Action Research

School: Birchmount
Grade: 7
Subject: English
Outcome: Reading Proficiency

Crandall University
ED3323 Instructional Learning Processes: Secondary
Austin Allen
5 April 2021

What am I proposing to study? What is the basis of my interest in this topic or focus?
 Allen 1

I will be studying the reasons as to why 50% of the grade 7 students taking English are

not meeting their reading standards at Birchmount school. In exploring this situation, I plan to

implement a “stop, paraphrase, think” model over the course of one semester. I will choose one

7th grade ELA class at Birchmount, and have the teacher follow the outline set in place to foster

an environment of active, reflective reading. The model’s basic principles are to have students

read a pre-determined amount of text and then stop, think about the content that they just

absorbed, and then try to paraphrase the events that transpired from memory to the best of their

ability. This will be an on-going process that will increase in difficulty and complexity over the

course of the semester. The basis for my interest in taking this route is not only to improve the

school’s reading comprehension scores, but this model helps to pinpoint more accurately

particularly where our students are struggling the most (i.e., in content knowledge, or in the

ability to critically think/engage beyond the surface of the text).

Why is this research important? What are the overall goals?

The research is important to figure out how to access the other 50% of the students who

are not meeting the provincial goals yet. Though it is a 10-year plan, I think that doing direct

research can help us improve at a quicker rate, and therefore achieve our goal of a more inclusive

education. As mentioned, my overall goals are to improve student engagement with class

materials, and increase the amount of students who are meeting the provincial reading

comprehension goals. More importantly, however, my goals are to use the STP model (and its

variations in complexity) to further isolate the biggest issue within this particular demographic.

For instance, the research begins with simple recall of events from the text, and ensures that the

students are retaining at least the surface/action information that they are reading. If this is where

they are having issues, the basic “Stop, think, paraphrase” model will be implemented
 Allen 2

individually and in group work to help improve. If, however, the students are not having

difficulty recalling the information being presented to them, but are instead having issues making

inferences that go either into the future of the text, or beyond the bounds of the text entirely and

into the real world, this is where the model will shift into more of a “stop, paraphrase, think”

orientation. Namely, the exercises thereafter will focalize the importance of paraphrasing the

events of the text first, and then spend much of our time interpreting, and considering the

importance of what we have just digested. Based on the research involved with implementing the

MORE strategy which followed this more active reading model, as well as testimony from

teachers who have experienced this model, the chances of improving our students scores are

high.

What are my specific research questions for this study?

Why are 50% of our students not meeting their English reading standards, and what can

we do to improve these numbers? Additionally, what area of reading comprehension are our

students struggling the most with, be it content or conceptual based? Once isolated, in what ways

can implementing the STP model for active reading improve our students’ engagement with the

materials being presented, over the course of one semester? Have we improved the students’

ability to recount the events of the text? Have we improved the students’ ability to infer beyond

the bounds of the text? Have we done both?

Annotated Bibliography
Article #1
 Allen 3

Elements
1. MLA formatted citation Richardson, Jan. The Next Step Forward in Guided
Reading. Scholastic Inc. 2016. Pp 259.

2. Describe type of article (academic Academic

research, practitioner, or trade)
3. Definition of key terms Stop – Stop Think – Think about the Paraphrase
reading after the material you just – Re-
assigned text finished reading iterate the
has been events that
completed transpired
during
what was
just read
4. Summarize the text’s thesis and The resource involves a heavy focus on re-telling the
essential points story by looking just at the pictures. The idea being that,
(introduction/context/background after reading the text, students should be able to cover
) the words on the page and paraphrase what they have
just interpreted by looking solely at the photos.
5. Research question(s), problem(s), What can be done to improve grade 7 students overall
or issue(s) addressed reading comprehension scores? Can the students
improve by simply stopping, thinking, and re-telling the
events they just read? Or do they need to go beyond?
6. Who are the participants, The text does not specify who would be involved in this
audience, and/or subjects? activity – it is left opened to the teacher to decide how to
implement the strategy with their subject/grade. With
that said, the age range is grades K-8.
7. What forms of data (or The author of this book references her own teaching
information) help the author(s) practices and the effectiveness of these strategies as
answer their questions? evidence of their success. Moreover, she provides
suggestions for adapting the strategy to better fit certain
scenarios. The data collected would be the students’
overall performance scores comparing before and after
the implementation of the strategy.
8. What themes emerge about the That students Sometimes the biggest thing to
original questions, problems, or often rush help students improved their
issues (explain) through their reading comprehension skills is to
materials and simply return to the basics. I.e.,
therefore miss what did you just read about? Tell
information. me what happened. Can you write
that down in your own words? Etc.
9. What connections can be made to For a grade 7 audience (which is my focus for my own
other readings, classroom project), picture books are no longer the norm and may
observations, your project, or not pose as much of a challenge as is necessary to
your future as a teacher/action improve scores at this age. For this, I will adopt more of
researcher? an advanced form of STP by having my students read a
 Allen 4

