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Documente Cultură
Nuong Nguyen
Fall 2017
FIRST-GRADE STRUGGLING READERS PROJECT DEFINITION 2
First-grade students at John E. Steinbeck School are not meeting the Common Core State
Standards (CCSS) for reading. According to the first-grade reading standards, students should
be able to read short and long vowels, digraphs, words with inflectional endings, and two-
syllable words by the end of the school year (2017). This capstone project stems from a current
need for explicit instruction of first graders on reading strategies that will help them improve on
Students will use a blended learning approach with self-paced e-learning modules which
includes lessons, practice, and test options in combination with direct instruction from their
classroom teacher. The teacher will introduce the different learning strategies, then students will
participate in group activities. Afterwards, the students will complete the e-learning module.
Each learning module will present one reading strategy. The reading strategies will include:
looking at pictures, making each phoneme sound, stretching out the sound, changing the vowel
sound, breaking up the words into syllables or word families, rereading, and using context clues
to figure out the words. At the end of each module, students will earn a certificate to
The needs assessment includes students’ test scores from the Developmental Reading
Assessment (DRA), observations, informal discussions, and a staff survey to show students are
reading below grade level and that there is a need for explicit instruction on reading strategies.
The needs assessment shows that the first graders are not reading at grade level. Students
should be reading at a level 18 on the Developmental Reading Assessment; however, 41% of the
FIRST-GRADE STRUGGLING READERS PROJECT DEFINITION 3
first graders scored below grade leve1, and half of those students are only able to read words
with short and long vowels sounds fluently. In order to be successful, students also have to be
able to read digraphs, words with inflectional endings, and two syllable words (Common Core
State Standards, 2017). From my observation of 21 students, about one-third only knew one or
two reading strategies while decoding words and were struggling to progress to a harder DRA
level.
Through informal discussions with the second-grade teachers in the teachers’ lounge, I
learned the same students who were struggling with reading in first-grade are still struggling this
year in second-grade. The teachers also mentioned that the students reading below grade level
are not using strategies to help them decode the words while reading. It is crucial that students
receive the foundational reading skills in first-grade in order improve their reading fluency and
Based on the survey of nine questions, most of the teachers felt students were not reading
at grade level when they entered their class (see Appendix A). The survey showed more teachers
were dissatisfied with their students’ reading ability. As for instruction time, teachers spent less
time teaching phonics as the grade levels increased. In addition, half of the teachers surveyed
spent less than 35 minutes teaching reading strategies. However, all of the participants felt there
is a need to teach students reading strategies explicitly to help students improve their decoding
skills. The teachers also felt students were capable of improving their reading skills through
instruction, practice, home support, proper foundation, and motivation (see Appendix A for
survey results).
From the DRA results and survey, students are struggling to read due to a lack of
knowledge and skill. The growing number of students makes it harder for teachers to
FIRST-GRADE STRUGGLING READERS PROJECT DEFINITION 4
individualize instruction. The average class size for first-grade this year is 26 students per
teacher with the upper grades having even more students that can range up to 35 students. An e-
learning module would be a better solution to help students learn the different reading strategies
at their own pace instead of a teacher delivering the content to the whole class all at once.
Furthermore, students can access the learning module at the beginning of each semester to help
them review the reading strategies and commit it to their long-term memory.
The context analysis shows that the best learning environment for the students is in the
classroom. Students have access to seven laptops with headphones. While we do have a
computer lab, it is also connected to the library and can be distracting as other classes occupy the
room at the same time. Therefore, it is best to have students complete the e-module inside the
classroom where it is quiet, and students can focus better. Furthermore, students will work in
small groups which will allow the teacher to assist them with questions.
The goal of John E. Steinbeck School is to ensure students meet the Common Core State
Standards for reading at each grade level. If students are reading at grade level and building their
foundational reading skills now, this will help reduce the amount of students that will later need
reading interventions programs, like Read 180 and System 44. Also, if students are able to read
fluently, this will in turn help them with their reading comprehension. According to the Smarter
Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) test results, 47% of third graders are not meeting the
standards for language arts and literacy. This shows that it is crucial students develop literacy
The main goals for the first graders are to build fluency and automaticity while reading.
Students should:
meet the first-grade Common Core State Standards for reading (see Appendix B),
be able to read short and long vowels, digraphs, words with inflectional endings, and
two-syllable words,
and utilize multiple strategies to help them improve their decoding skills and fluency.
