DURHAM DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
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Dr. C.F. Cannon Public School
Essential Question: What was the Author’s Purpose
in creating this Text? Use evidence from the text
and your own ideas to support your
answer.
Bac kg ro u n d :
In December of 2008 the staff at Dr. C.F. Cannon undertook an action research project that would improve student reading at the intermediate
level. This project had a specific focus on boys and their identification and
understanding of text forms, features, and stylistic elements to assist
them in deciphering meaning. The project was derived from the school
wide focus on non-fiction literacy.
This project was undertaken as both school level and provincial assessment
data has historically demonstrated that our students (specifically boys)
score low on reading assessments. Data also indicates that boys at Dr. C.F.
Cannon have low confidence levels with regards to reading and often limit
reading activities to in school.
One hundred and twenty grade 7 and 8 students were involved in the study,
68 male students and 52 female students. Quantitative data was gathered
from ongoing assessments, work samples, and reading attitude surveys.
Special points of interest:
Our boys are not confident about their literacy
abilities
Boys tend to find nonfiction more enjoyable
and easier to read
Some students found
“regular” text easier to
read compared to
graphic text
PAGE 2
MISA FINAL REPORT
Through the topic of ‘Heroes’, the aim of the project was to initiate high levels of student interest
in reading by using local and international ‘hero’ figures that students are familiar with, can relate
to, and are interested in. Through this form of writing, we explicitly taught the students to identify and effectively use a variety of reading strategies to uncover the author’s
meaning. A focus was placed on why the
author used the particular types and varieties of text forms, features, and stylistic elements to convey his message and
why.
Although our goal was to engage the boy
readers and set them up for success with
regard to literacy skills, the strategies
used also represent practices that enhanced the learning environment for both
male and female students. Our lessons
included talk-time, visual cues, immediate
response, use of positive role models, nonfiction text, and the use of graphic organizers.
“Cool
! We are going to get to
read this!! The way it looks
makes me want to read it more”
Darien : Grade 8 reluctant
reader
Data C o l l e c t i o n M e t h o d s
a n d A na lys i s
Pre-lesson Discussions
After deciding to use magazines at an earlier meeting, the Intermediate Division utilized the Nelson
Literacy and Top Ten magazines already in our school library to carry out the project. The team
then discussed what it means to be a hero and decided that there is a broad definition of the word
Hero, especially in the minds of young adolescents. The range of contemporary heroes included Rap-
DR. C.F. CANNON PUBLIC SCHOOL
PAGE 3
pers, Sports Figures, War Veterans and Youth Activists. The team then selected several differing non-fiction articles focusing on various Heroes. The articles were made into transparencies and posters that teachers used in their explicit teaching of text features.
The team also determined
that the posters would be
kept up throughout the
project as an anchor
chart reference and as a
visual reminder of the
effective use of various
text features to convey
meaning.
A graphic organizer was
developed to support and
help organize student
ideas generated in the
lesson. In the graphic
organizer, students could
expand upon and find examples of different
Graphic Organizer used by students to organize, document
thoughts, and create discussion in regards to the author’s
forms of text features in the
various non - fiction articles (i.e.,
font, Text Art, pictures, captions, etc.). Students would then explore what message the author
is attempting to convey through each form. The following questions were included in the chart:
List the Text Features, What is the Author’s Purpose in Using this Feature, Facts Learned from
the Feature, It Was / Wasn’t Effective Because, and finally, What other Features could the
Author have Used and Why?
The team worked in conjunction with Creative Services at the Durham District School Board to
develop the graphic organizer. Poster sized graphic organizers were created for each intermediate classroom. During the lesson, students were given the large sized organizers to work with.
The staff hoped working with such professional resources would help generate excitement and
interest within the group. Student sized graphic organizers were developed at the school level
for individual use by the students.
The team also designed a culminating task incorporating both the students personal hero and
text features. To incorporate differentiated instruction into the project, students were given
choice on the format in which they presented their heros to the class.