certain section of our course text (in the case of a novel,

this may be a chapter or so, increasing the length of each
chunk of text as the class progresses). Once the section
has been read, the students will have a reading journal
where they will be tasked with thinking back and
paraphrasing all of the events that transpired as
sufficiently as possible. This may be point form, but
each point must be in complete sentences.

Article #2
Elements
10. MLA formatted Jordan, Kristin. “Read, Stop, Think! – A Strategy for Active Reading.”
citation MsJordanReads: Literacy Resources. 2021.
msjordanreads.com/2019/03/26/read-stop-think-a-strategy-for-
active-reading/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CRead%2C%20Stop%2C
 Allen 5

%20Think!,about%2C%20or%20beyond%20the%20text.
Accessed on March 13th 2021
11. Describe type of Practitioner testimony
article (academic
research,
practitioner, or
trade)
12. Definition of key Read – Read the Stop – Stop reading Think – Consider,
terms text up until a and try to hold onto based on the events
certain point the events that you just read about,
determined by the transpired in your what deeper forms of
teacher working memory. meaning we can
Write notes down if interpret thus far. Inter
needed. what events might be
coming.
13. Summarize the This resource’s idea of using a “read, stop, think” model inspires a
text’s thesis and reflective process pertaining to interpretation of the information rather
essential points than simple retelling like I had originally theorized
(introduction/con
text/background)
14. Research What can be done to improve grade 7 students overall reading
question(s), comprehension scores? Can the students improve by simply stopping,
problem(s), or thinking, and re-telling the events they just read? Or do they need to
issue(s) go beyond? Specifically, what can be done to increase overall active
addressed engagement with course texts?
15. Who are the In her case, there was no specified intended audience. All references
participants, made to students throughout her career as a Teacher we done-so
audience, and/or ambiguously so to not assume that this strategy is not grade specific (I
subjects? would imagine).
16. What forms of Similarly to the previous article, the author references her own success
data (or as a teacher as the results/data that is collected through the usage of
information) help this strategy. This is the data that supports my implementation of the
the author(s) strategy into a classroom for my own action research. For myself, this
answer their includes involvement of averaging my students’ scores both before
questions? and after the implementation of the comprehension strategy.
17. What themes That students often Sometimes the biggest Importantly, this
emerge about the rush through their thing to help students article takes the
original materials and improved their reading original idea of the
questions, therefore miss comprehension skills STP model and
problems, or information. is to simply return to develops it into a
issues (explain) the basics. I.e., what strategy for deeper
did you just read engagement with texts
about? Tell me what to extract/explore the
happened. Can you concept of meaning.
write that down in This is where a new
your own words? Etc. question arises which
 Allen 6

