Identification of Learning Problem

Problem: Reading Comprehension

Target Audience: The target audience is first grade students. These students have been in the
school setting anywhere from one to two years and have learned basic skills in Pre-Kindergarten,
Kindergarten, or a combination of both.
Describe: These students have been learning basic reading skills for approximately a year and a
half at this point and should be able to read and comprehend the information or listen to the story
for comprehension. Many of these students are struggling with comprehending materials they
are reading or listening to.
Goal: At the end of instruction students will be able to listen to or read a selection and answer
comprehension questions about the material read.
Learner Analysis
1. Introduction
Students are in the first grade, ages ranging from six to eight, who are working on
developing comprehension skills in the classroom. Information has been gathered using data
from AFLs given to the first graders during the first month of school. The first grade teacher has
been interviewed to ensure that all reported data is accurate and to gather further information on
individual students who may have performed better on the test than they are performing in the
classroom setting.
2. Entry Skills and Prior Knowledge
Teachers begin the year teaching basic skills to students as a review of the previous year
in Kindergarten. The first grade teachers assess students to find where their students are
academically. Many of these students tend to forget things taught in Kindergarten over the
summer and need a refresher on the basic skills. These students are coming in knowing how to
read and have a knowledge of sight words as well as having the ability to sound out words. Most
of these students will have computer skills as they go to computer lab in Kindergarten.
3. Attitudes Toward Content & Academic Motivation
Most students in first grade are fairly motivated and have a positive attitude toward
learning. These students are aware of the school environment and know that this is where the
learning takes place and they are in the school to learn. These students have a positive attitude
toward learning the content since many of these students are excited to be able to read books on
their own. These students tend to be academically motivated for things they find interesting and
not motivated for boring subjects. There are a few who struggle and have poor motivation due to
the struggles with learning.

4. Educational Ability Levels

Ability levels differ between students from a high level of students who were able to
easily pick up on reading in Kindergarten, to the middle level for students who learned at an
average rate, and then to a lower level for the students who struggled with letters and letter sound
knowledge. These students also have varying levels of vocabulary skills. Those with a home
environment rich with language have a larger vocabulary compared with those students who
have not had the exposure to a large language base. These students without prior exposure to a
rich vocabulary will potentially struggle to comprehend more difficult vocabulary.
5. General Learning Preferences
The first grade students are kinesthetic learners. Students learn best through active
participation in the lessons, not by lecturing. Typically these students need to have tasks
demonstrated to them, allow time for them to attempt the task, then need further instruction on
improvements to their performance.
6. Attitude Toward Teachers and School
Currently most these students have a positive attitude towards teachers and school since
their prior experiences are only from Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten where the focus is on
playing and learning the basics. Some of the students however, have a negative attitude towards
school, many of these are due to them not understanding or having problems finding friends.
7. Group Characteristics (including social characteristics and relevant cultural information)
These students tend to be talkative and friends to the majority of the class. The students
are from similar backgrounds being in the rural part of the county. The families at our school
tend to be some of the poorer families from the community, but are very involved with their
childrens schooling. Many of the students in the school are relatives of other students in their
grade level or in the school in general. 85% of children in first grade are on the free and reduced
lunch program. Students who have access to a computer outside of the school are limited to only
75% of students in the first grade.
Instructional Objectives
Terminal Objective: Students will be able to increase their level of listening and reading
comprehension.
Objective 1: At the end of the unit the student will be able to answer comprehension questions
correctly.
1. The student will be able to answer questions correctly about the content read aloud when
given multiple choice questions.

2. The student will be able to answer questions correctly about the content they have read to
themselves when given multiple choice questions.
3. Students will be able to verbalize correct answer questions about the content read aloud
or read by them.
Objective 2: At the end of the unit the student will be able to identify ways to learn about the
unknown content in text read aloud or read alone.
1. After hearing a passage the students will be able to identify if they need to explore the
topic further for understanding.
2. Students will read a passage and identify if they need to explore further for
understanding.
3. Students will be given a passage and told to tell how they would explore that topic further
if they did not understand the topic.

Relationship Between Instructional Objectives and Standards:

Instructional Objectives
1 1, 2, 3
2 1, 2, 3
1 1, 2, 3
2 1, 2, 3
2 1, 2, 3

Common Core Standards

ELACC1SL1c. Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the
topics and texts under discussion.
ELACC1SL2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text
read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
ELACC1W7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g.,
exploring a number of how-to books on a given topic and use them
to write a sequence of instructions).

Assessment

Goals

Objectives

Lesson 1: Introduction to
reading for
comprehension.
Students will learn what it
means to comprehend the
text they are reading.

