Reading GenresReading Genres

Melissa LangeMelissa Lange

33rdrd Grade Grade

Hall-Woodward ElementaryHall-Woodward Elementary

BackgroundBackground

AR is a large component of the reading AR is a large component of the reading program at my school. Some teachers program at my school. Some teachers push their students to take as many test push their students to take as many test as possible (even if the book is too as possible (even if the book is too easy.)easy.)

I wanted my students to experience I wanted my students to experience reading different genres of books at reading different genres of books at their reading level instead of the usual their reading level instead of the usual Arthur or Little Critter. Arthur or Little Critter.

Research Question Research Question

How are the How are the student's choices student's choices of books during of books during SSR affected by the SSR affected by the introduction of introduction of different genres? different genres?

Participants Participants

6 participants6 participants

3 students reading at 3 students reading at grade levelgrade level

-2 Hispanic (1 male and 1 -2 Hispanic (1 male and 1 female) female)

-1 African American -1 African American (male)(male)

3 students reading below 3 students reading below grade levelgrade level

-2 Hispanic (1 male and 1 -2 Hispanic (1 male and 1 female) female) -1 African American -1 African American (female)(female)

Introduction to GenresIntroduction to Genres ““Genre of the Day”Genre of the Day”

-Provided descriptions of each genre used-Provided descriptions of each genre used-Whole group discussions of each genre-Whole group discussions of each genre-Read aloud books from each genre -Read aloud books from each genre -Provided examples of the genre-Provided examples of the genre-Constructed a reading center that consisted -Constructed a reading center that consisted of books from various genresof books from various genres

Interventions/InstructionInterventions/Instruction

A new genre was introduced dailyA new genre was introduced daily Students had the opportunity to share and Students had the opportunity to share and

discuss a new book/genre they enjoyed with a discuss a new book/genre they enjoyed with a friend. friend.

The students completed a self assessment of the The students completed a self assessment of the stories that they read. Each student wrote their stories that they read. Each student wrote their name, date, title, and genre on a post-it note. name, date, title, and genre on a post-it note. They also determined if they loved it, liked it, or They also determined if they loved it, liked it, or didn’t enjoy the book. Each post-it was placed on didn’t enjoy the book. Each post-it was placed on a poster board that was created for the study.a poster board that was created for the study.

Data CollectedData Collected

Pre and Post Pre and Post Reading InventoryReading Inventory

AR test recordsAR test records Observational Observational

Notes during SSR Notes during SSR time (3-5 times a time (3-5 times a week)week)

Student Interviews Student Interviews

Data AnalysisData Analysis

I compared the pre and post reading I compared the pre and post reading interest inventory of each participate to see interest inventory of each participate to see if there were any changes in their answersif there were any changes in their answers..

I looked at their AR scores at the beginning I looked at their AR scores at the beginning of the project and at the end of the project of the project and at the end of the project to see if there was significant grow from the to see if there was significant grow from the beginning of the school year. beginning of the school year.

I tallied the genres they read during SSR I tallied the genres they read during SSR time and put the results in pie graphs. time and put the results in pie graphs.

Results- Notes CollectedResults- Notes CollectedBelow Grade Level ReaderBelow Grade Level Reader

Africa tried Africa tried to read to read different different genres, but genres, but they were they were too hard for too hard for her. She her. She enjoyed enjoyed looking at looking at the pictures. the pictures.

Results- Notes Collected Results- Notes Collected Below Grade Level ReaderBelow Grade Level Reader

Fred made Fred made an attempt an attempt to try a to try a couple of couple of different different genres, but genres, but went back went back to fantasies to fantasies because because most other most other genres were genres were too hard. too hard.

Results- Notes Collected Results- Notes Collected Below Grade Level ReaderBelow Grade Level Reader

Michelle Michelle enjoyed enjoyed reading reading different different genres and genres and was able to was able to comprehend comprehend most of them, most of them, but majority but majority of her of her reading was reading was in the fantasy in the fantasy genre. genre.

Results- Notes Collected Results- Notes Collected At Grade Level ReaderAt Grade Level Reader

Axel Axel enjoyed enjoyed learning learning about and about and reading reading different different genres. It genres. It surprised surprised him that him that he liked he liked Fairy Tales. Fairy Tales.

Results- Notes Collected Results- Notes Collected At Grade Level ReaderAt Grade Level Reader

Jacqueline Jacqueline loved loved reading the reading the different different genres. She genres. She was always was always excited excited when a new when a new genre was genre was introduced. introduced.

Results- Notes Collected Results- Notes Collected At Grade Level ReaderAt Grade Level Reader

Kahiem Kahiem read a read a variety variety of of different different genres. genres. He made He made an an attempt attempt to try to try most of most of them. them.

