Check out this thought provoking, it'll sure be a conversation starter between pro-tech teachers and the ones that oppose it.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Literature Review
Abstract:
Many students are retained at the early primary grades because they fail to read on grade level. This is especially true in students going from 2nd to 3rd grade. Students leaving the 2nd grade must be reading at a level 28, this is to ensure that the student would be capable of passing the 3rd grade TAKS reading test. There is not a win-win situation here, they can either fail 2nd grade for not reading on level or fail 3rd grade for not passing the TAKS.
In my first year as a classroom teacher I was faced with a challenge that I was not able to meet. Andrea was a nine-year-old student in my 2nd grade class. She had been retained twice, once in kindergarten and she was currently repeating 2nd grade. Still Andrea was not at the top of the class; it seemed as if her social inadequacy –being that she was older than most her classmates- only made her feel inferior and this reflected in her academic achievement. Many questions where left unanswered, as I remember her today I ask myself, what could I have done differently? Where did I go wrong? In this review of the literature the focus would be in the effects of retention and does it truly improve later school achievement and ability, (i.e. literacy development)? Also as a secondary focus, how social promotion benefits students and how computer technology can assist in the development of early literacy? From reviewing these literature I have found partial answers to some of my questions but most importantly the knowledge to know what to do if faced with a similar situation in the future.
Effects of retention and does it truly improve later school achievement and ability: a brief look at social promotion and computer technology as a means to decrease the number of retainees.
Sugey Villarreal
Retention:
Retention means that a child who has spent a full school year in a particular grade must repeat the entire grade just completed (Westbury, 1994). Is this practice of holding back students the best we can do as educators? Many students would conclude that retention is ineffective for improving achievements and ability (Westbury 1994). In a longitudinal study of the effects of retention/promotion on academic achievement Peterson, DeGracie and Ayabe (1987) explained that: “One of the reasons typically offered as an explanation for the failure of retention to improve academic achievement is that students are often retained in programs that were not beneficial to the student because no specific educational plan has been developed”. I can personally attest to this fact, I was never given a plan of action or intervention to work with Andrea. I found myself piecing together the bits and pieces from the already limited information that was accessible to me. She did not perform well on tests and that was surprising to me but the research gave me an insight -their test scores do not improve as a result of promotion,- “retained children appear to score, at best, no better than comparison groups of continually promoted children” (Westbury 1994). Other studies asserted that it may seem as if the students catch up but that this is only in the short-term; in the long-run this progress diminishes. A study of the students in the Mesa Public School System showed that although, “students who were retained would outperform their promoted counterparts on achievement tests in Reading and Language in the first year following retention…these differences were not found on third grade retainees (Peterson, DeGracie and Ayabe, 1987).
Another study addressed the issue that retention was most beneficial in the earlier grades because it improved literacy development but it failed to address the negative effects of retention no matter how early it is done. The same article agrees that retention after the fourth grade was highly ineffective (Pomplun 1988). A study by Manset-Williamson et al. (2002) reports that: “Fewer students may be failing at reading in these programs that include explicit skills or lower order skills (use of worksheets, basals, etc.) this is confirmed by the passing rates on the language arts test. Conversely, explicit skill instruction is positively associated with retention rates.” On the other hand, the greater the focus on holistic skills (higher order cognitive skills) the lower the rate of student retention. In my experience students benefit more from holistic instruction but more research needs to be done to design a balanced literacy program.
Social Promotion:
New research needs to be developed in relation to social promotion and its benefits. Policymakers are most opposed than ever to this practice, in spite of the fact that there are students that show that there is little harm resulting from this practice (Frey, 2005). Andrea would have benefited from being promoted to the third grade because of her age as one study affirms: “When compared to socially promoted pupils, retained students show both poorer academic results and inferior personal adjustment” (Westbury, 1994). Do we want to cripple our already struggling students by giving them an inferiority complex? I am not suggesting that this be used as an excuse but rather as a means to look deeper into what we can do to better address retention and suggest new alternatives.
How can technology help students in acquiring literacy skills to prevent possible retention:
The use of technology alone does not guarantee the improvement in acquiring literacy skills but the integration of computer base programs as well as other kind of literacies into the classroom can probe to be an effective match. The use of a software program in a study suggests that: “This general concept of using computer technology as scaffolding to assist the process of learning can be traced to Vygotsky’s notions (1986, 1978) ‘zone of proximal development’ and ‘social reconstruction of knowledge’ (Fasting and Halaas Lyster, 2005). A student from the preceding study was quoted stating that: “I could do my ordinary school work/homework in the MultiFunk sessions.” This assertion by the student proves that students are willing to/and want to learn if given the proper tools. Students such as Andrea would have benefited from this technology and from the scaffolding that it offers in addition to that provided by the classroom teacher.
Conclusion:
The available research that supports retention is not conclusive by any means, it rather lends itself to provide more questions that are left unanswered. There is no one single research that concludes that it is more beneficial to retain students than to socially promote them. On the other hand there is very little proof that social promotion can harm students, research kind of suggests that it may indeed be beneficial, especially for those students of lower economic status areas. It has also been suggested that: “social promotion with remediation may be more effective than retention with remediation” (Peterson, DeGracie and Ayabe, 1987). However, social promotion is not an answer in itself; it needs to be paired with other successful plans and/or strategies. Just passing a student does not guarantee that their literacy skills would improve as retaining them does not guarantee that their deficiencies would be corrected. If we want to keep implementing retention as a means to remediate deficient literacy skills we must ensure the success of our students. As Westbury (1994) stated in her study: “Educators must seek alternatives to grade repetition that correct learning problems early…Some recent remediation programs that focus on individual tutoring for lower achievers while keeping students with their grade peers have proven successful” (D. Armstrong, personal communication, 17 March 1992).
References:
Fasting, Rolf B., & Halaas Lyster, Solveig-Alma (2005). The effects of computer
technology in assisting the development of literacy in young struggling readers
and spellers. European Journal of Special Needs Education, Vol. 20, No. 1, 21-
40. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
Frey, Nancy (2005). Retention, Social Promotion, and Academic Redshirting: What Do
We Know and Need to Know? Remedial and Special Education, Vol. 26, No. 6, 332-
46. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
Jackson, Gregg B. (1975). The Research Evidence on the Effects of Grade Retention.
Review of Educational Research, Vol. 45, No. 4, 613-635. Retrieved from JSTOR
database 31 July 2007.
Manset-Williamson, Genevieve, St. John, Edward, Hu, Shouping & Gordon, David
(2002). Early Literacy Practices as Predictors of Reading Related Outcomes:
Test Scores, Test Passing Rates, Retention, and Special Education Referral.
Exceptionality 10(1), 11-28. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
Peterson, Sarah E., DeGracie, James S., & Ayabe, Carol R. (1987). A longitudinal
Study of the Effects of Retention/Promotion on Academic Achievement. American
Educational Research Journal, Vol 24, No. 1, 107-18. Retrieved from JSTOR
database 31 July 2007.
Pomplun, Mark (1988). Retention: The Earlier, the Better? Journal of Educational
Research, Vol. 81, No. 5, 281-87. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
Westbury, Marilyn (1994). The Effect of Elementary Grade Retention and Subsequent
School Achievement and Ability. Canadian Journal of Education/Revue canadienne
de l’éducation, Vol. 19, No. 3, 241-50. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July
2007.
Many students are retained at the early primary grades because they fail to read on grade level. This is especially true in students going from 2nd to 3rd grade. Students leaving the 2nd grade must be reading at a level 28, this is to ensure that the student would be capable of passing the 3rd grade TAKS reading test. There is not a win-win situation here, they can either fail 2nd grade for not reading on level or fail 3rd grade for not passing the TAKS.
