Action Research Proposal

Jodi Mae Herold

ED 635

Spring 2011

INTRODUCTION

As this year closes, many teachers are breathing a sigh of relief as the OAKS testing

window has been closed and no more grueling days of spending hours testing students and

feeling like the computer lab is their second home. Unfortunately, as teachers do, we begin to

look forward to next year and reflect. In my building, the question is already being discussed of

how we are going to raise our OAKS Math scores for next year, especially our ELL learners. Our

scores were as follows as we concluded this school year:

Grade Eyre Elementary Salem-Keizer School District State of Oregon3rd 78% 64% 64%4th 83% 68% 66%5th 60% 69% 58%5th (Herold) 60%*Note: Our ELL population was 66.66%. With a margin of error of 4-5%, we most likely passed in this subgroup this year. The magic number was 70% this year and is raised each year.

The Oregon Department of Education recently changed the math standards and rewrote

the OAKS testing to reflect these new standards. The State also raised the passing score. As

each year passes, the percentage of children needing to pass OAKS increases due to the No

Children Left Behind act. This determines if a school and district has met AYP (Adequate

Yearly Progress) or is in Need of Improvement. Schools must meet in subgroups (e.g. ELL,

IEP) as well to meet AYP. When a school does not meet AYP after a specified period of years,

measures are taken to improve the school including restructuring of curriculum, programs, and

staff. As one can see, this can cause tremendous stress to the district and school administrators

as well as teachers.

Eyre Elementary did not meet AYP the previous year 2009-2010 due to two ELL

students not passing their OAKS tests.

Based on the information stated, my research question is How can I help my ELL learners

pass their OAKS Math test?

LITERATURE REVIEW

As I have conversed with fellow teachers this year about students not passing the OAKS

math test, I hear most often that the issue was word problems and students not being able to

understand the complex vocabulary and long-winded sentences, pull out the important

information, and know which operation(s) to use. The literature review is centered on ELL

learners, math examinations, its hindrances, and interventions.

Abedi, J., & Lord, C. (2001). The Language Factor in Mathematics Tests. Applied Measurement in Education, 14(3), 219-234.

This study focused on the importance of language in student test performance on math problems. Eighth grade students were given National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics assessment in its original form as well as the questions rewritten to reduce their linguistic complexity. The modified version produced higher scores, especially in the lower level classes and average classes and also the ELL and SES students.

Martiniello, M. (2009). Linguistic Complexity, Schematic Representations, and Differential Item Functioning for English Language Learners in Math Tests. Educational Assessment, 14(3/4), 160-179.

This particular study addressed the issue of the blending of English language skills and math concepts with word problems in formative testing. The purpose was to determine if the problem lies in the linguistic complexity of a word problem or the concept for ELL learners. It analyzed a fourth grade state math test. Items in the strands of data analysis, statistics, and probabilities proved to be linguistically complex. Patterns, relations, and algebra tended to favor ELL learners due to its visual representations. The study showed that efforts need to be made to assess math proficiency by using words that are appropriate for their English level proficiency and use more pictorial and schematic representations to facilitate comprehensibility of math word problems.

Martiniello, M. (2008). Language and the Performance of English-Language Learners in Math Word Problems. Harvard Educational Review, 78(2), 333-368. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

This study delves into the syntactical aspect of math word problems. Martiniello describes the linguistic features of the 2003 MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) 4th grade word problems that prove difficult for ELL Learners. She includes think aloud interviews of first-generation ELL students while they are completing math problems to help support her position that comprehension is a hindrance for ELL learners. ELL learners take a significant amount of time determining the meaning of each word and when they have completed that task, it is difficult to put all the words and meanings back together again and answer the questions correctly. In this study, she urges educators to engage in mathematical discourse with their students and use textbooks to combines natural and academic language, mathematical terms, symbols, and graphs. The teaching of math cannot be isolated from teaching of language.