Results- AR Results- AR

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40

Week1

Week2

Week3

Week4

Week5

AfricaFredMichelleAxelJacquelineKahiem

Results- Reading Interest Results- Reading Interest InventoryInventory

The student’s interest in other The student’s interest in other genres expanded. The students still genres expanded. The students still enjoyed the things that they usually enjoyed the things that they usually read, but each students selected read, but each students selected additional genres on the post interest additional genres on the post interest inventory survey. The students were inventory survey. The students were at different reading levels, but their at different reading levels, but their interest in different genres grew.interest in different genres grew.

Results- InterviewsResults- Interviews What is your favorite genre? What is your favorite genre?

Why?Why?AxelAxel: Fantasy because almost all books are : Fantasy because almost all books are fantasy and they are fun to read.fantasy and they are fun to read.JacquelineJacqueline: Mysteries because it is an : Mysteries because it is an adventure through the book and I like to adventure through the book and I like to figure out the mystery. figure out the mystery. KahiemKahiem: Science Fiction because they go : Science Fiction because they go outer space and cool stuff in them.outer space and cool stuff in them.FredFred: Fantasy because they are fun.: Fantasy because they are fun.MichelleMichelle: Fairy Tales because they are : Fairy Tales because they are interesting.interesting.AfricaAfrica: Fairy Tales because they are cute.: Fairy Tales because they are cute.

InterviewInterview What are your favorite things What are your favorite things

about your favorite genre?about your favorite genre?AxelAxel: Fantasies have new words that I do : Fantasies have new words that I do not know.not know.JacquelineJacqueline: Mysteries are good to read and : Mysteries are good to read and it is going to be my favorite the rest of the it is going to be my favorite the rest of the year.year.KahiemKahiem: Things in Science Fiction can not : Things in Science Fiction can not happen in real life.happen in real life.FredFred: I enjoy Clifford and Arthur.: I enjoy Clifford and Arthur.MichelleMichelle: In Fairy Tales the characters use : In Fairy Tales the characters use magic to pretend to be other people.magic to pretend to be other people.AfricaAfrica: Fairy Tales have fairy godmothers. : Fairy Tales have fairy godmothers.

InterviewInterview What did you like and dislike about What did you like and dislike about

learning about different genres?learning about different genres?AxelAxel: There were books I have never read : There were books I have never read before. There were hard words I couldn’t before. There were hard words I couldn’t figure out.figure out.JacquelineJacqueline: I learned about new genres : I learned about new genres that I didn’t know about before. Some of that I didn’t know about before. Some of the genres were hard to read.the genres were hard to read.KahiemKahiem: There were cool book I wanted to : There were cool book I wanted to read. There was nothing he disliked.read. There was nothing he disliked.FredFred: They helped me know the answers. : They helped me know the answers. There was nothing he disliked.There was nothing he disliked.MichelleMichelle: I liked learning about different : I liked learning about different genres. There was nothing she disliked.genres. There was nothing she disliked.AfricaAfrica: They were fun to learn about. : They were fun to learn about. There was nothing she disliked. There was nothing she disliked.

Research Says…Research Says…

Children’s problems with reading of Children’s problems with reading of various text are often caused by the various text are often caused by the form and structure of the text rather form and structure of the text rather than the content (Littlefair, 1991).than the content (Littlefair, 1991).

An important aspect of children’s An important aspect of children’s literacy development is to provide literacy development is to provide social and cultural content purposes social and cultural content purposes (Hiles & Smith, 2000).(Hiles & Smith, 2000).

Discussion Discussion The majority of my class enjoyed learning The majority of my class enjoyed learning

about new genres.about new genres. During the middle of my research, we started During the middle of my research, we started

team teaching which made it more difficult.team teaching which made it more difficult. The students reading at grade level were The students reading at grade level were

more motivated to read or at least attempt to more motivated to read or at least attempt to read different genres than the students read different genres than the students reading below grade level.reading below grade level.

It is hard to find most genres written for my It is hard to find most genres written for my below grade level readers, so they got below grade level readers, so they got frustrated and resorted to what they were frustrated and resorted to what they were comfortable with.comfortable with.

Future DirectionFuture Direction

I am going to continue to challenge I am going to continue to challenge my students through the school year my students through the school year and encourage them to read and encourage them to read different genres.different genres.

I plan on doing this next year, but at I plan on doing this next year, but at a slower pace. a slower pace.

References References

Hiles, J., & Smith, B. (2000). Genre Hiles, J., & Smith, B. (2000). Genre development in first grade:a multi-development in first grade:a multi-task investigation. task investigation. Illinois Reading Illinois Reading Council JournalCouncil Journal, 15(2), 34-48. , 15(2), 34-48.

Littlefair, A. (1991). Reading all typed Littlefair, A. (1991). Reading all typed of writing: the importance of genre of writing: the importance of genre and register for reading development. and register for reading development. Milton Keynes: Open University Press. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.