Objective 1: At the end of

the unit the student will be
able to answer
comprehension questions
correctly.
1A. The student will be
able to answer

Lesson 2: Explore ways

to research topics for
further understanding.
Students will be able to
identify multiple
research tools that will
allow them to research a
given subject.
Objective 2: At the end
of the unit the student
will be able to identify
ways to learn about the
unknown content in text
read aloud or read alone.
2A. After hearing a

Lesson 3: Researching
topics for further
understanding.
Students will be able to
research a given topic to
gain further
understanding of the
subject.
Objective 2: At the end
of the unit the student
will be able to identify
ways to learn about the
unknown content in text
read aloud or read alone.

questions correctly
about the content read
aloud when given
multiple choice
questions.
1B. The student will be
able to answer
questions correctly
about the content they
have read to
themselves when
given multiple choice
questions.
1C.Students will be able
to verbalize correct
answer questions
about the content read
aloud or read by
them.
Assessments Quiz
UDL
Multiple Means of
Representation and Action
and Expression

passage the students

will be able to
identify if they need
to explore the topic
further for
understanding.
2B. Students will read a
passage and identify
if they need to
explore further for
understanding.

Quiz
Multiple Means of
Representation and
Action and Expression

2C. Students will be

given a passage and
told to tell how they
would explore that
topic further if they
did not understand
the topic.

Short Answer
Multiple Means of
Representation, Action
and Expression, and
Engagement

Instructional Sequence
Sequence
1
2
3

Description
Identify what it is to comprehend the material being presented.
Identify multiple ways of finding new information on an unknown topic.
Research a given topic to find further information for understanding.

Objective
1-1,2,3
2-1,2
2-3

Lesson 1: An Introduction to Reading for Comprehension

Objective 1: At the end of the unit the student will be able to answer comprehension questions
correctly.
1A The student will be able to answer questions correctly about the content read aloud when
given multiple choice questions.
1B The student will be able to answer questions correctly about the content they have read to
themselves when given multiple choice questions.

1C Students will be able to verbalize correct answer questions about the content read aloud
or read by them.
Motivational Strategy: The lesson will begin with a video clip of a child listening to a book being
read aloud. Students will be asked to identify what they noticed about the video. Various answers
will be given and the teacher will point out that the child was using listening comprehension
skills to understand what was being read to him.
Initial Presentation: The teacher will introduce students to the concept of reading for
comprehension. Students will identify what comprehension means. The teacher will read a
passage aloud to the class and display it to help students analyze it for understanding. This will
be done with multiple passages allowing students to do more of the analysis each time without
teacher assistance.
Generative Strategy: Students will be given multiple passages to analyze for understanding with
less teacher guidance as they progress. At the end of the lesson students will be given two
passages to read alone or listen to for understanding. The students will be given a multiple
choice quiz on these passages to see if they were able to read for understanding.
Lesson 2: Explore ways to research topics for further understanding.
Objective 2: At the end of the unit the student will be able to identify ways to learn about the
unknown content in text read aloud or read alone.
2A. After hearing a passage the students will be able to identify if they need to explore the
topic further for understanding.
2B. Students will read a passage and identify if they need to explore further for
understanding.
Motivational Strategy: The teacher will begin by reading a passage to students that is written for
middle grade students. After reading a few sentences the teacher will stop and ask, Who
understood what I was reading?
Initial Presentation: The teacher will begin again by reading a new passage, written for first
grade students, that contains information on a new topic. Students will be asked to listen
carefully to the passage and will be asked questions to determine the level of comprehension
they have reached. The teacher will show students examples of how to identify if they need
additional information to fully understand the passage.
Generative Strategy: Students will then be given additional passages to read to see if they
understand. If they are able to understand them without additional help they will answer
comprehension questions about the passages, if they feel they need additional help they will
write down that they need further information beside the passage.

Lesson 3: Researching topics for further understanding.

Objective 2: At the end of the unit the student will be able to identify ways to learn about the
unknown content in text read aloud or read alone.
2C. Students will be given a passage and told to tell how they would explore that topic
further if they did not understand the topic.
Motivational Strategy: The teacher will begin reading a new book to the class, Lulu and the
Brontosaurus. The story is about a spoiled child who gets everything she wants, until one day
she asks for a Brontosaurus for her birthday. The teacher will explain that a Brontosaurus would
not make a good pet and today they will research to find out why.
Initial Presentation: Students will listen to the first two chapters of the story. After hearing Lulu
wants a Brontosaurus for a pet the teacher will stop reading the story and inform students they
will be looking further into Brontosauruses today by doing research. The teacher will introduce
students to the Britannica School research tools.
Generative Strategy: Students will be shown how to access the tool online and the teacher will
show students how to find information about animals on the website. Students will then research
Brontosaurus online and find information to determine if a Brontosaurus will make a good pet.
They will make a list of pros and cons for reasons the dinosaur would or would not make a good
pet. After completing the list the teacher will continue reading the story aloud. Once the teacher
has completed the third chapter she will stop and ask if the research helped the students
understand the book better. Students will be given the opportunity to raise their hands
throughout the story if information is presented they do not understand. The teacher will use this
opportunity to explain further so that students are able to comprehend the reading.

Resources
DiPierto, M. (2010). Virtual school pedagogy: The instructional practices of k-12 virtual school
teachers. J. EDUCATIONAL COMPUTING RESEARCH, 42(3), 327-354.
Morrison, G., Ross, S., Kalman, H., & Kemp, J. (2013).Designing effective instruction. (7th ed.).
United States of America: Wiley.