The objective of this work investigation is to support the theory that by utilizing focused intervention time with a target and control group of students, students in fifth grade can achieve higher scores overall (on vocabulary and comprehension assessments) by targeting specific student needs with regards to fluency and comprehension. Focused Instructional Time is a fifty-minute block that occurs for students at the South Shore Charter Public School Tuesday through Friday each week. To address fluency and reading comprehension deficits, this researcher completed targeted interventions to address individual student needs in the form of a Book Club, throughout a twelve-week period.
This topic is important to research because the focused instructional model is a research-based approach to learning. This is an opportunity every day for students to have additional service delivery if their IEP needs require individual and/or small group service delivery, in addition to the push in, co-taught model that SSCPS embodies. This Focused Instructional Time can benefit not only students who have specific plans, but teachers can utilize the time to meet each student’s individual needs, including higher achieving students who wish to be challenged and extend upon topics taught in their regular education classrooms.
After meetings with different administrators to understand their perspective on defining "focused instructional time," this researcher also met with teachers to gather their thoughts on the topic, and how they feel it should be utilized day to day. It is imperative that all adults in the school have the same drive and understanding of the expectations for that time with students to be successful. This researcher gathered, at random, ten students in fifth grade to be part of the target group for interventions, thinking that all students can increase their fluency and comprehension, regardless of instructional and independent reading levels.
Table of Contents
1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Background
4. Literature Review
5. Programs and Practices
6. Evidence of Need
7. Description
8. Setting
9. Participants
10. Instrumentation
11. Instructional Plan for Intervention
12. Results
13. Discussion
13.1 Effectiveness of Instruction
13.2 Generalizations
13.3 Study Limitations
13.4 Implications for Future Study
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this field work investigation is to determine if utilizing a fifty-minute block of focused intervention time, specifically through a Book Club model, can improve fluency and reading comprehension scores among fifth-grade students with diverse learning needs.
- Impact of targeted intervention on reading comprehension and fluency.
- Application of Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) strategies in reading instruction.
- Effectiveness of various assessment tools (Pearson Reading Level Indicator vs. Qualitative Reading Inventory).
- Influence of small-group and partner-based reading environments on student engagement.
- Comparison of instructional versus independent reading levels for student achievement.
Excerpt from the Book
Literature Review
Reading entails using multiple components of your brain to work together. There is the obvious visual component, the tactile feel of a book or e-device in the reader’s hands, the ability to block out what is going on to focus, and then comprehend the written words. Although simply stated, just merely thinking about the compartments of the brain that are used for these tasks can seem overwhelming for adults. “Learning to read proficiently calls on cognitive, linguistic, social-emotional, and regulatory processes with synergistic and reciprocal effects on each other and with instruction” (Connor, et al. (2014)). Now, consider all the many components of reading jargon that teachers are expected to know - as well as teach in some way - in Kindergarten and Grade 1, then improve upon throughout the primary years. To name a few; morphology, benchmarks, direct instruction, reading comprehension, fluency, independent reading level, instructional reading level, frustration reading level, mastery, placement tests, basal readers, Tiers 1, 2, and 3, Response-to-Intervention… the list goes on! However, all of this overwhelming information does not even take into consideration the fact that not all students have English as a first language at home, or students who have learning disabilities. This is what’s expected for the “norm,” and teachers still have to differentiate and scaffold their instruction to meet the needs of all learners in the room at the same time.
Summary of Chapters
Abstract: Provides an overview of the study regarding Focused Instructional Time (FIT) and the use of targeted Book Club interventions for fifth-grade students.
Introduction: Outlines the challenges teachers face in assessing student growth at SSCPS and establishes the necessity for more effective literacy assessment methods.
Background: Examines the importance of differentiating and scaffolding instruction, specifically incorporating SEI strategies to motivate student learning.
Literature Review: Explores the cognitive and linguistic complexity of reading and highlights the diverse needs of learners, including those with learning disabilities and English Language Learners.
Programs and Practices: Discusses the transition away from DIBELS toward the Pearson Reading Level Indicator and the search for better curricula in fifth and sixth grades.
Evidence of Need: Details the demographic profile of the participants and the school environment at the South Shore Charter Public School.
Description: Explains the design of the twelve-week Book Club intervention and the usage of QRI and Pearson assessments to measure pre- and post-study progress.
Setting: Provides specific data regarding the enrollment and demographic composition of the South Shore Charter Public School.
Participants: Describes the random selection of ten fifth-grade students with varying ability levels for the case study.
Instrumentation: Details the standardized and researcher-created assessment tools used to collect comparative data.
Instructional Plan for Intervention: Describes the weekly format of the Book Club, including small group discussions and explicit vocabulary instruction.
Results: Presents the data findings comparing student performance across various assessments throughout the study.
Discussion: Interprets the study results, acknowledges limitations, and discusses the overall effectiveness of the instructional approach.
Effectiveness of Instruction: Evaluates how targeted vocabulary and fluency work positively impacted students' comprehension abilities.
Generalizations: Concludes that systematic, direct instruction significantly boosts student performance regardless of initial proficiency levels.
Study Limitations: Identifies constraints such as small sample size, time limitations, and the informality of the book club setting.
Implications for Future Study: Reflects on the broader necessity of individualized literacy interventions to ensure academic success for all students.
Keywords
Focused Instructional Time, Reading Comprehension, Reading Fluency, Sheltered English Immersion, SEI, Qualitative Reading Inventory, QRI, Literacy Intervention, Book Club, Fifth Grade, Student Achievement, Direct Instruction, Vocabulary Instruction, English Language Learners, Differentiated Instruction
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research project?
The research explores the efficacy of "Focused Instructional Time" (FIT) as a 50-minute intervention block to improve reading fluency and comprehension for fifth-grade students.
What are the primary themes addressed in this work?
The study centers on targeted literacy intervention, the use of Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) strategies, the effectiveness of specific assessment tools, and the impact of small-group instruction on student motivation.
What is the main research question or goal?
The goal is to determine if utilizing structured intervention time with a target group of students can lead to improved scores on vocabulary and comprehension assessments.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The researcher used a mixed-method case study approach involving pre- and post-intervention assessments (QRI and Pearson Reading Level Indicator), observations, and student interviews.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers the background of literacy instruction, the demographic setting of the study, the specific implementation of a Book Club intervention, and a detailed analysis of the gathered performance data.
Which keywords best characterize this study?
Key terms include Focused Instructional Time, reading comprehension, reading fluency, SEI, and literacy intervention.
How did students respond to the intervention?
Overall, students were engaged and reported feeling safer and more comfortable reading in small groups compared to large-class settings, despite initial frustration with the assessment requirements.
What were the major findings regarding the chosen assessment tools?
The Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI) was found to be more effective for diagnosing specific needs than the Pearson Reading Level Indicator, though it proved to be more time-consuming for the instructor.
What limitations did the author identify?
The author noted the small sample size, the short timeframe of the study, and potential biases in the selection of participants as key limitations to the study's generalizability.
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- Kelly Rafferty-Brulport (Autor:in), 2020, Benefits Of Focused Instruction Time (FIT) In Schools. A Field Based Research, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/583902