In my first year as a classroom teacher I was faced with a challenge that I was not able to meet. Andrea was a nine-year-old student in my 2nd grade class. She had been retained twice, once in kindergarten and she was currently repeating 2nd grade. Still Andrea was not at the top of the class; it seemed as if her social inadequacy –being that she was older than most her classmates- only made her feel inferior and this reflected in her academic achievement. Many questions where left unanswered, as I remember her today I ask myself, what could I have done differently? Where did I go wrong? In this review of the literature the focus would be in the effects of retention and does it truly improve later school achievement and ability, (i.e. literacy development)? Also as a secondary focus, how social promotion benefits students and how computer technology can assist in the development of early literacy? From reviewing these literature I have found partial answers to some of my questions but most importantly the knowledge to know what to do if faced with a similar situation in the future.
Effects of retention and does it truly improve later school achievement and ability: a brief look at social promotion and computer technology as a means to decrease the number of retainees.
Sugey Villarreal
Retention:
Retention means that a child who has spent a full school year in a particular grade must repeat the entire grade just completed (Westbury, 1994). Is this practice of holding back students the best we can do as educators? Many students would conclude that retention is ineffective for improving achievements and ability (Westbury 1994). In a longitudinal study of the effects of retention/promotion on academic achievement Peterson, DeGracie and Ayabe (1987) explained that: “One of the reasons typically offered as an explanation for the failure of retention to improve academic achievement is that students are often retained in programs that were not beneficial to the student because no specific educational plan has been developed”. I can personally attest to this fact, I was never given a plan of action or intervention to work with Andrea. I found myself piecing together the bits and pieces from the already limited information that was accessible to me. She did not perform well on tests and that was surprising to me but the research gave me an insight -their test scores do not improve as a result of promotion,- “retained children appear to score, at best, no better than comparison groups of continually promoted children” (Westbury 1994). Other studies asserted that it may seem as if the students catch up but that this is only in the short-term; in the long-run this progress diminishes. A study of the students in the Mesa Public School System showed that although, “students who were retained would outperform their promoted counterparts on achievement tests in Reading and Language in the first year following retention…these differences were not found on third grade retainees (Peterson, DeGracie and Ayabe, 1987).
Another study addressed the issue that retention was most beneficial in the earlier grades because it improved literacy development but it failed to address the negative effects of retention no matter how early it is done. The same article agrees that retention after the fourth grade was highly ineffective (Pomplun 1988). A study by Manset-Williamson et al. (2002) reports that: “Fewer students may be failing at reading in these programs that include explicit skills or lower order skills (use of worksheets, basals, etc.) this is confirmed by the passing rates on the language arts test. Conversely, explicit skill instruction is positively associated with retention rates.” On the other hand, the greater the focus on holistic skills (higher order cognitive skills) the lower the rate of student retention. In my experience students benefit more from holistic instruction but more research needs to be done to design a balanced literacy program.
Social Promotion:
New research needs to be developed in relation to social promotion and its benefits. Policymakers are most opposed than ever to this practice, in spite of the fact that there are students that show that there is little harm resulting from this practice (Frey, 2005). Andrea would have benefited from being promoted to the third grade because of her age as one study affirms: “When compared to socially promoted pupils, retained students show both poorer academic results and inferior personal adjustment” (Westbury, 1994). Do we want to cripple our already struggling students by giving them an inferiority complex? I am not suggesting that this be used as an excuse but rather as a means to look deeper into what we can do to better address retention and suggest new alternatives.
How can technology help students in acquiring literacy skills to prevent possible retention:
The use of technology alone does not guarantee the improvement in acquiring literacy skills but the integration of computer base programs as well as other kind of literacies into the classroom can probe to be an effective match. The use of a software program in a study suggests that: “This general concept of using computer technology as scaffolding to assist the process of learning can be traced to Vygotsky’s notions (1986, 1978) ‘zone of proximal development’ and ‘social reconstruction of knowledge’ (Fasting and Halaas Lyster, 2005). A student from the preceding study was quoted stating that: “I could do my ordinary school work/homework in the MultiFunk sessions.” This assertion by the student proves that students are willing to/and want to learn if given the proper tools. Students such as Andrea would have benefited from this technology and from the scaffolding that it offers in addition to that provided by the classroom teacher.
Conclusion:
The available research that supports retention is not conclusive by any means, it rather lends itself to provide more questions that are left unanswered. There is no one single research that concludes that it is more beneficial to retain students than to socially promote them. On the other hand there is very little proof that social promotion can harm students, research kind of suggests that it may indeed be beneficial, especially for those students of lower economic status areas. It has also been suggested that: “social promotion with remediation may be more effective than retention with remediation” (Peterson, DeGracie and Ayabe, 1987). However, social promotion is not an answer in itself; it needs to be paired with other successful plans and/or strategies. Just passing a student does not guarantee that their literacy skills would improve as retaining them does not guarantee that their deficiencies would be corrected. If we want to keep implementing retention as a means to remediate deficient literacy skills we must ensure the success of our students. As Westbury (1994) stated in her study: “Educators must seek alternatives to grade repetition that correct learning problems early…Some recent remediation programs that focus on individual tutoring for lower achievers while keeping students with their grade peers have proven successful” (D. Armstrong, personal communication, 17 March 1992).
References:
Fasting, Rolf B., & Halaas Lyster, Solveig-Alma (2005). The effects of computer
technology in assisting the development of literacy in young struggling readers
and spellers. European Journal of Special Needs Education, Vol. 20, No. 1, 21-
40. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
Frey, Nancy (2005). Retention, Social Promotion, and Academic Redshirting: What Do
We Know and Need to Know? Remedial and Special Education, Vol. 26, No. 6, 332-
46. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
Jackson, Gregg B. (1975). The Research Evidence on the Effects of Grade Retention.
Review of Educational Research, Vol. 45, No. 4, 613-635. Retrieved from JSTOR
database 31 July 2007.
Manset-Williamson, Genevieve, St. John, Edward, Hu, Shouping & Gordon, David
(2002). Early Literacy Practices as Predictors of Reading Related Outcomes:
Test Scores, Test Passing Rates, Retention, and Special Education Referral.
Exceptionality 10(1), 11-28. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
Peterson, Sarah E., DeGracie, James S., & Ayabe, Carol R. (1987). A longitudinal
Study of the Effects of Retention/Promotion on Academic Achievement. American
Educational Research Journal, Vol 24, No. 1, 107-18. Retrieved from JSTOR
database 31 July 2007.
Pomplun, Mark (1988). Retention: The Earlier, the Better? Journal of Educational
Research, Vol. 81, No. 5, 281-87. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
Westbury, Marilyn (1994). The Effect of Elementary Grade Retention and Subsequent
School Achievement and Ability. Canadian Journal of Education/Revue canadienne
de l’éducation, Vol. 19, No. 3, 241-50. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July
2007.
Lit. Review Article 7
Literature Review
Article 7
APA Citation: Fasting, Rolf B., & Halaas Lyster, Solveig-Alma (2005). The effects of computer technology in assisting the development of literacy in young struggling readers and spellers. European Journal of Special Needs Education, Vol. 20, No. 1, 21-40. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: The effects of computer technology in assisting the development of literacy in young struggling readers and spellers.
II. Authors: Rolf B. Fasting and Solveig-Alma Halaas Lyster
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To evaluate the effect of MultiFunk, a computer program designed to assist reading, on the reading and spelling proficiency of struggling readers.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study?
