a class collaboration, and a group podcast, they'll be required to make one on their own. Actually, they'll make 2 over the span of the next 4 weeks.

3.) Data Collection

• I had initially thought that I'd collect data about student attitudes towards oral reading and creating podcasts. I thought this would be important in order to "triangulate" data - as I understand triangulating data.... Thoughts??? How much and what type of data should I be concerning myself with???

Well, that's my vision for now. There's more to it, but that'll take me through the next 14 days at least.

Gentlemen....Start Your Engines

It's Thursday here in the Magic Kingdom, and I'm halfway through my weekend. Yes, you may not know it, but our weekends here are Thursday and Friday. So the weekly schedule that our course is based on doesn't quite align with our work week here. In any case, this Sunday will mark the beginning of my TIP implementation. It's the first day of 2nd semester, and I'll be starting my "Podcasting and it's Impact on Reading Fluency" TIP with a fresh batch of students who have signed up for my Reading elective.

Here's me doing my best Ricky Bobby as I rev my engines and get set for the checkered flag...