EDUC5509Intervention Project

Proposal

Cara Anne Webling

Title

• The effectiveness of readers theatre in improving motivation and reading fluency of students in years five and six

Statement of the Issue

• Five students who are not motivated readers

• Leading to low level of reading

• Three students have a low attendance rate – two attended 50% of term one and missed term two completely

• One student is attending a Reading Tutor Programme

• One student has ADHD and one has behavioural issues

Research QuestionHow effective is readers theatre in improving

reading motivation and fluency in year five and six students?

Literature Review – Reading Fluency

• Huey (1908/1968)‘fluency is reading aloud with accuracy, appropriate speed, and expression’.

• Harris and Hodges (1995)‘freedom from word identification problems’.

• Pikulski and Chard, (2005)‘reading fluency refers to efficient, effective word recognition skills that permit a reader to construct the meaning of the text’.

• Students who are proficient in reading identify words correctly, recognising them instantly and easily (Kuhn & Rasinski, 2007; LaBerge & Samuels, 1974).

• Students who do not show proficiency in reading do not have instant recognition. ‘Their reading can be so slow and word-by-word that by the time they get to the end of the sentence they have forgotten what was at the beginning’ (Oakley & Fellows, 2010. p302).

Literature Review – Reading Fluency and Readers’ Theatre

• Research shows that repeated reading helps struggling readers improve their fluency (Chard, Pilkulski & McDongah, 2006).

• Oral reading practice is required for fluency development’ (Hennessey,p5)

• Readers’ theatre promotes fluency for struggling readers

• Research indicates that repeated readings lead to improvement in decoding, reading rate and comprehension of texts.

Literature Review – Readers’ Theatre and Students’ Motivation to Read

• Readers’ Theatre is a motivating factor that can transform a class into eager readers.

• It is an activity in which struggling readers do not stand out.

• Motivation is gained because there is a reason for repeated reading

• Students read more because they enjoy reading (Pachtman & Wilson)

Intervention

• Research the children’s interests

• Students will be given the script day 2

• Students practice in a variety of ways throughout the day

• Students will have the opportunity to take the script home and practice

• At the end of the week students will perform their scripts to the class

• Students have the opportunity to create their own script

• It is hoped that the Readers’ Theatre will be displayed at the schools open night on the second Wednesday.

Participants

• Ashton

• Benjamin

• Amelia

• Olivia

• Lucy

• Classroom Teacher

• Myself – Preservice Teacher

Data Collection and Analysis

• Pre and Post Attitudinal Survey – (Garfield attitude to reading)

• Informal Reading Inventories

• Oral Fluency Assessments

• Observations on students engagement and motivation to read

• Discussion/interviews with students

• Personal reflections

Ethical Considerations

• A letter detailing the description and purpose of the research project will be issued to 5 students from years 5 and 6, their parents and the classroom teacher.

• Each participant will be requested to complete a consent form before any data is collected or the invention begins.

• They will also be informed that they may terminate their participation in the project at any time without penalties.

• A course based ethics form will be completed by the pre-service teacher and approved by the unit coordinators.