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: Does the MultiFunk computer software show effects on reading and spelling development in a group of struggling readers and spellers?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology: A pre-test-intervention-post-test, control-group design was used to evaluate the effects of the software, using texts to suit the pupil’s own choices and interests.
B. Who is being studied? Fifty-two below average readers and spellers, in grades 5, 6 and 7. In addition, 114 classmates, who read normally, were included.
C. Over what length of time? Not specified.
D. What data is being collected? Results from the use of MultiFunk
VII. How the author collected information: From the log file that recorded pupils’ use of MultiFunk, two reading tests and a spelling test
VIII. What the author discovered: The findings indicate that computerized assistive reading has the potential to aid and support the development of basic literacy skills in a broad group of struggling readers and spellers.
Article 7
APA Citation: Fasting, Rolf B., & Halaas Lyster, Solveig-Alma (2005). The effects of computer technology in assisting the development of literacy in young struggling readers and spellers. European Journal of Special Needs Education, Vol. 20, No. 1, 21-40. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: The effects of computer technology in assisting the development of literacy in young struggling readers and spellers.
II. Authors: Rolf B. Fasting and Solveig-Alma Halaas Lyster
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To evaluate the effect of MultiFunk, a computer program designed to assist reading, on the reading and spelling proficiency of struggling readers.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study?
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: Does the MultiFunk computer software show effects on reading and spelling development in a group of struggling readers and spellers?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology: A pre-test-intervention-post-test, control-group design was used to evaluate the effects of the software, using texts to suit the pupil’s own choices and interests.
B. Who is being studied? Fifty-two below average readers and spellers, in grades 5, 6 and 7. In addition, 114 classmates, who read normally, were included.
C. Over what length of time? Not specified.
D. What data is being collected? Results from the use of MultiFunk
VII. How the author collected information: From the log file that recorded pupils’ use of MultiFunk, two reading tests and a spelling test
VIII. What the author discovered: The findings indicate that computerized assistive reading has the potential to aid and support the development of basic literacy skills in a broad group of struggling readers and spellers.
Lit. Review Article 6
Literature Review
Article 6
APA Citation: Frey, Nancy (2005). Retention, Social Promotion, and Academic Redshirting: What Do We Know and Need to Know? Remedial and Special Education, Vol. 26, No. 6, 332-46. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: Retention, Social Promotion, and Academic Redshirting: What Do We Know and Need to Know?
II. Author: Nancy Frey
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To examine the research on the effectiveness of retention and other responses, including social promotion, and the growing parental practice of “academic redshirting” of children by delaying their entry into kindergarten.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? Social promotion has grown less acceptable to policymakers, even as the few studies conducted have shown little harm resulting from the practice. What is clear is that students that have been retained…are more likely to drop out of school…Despite these dire outcomes, the rates of retention have continued to rise the past decade.
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: What do we know and need to know about retention, social promotion, and academic redshirting?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology: None this is a literature review of current research on retention, social promotion, and academic redshirting.
B. Who is being studied? Students across the nation from Kindergarten through High School.
C. Over what length of time? Not specified.
VII. How the author collected information: By compiling the data provided by all the different studies that are being researched.
VIII. What the author discovered: That retention, social promotion, and academic redshirting have, at one time or another, been called “the gift of time.” Perhaps it is time to redefine this cliché. Perhaps the true “gift of time” is in the work of the educational researches who can answer the questions of teachers, administrators, and parents.
Article 6
APA Citation: Frey, Nancy (2005). Retention, Social Promotion, and Academic Redshirting: What Do We Know and Need to Know? Remedial and Special Education, Vol. 26, No. 6, 332-46. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: Retention, Social Promotion, and Academic Redshirting: What Do We Know and Need to Know?
II. Author: Nancy Frey
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To examine the research on the effectiveness of retention and other responses, including social promotion, and the growing parental practice of “academic redshirting” of children by delaying their entry into kindergarten.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? Social promotion has grown less acceptable to policymakers, even as the few studies conducted have shown little harm resulting from the practice. What is clear is that students that have been retained…are more likely to drop out of school…Despite these dire outcomes, the rates of retention have continued to rise the past decade.
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: What do we know and need to know about retention, social promotion, and academic redshirting?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology: None this is a literature review of current research on retention, social promotion, and academic redshirting.
B. Who is being studied? Students across the nation from Kindergarten through High School.
C. Over what length of time? Not specified.
VII. How the author collected information: By compiling the data provided by all the different studies that are being researched.
VIII. What the author discovered: That retention, social promotion, and academic redshirting have, at one time or another, been called “the gift of time.” Perhaps it is time to redefine this cliché. Perhaps the true “gift of time” is in the work of the educational researches who can answer the questions of teachers, administrators, and parents.
Lit. Review Article 5
Literature Review
Article 5
APA Citation: Manset-Williamson, Genevieve, St. John, Edward, Hu, Shouping & Gordon, David (2002). Early Literacy Practices as Predictors of Reading Related Outcomes: Test Scores, Test Passing Rates, Retention, and Special Education Referral. Exceptionality 10(1), 11-28. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: Early Literacy Practices as Predictors of Reading Related Outcomes: Test Scores, Test Passing Rates, Retention, and Special Education Referral.
II. Author: Genevieve Manset-Williamson, Edward St. John, Shouping Hu and David Gordon.
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing:
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? Rather than emphasizing explicit versus holistic skill instruction, perhaps early literacy programs should increase the frequency of activities in each of these areas, particularly in high-poverty schools.
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: Which features of model early literacy programs are associated with improvement in school-level indicators of language arts outcome?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology: The Early Literacy Survey (St. John, Manset, & Michael, 1999) was developed specifically for the research project.
B. Who is being studied? Early literacy programs for Grades K through 3 in the state of Indiana and their impact on student achievement.
C. Over what length of time? Not specified
D. What data is being collected? Results from The Early Literacy Survey
VII. How the author collected information? By compiling principal’s reports on general practice across a school program as specified by the program features described in the surveys.
VIII. What the author discovered:
•Students who attend school with higher percentage of students living in poverty score lower on state achievement tests (Linn, 2000). As a result this students are more likely to be retained, which is in itself not considered an effective intervention (Jimerson, 1999; McCoy & Reynolds, 1999).
•Explicit skill instruction is positively associated with higher retention rates(i.e., theirs is greater retention in those programs where there is a reported greater use of basal readers, worksheets and books, reading drills and phonics instruction). The structure imposed by the features of the explicit skills instruction, although associated with test score gains, may create a less adaptable environment.
•The greater the focus on holistic skills (i.e., there is less retention in those programs where there is a reported greater focus on whole texts and higher order cognitive skills, such as supporting early writing through emergent spelling activities or comprehension and reading fluency with paired reading, and teachers reading aloud to students) the lower the rate of retention. The lower retention rate suggests that less structured activities that make up the holistic skills focus may again be associated with a more adaptable environment.
•Opportunity for collaboration was also found related to lower rates of retention because it contributes to the adaptability in a classroom.
•Practices that will lead to an increase in test scores may also create an environment that encourages more grade retention.
Article 5
APA Citation: Manset-Williamson, Genevieve, St. John, Edward, Hu, Shouping & Gordon, David (2002). Early Literacy Practices as Predictors of Reading Related Outcomes: Test Scores, Test Passing Rates, Retention, and Special Education Referral. Exceptionality 10(1), 11-28. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: Early Literacy Practices as Predictors of Reading Related Outcomes: Test Scores, Test Passing Rates, Retention, and Special Education Referral.
