Action and Assessment Plan
Need
Carroll and Feng (2010) found that student’s attitudes on writing decline throughout the years. Students understand that it is something that is important to their academic success, but it is not something that they enjoy doing. I have observed similar attitudes in my classroom. I have noticed that the students are writing about the same topics each day when given free choice. I also overhear students saying that they do not know what to write about in their journals. These students are extremely creative and independent, but they have been given free choice on writing since September. Without providing some guidance, I believe that the attitudes towards writing will decrease, as the students become more frustrated with choosing a topic. After observing the students during writing time, analyzing their writing samples and reviewing literature on the visual arts and writing, I have decided to implement pictures into the writing program.
Intervention
According to Joshua (2007), “visual aids appeared to provide concrete examples and therefore assist them with their writing and drawing” (p. 92). It is for this reason that during phase one of my action plan, I will provide students with the option to write about pictures during their daily writing time. These students need something concrete to write about, so that they can focus on expanding their writing, using new vocabulary and exploring new genres.
Since the students are not accustomed to writing on topics other than their own choice, I will model how to write about a picture. When the pictures are provided, I will tell the students that when they look at the pictures, they can either describe what is occurring in the picture or make up a story about what is happening. On the first couple days of implementation, I will ask the students to describe what they see, what the people in the pictures might be feeling, what they might hear if they were there and what the characters are doing. I will use chart paper to document what they say is occurring in the picture. I will also use drawings with the words in order to accommodate for the English language learners in my classroom. Since we do not usually analyze things occurring in pictures, this will help them to brainstorm things to write about each picture and guide their thinking before they put words down on paper.
After we have finished filling out the chart paper, I will follow the standard procedures set out for writing time. As a whole class, we will create three sentences on one of the pictures, as I write them in my own journal. This will give me a chance to model the proper mechanics and grammar used in writing. It will also give me an opportunity to model how I would use invented spelling to sound out words. This modeling will also help for them to see how we can use our brainstorming ideas to help us with our sentences. After I dismiss the students to their desks to begin their writing, I will provide a list of words that are associated with the picture on the whiteboard so some of the main ideas will be easier to spell.
They also will be able to choose to forego the picture option and write on the topic of their choice. This way I can monitor the student’s choice during writing time.
Data Collection
Since students will be given options on what to write on during their writing time, I needed to find specific ways to track how the pictures helped to expand their writing topics. For this reason, I am going to use three different methods to gather data during phase one:
1. Student Writing Samples
The students write frequently in their writing journals. I will take pictures or make copies of some of the student’s writing to document how their writing topics change from their baseline writing over the course of phase one. These samples will help to provide information about topics, word choice, genres, and overall expansion of writing.
2. Structured Checklist
The student checklist that I will be using during each writing period will be to monitor student’s choice on writing. This will document whether the students chose to write on one of the pictures or on a topic of their choice. This will help me see whether or not the students are utilizing the prompts and pictures.
Carroll and Feng (2010) found that student’s attitudes on writing decline throughout the years. Students understand that it is something that is important to their academic success, but it is not something that they enjoy doing. I have observed similar attitudes in my classroom. I have noticed that the students are writing about the same topics each day when given free choice. I also overhear students saying that they do not know what to write about in their journals. These students are extremely creative and independent, but they have been given free choice on writing since September. Without providing some guidance, I believe that the attitudes towards writing will decrease, as the students become more frustrated with choosing a topic. After observing the students during writing time, analyzing their writing samples and reviewing literature on the visual arts and writing, I have decided to implement pictures into the writing program.
Intervention
According to Joshua (2007), “visual aids appeared to provide concrete examples and therefore assist them with their writing and drawing” (p. 92). It is for this reason that during phase one of my action plan, I will provide students with the option to write about pictures during their daily writing time. These students need something concrete to write about, so that they can focus on expanding their writing, using new vocabulary and exploring new genres.
Since the students are not accustomed to writing on topics other than their own choice, I will model how to write about a picture. When the pictures are provided, I will tell the students that when they look at the pictures, they can either describe what is occurring in the picture or make up a story about what is happening. On the first couple days of implementation, I will ask the students to describe what they see, what the people in the pictures might be feeling, what they might hear if they were there and what the characters are doing. I will use chart paper to document what they say is occurring in the picture. I will also use drawings with the words in order to accommodate for the English language learners in my classroom. Since we do not usually analyze things occurring in pictures, this will help them to brainstorm things to write about each picture and guide their thinking before they put words down on paper.
After we have finished filling out the chart paper, I will follow the standard procedures set out for writing time. As a whole class, we will create three sentences on one of the pictures, as I write them in my own journal. This will give me a chance to model the proper mechanics and grammar used in writing. It will also give me an opportunity to model how I would use invented spelling to sound out words. This modeling will also help for them to see how we can use our brainstorming ideas to help us with our sentences. After I dismiss the students to their desks to begin their writing, I will provide a list of words that are associated with the picture on the whiteboard so some of the main ideas will be easier to spell.
They also will be able to choose to forego the picture option and write on the topic of their choice. This way I can monitor the student’s choice during writing time.
Data Collection
Since students will be given options on what to write on during their writing time, I needed to find specific ways to track how the pictures helped to expand their writing topics. For this reason, I am going to use three different methods to gather data during phase one:
1. Student Writing Samples
The students write frequently in their writing journals. I will take pictures or make copies of some of the student’s writing to document how their writing topics change from their baseline writing over the course of phase one. These samples will help to provide information about topics, word choice, genres, and overall expansion of writing.
2. Structured Checklist
The student checklist that I will be using during each writing period will be to monitor student’s choice on writing. This will document whether the students chose to write on one of the pictures or on a topic of their choice. This will help me see whether or not the students are utilizing the prompts and pictures.
3. Informal Student Observations
During the writing time, I will be taking notes on student’s behavior, attitudes and comments. This will help to see how the students view the new writing options and whether or not it is something that interests them. I also will use this to monitor if the pictures help to promote more choice writing during the daily five.
Timeline
April 22 – Begin implementation of phase 1
April 23-May 19: Model how to write on pictures; collect data
May 19: Finish data collection for phase one and analyze data
May 20: Analyze data from phase one and decide on phase 2 implementation
May 28-June 6: Implement phase two; collect data
June 7: Analyze data from phase 2 and record results
During the writing time, I will be taking notes on student’s behavior, attitudes and comments. This will help to see how the students view the new writing options and whether or not it is something that interests them. I also will use this to monitor if the pictures help to promote more choice writing during the daily five.
Timeline
April 22 – Begin implementation of phase 1
April 23-May 19: Model how to write on pictures; collect data
May 19: Finish data collection for phase one and analyze data
May 20: Analyze data from phase one and decide on phase 2 implementation
May 28-June 6: Implement phase two; collect data
June 7: Analyze data from phase 2 and record results