PAGE 4
MISA FINAL REPORT
Pre and Post Diagnostic
In order to find out prior knowledge and student attitudes, a pre-diagnostic test and an online
survey were given to all grade seven and eight students. The survey was used to determine student attitudes towards reading. The questions provided information regarding the students
knowledge of text features and their meaning. The same survey and questions were completed by
the students at the end of the project to determine if it had resulted in any attitudinal changes
in regards to reading, and to determine the success of the lessons focusing on text features, and
the author’s purpose in creating the text.
To accommodate reluctant writers, Audacity was used, rather than writing, to record verbal answers to the following question: List the text features the author used in the article, What was
the author’s purpose in creating this text? Use evidence from the text and your own ideas to support your answer., Do you think the text features are effective? Why or why not?, If you were
the author what text features would you have used?
Sample questions from Reading Attitude Survey 2009—Dr. C.F. Cannon P.S.
Students were asked to select either strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree as a
response. Students were given 17 questions in all.
1. I am in Grade 7 /I am in Grade 8
2. I am a boy / I am a girl
3. I enjoy listening to someone read aloud.
4. I like to talk about ideas and information after I have read
5. I enjoy reading at home
8. I read for enjoyment
“As they get older, boys increasingly describe themselves as non-readers. Few
have this attitude early in their schooling,
but, according to some experts, nearly
50% describe themselves as non-readers
by the time they enter secondary school”
9. I only read to do schoolwork
(Me Read? No Way!)
6. I think non-fiction is easier to read than fiction
7. Other people think I am a good reader
DR. C.F. CANNON PUBLIC SCHOOL
PAGE 5
R e s u lt s a n d F i n d i n g s
Given that there was a significant improvement in the student Text Feature Written Survey for
both boys and girls, it is reasonable to say that the text feature lessons themselves did indeed
improve the students’ abilities to identify and derive meaning from a wide range of text features.
For example, with the first question of simply identifying various text features, the pre-test
showed that girls averaged 60% in levels 3 and 4 and boys averaged 75% in levels 2 and below.
In the post test, the girls average was 100% in levels 3 and 4 and the boys averaged over 90% in
levels three and four.
In question two, “What do you think was the purpose in using these text features? Use evidence
from the text and your own ideas to support your answer?”, the pre-test showed that girls averaged 48% in levels 3 and above.
The boys averaged 90% in levels 2
and below . The post test indicated
excellent results; the girls averaged 75% in levels 3 and above and
only 25% in levels 2 and below. The
boys averaged 60% in levels 3 and
above and 40% in levels and below.
The student’s ability to use evidence from the text to support
their answers was greatly improved. The team believe that allowing the boys talk time made a
significant difference in this area.
Questions three, “Do you think the text features are effective? Why or why not?” , also revealed interesting results. The pre-test showed that the girls split their results 50% in levels 2
and below and 50% in levels 3 and above. The boys averaged 92% in levels 2 and below. The post
test indicated excellent results, the girls averaged 88% in levels 3 and above while the boys averaged 85 % in levels 3.
In question 4, “If you were the author, what text features would you have used?”, again demonstrated significant results. The pre-test results show the girls had only 20 % in level three and
above, as compared to more than 80% in levels three and above in the post test. The boys who
had less than 10% in levels 3 and above in the pre-test, had more than 70% in levels 3 and above
in the post test.
MISA FINAL REPORT
I feel good about how quickly I
read.
GIRLS
BOYS
While our Post– Reading Attitude Survey Results did
not yield significant results, (generally expected
given the short period of time for this mini-unit),
there were some interesting similarities, and one interesting difference by gender. The three similarities for both genders showed increases from pre to
post test in the areas of feeling good about how
quickly they read, enjoying talking about ideas and
information after they have read something, and that
students read to find out new information and facts.
PAGE 6
I like to talk about ideas and information
after I have read something.
BOYS
GIRLS
“Letting boys in on the ‘Secret’
Boys need to be let in on the
“secret” of what happens when we
read and write. We need to examine
processes that are often hidden or
left unspoken and make them clear
and explicit”
(Me Read? No Way!)