is, how can we ensure

that our students are
really getting it?
18. What is The similarities and differences between the model outlined in the first
important and/or article by Richardson. On first glance, it seemed as though this
interesting in resource would be a personal account from a teacher who used the
general about model herself. Upon further investigation, however, the ways in which
these results? this article differ from the previous one are actually extremely
important to the development of my action research plan. Namely, the
necessary inclusion of a teaching which focalizes interpretation as
opposed to mere recall.
19. What connections This resource provides an interesting experiential perspective from a
can be made to teacher who has implemented this strategy in her classroom, in a
other readings, slightly different way than I proposed. She outlines using what she
classroom called a “Read, stop, think” model, as opposed to the STP model I am
observations, operating from. Though it seems like a matter of simple semantics,
your project, or this resource prompted me to consider something beyond what I was
your future as a originally set out to do. Namely, the STP model focalizes the
teacher/action importance of re-telling the events of the story as they happen. In
researcher? grade 7 literacy studies, however, there is a shift towards being able to
understand the messages behind a text beyond what transpires on the
surface. With that being said, my model will remain to follow the STP
strategy to ensure my students are actually comprehending the events
of the materials being covered, in case this is where some of that 50%
loss in reading comprehension is coming from. However, once we
have established that our students are able to read and follow the
events of the story, I will shift the model from STP to SPT (stop,
paraphrase, think). Where the action research is intended to take place
over the course of a semester, I think that shifting in this direction will
be an excellent indicator of where the problem with reading
comprehension lays, while also providing a very tangible and realistic
framework for how to improve.
Article #3
Elements
20. MLA formatted citation Kim, James S., et al. “Improving Reading
Comprehension, Science Domain Knowledge, and
Reading Engagement through a First-Grade Content
Literacy Intervention.” Journal of Educational
Psychology, vol. 113, no. 1, Jan. 2021, pp. 3–
26. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1037/edu0000465.supp
(Supplemental).
21. Describe type of article (academic Academic Research
research, practitioner, or trade)
22. Definition of key terms Domain Knowledge – Topic Knowledge –
How much knowledge How much knowledge
 Allen 7

one has within a one has on a particular

particular subject area in topic, within a domain
general (i.e., science, (I.e., Shakespeare within
history, etc.) the domain of English).
23. Summarize the text’s thesis and Usage of MORE (Model of Reading Engagement) in
essential points the classroom will improve subject domain knowledge,
(introduction/context/background) and ultimately lead to increased student proficiency
with reading comprehension.
24. Research question(s), problem(s), Research Question 1: Main effect of MORE
or issue(s) addressed intervention on
proximal measures of science domain knowledge

Research Question 2: Main effect of MORE

intervention on
proximal measures of reading engagement.

Research Question 3: Main effect of MORE

intervention on
distal measures of reading comprehension outcomes.

Research Question 4: Treatment-by-student interaction

effects on post-test outcomes.
25. Who are the participants, A total of 38 first-grade classrooms (674 students)
audience, and/or subjects? within 10 elementary schools in Massachusetts.
26. What forms of data (or The study included a substantial amount of research
information) help the author(s) data regarding the effectiveness of using MORE
answer their questions? (Model of Reading Engagement) instructional
components in the classroom. More specifically, the
conductors hypothesized the success of the study by
first analyzing the data that supported the
implementation of this model. Afterwards, comparing
performance statistics of their own solidified this
hypothesis.
27. What themes emerge about the Students with Concept mapping to
original questions, problems, or heightened domain make connections
issues (explain) knowledge tend to have between various subject
an easier time turning areas (either within the
the working memories same domain, or
of what they have just between different ones)
read, into long-term is key to attaching newly
memories/knowledge. acquired knowledge
from reading to the
intellectual foundations
of the mind.
28. What is important and/or One idea that I found interesting is that, during their
interesting in general about these usage of MORE in the classroom, they focalized the
 Allen 8

