Collaborative Action
Research Project
OUTLINE
Kathryn S. Morrison
Improving
Spelling Errors
of
Second Grade Students
When Adding Suffixes
to
Root Words
Chapter I.
Introduction
Problem Statement
Purpose of Study
Description of Community
Description of Work Setting
Writer’s Role in Work Setting
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Second grade students are failing to use
proper spelling when adding suffixes to
words.
PURPOSE of STUDY
determine some causes for this
problem
develop a strategy for improving
the situation
DESCRIPTION of
COMMUNITY
Public school system in urban
Southeastern US
District comprised of
– 31 Elementary
– 5 Middle Schools
– 5 High Schools
Description of Community
(continued)
Enrollment of 25,000 in a
community of 250,000
A large portion of affluent and
middle class students attend
area private schools
leaving predominately lower
socio- economic children in
public system
DESCRIPTION of
WORK SETTING
“At-Risk” Elementary School
95% students qualify for free
lunch
25% qualify for special
education
12% retention in same grade
Work Setting (continued)
Total student population 380
– 99% African American
– 1% Anglo American
Awarded State School of
Excellence
High degree of reciprocal
community involvement
WRITER’S ROLE
Writer is School Music Specialist
Teaching responsibilities:
general music - all students
grades 1-3
playing of instruments - all
students grade 4
choir - auditioned students grades
4-6
Chapter II. Study of the
Problem
Chapter II. Study of
the Problem
Problem Description
Problem Documentation
Literature Review
Causative Analysis
PROBLEM
DESCRIPTION
Second grade students are failing to
use proper spelling when adding
suffixes to words
Students do not know rules for
adding suffixes
Students cannot apply rules when
they are given
Students lack motivation to improve
PROBLEM
DOCUMENTATION
Second grade teachers report student
spelling errors when adding suffixes
to words
13 of 17 students make 4 or more
errors on spelling test when adding
suffixes
15 of 17 students make multiple
errors on suffixes in journal writing
Only 1 of 17 students verbalize rules
accurately
LITERATURE REVIEW
English spelling has traditionally
been difficult for those who
teach it as well as those who
must learn it (Johnston, 2000 )
Literature Review
(continued)
Students who have been unable
to intuitively grasp rules of
English structure benefit from
introduction to and more
structured work with
generalizations (Abbott, M.
2000)
Literature Review
(continued)
School-age students identify the
meanings of familiar suffixes
with fairly high levels of
accuracy but their ability to
produce these same suffixes
falls well short of their receptive
abilities (Windsor, J. and
Whang, M., 1999).
CAUSATIVE ANALYSIS
Second grade students lack:
a tool for memorization of
general rules
the ability to apply generalized
rules
motivation to improve
Chapter III. Outcomes and
Evaluations
Chapter III. Outcomes
and Evaluations
Goals and Expectations
Expected Outcomes
Measurement of Outcomes
Analysis of Results
GOALS and
EXPECTATIONS
Second grade students will use
proper spelling when adding
suffixes to words
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Three specific outcomes will be achieved:
10 of 17 students will make less than 4 errors on post
intervention spelling test
Number of
Students with 4
or less Errors
Pre Intervention
4
10
Post Intervention
17
Number of Participants
0
10
20
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Three specific outcomes will be achieved:
10 of 17 students will make 1 or less errors per
paragraph on journal entries
Number of
Students with 1
or less Errors
Pre Intervention
2
10
Post Intervention
17
Number of Participants
0
10
20
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Three specific outcomes will be achieved:
15 of 17 students will accurately verbalize generalized
spelling rules for the addition of suffixes
Number of
Students able to
Verbalize Rules
Pre Intervention
1
15
Post Intervention
17
Number of Participants
0
10
20
MEASUREMENT of
OUTCOMES
Four types of quantitative evaluations
Pre and post implementation spelling
tests scores
Pre and post implementation journal
assignments scores
Oral recitation of generalized rules
scores
Comparison of study group to control
group both pre and post
implementation
ANALYSIS of RESULTS
Analysis will be shown in bar
graph form
A t-test at the .05 level of
significance will be employed
Chapter IV. Solution
Strategy
Chapter IV. Solution
Strategy
Statement of Problem
Discussion
Description of Selected Solutions
STATEMENT of
PROBLEM
One of the major spelling
difficulties experienced by
second grade students is in
attempting to add suffixes to
root words, particularly when the
root spelling changes with the
addition of the suffix.
DISCUSSION
Several factors to consider
through which the writer can
effect change:
Flexibility based on student
development is key (Abbott,
2000)
Music shares brain processes
with language (Hodges, 2000)
Discussion (Continued)
Musical activities build neural
bridges used for spatial
reasoning (Rayl, 1995)
Music aids recall (Murphey,
2001)
DESCRIPTION of
SELECTED
SOLUTIONS
Steps in intervention:
Music Specialist will teach rules
set to music
Classroom teacher will play
recording of rules set to music
Remedial students will be given
a copy of the recording to use at
home
CONCLUSION
The use of music to teach general
rules in spelling:
adds flexibility to traditional
approaches
aids memorization
stimulates language skills
strengthens spatial reasoning
motivates improvement
MUSIC MOVES
US!