The difference between genders occurred in the area of non-fiction being perceived as easier to read than fiction. The survey revealed while the girls opinion decreased on this topic ,
the boys’ opinion increased, meaning the girls found non-fiction more difficult to read while
the boys found it much easier (20% increase) overall.
Given the attitude survey was taken a mere 2 weeks apart after a mini-unit using non-fiction
text, we did not expect to find dramatically significant differences in the students overall
attitude toward reading. However, we were pleased with the overall improvements of our
boys. In summary, boys increased their reading confidence levels, enjoyment of discussion
after reading, desire to read to learn about new topics, and their perception of non-fiction
being easier to read. Given that this data was an improvement in several of the areas we
knew our boys struggled with, we are happy with the results of the unit and the students enjoyment and engagement with the subject matters.
I read to find out about new
things.
GIRLS
BOYS
I think non-fiction is easier to read
than fiction.
GIRLS
BOYS
PAGE 7
DR. C.F. CANNON PUBLIC SCHOOL
Lesson Study Model
"Learning is a social process that
occurs through interpersonal interaction within a cooperative context. Individuals, working together, construct
shared understandings and knowledge."
David Johnson, Roger Johnson and
Karl Smith
The team used the lesson study model to
ensure student engagement and develop
the best possible unit plan. During the introductory lesson, several members of the
team observed how the students reacted
while their teacher delivered the lesson.
From these observations, modifications
were made to the lesson plan. These
changes were then implemented with the
next class. Initially some members of the
team were hesitant to have others watch
as they taught. However, this experience
was positive and produced valuable insight
into student learning.
The time for professional collaboration was
greatly valued by the team. Similar to students experiencing talk time, teachers felt
that the ability to conference, work, and
learn together, was invaluable. The intermediate team will continue to work together as a collaborative unit.
R e f l e c t i o n a n d ac t i o n s
Since the results of the unit were successful, the intermediate team would like to move forward from the gains made during this study on text features by developing another unit plan.
This unit plan would focus on transferring the students newly developed skills of interpreting
text features to academic text books. The students need ongoing practice to develop the ability to transfer the skills they have learned during this past unit into their academic studies.
The students in our Intermediate division need to become more proficient and effective readers to meet the demands of secondary school. As a school, we need to increase the self confidence of our boy readers. As teachers, we need to show them that reading can be enjoyable
and interesting. They need to understand that talking about what they have read is almost as
important as reading itself. By engaging them with interesting and debatable topics we can
allow them to feel comfortable with this process of reading and talking. This strategy would
provide the scaffolding for the jump to more challenging texts and subject matters.
MISA FINAL REPORT
PAGE 8
c o n t r i b u t i o n s to M I S A
p ro f e s s i o na l n e t wo r k
We hope our strategies to “hook” male readers using nonfiction text from a variety of sources, partnered with our
simple data collection and analysis strategies and results,
can assist other schools and boards in improving the reading scores of students who score low on reading assessments. We also hope to learn from others through the
MISA Network.
S u g g e s t i o n s f o r F u t u r e R e s e a rc h
Some suggestions for future research would be:
 Use of a control and experimental group possibly in different schools to further
verify data
 Transferring the knowledge of text features and author’s intentions learned in
this unit to academic textbooks in other core subjects
 Unfortunately, due to logical issues Audacity was not used to record student answers, future research would work to resolve these issues
Project Completed By:
Elizabeth Heath - Vice-Principal
Jennifer Fitzgerald - Intermediate SERT
Heath Hough - Intermediate SERT /Grade 8
Jessie Zalewski – Grade 7
Rachel Adams - Grade 7
Jonathan Ross – Grade 8
Margo Hett – Librarian
Robert Lemere - Grade 7/8
(Team Contact) [email protected]
Durham District School Board
400 Taunton Road East
Whitby, Ontario
L1R 2K6
Quality Education today - for tomorrow