results? importance of spending time on relevant vocabulary. If

students can understand the vocabulary and recognize
how interconnected a lot of our words are, their reading
comprehension skills will improve. Moreover, this is
something that transcends the boundaries of subject
areas. Spending time focalizing science vocabulary in
Science class, for example, will ultimately improve the
student’s reading comprehension skills in other subjects
due to the inherent overlap of English vocabulary
throughout different classes. On this, the authors wrote,
“The concept of vocabulary knowledge depth implies
that each word in our lexicon has connections to other
words (McKeown et al., 2017). Put another way,
students’ knowledge of an individual word is “merely
the exposed tip of the conceptual iceberg” (Anderson &
Freebody,
1981, p. 82; Kim., et al, 2021).
29. What connections can be made to Interestingly, this article provided a very specific, and
other readings, classroom somewhat different approach to improving the same
observations, your project, or problem that I am interested in improving. Namely,
your future as a teacher/action reading comprehension is the core focus of their study
researcher? and is therefore exactly what necessarily ties it to the
action research that I am conducting. I think that,
considering the involvement of my two previous
articles as well as my own theory which focus mostly
on strategy and implementation, this article provides a
much-needed scope into the actual statistical, research-
based side to improving student scores in a particular
area. With regards to reading comprehension, I know
after reading this article that students who tend to excel
in a particular subject area, are going to have an easier
time retaining the information that they are reading.
With that in mind, I also know that part of the
differentiation that I intended to explore (read about
originally in Article #1 but touched on again in Article
#2) was going to be the involvement of group work. By
pairing my higher performing ELA students with those
who may struggle more with their reading
comprehension during “stop, paraphrase, think”
exercises, I know that I can use my students with that
domain knowledge as a resource to assist my students
who may excel in a different subject area.

These resources articles have helped to guide my thoughts on ways to improve reading

comprehension in the classroom. Not only did the articles present and inspire the STP/SPT
 Allen 9

model I intend to implement, but they also demonstrated important ideologies behind why this is

important. Namely, the “read, stop, think” model presented in the second article by Jordan

outlined a tangible model through which her students have successfully learned the process of

becoming an engaged reader. Additionally, and this is where my action plan comes in, “stop,

think, paraphrase,” was the exact steps upon which my plan was based. By working from the

testimonials in first two articles in conjunction with the article by Kim et al., I know that the

model has been successful in the past, and that taking it a step deeper by having my students

work towards a deeper meaning as oppose of the text is also attainable.

Context and Research Methodology

Context:

I will be conducting this research at Birchmount school which is a K-8 public school. The

study will take place in a grade 7 English classroom as the controlled group and will map the

students’ changes reading comprehension throughout the process of implementing an STP (stop,

think, paraphrase) reflection model in the classroom. The study will be conducted over the

course of one full academic semester (and therefore extended should the findings suggest

success) and will map the comparison between classroom A (where I will be using the STP/SPT

model) and classroom B (following traditional, unspecified teachings of reading comprehension).

As the teacher in the controlled classroom, I will follow specific instructions on how to teach the

model we are working with, as well as how/when to handout the quizzes which will be marked
 Allen 10

for data collection throughout the semester. Those specific instructions will follow the basic

pattern of modelling and teaching the use of the STP model when experiencing a text. Once the

model has been sufficiently taught in theory, I will then introduce the text that they will be

working with, discuss it as a class, apply the STP model in an introductory way, and then reflect

on how the model works.

Once the model has been successfully taught and applied as a class, the rest of the

semester will follow a basic pattern of introducing a text, reading it independently, brief

discussions, and then written reflections. In the beginning, I will guide the students along as they

work through the materials. However, employing gradual release of responsibility is key

throughout the semester so that eventually the process becomes completely individualized and

the students are proficient with reflecting on texts through their writing.

Methodology:
The study will begin with two grade 7 English classrooms. I, as the teacher of class A,

will implement a structures STP reflection model into the classroom, while the other teacher will

follow the basic model of group reading and discussed reflection (uninfluenced by my action

plan). Over the course of one semester, the classroom averages will be compared in terms of

reading comprehension. Moreover, a separate data will follow the presumed gradual

improvement of class A’s scores as the STP model becomes increasingly more focused.