II. Author: Genevieve Manset-Williamson, Edward St. John, Shouping Hu and David Gordon.
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing:
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? Rather than emphasizing explicit versus holistic skill instruction, perhaps early literacy programs should increase the frequency of activities in each of these areas, particularly in high-poverty schools.
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: Which features of model early literacy programs are associated with improvement in school-level indicators of language arts outcome?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology: The Early Literacy Survey (St. John, Manset, & Michael, 1999) was developed specifically for the research project.
B. Who is being studied? Early literacy programs for Grades K through 3 in the state of Indiana and their impact on student achievement.
C. Over what length of time? Not specified
D. What data is being collected? Results from The Early Literacy Survey
VII. How the author collected information? By compiling principal’s reports on general practice across a school program as specified by the program features described in the surveys.
VIII. What the author discovered:
•Students who attend school with higher percentage of students living in poverty score lower on state achievement tests (Linn, 2000). As a result this students are more likely to be retained, which is in itself not considered an effective intervention (Jimerson, 1999; McCoy & Reynolds, 1999).
•Explicit skill instruction is positively associated with higher retention rates(i.e., theirs is greater retention in those programs where there is a reported greater use of basal readers, worksheets and books, reading drills and phonics instruction). The structure imposed by the features of the explicit skills instruction, although associated with test score gains, may create a less adaptable environment.
•The greater the focus on holistic skills (i.e., there is less retention in those programs where there is a reported greater focus on whole texts and higher order cognitive skills, such as supporting early writing through emergent spelling activities or comprehension and reading fluency with paired reading, and teachers reading aloud to students) the lower the rate of retention. The lower retention rate suggests that less structured activities that make up the holistic skills focus may again be associated with a more adaptable environment.
•Opportunity for collaboration was also found related to lower rates of retention because it contributes to the adaptability in a classroom.
•Practices that will lead to an increase in test scores may also create an environment that encourages more grade retention.
Lit. Review Article 4
Literature Review
Article 4
APA Citation: Pomplun, Mark (1988). Retention: The Earlier, the Better? Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 81, No. 5, 281-87. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: Retention: The Earlier, the Better? Journal
II. Author: Mark Pomplun
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To show that retention is more beneficial at the primary grades.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? Research from higher grade levels suggested, that retention does not increase academic achievement for most students. Beginning at the fourth-grade level studies have found either no significant difference between retention and promotion or differences favoring promotion.
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: Is retention most effective at the primary level especially in comparison to the secondary level?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology: He used measures of self-concept, motivation, teacher, student, and parent attitudes; and reading, language and mathematics achievement.
B. Who is being studied? Students from first, second, third, fourth, seventh, and eight grades from a semirural area of west central Florida.
C. Over what length of time? 2 years
D. What data is being collected? Results from the Self-Concept and Motivation Inventory (SCAMIN) and the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS).
VII. How the author collected information: by analyzing results from the Self-Concept and Motivation Inventory (SCAMIN) and the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS).
VIII. What the author discovered:
•Retention as an educationally effective alternative decreases in utility as grade level increases.
•Parents, teachers and students agree on these findings that are also supported by student achievement test scores.
•The results of his study certainly suggest that further research is needed to ensure that student achievement is helped by retention and that we as educators are not wasting our tax dollars on retention at the higher grade levels.
Article 4
APA Citation: Pomplun, Mark (1988). Retention: The Earlier, the Better? Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 81, No. 5, 281-87. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: Retention: The Earlier, the Better? Journal
II. Author: Mark Pomplun
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To show that retention is more beneficial at the primary grades.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? Research from higher grade levels suggested, that retention does not increase academic achievement for most students. Beginning at the fourth-grade level studies have found either no significant difference between retention and promotion or differences favoring promotion.
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: Is retention most effective at the primary level especially in comparison to the secondary level?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology: He used measures of self-concept, motivation, teacher, student, and parent attitudes; and reading, language and mathematics achievement.
B. Who is being studied? Students from first, second, third, fourth, seventh, and eight grades from a semirural area of west central Florida.
C. Over what length of time? 2 years
D. What data is being collected? Results from the Self-Concept and Motivation Inventory (SCAMIN) and the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS).
VII. How the author collected information: by analyzing results from the Self-Concept and Motivation Inventory (SCAMIN) and the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS).
VIII. What the author discovered:
•Retention as an educationally effective alternative decreases in utility as grade level increases.
•Parents, teachers and students agree on these findings that are also supported by student achievement test scores.
•The results of his study certainly suggest that further research is needed to ensure that student achievement is helped by retention and that we as educators are not wasting our tax dollars on retention at the higher grade levels.
Lit. Review Article 3
Literature Review
Article 3
APA Citation: Jackson, Gregg B. (1975). The Research Evidence on the Effects of Grade Retention. Review of Educational Research, Vol. 45, No. 4, 613-635. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: The Research Evidence on the Effects of Grade Retention.
II. Author: Gregg B. Jackson
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To examine the practice of grade retention and its effects on students.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? There is little doubt that a pupil who is having serious academic difficulties in one grade is likely to continue having difficulties if merely promoted to the next grade. What is not clear is how the mere repetition of a grade of schooling is likely to reduce these difficulties (p.614).
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: Do students who are doing poor academic work or who manifest emotional or social maladjustment in school are generally likely to benefit more from being retained in a grade than from being promoted to the next one?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology: A systematic review of the research literature on the effects of grade retention was completed.
B. Who is being studied? Other research on grade retention
C. Over what length of time? Fall of 1973
D. What data is being collected? Data collected from appropriate journal articles and books.
VII. How the author collected information: By analyzing the information found in articles and books and making cross references to other articles and books.
VIII. What the author discovered:
Three general types of analytical design prevailed in these studies:
•The most commonly used type of design compared the outcomes of students retained under normal school policies with the outcomes of students promoted under normal policies.
•The second type of design compared the outcomes of retained students before and after their retention.
•The third design was the experimental one, where each pupil in a group of potential retainees was randomly assigned to repeat a grade or to be promoted to the next one, and then a semester or more later the retained students were compared with their promoted counterparts.
One general conclusion about the effects of grade retention relative to grade promotion is clearly warranted by all the results taken as whole: There is no reliable body of evidence to indicate that grade retention is more beneficial than grade promotion for students with serious academic or adjustments difficulties.
Article 3
APA Citation: Jackson, Gregg B. (1975). The Research Evidence on the Effects of Grade Retention. Review of Educational Research, Vol. 45, No. 4, 613-635. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: The Research Evidence on the Effects of Grade Retention.
II. Author: Gregg B. Jackson
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To examine the practice of grade retention and its effects on students.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? There is little doubt that a pupil who is having serious academic difficulties in one grade is likely to continue having difficulties if merely promoted to the next grade. What is not clear is how the mere repetition of a grade of schooling is likely to reduce these difficulties (p.614).
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: Do students who are doing poor academic work or who manifest emotional or social maladjustment in school are generally likely to benefit more from being retained in a grade than from being promoted to the next one?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology: A systematic review of the research literature on the effects of grade retention was completed.
B. Who is being studied? Other research on grade retention
C. Over what length of time? Fall of 1973
D. What data is being collected? Data collected from appropriate journal articles and books.
VII. How the author collected information: By analyzing the information found in articles and books and making cross references to other articles and books.
VIII. What the author discovered:
Three general types of analytical design prevailed in these studies:
•The most commonly used type of design compared the outcomes of students retained under normal school policies with the outcomes of students promoted under normal policies.
•The second type of design compared the outcomes of retained students before and after their retention.
•The third design was the experimental one, where each pupil in a group of potential retainees was randomly assigned to repeat a grade or to be promoted to the next one, and then a semester or more later the retained students were compared with their promoted counterparts.
