Key Changes in Teaching
Summarise evidence about key changes in teaching and other factors that influence student learning.
There were three key changes I made in my teaching which influenced the learning of English and the reading comprehension ability of English language learners in my inquiry group. The specific changes within these three key changes were where the differences made. Two of these had causal roles (extensive and intensive reading approaches) and one had a facilitative role (affective filter approach).
A) Extensive Reading (Accelerated Reader)
The extensive reading programme was a key change in my teaching which heavily influenced the reading comprehension ability of learners in my inquiry group. This change provided opportunities for learners to practice reading and that consequently increased their reading milage. The more they read the more and better exposure they had to comprehensible input in English, which invaluably enabled them to learn aspects of the language and domains of reading comprehension. Accelerated Reader was an extensive reading programme offered for learners in my inquiry group.
The following best practices of 'Accelerated Reader' were to be adhered to in order to maximize the success of student learning of English and reading. They were mainly practiced and monitored during the in-class teaching time, but learners were also encouraged to read outside of class time.
i) Quantity - the amount of time spent on reading and the number of books read. Ideally the more time spent on reading and more books read, the more comprehensible input received which consequently resulted in successful language learning and reading comprehension.
The school gives allocated time for in-class reading, which is 20 minutes daily for each week. However, it is different from 'engaged' time which is the actually time the learner engages on reading. This engaged time is calculated by AR using the number of books read and % correct from the quizzes. The engaged time is when a learner engages most effectively in reading.
ii) Difficulty - the right levels of difficulty of books to be read (ZPDs). Every book in AR is already given a particular ZPD so readers can select the appropriate book to read. The books should not be too easy or too difficult, they should be at the right level of difficulty to be most effective. If the books are too dificult, readers would struggle to comprehend, so learning of the language would not be that effective. If the books are too easy, then there is not much language to learn. ZPDs are provided initially by the STAR reading test, and learners select their first book to read using those ZPDs. After reading their first book, they do a content quiz on that book. The passing percent correct is 60%, but the ideal average percent correct (APC) is 85 - 95%. It indicates that the book read was at the most appropriate level of difficulty for the learner. The learner therefore should borrow the next book with a higher ZPD, which is a bit more challenging. If the percent correct was below that ideal percent, then the learner should borrow the next book with a lower ZPD, which is a bit easier. This process guides how the reading is to be done and it must be monitored consistently well for the reading to be effective.
iii) Quality - the levels of comprehension from reading the books. As mentioned above, the ideal % correct of 85 - 95% from a quiz on every book and the average of the same for as many books read over a period of time is the best indicator of the level of comprehension achieved from reading. At the ideal level or above indicates ideal comprehension from reading while below indicates lesser comprehension.
The effectiveness of this reading programme is realised when these three best practices are adhered to. Table 1 below gives information on how learners in my inquiry group adhered to the best practices of Accelerated Reader.
Despite the 9 months allocated time given for reading, learners differed in engaged time, number of books read, and consequently on the average % correct. Student 2 only read for 6 months, has the lowest engaged time for reading, read the least number of books, and lowest average percent correct (APC). Student 5 read for the full 9 months, has the highest engaged time per day, the most number of books to read, and slightly below the ideal APC.
For comparison purposes, I compiled Table 2 below to present evidence on how the AR best practices are adhered to in my inquiry group compared to 4 other year 10 classes.
On average, the inquiry group spent more time on reading than any other class in the year level. They also read more books than the other year 10 classes - considering that a fewer number of only 5 students in the inquiry group reading 131 books compared to 16 in class 5 reading only 126 and 19 students in class reading only 175. The APC of the inquiry group is higher than 3 classes (only 1 class higher) and this a significant element considering that the learners of the four classes are mainstream students.
Another important evidence in the change of teaching is reflected by the attitude of learners in the inquiry group toward the accelerated reader programme. Table 3 below shows how learners were led to evaluate how they were doing in AR and how they could improve to gain the best benefits.
B. Intensive Reading Intervention
Other key changes in my teaching which influenced the learning of English and the reading comprehension ability of learners in my inquiry group was in the intensive reading instruction offered for the learners in class. The basic approach in this instruction was taking quantity and quality of different text types or genres and 'dive-deep' into reading them for the accuracy for meanings and ideas. Through this approach, learners were not only exposed to the comprehension input (i + 1) of English language, but also helped with strategies on how to read and comprehend what they read. That was done mainly through guided reading with the teacher, with a clear focus of outcomes on what to be achieved from reading.
This kind of guided reading approach is not new, but what's new are the few changes I made in doing it with my students now. Instead of simply selecting a text, read with the learners or ask them to read and then answer questions, and then go through the answers with the questions, I decided to make the following changes.
a) I got to know the learners better in order to help them at their needs. I analysed their performance in reading assessments and use thsoe evidence-based information to design this intensive reading programme (refer to my previous blogs).
b) I decided to incorporate relevant research-based findings (together with advices from experts in the field) on the most relevant and effective approaches to use in my teaching in order to address the learning needs of my learners.
c) I enquired with ESOL Online about the best approaches to use in teaching the ESOL students.
d) I tried to carefully plan and design this intensive reading programme with clear and relevant outcomes, strategies, and activities which might effectively address the learning needs of my learners.
e) I tried to select a variety of texts or genres to use in this intensive reading. The texts are similar to the texts used in PAT reading tests.
f) I tried to take time and not to rush with these learners, although it is hard to do so.
The use of these ESOL principles in the design of outcomes and activities for my intensive reading is evident of changes I tried to make in my teaching.
The plan overview I designed is also evident of a change I tried to make in my teaching instruction. The types of texts, the outcomes, and activities I put in the plan aimed to address some of the learning needs of my learners which were indicated in their reading performance.
The following is a 'dive-deep' strategy I used to help my learners through the process of reading so they can understand what they read.
C) Motivational and Visioning Intervention
This approach was not a causal one, rather it was an intervention with a facilitative role to play in this inquiry. It aimed at enabling learners in my inquiry group to feel safe and comfortable in their learning environment so they can focus on their learning. They need to feel confident, motivated, and have a vision for their own learning. These should hopefully dinimish their feelings of anxiety, stress, shame, inadequacy, and reluctance simply because they do not have enough knowledge and skills in English language.
Krashen's affective filter hypothesis (1985) in second language acquisition alludes to the fact that affecive filters in English language learners must be low enough to allow the acquisition input in. According to this hypothesis, affect includes motivation, attitude, anxiety, and self-confidence. Basically his viewpoints are:
- A raised affective filter can block input from reaching Language acquisition device (LAD), which is an instinctive mental capacity which enables an infant to acquire and produce language.
- A lowered affetcive filter allows the input to strike deeper and be acquired.
- The affective filter is responsible for individual variation in second language acquisition.
The plan for a workshop with some students in my ESOL classes, including learners in my inquiry group, is evident of one key change I made in my teaching. The workshop was classed 'Visioning My Future' facilitated by Dr Jannie van Hees, Michele Ensor, and myself. Details on the workshop were given in some of my previous blogs.
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