METHODSParticipants

The participants in this study are my fifth grade homeroom students at Mary Eyre

Elementary. This classroom is a bilingual classroom (English/Spanish). Every student tests

regardless of language or learning disability. The only exclusions are students that have been in

the United States for less than one year or are on an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) that

explicitly states that they will take an extended test which is done one-on-one using a

paper/pencil version. They are counted as an automatic “Does Not Meet” which lowers the

school’s percentage.

Methods/Techniques and Instruments/Tools

There are several methods to be used in this action research project. First and foremost

are the OAKS scores for all years available. The scores are available by strand to see the strong

and weak areas of each student. The District interim assessments provide data on units recently

taught and pre-assessment data for the next unit of instruction.

“Think aloud” student interviews will be conducted with students to observe their process

of solving math problems and their strategies to comprehend the problems. These interviews

provide opportunity for probing if necessary.

Surveys will be given to students to see what they feel are the most difficult parts of

taking an OAKS test. This will be given after taking the first try, so I can use this information to

drive instruction and create small intervention groups.

I will observe students and discover which math concepts pose difficulty, areas of weak

comprehension (e.g. vocabulary and sentence structure), and what fundamental skills are lacking.

A checklist will be used to mark which standards and substandards have been mastered in both

simple and complex approaches as well as in word problems. Anecdotal notes will also be taken.

Data Collection Procedures

This action research project will take place over the course of the school year. OAKS

testing begins in October and ends in late May. During the first month of school, an evaluation

of the OAKS data of each student from previous years will be completed. Student interviews

and observations will be done throughout the year. Checklists and anecdotal notes will be

completed throughout the school year. The student surveys will be taken after the first round of

testing has been completed. District interim assessments time frames are determined by the

District.

Data Analysis Plan

The OAKS and District interim assessments data can be sorted by score or strand data on

their websites. The website allows for report generations in forms of tables, graphs, and

spreadsheets to see areas of strengths and weakness as well as progression over the year or

academic life of a student. This will be used a starting point in creating year long plans and

placement of students into focused intervention groups. Interviews answers will be arranged by

question and be placed parallel to easily see the similarities. Checklists and observation focal

points will be entered into a spreadsheet, so I can monitor the students for change over time or

distinguish stagnancy.

BIAS AND ETHICS

In order to ensure that all students are represented, I will observe and create a checklist

for each student. The observation list will have central points to avoid a shift of focus, especially

student behavior, disinterest, or off-task talking. Observations will take place often to reduce

students acting differently when they know they are being observed. A checklist will explicitly

state what standard or substandard is being mastered and what students must do to obtain

mastery. To ensure objectivity, OAKS tests and interim tests will be closely evaluated as they are

written and graded by outside personnel and computerized systems.

Ethic considerations will be made since this project involves human children. The

Institutional Review Board must approve my proposal for this study. Informed consent will be

obtained by students and their parents using an informed consent form. Students will not feel

intimidated or forced in any fashion to participate in this study. Students will not be negatively

consequenced if they choose not to participate. To maintain confidentiality, no specific

identifying information or names will be published. Students will be assigned a number to avoid

identification. The research will be planned to meet APA standards for avoiding deception in

research and meeting ethical responsibility. This study will comply with all state and federal

laws. District and school administrators will receive a copy of my action research proposal and

then authorize its conduction if permissible. They will be kept updated as the study progresses

via summaries after a round of testing is completed, have access to OAKS and District

assessment websites as well as visiting the classrooms and viewing my classroom data.

REPORTING AND SHARING RESULTS

The results will be shared with teachers, parents, students, District and school

administrators, District bilingual department staff, and members of the Eyre Elementary Site

Council which includes community members, parents, and school employees. Students see their

results within five seconds of submitting their tests on the computer screen. Parents are notified

about the OAKS test results throughout the year at parent-teacher conferences as well as a

concluding letter sent at the end of the year to inform them of their child’s growth and readiness

for the following year. District and school personnel continually monitor OAKS testing and

District interim testing throughout the year using their websites. At the conclusion of the school

year, administrators complete preliminary AYP results using the State of Oregon’s formulas with

the official results being released in July.