One general conclusion about the effects of grade retention relative to grade promotion is clearly warranted by all the results taken as whole: There is no reliable body of evidence to indicate that grade retention is more beneficial than grade promotion for students with serious academic or adjustments difficulties.
Lit. Review Article 2
Literature Review
Article 2
APA Citation: Peterson, Sarah E., DeGracie, James S., & Ayabe, Carol R. (1987). A longitudinal Study of the Effects of Retention/Promotion on Academic Achievement. American Educational Research Journal, Vol 24, No. 1, 107-18. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: A longitudinal Study of the Effects of Retention/Promotion on Academic Achievement.
II. Authors: Sarah E. Peterson, James S. DeGracie and Carol R. Ayabe
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To examine the long-term impact of retention/promotion decisions on the academic achievement of primary grade students.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? The researchers discovered that students who were retained would outperform their counterparts in the firs year following retention. There results are contrary to what has typically been found in other research literature. Previous research has indicated that promoted students generally perform better than retained students at the end of one year following retention.
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: How does the performance of retainees compare to the performance of non-retainees in the same year and how does performance of retainees on a given grade level test compare with the performance of non-retainees on the same grade level test?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology: The original sample was selected by identifying first-,
second-, and third- grade students who were retained at the end of the 1980-81 school year and by selecting a matched comparison group of non-retainees. The final sample included only those students who had test scores in at least one area for all 4 years.
B. Who is being studied? Primary grade students at the Mesa Public Schools
C. Over what length of time? 4 years
D. What data is being collected? Achievement test scores results in Reading, Language and Math for students retained in first, second and third grades and their matched counterparts
VII. How the author collected information: By analyzing and recording the data from the achievement test scores.
VIII. What the author discovered:
•First, retention does not have a favorable long-term impact on academic achievement of primary students as measured by relative class standing in the same year. This is especially true considering that promoted students scored nearly as well as retained students by the third year after retention, but they were taking a test that was one grade level higher than the retained students and thus were answering questions concerning more advanced material.
•A second point that should be considered is that although they failed to find convincing evidence that retention is beneficial, in terms of same-year comparisons, their results do not seem to indicate that retention is harmful academically as other studies have found.
•In terms of same-grade comparisons, evidence was found that second- and third-graders gain more than non-retainees, even though they are delayed a year in doing so. The fact that this effect was found for second- and third-graders retainees, but not for first-grade retainees, is somewhat surprising. Past research has generally shown that it is best to retain students as early as possible if retention is to occur.
•Finally, there is more evidence that social promotion with remediation may be more effective than retention with remediation. Based on Leinhardt’s (1980) results, one promising option would be the use of individualized educational plans in conjunction with social promotion.
Article 2
APA Citation: Peterson, Sarah E., DeGracie, James S., & Ayabe, Carol R. (1987). A longitudinal Study of the Effects of Retention/Promotion on Academic Achievement. American Educational Research Journal, Vol 24, No. 1, 107-18. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: A longitudinal Study of the Effects of Retention/Promotion on Academic Achievement.
II. Authors: Sarah E. Peterson, James S. DeGracie and Carol R. Ayabe
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: To examine the long-term impact of retention/promotion decisions on the academic achievement of primary grade students.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study? The researchers discovered that students who were retained would outperform their counterparts in the firs year following retention. There results are contrary to what has typically been found in other research literature. Previous research has indicated that promoted students generally perform better than retained students at the end of one year following retention.
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: How does the performance of retainees compare to the performance of non-retainees in the same year and how does performance of retainees on a given grade level test compare with the performance of non-retainees on the same grade level test?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology: The original sample was selected by identifying first-,
second-, and third- grade students who were retained at the end of the 1980-81 school year and by selecting a matched comparison group of non-retainees. The final sample included only those students who had test scores in at least one area for all 4 years.
B. Who is being studied? Primary grade students at the Mesa Public Schools
C. Over what length of time? 4 years
D. What data is being collected? Achievement test scores results in Reading, Language and Math for students retained in first, second and third grades and their matched counterparts
VII. How the author collected information: By analyzing and recording the data from the achievement test scores.
VIII. What the author discovered:
•First, retention does not have a favorable long-term impact on academic achievement of primary students as measured by relative class standing in the same year. This is especially true considering that promoted students scored nearly as well as retained students by the third year after retention, but they were taking a test that was one grade level higher than the retained students and thus were answering questions concerning more advanced material.
•A second point that should be considered is that although they failed to find convincing evidence that retention is beneficial, in terms of same-year comparisons, their results do not seem to indicate that retention is harmful academically as other studies have found.
•In terms of same-grade comparisons, evidence was found that second- and third-graders gain more than non-retainees, even though they are delayed a year in doing so. The fact that this effect was found for second- and third-graders retainees, but not for first-grade retainees, is somewhat surprising. Past research has generally shown that it is best to retain students as early as possible if retention is to occur.
•Finally, there is more evidence that social promotion with remediation may be more effective than retention with remediation. Based on Leinhardt’s (1980) results, one promising option would be the use of individualized educational plans in conjunction with social promotion.
Lit. Review Article 1
Literature Review
Article 1
APA Citation: Westbury, Marilyn (1994). The Effect of Elementary Grade Retention and Subsequent School Achievement and Ability. Canadian Journal of Education/Revue canadienne de l’éducation, Vol. 19, No. 3, 241-50. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: The Effect of Elementary Grade Retention and Subsequent School Achievement and Ability
II. Author: Marilyn Westbury
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: The prime objective of the researcher is to ascertain whether lower achieving students who were retained once in elementary school perform as well on subsequent achievement and ability tests as a matched group of students who where continually promoted.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study?
• The author concluded that grade retention was ineffective for improving achievement and ability (p.241).
• Retained children appear to score, at best, no better than comparison groups of continually promoted children (p.242).
• When comparing to socially promoted pupils, retained students show both poorer academic results and inferior personal adjustment. (p.242).
• Some studies suggest that occasionally there are short-term gains for students repeating a grade but that the gains diminish in the long run. Moreover, grade repeaters are more likely to drop out of school than continually promoted students (p.242).
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: What are the short-term and long-term effect of grade retention on student achievement and ability?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology:
To isolate two groups of students who are as alike as possible on all recorded variables with one exception-one group repeated one grade in elementary school and the other did not. Second, the subjects are regular program, English-speaking school children without any apparent mental, physical, or social handicaps. Both of these design parameters are important to increase the probability that differences or similarities between the two groups are attributable to failing or passing a grade
B. Who is being studied? 125 elementary school students that where one-time grade repeaters and 84 elementary school students that where continually promoted.
C. Over what length of time? Not specified
D. What data is being collected? Results of the Grade 1 Edmonton Public Schools Reading Comprehension Test, Grade 3 & 6 Canadian Cognitive Ability Test (CCAT), school district achievement test in Science, Mathematics, Social Studies and Language Arts.
VII. How the author collected information: From student record cards in various district schools.
VIII. What the author discovered: Failing a student does nothing to improve readiness on the next grade level. Educators must seek alternatives to grade repetition that correct learning problems early.
Article 1
APA Citation: Westbury, Marilyn (1994). The Effect of Elementary Grade Retention and Subsequent School Achievement and Ability. Canadian Journal of Education/Revue canadienne de l’éducation, Vol. 19, No. 3, 241-50. Retrieved from JSTOR database 31 July 2007.
I. Title: The Effect of Elementary Grade Retention and Subsequent School Achievement and Ability
II. Author: Marilyn Westbury
III. Author’s Purpose for Writing: The prime objective of the researcher is to ascertain whether lower achieving students who were retained once in elementary school perform as well on subsequent achievement and ability tests as a matched group of students who where continually promoted.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the need for the study?
