Action Research

nd
Project: 2 Grade
Authors Purpose
Rachael Celia

The Question
What are effective strategies for improving
understanding of authors purpose?

Initial Information
Student C

Student B

High achieving student reading very fluently.

No prior testing available

Very talkative.

Reading very well and fairly fluently.

Scored 6/7 on the Fauntas and Pinnell reading test.

Best Practices
Monitor Comprehension
Metacognition
Graphic and Semantic

Question
Reflect (Identify Authors Purpose,
2014)

Use a Variety of Assessment

Organizers
Techniques to Inform
Answering Questions
Instruction
Generating Questions

Use Multiple Texts (Bluiett, n.d.)

Recognizing Story Structure
Summarizing (Adler, n.d.)

Assessments and Literature

Used
Fountas and Pinnell
Reading Interest Inventory (Wokanick, n.d.)
Garfield Interest Survey (Kear, Coffman,
McKenna & Ambrosio, 2000)

The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaula

The Great Zoo Escape Reading A-Z Level K

(Reading
A-Z, n.d.)

Dark Night on the Water Reading A-Z Level I

Benchmark Passage Quick Check Level I

Benchmark Passage Quick Check Level
K
Benchmark Passage Running Record
Level K (Reading A-Z, n.d.)
Concepts of Comprehension Question
Sheets (Authors Purpose, n.d.)

Earrings By Judith Viorst

Becoming Expert Readers

Banning Junk Food

A Lion in the Bedroom

Give Thanks

Recess

Bare Bones

A Day to Celebrate Earth

(Authors Purpose, n.d.)

The Data

Student

Assessment

Score

Reading Interest Inventory

She enjoys reading and reads at home with her mom, she doesnt like superheroes, but loves
pretty much every other

Reading Interest Inventory

she likes to read, but doesnt read at home with her parents. She likes pretty much every
genre of book. Doesnt like to read out loud.

Garfield Interest Survey

98 raw score, 88 percentile

Garfield Interest Survey

99 raw score, 89 percentile

Benchmark Passage Quick Check

3/3 correct

Benchmark Passage Quick Check

2/3 correct

Benchmark Passage Quick Check

5/5 correct

Benchmark Passage Running Record

WCPM 95; Error Rate 1:24 Accuracy Rate: 96% Self-Correction Rate 1:1

Independent Practice Worksheet

Found limited evidence from the text, and was able to identify purpose of persuasion.

Independent Practice Worksheet

Was able to find identify evidence of persuasion from the text only after group discussion and
assistance from the teacher.

Number of cards correct

5/7

Number of cards correct

4/8

Question Sheets

5/5

Question Sheets

3/5

Number of cards correct

6/6

Number of cards correct

5/6

Reflection

What to improve
on:

Consistency
Time limitations
Data
Assessment Levels

What I did well:

Meeting the Goal

Engagement
Variety
Adapting

References
Adler, C. (n.d.). Seven Strategies to Teach Students Text Comprehension. Retrieved October 11,
2014.
Author's Purpose 2nd Grade Unit. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2014, from
www.readworks.org/lessons/grade2/authors-purpose
Bluiett, T. (n.d.). Best Practices in Litracy Instruction. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
Identify Authors Purpose: Why Did the Author Write the Selection? (2014, January 1). Retrieved
November 16, 2014,
from http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/ReadStrat8.html
Kear, D., Coffman, G., McKenna, M., & Ambrosio, A. (2000). Measuring Attitude Toward Writing: A
New Tool for Teachers? The Reading Teacher, 54(1).
Reading A-Z: Leveled Reading. (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2014, from
www.readingaz.com/samples/leveled-reading.html
Wokanick, D. (n.d.). Reading Interest Inventory K-3. Retrieved October 7, 2014, from
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Reading-Interest-Inventory-K-3-1043671b