The reading strategies include: looking at pictures, making each phoneme sound,
stretching out the sound, changing the vowel sound, breaking up the words into syllables
or word families, rereading, and using context clues to figure out the words.
Learner Analysis
John E. Steinbeck is a title I school with a high percentage of low-income students. The
majority of the students at John E. Steinbeck are Hispanic, and about 48% of the first graders are
English learners. However, according to the DRA scores, only 14% of the English learners are
struggling to read. The majority of the students can understand and speak English. In order to
meet the needs of all the students, the reading strategies will be paired with pictures, and there
will be lots of visuals in the e-learning module. In addition, the teachers can assist students by
First-grade students range from age 6 to 8. They have a range of reading skills from
knowing some alphabet sounds to being able to read words with shorts and long vowels. The
majority of the students can typically apply one to two reading strategies while reading. It is
typical at this age to have trouble recognizing the letters b, d, q, and p. Also, some students have
FIRST-GRADE STRUGGLING READERS PROJECT DEFINITION 6
trouble with concepts of prints, like reading left to right and understanding sounds make up
words. This is the reason why teachers review concepts of prints and the alphabet names and
sounds at the start of the year. Also, incoming first graders are expected to read at a level 4 on
the DRA, which includes short vowels, common high-frequency words, and some long vowels;
however, over one-third of the students are reading at level 1 which includes words like “no” and
“yes.”
Students at this age have short attention span; therefore it is important to use instructional
time wisely. Teachers should activate students’ prior knowledge and help them make
connections. Since students like animals, each learning strategies in the e-learning module will
be paired with an animal to help students remember and connect the information. For example,
“Chunky Monkey” will help students to remember to look for a chunk or word family like –at or
–it to help them decode the words (Jones, 2016). The animal is not only a good memory aid, but
will also make learning fun and grab the students’ attention.
Learners’ attitudes towards reading vary from enjoyment to dreading the task. Most
students enjoy being read to. In my experience as a teacher of 7 years, students whose parents
read to them at home tend to enjoy reading and have a better understanding of concepts of print.
Most students enjoy being on the computer. Students have some experience with learning on the
computer through websites like Starfall, Lexia Core5, and Symphony Math.
Logistical Information
The students will focus on one reading strategy each week through the e-learning module
and direct instruction. There will be seven modules for each of the learning strategies. The e-
learning module will take approximately 8 hours to complete over 7 weeks. There will be an
FIRST-GRADE STRUGGLING READERS PROJECT DEFINITION 7
hour to take the pre- and post-test. The students will spend 30 minutes on each lesson. The
students will repeat the lessons twice to help them commit it to their long-term memory. The
Conclusion
This capstone project aims to help students learn how to read using multiple strategies.
An e-learning module will be beneficial to the students, since they can learn at their own rate and
be able to practice the skills multiple times in conjunction with classroom instruction. The e-
module will present information in small chunks with memory aids, like animals, and unique
names to help reduce cognitive load. Students are not reading at grade level, and it is essential
students learn these literacy skills at an early age in order to be successful readers.
FIRST-GRADE STRUGGLING READERS PROJECT DEFINITION 8
Reference
California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress. (2017). Test results for English
http://caaspp.cde.ca.gov/sb2017/ViewReport?ps=true&lstTestYear=2017&lstTestType=
B&lstGroup=1&lstCounty=27&lstDistrict=65961-000&lstSchool=6109466
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Guided-Reading-1st-GRADE-BUNDLE-
Levels-F-J-2416868
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School
Officers. (2017). Common core state standards for English language arts reading:
Literacy/RF/1/
FIRST-GRADE STRUGGLING READERS PROJECT DEFINITION 9
6. How much time do you spend teaching reading strategies explicitly in a day?
0-35 mins (5) 36-71 mins (3) 71-106 mins (2)
8. Do you think teaching students reading strategies explicitly will improve their decoding
skills?
9. Do you feel like students are capable of improving their reading skills? If yes, how?
-Yes, with instruction and practice with comprehensible input.
-With more motivation, parent support and with me teaching reading strategies more
explicitly.
-Yes, through explicit direct instruction.
-Yes explicit direct instructions, small group instructions, guided reading groups, intervention.
-Yes however slower than the typical child without disabilities.
-Yes, with the proper foundation they will flourish.
-Home support.
FIRST-GRADE STRUGGLING READERS PROJECT DEFINITION 10
-Practice, presentation
-Yes, need more practice in small groups.
-Yes! Repeat, practice, practice, practice
Fluency:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.4
Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.4.A
Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.4.B
Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive
readings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.4.C
Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as
necessary.