• The author concluded that grade retention was ineffective for improving achievement and ability (p.241).
• Retained children appear to score, at best, no better than comparison groups of continually promoted children (p.242).
• When comparing to socially promoted pupils, retained students show both poorer academic results and inferior personal adjustment. (p.242).
• Some studies suggest that occasionally there are short-term gains for students repeating a grade but that the gains diminish in the long run. Moreover, grade repeaters are more likely to drop out of school than continually promoted students (p.242).
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: What are the short-term and long-term effect of grade retention on student achievement and ability?
VI.
A. Author’s methodology:
To isolate two groups of students who are as alike as possible on all recorded variables with one exception-one group repeated one grade in elementary school and the other did not. Second, the subjects are regular program, English-speaking school children without any apparent mental, physical, or social handicaps. Both of these design parameters are important to increase the probability that differences or similarities between the two groups are attributable to failing or passing a grade
B. Who is being studied? 125 elementary school students that where one-time grade repeaters and 84 elementary school students that where continually promoted.
C. Over what length of time? Not specified
D. What data is being collected? Results of the Grade 1 Edmonton Public Schools Reading Comprehension Test, Grade 3 & 6 Canadian Cognitive Ability Test (CCAT), school district achievement test in Science, Mathematics, Social Studies and Language Arts.
VII. How the author collected information: From student record cards in various district schools.
VIII. What the author discovered: Failing a student does nothing to improve readiness on the next grade level. Educators must seek alternatives to grade repetition that correct learning problems early.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Response to passage from "Owls" by Mary Oliver
In the passage from "Owls", Mary Oliver uses various rethorical devices to convey the complexity of her response to nature. The use of imagery is prominent throughout the passage. In line 4 she use sound imagery: "...I look up at it and listen to the heavy, crisp, breathy snapping of its hooded beak. In lines 20-21 the visual image is repulsive: "...for the owl has an insatiable craving for the taste of brains." These descriptions makes the writing be so vivid that it made me feel as if the owl could appear any second and use his beak to pick my own brain.
Juxtaposition in lines 28-29 is used to emphasize their irony: "...the rolicking glory..." -the owl's contentment and fulfillment- "...death bringer..." For people death by someone elses hand is a murder to an owl it means exhilaration, the essence of its own survival. The settings are also juxtaposed to pinpoint a shift; from the cold winters and nights of the owl to the images of the author's reminiscence of summer fields of flowers. Furthermore, both accounts become parallel as the image of the flowers becomes increasingly eerie.
Juxtaposition in lines 28-29 is used to emphasize their irony: "...the rolicking glory..." -the owl's contentment and fulfillment- "...death bringer..." For people death by someone elses hand is a murder to an owl it means exhilaration, the essence of its own survival. The settings are also juxtaposed to pinpoint a shift; from the cold winters and nights of the owl to the images of the author's reminiscence of summer fields of flowers. Furthermore, both accounts become parallel as the image of the flowers becomes increasingly eerie.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Bluebbonet Writing Project From Beginning to End
This is the story of how I came to find,
A very dear project that brought my writing alive
Almost didn’t make it, I think that it was faith
That I attend the Project and learn lots of new tech
Blogging, pod casting, and also voice thread
Thanks to Scott Massey we all are getting A’s
After our digital story board creations became quite and ordeal
Getting to the heart didn’t seem like a big deal
Cracked open some sentences and recorded team weather forecasts
Exploded the moment, created snapshots, thoughtshots
and shrank a century in half
Next came the teaching demos they’ve been quite a delight
So many new ideas that I’ll take back to class
The Literature Review, the culminating point
Let’s pray we get through this
And look back no more
River Legacy brought memories, that we thought were long gone
Created a multimedia presentation and had a luncheon
Inspired our guests and brought tears to their eyes
Choosing the “Road Not Taken”, indeed has its rewards
A bittersweet sensation that’s how I can describe
Jeannine’s announcement, that she was moving to Hawaii
It will be for the best and in Hilo she will teach
Other summer projects but none quite like this
For here in Texas you’ll always have
A bunch of Bluebonnets that await your return with open arms
From Elbow to Lane many strategies we’ve learned
But from Jeannine I learned to find passion in my heart
From Janelle to bring some spunk and tech into my life
And from Joyce to breath, and take it one day at a time
Dianna, Leslie, Christina, Sherry, Heather
Lourdes, Jolyn, Christine, Pat, Rediesha
Rachel, Ginny, Kia and I
We face the “Innovator’s Dilemma”
And now I must ask,
How do we personally use technology for:
communication, collaboration, community, and creativity?
Before not enough or at all
Now thanks to the Bluebonnet Writing Project
fear of technology integration is a thing of the past
A very dear project that brought my writing alive
Almost didn’t make it, I think that it was faith
That I attend the Project and learn lots of new tech
Blogging, pod casting, and also voice thread
Thanks to Scott Massey we all are getting A’s
After our digital story board creations became quite and ordeal
Getting to the heart didn’t seem like a big deal
Cracked open some sentences and recorded team weather forecasts
Exploded the moment, created snapshots, thoughtshots
and shrank a century in half
Next came the teaching demos they’ve been quite a delight
So many new ideas that I’ll take back to class
The Literature Review, the culminating point
Let’s pray we get through this
And look back no more
River Legacy brought memories, that we thought were long gone
Created a multimedia presentation and had a luncheon
Inspired our guests and brought tears to their eyes
Choosing the “Road Not Taken”, indeed has its rewards
A bittersweet sensation that’s how I can describe
Jeannine’s announcement, that she was moving to Hawaii
It will be for the best and in Hilo she will teach
Other summer projects but none quite like this
For here in Texas you’ll always have
A bunch of Bluebonnets that await your return with open arms
From Elbow to Lane many strategies we’ve learned
But from Jeannine I learned to find passion in my heart
From Janelle to bring some spunk and tech into my life
And from Joyce to breath, and take it one day at a time
Dianna, Leslie, Christina, Sherry, Heather
Lourdes, Jolyn, Christine, Pat, Rediesha
Rachel, Ginny, Kia and I
We face the “Innovator’s Dilemma”
And now I must ask,
How do we personally use technology for:
communication, collaboration, community, and creativity?
Before not enough or at all
Now thanks to the Bluebonnet Writing Project
fear of technology integration is a thing of the past
Teaching Demo/Lesson Plan
Title for the lesson: A View from the Top
Adapted from: 1. Microsoft Innovative Teachers Program 2. The Adventures of Amelia the Pigeon
Illustrator: N/A Publishing Information:
1.Microsoft Partners in Learning, January 21, 2007. http://www.microsoft.com/education/aviewfromthetop.mspx?pf=true
2.NASA, April 16, 2007.
http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/amelia/
Title of the Book: The Armadillo from Amarillo
Written and Illustrated by: Lynne Cherry
Publishing Information: A Gulliver Green Book Hacourt Brace and Company
ISBN: 0-15-200359-2
School Level: Elementary school (5-11 years)
Goal: To write from a different point of view. Being able to see the picture from the TerraServer Web site should help inspire some creative writing.
Objectives:
The learner will:
•Be introduced to the idea of aerial photography through the story of Sasparillo the Armadillo.
•View an actual aerial photograph of their school or home.
•Explore and illustrate places around their home. They build view of their neighborhood by pulling together drawings from the class/group.
•Students then write a story about what Sasparillo the armadillo would see if he flew over their school or home.
