Findings
During phase two, I triangulated the data using a structured checklist on topic choice, informal observations of my students and analysis of student work to identify patterns in their writing. These combined data sets pointed to the conclusion that the phase two intervention was not as successful as hoped for.
Pattern 1: When the responsibility of finding pictures was placed on the students, they were less likely to make the effort.
As demonstrated by the structured checklist, the students were less likely to go through their book bags to find the pictures to write about. Only six students found a picture in a book to write about on the second day and none utilized their books during the next writing time. I believe that the pictures in the books were more beneficial for students that really enjoyed reading and really liked some of the books that we had previously read. Most of the books that they had access to were books that we read in guided reading groups or that were randomly placed there to help them practice reading. These books were not about their favorite characters or stories, which I believe impacted their desire to utilize the books to help with topic choice.
When the pictures were put on the screen during phase one, there was less effort to find a topic because it was right in front of them. Phase two required the effort to go retrieve their book bags, find a book they liked and then find a picture within the book that they enjoyed. The students' age may have contributed to this outcome, due to the fact that they did not understand that they could make up their own story with the pictures. As previously stated, the students who wrote about a picture in the book tended to reiterate the plot of the story instead of making up their own stories about the characters. I believe that this behavior was due to their developmental level. With their shorter attention spans, the pictures on the screen may have been easier to focus on then on the process of selecting their own book.
Pattern 2: Events or things in their lives that they are passionate about, have the most substantial impact on their writing regardless of what I had provided.
The students demonstrated that their passions and the major events in their lives dictated what they wrote about more than what I provided for them. This was demonstrated by the field trip to the zoo. Almost every student wrote about our field trip to the zoo and wrote more than the required three sentences. They were so passionate about this topic that it radiated in their writing. Even the struggling writers were writing coherent sentences, staying on the same topic and adding detail to their sentences. This demonstrated how important their passions and interests are in their writing and in their overall educational experience. The students wanted to write when they won an award, did something fun that previous weekend or hung out with their friends. Even when I modeled the books, these were not things that were prevalent in their life. I was not using their favorite books and they did not have access to their favorite stories. I believe that this contributed to their lack of interest in writing about the books in their book bags. If the students were allowed to bring in their favorite stories, this may have provided more incentive to write about the pictures in books. Below are various samples of student work about their trip to the zoo including the first image from my English language learner.
Pattern 1: When the responsibility of finding pictures was placed on the students, they were less likely to make the effort.
As demonstrated by the structured checklist, the students were less likely to go through their book bags to find the pictures to write about. Only six students found a picture in a book to write about on the second day and none utilized their books during the next writing time. I believe that the pictures in the books were more beneficial for students that really enjoyed reading and really liked some of the books that we had previously read. Most of the books that they had access to were books that we read in guided reading groups or that were randomly placed there to help them practice reading. These books were not about their favorite characters or stories, which I believe impacted their desire to utilize the books to help with topic choice.
When the pictures were put on the screen during phase one, there was less effort to find a topic because it was right in front of them. Phase two required the effort to go retrieve their book bags, find a book they liked and then find a picture within the book that they enjoyed. The students' age may have contributed to this outcome, due to the fact that they did not understand that they could make up their own story with the pictures. As previously stated, the students who wrote about a picture in the book tended to reiterate the plot of the story instead of making up their own stories about the characters. I believe that this behavior was due to their developmental level. With their shorter attention spans, the pictures on the screen may have been easier to focus on then on the process of selecting their own book.
Pattern 2: Events or things in their lives that they are passionate about, have the most substantial impact on their writing regardless of what I had provided.
The students demonstrated that their passions and the major events in their lives dictated what they wrote about more than what I provided for them. This was demonstrated by the field trip to the zoo. Almost every student wrote about our field trip to the zoo and wrote more than the required three sentences. They were so passionate about this topic that it radiated in their writing. Even the struggling writers were writing coherent sentences, staying on the same topic and adding detail to their sentences. This demonstrated how important their passions and interests are in their writing and in their overall educational experience. The students wanted to write when they won an award, did something fun that previous weekend or hung out with their friends. Even when I modeled the books, these were not things that were prevalent in their life. I was not using their favorite books and they did not have access to their favorite stories. I believe that this contributed to their lack of interest in writing about the books in their book bags. If the students were allowed to bring in their favorite stories, this may have provided more incentive to write about the pictures in books. Below are various samples of student work about their trip to the zoo including the first image from my English language learner.
Pattern 3: Students were constantly asking about the pictures that I used during phase one.
Throughout phase two, the students were constantly asking me about the pictures that I provided during phase one. Every time I sat down to model writing on a book, the students would ask when I was going to bring pictures again. When I would tell them that we were going to try something new, I would get a collective groan. They had become so passionate and excited about seeing what I would be providing that this constantly became a question during writing. This may have impacted the student’s desire to write about topics in their books. Transitioning from pictures about their favorite movies and characters to pictures in books may have impacted the results. If the phases were reversed the students may have had more of a desire to write about the pictures in the books.
Pattern 4: Students were more excited and were providing more complex sentences during the modeled writing time than on their own.
Every time I modeled the writing on the carpet, the students were extremely excited about describing the picture and creating the sentences, but this did not transfer into their own writing. All the students wanted to contribute to the chart that we made together and were giving me sentences that were very long and detailed. They were all shouting out sentence ideas and names that we could give the characters, but I never saw them give the characters in the pictures in their own books new names. The students would provide compound sentences with a lot of detail, but only when I was writing the sentences. Once they were on their own, their sentences had less detail than the ones they had given verbally. I believe that this is in part to their frustration with invented spelling. With them providing the sentences and me writing them, there was less chance for error even though I was modeling invented spelling.
Throughout phase two, the students were constantly asking me about the pictures that I provided during phase one. Every time I sat down to model writing on a book, the students would ask when I was going to bring pictures again. When I would tell them that we were going to try something new, I would get a collective groan. They had become so passionate and excited about seeing what I would be providing that this constantly became a question during writing. This may have impacted the student’s desire to write about topics in their books. Transitioning from pictures about their favorite movies and characters to pictures in books may have impacted the results. If the phases were reversed the students may have had more of a desire to write about the pictures in the books.
Pattern 4: Students were more excited and were providing more complex sentences during the modeled writing time than on their own.
Every time I modeled the writing on the carpet, the students were extremely excited about describing the picture and creating the sentences, but this did not transfer into their own writing. All the students wanted to contribute to the chart that we made together and were giving me sentences that were very long and detailed. They were all shouting out sentence ideas and names that we could give the characters, but I never saw them give the characters in the pictures in their own books new names. The students would provide compound sentences with a lot of detail, but only when I was writing the sentences. Once they were on their own, their sentences had less detail than the ones they had given verbally. I believe that this is in part to their frustration with invented spelling. With them providing the sentences and me writing them, there was less chance for error even though I was modeling invented spelling.