•Illustrate what they will see from a bird’s-eye view
Write a story on a computer describing what Sasparillo the Armadillo would see if he flew over their school or house.
Prerequisite skills:
•Basic skills using Microsoft Internet Explorer
•Basic experience with Microsoft Office Word
TEKS:
§110.4. English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 2.
(1) Listening/speaking/purposes. The student listens attentively and engages actively in a variety of oral language experiences. The student is expected to:
(A) determine the purpose(s) for listening such as to get information, to solve problems, and to enjoy and appreciate (K-3);
(E) listen responsively to stories and other texts read aloud, including selections from classic and contemporary works (K-3);
(3) Listening/speaking/audiences/oral grammar. The student speaks appropriately to different audiences for different purposes and occasions.
(C) ask and answer relevant questions and make contributions in small or large group discussions (K-3)
(10) Reading/literary response. The student responds to various texts. The student is expected to:
(A) respond to stories and poems in ways that reflect understanding and interpretation in discussion (speculating, questioning) in writing, and through movement, music, art, and drama (2-3);
(B) demonstrate understanding of informational text in various ways such as through writing, illustrating, developing demonstrations, and using available technology
(2-3);
(14) Writing/purposes. The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes, and in various forms. The student is expected to:
(A) write to record ideas and reflections (K-3);
(18) Writing/writing processes. The student selects and uses writing processes for self-initiated and assigned writing. The student is expected to:
E) use available technology for aspects of writing, including word processing, spell checking, and printing (2-3);
(19) Writing/evaluation. The student evaluates his/her own writing and the writing of others. The student is expected to:
(B) respond constructively to others' writing (1-3);
§113.4. Social Studies, Grade 2.
(5) Geography. The student uses simple geographic tools such as maps, globes, and photographs. The student is expected to:
(A) use symbols, find locations, and determine directions on maps and globes; and (6) Geography. The student understands the locations and characteristics of places and regions. The student is expected to:
(A) identify major landforms and bodies of water, including continents and oceans, on maps and globes;
(B) locate the community, Texas, the United States, and selected countries on maps and globes;
§126.2. Technology Applications, Kindergarten-Grade 2.
(1) Foundations. The student demonstrates knowledge and appropriate use of hardware components, software programs, and their connections. The student is expected to:
(A) use technology terminology appropriate to the task;
(B) start and exit programs as well as create, name, and save files;
(2) Foundations. The student uses data input skills appropriate to the task. The student is expected to:
(A) use a variety of input devices such as mouse, keyboard, disk drive, modem, voice/sound recorder, scanner, digital video, CD-ROM, or touch screen;
(C) demonstrate touch keyboarding techniques for operating the alphabetic, numeric, punctuation, and symbol keys as grade-level appropriate;
(D) produce documents at the keyboard, proofread, and correct errors; and
(E) use language skills including capitalization, punctuation, spelling, word division, and use of numbers and symbols as grade-level appropriate.
(4) Information acquisition. The student uses a variety of strategies to acquire information from electronic resources, with appropriate supervision. The student is expected to:
(A) apply keyword searches to acquire information;
(5) Information acquisition. The student acquires electronic information in a variety of formats, with appropriate supervision. The student is expected to:
(A) acquire information including text, audio, video, and graphics;
Research Supporting this Lesson:
1. “Two types of students were identified with respect to the ways they used information obtained from the Web: "Compilers" usually copied text from web sources into their own essays. They lacked adequate cognitive processing of the collected information. "Authors" created original text and scored significantly higher in posttests. A follow-up study with 133 students verified parts of the hypothesis that writing with external sources of information has epistemic effects. However, students with basic writing skills and little prior knowledge benefited most from writing tasks.”
Priemer, Burkhard; Ploog, Maria. (2007). The Influence of Text Production on Learning with the Internet. British Journal of Education Technology.
2. “Many picture books allow young children to explore important ideas and to stretch their minds far beyond rote memorization. Young children absorb knowledge at a very rapid pace. In an age of information overload, it is essential that children are taught those important thinking skills that are needed in dealing with the multitude of information they meet everyday. What better way to help children gain important thinking skills than exposure to quality literature.”
Polette, Nancy (2007). Teaching Thinking Skills with picture books. Teacher Ideas Press.
Introduction to author and/or story:
In this activity you will see your world from a new point of view—a birds-eye view from up above in the sky.
Previewing the Text:
Read the title of the book to them. Show them the pictures on the front and title pages. Review the parts of the book.
Procedures:
Engage (5 minutes)
In the story, Sasparillo wonders where on earth he is. What if Sasparillo flew around the students' neighborhood. Brainstorm: Ask the students to think about where they live and what is around their house? (Stores, schools, parks, etc.) As students individually give their answers, record them on chart paper or the board for students to see.
Explore (20 - 30 minutes)
Ask the children to imagine they are a bird flying HIGH above a place near their home/school or in their neighborhood.
1. If Sasparillo could fly above us, what do you imagine he would see? What does the top of the school look like? What does the top of your house look like?
2. There are cameras in the sky that take pictures, the name of this special cameras is a satellite. You can see the pictures online. Visit the TerraServerUSA Web site.
3. Type your home address or the school's address, and then click the Go button. Is the picture you receive what you imagined your home or school would look like from the air?
4. Think back to Sasparillo flying on the eagle’s back. What do you imagine Amelia would see if she flew over your house or school?
Reading/Writing/Drawing Connection:
Ask them to draw a picture of what they would see looking DOWN at this place. (They may draw objects from the side. Just repeat and be encouraging about drawing what they think the bird would see without giving too much information.)
Have students label and/or write a brief description of what their picture illustrates.
Write a story describing what Sasparillo would see if he flew over your house or school.
Discussion Protocol:
Have students share their pictures telling what they have drawn. Begin to tie each of the pictures together to create a neighborhood or community. You may want to take each child’s picture and place it on a bulletin board. Children can offer input on where to put each picture. The school is beside the park. The store is a near the fire station. The houses form two lines as if they were on a street. Discuss as a class where Sasparillo might go. In what order? Who would he meet?
Extension/Service Projects:
•Look at some pictures of Texas (post cards, magazine pictures, etc.) What places do the students see in the pictures? What places do they think Sasparillo would go on his next journey? Have them write about their predictions.
•With the students' input, post the pictues of Texas in the order Sasparillo might visit to create a sequel to the book.
•Students will use PowerPoint to compose a postcard featuring a Texas landmark, that includes a short letter, name, address, and postcard design and send it to a relative, friend, etc. and encourage them to visit.
Resources & Materials:
•Chart paper/chalk board/dry erase board
•Pencil and crayons/markers
•Manila Paper
•Available bulletin board or equivalent display area
•Computers
Software: Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office Word
Assessment/Evaluation:
What the students choose to draw of their own neighborhood will provide assessment of their grasp of neighborhood features. What the students choose to include on the mural will provide a clearer understanding of a higher level of thinking by being able to connect their neighborhood to one of someone else’s (Sasparillo’s hometown of San Antonio) and recognizing similar features in the story.
Students can be assessed on the story they write describing what Sasparillo would see if he flew over their house or school.
Adapted from: 1. Microsoft Innovative Teachers Program 2. The Adventures of Amelia the Pigeon
Illustrator: N/A Publishing Information:
1.Microsoft Partners in Learning, January 21, 2007. http://www.microsoft.com/education/aviewfromthetop.mspx?pf=true
2.NASA, April 16, 2007.
http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/amelia/
Title of the Book: The Armadillo from Amarillo
Written and Illustrated by: Lynne Cherry
Publishing Information: A Gulliver Green Book Hacourt Brace and Company
ISBN: 0-15-200359-2
School Level: Elementary school (5-11 years)
Goal: To write from a different point of view. Being able to see the picture from the TerraServer Web site should help inspire some creative writing.
Objectives:
The learner will:
•Be introduced to the idea of aerial photography through the story of Sasparillo the Armadillo.
•View an actual aerial photograph of their school or home.
•Explore and illustrate places around their home. They build view of their neighborhood by pulling together drawings from the class/group.
•Students then write a story about what Sasparillo the armadillo would see if he flew over their school or home.
•Illustrate what they will see from a bird’s-eye view
Write a story on a computer describing what Sasparillo the Armadillo would see if he flew over their school or house.
Prerequisite skills:
•Basic skills using Microsoft Internet Explorer
•Basic experience with Microsoft Office Word
TEKS:
§110.4. English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 2.
(1) Listening/speaking/purposes. The student listens attentively and engages actively in a variety of oral language experiences. The student is expected to:
(A) determine the purpose(s) for listening such as to get information, to solve problems, and to enjoy and appreciate (K-3);
(E) listen responsively to stories and other texts read aloud, including selections from classic and contemporary works (K-3);
(3) Listening/speaking/audiences/oral grammar. The student speaks appropriately to different audiences for different purposes and occasions.
(C) ask and answer relevant questions and make contributions in small or large group discussions (K-3)
(10) Reading/literary response. The student responds to various texts. The student is expected to:
(A) respond to stories and poems in ways that reflect understanding and interpretation in discussion (speculating, questioning) in writing, and through movement, music, art, and drama (2-3);
(B) demonstrate understanding of informational text in various ways such as through writing, illustrating, developing demonstrations, and using available technology
(2-3);
(14) Writing/purposes. The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes, and in various forms. The student is expected to:
(A) write to record ideas and reflections (K-3);
(18) Writing/writing processes. The student selects and uses writing processes for self-initiated and assigned writing. The student is expected to:
E) use available technology for aspects of writing, including word processing, spell checking, and printing (2-3);
(19) Writing/evaluation. The student evaluates his/her own writing and the writing of others. The student is expected to:
(B) respond constructively to others' writing (1-3);
§113.4. Social Studies, Grade 2.
(5) Geography. The student uses simple geographic tools such as maps, globes, and photographs. The student is expected to:
(A) use symbols, find locations, and determine directions on maps and globes; and (6) Geography. The student understands the locations and characteristics of places and regions. The student is expected to:
(A) identify major landforms and bodies of water, including continents and oceans, on maps and globes;
(B) locate the community, Texas, the United States, and selected countries on maps and globes;
§126.2. Technology Applications, Kindergarten-Grade 2.
(1) Foundations. The student demonstrates knowledge and appropriate use of hardware components, software programs, and their connections. The student is expected to:
(A) use technology terminology appropriate to the task;
(B) start and exit programs as well as create, name, and save files;
(2) Foundations. The student uses data input skills appropriate to the task. The student is expected to:
(A) use a variety of input devices such as mouse, keyboard, disk drive, modem, voice/sound recorder, scanner, digital video, CD-ROM, or touch screen;
(C) demonstrate touch keyboarding techniques for operating the alphabetic, numeric, punctuation, and symbol keys as grade-level appropriate;
(D) produce documents at the keyboard, proofread, and correct errors; and
(E) use language skills including capitalization, punctuation, spelling, word division, and use of numbers and symbols as grade-level appropriate.
(4) Information acquisition. The student uses a variety of strategies to acquire information from electronic resources, with appropriate supervision. The student is expected to:
(A) apply keyword searches to acquire information;
(5) Information acquisition. The student acquires electronic information in a variety of formats, with appropriate supervision. The student is expected to:
(A) acquire information including text, audio, video, and graphics;
Research Supporting this Lesson:
1. “Two types of students were identified with respect to the ways they used information obtained from the Web: "Compilers" usually copied text from web sources into their own essays. They lacked adequate cognitive processing of the collected information. "Authors" created original text and scored significantly higher in posttests. A follow-up study with 133 students verified parts of the hypothesis that writing with external sources of information has epistemic effects. However, students with basic writing skills and little prior knowledge benefited most from writing tasks.”
Priemer, Burkhard; Ploog, Maria. (2007). The Influence of Text Production on Learning with the Internet. British Journal of Education Technology.
2. “Many picture books allow young children to explore important ideas and to stretch their minds far beyond rote memorization. Young children absorb knowledge at a very rapid pace. In an age of information overload, it is essential that children are taught those important thinking skills that are needed in dealing with the multitude of information they meet everyday. What better way to help children gain important thinking skills than exposure to quality literature.”
Polette, Nancy (2007). Teaching Thinking Skills with picture books. Teacher Ideas Press.
Introduction to author and/or story:
In this activity you will see your world from a new point of view—a birds-eye view from up above in the sky.
Previewing the Text:
Read the title of the book to them. Show them the pictures on the front and title pages. Review the parts of the book.
Procedures:
Engage (5 minutes)
In the story, Sasparillo wonders where on earth he is. What if Sasparillo flew around the students' neighborhood. Brainstorm: Ask the students to think about where they live and what is around their house? (Stores, schools, parks, etc.) As students individually give their answers, record them on chart paper or the board for students to see.
Explore (20 - 30 minutes)
Ask the children to imagine they are a bird flying HIGH above a place near their home/school or in their neighborhood.
1. If Sasparillo could fly above us, what do you imagine he would see? What does the top of the school look like? What does the top of your house look like?
2. There are cameras in the sky that take pictures, the name of this special cameras is a satellite. You can see the pictures online. Visit the TerraServerUSA Web site.
3. Type your home address or the school's address, and then click the Go button. Is the picture you receive what you imagined your home or school would look like from the air?
4. Think back to Sasparillo flying on the eagle’s back. What do you imagine Amelia would see if she flew over your house or school?
Reading/Writing/Drawing Connection:
Ask them to draw a picture of what they would see looking DOWN at this place. (They may draw objects from the side. Just repeat and be encouraging about drawing what they think the bird would see without giving too much information.)
Have students label and/or write a brief description of what their picture illustrates.
Write a story describing what Sasparillo would see if he flew over your house or school.
Discussion Protocol:
Have students share their pictures telling what they have drawn. Begin to tie each of the pictures together to create a neighborhood or community. You may want to take each child’s picture and place it on a bulletin board. Children can offer input on where to put each picture. The school is beside the park. The store is a near the fire station. The houses form two lines as if they were on a street. Discuss as a class where Sasparillo might go. In what order? Who would he meet?
Extension/Service Projects:
•Look at some pictures of Texas (post cards, magazine pictures, etc.) What places do the students see in the pictures? What places do they think Sasparillo would go on his next journey? Have them write about their predictions.
•With the students' input, post the pictues of Texas in the order Sasparillo might visit to create a sequel to the book.
•Students will use PowerPoint to compose a postcard featuring a Texas landmark, that includes a short letter, name, address, and postcard design and send it to a relative, friend, etc. and encourage them to visit.
Resources & Materials:
•Chart paper/chalk board/dry erase board
•Pencil and crayons/markers
•Manila Paper
•Available bulletin board or equivalent display area
•Computers
Software: Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office Word
Assessment/Evaluation:
What the students choose to draw of their own neighborhood will provide assessment of their grasp of neighborhood features. What the students choose to include on the mural will provide a clearer understanding of a higher level of thinking by being able to connect their neighborhood to one of someone else’s (Sasparillo’s hometown of San Antonio) and recognizing similar features in the story.
Students can be assessed on the story they write describing what Sasparillo would see if he flew over their house or school.
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