The STP model being implemented in class A will begin slowly by way of short reading

exercises coupled with structures time to “stop, think, and paraphrase” with the class. The

purpose of this slow beginning is to show students a very manageable, step-by-step process

through which they can guide their own reflection and ensure that they are focussing enough as
 Allen 11

they read to retain the information. Then, as the semester develops, class A will move into

writing their reflections instead of paraphrasing out-loud. There will be time given for class

conversations both with the teacher as a guide and with their peers for added incite. The model

will gradually shift into a “stop, paraphrase, think” (SPT) model wherein students have the

“paraphrase” section to reflect in conversation, before they have to think beyond their surface

level reflections in the written portion. To be more specific, over the course of the semester,

students will learn a step-by-step approach to know when to stop while reading, reflect on what

they have just read via conversation (internally, with themselves, or externally, with peers), and

then think deeper about the meaning and implications of the text by way of writing. This model

not only develops the students’ communication, collaboration, and peer reflection skills, but it

also works on their practical understanding of how to sufficiently reflect upon and analyze the

texts that they are working with in a deeper way.

Data Tracking:

Initial Quiz Quiz #1 Quiz #2 Quiz #3 Quiz #4 Quiz #5 Quiz #6

Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Student 4
Student 5

This table provides a basic example of how the summative data will be collected

throughout the term. There will be two of these tables on-going throughout the term, one in my

control classroom A, and the other in the non-controlled classroom B. The two tables will be

compared after each quiz throughout the term as a way of checking in on the research. Finally, I

will compare the findings of the two tables in detail at the end of the semester during the
 Allen 12

reflection process of the research. For this, the average scores from both classes A & B will be

gathered and then compared using a graph in order to clearly see the presumed difference in

improvement between the two classes. In addition to comparing with another teacher, I will be

comparing my results in my current class with the recorded averages in my class from last

semester to track any improvements solely within my room – based on the implementation of the

model.

Student #1

What is the premise(s) of the narrative?

What challenge(s) does the protagonist face?
What message(s) may we take away from the

text?
How may this text be applied to the real-

world?
In what ways does this text influence your

own life?
Would you recommend this text and why?

The table above demonstrates the kind of formative assessment that will be conducted

during this research. After each of the major texts are covered in class A and the students have

successfully worked through their SPT models, I (with the help of a research assistant or TA if

available) will conduct short one-on-one interviews with each of the students, posing the
 Allen 13

questions listed above. The purpose of this is that, as mentioned earlier, the model we are

working with takes a methodical approach to achieving critical engagement with texts. These

standardized questions are going to be our indicators of how the students gradually become more

(presumably) actively engaged readers. The results of these interviews will be compiled at the

end of the semester and then analyzed to find improvement trends in the depth to which students

are able to travel when reflecting on course materials using the SPT model. Due to the

demanding aspect of conducting one-on-one interviews with an entire class, only our group A

teacher will be conducting this data, contrary to the first table which will be used comparatively

by both teachers A and B.

Timetable

This timeline provides a loose outline as to the structure of the action research taking

place within the fall academic semester. Though all dates are tentative and subject to change, the

general process will follow my introduction of the strategy, a demonstration of the strategy, and

then lots of time for the students to work with it hands-on. As mentioned above, the quizzes

outlined will provide the data that will be collected and analyzed for continuity and change by

the end of the semester. Lastly, the interviews will take place once at the beginning of the

semester and again just before the Christmas break.

Date Action
September 9th-20 th
 Introduce and demonstrate the STP model

 One-on-one interviews
October 1 st
 First quiz
October 31st  Second Quiz
November 1st  Transition to SPT model
November 15th  Third Quiz
 Allen 14

December 15th  Final Quiz

December 22nd  Second one-on-one interviews

Significance

This research is important to both the benefit of everybody within and outside of the

school. In grand terms, critical thinking skills and having a route through which students can

access and engage with materials that they are faced is essential to the development of a

reflective and educated society. With the ability to reflect thoroughly upon a particular text

comes the everlasting journey of self-reflection and growth. Learning how to break down any

element of one’s life and analyze it from several different perspectives is what makes for an

engaged humanity. To bring it back to the classroom, this model benefits the students by helping

them work through a tangible model for text analysis that will likely carry into the rest of their

studies – considering the impressionable period that this is for them. Moreover, if it is benefitting

the students, it is certainly benefitting the teacher. As mentioned, it is a gradual release of

responsibility model which means that, ideally, the teacher will do more work up-front to

produce a need for less work down the line. Not only does this effect me and my classroom, but

it decreases the workload for my students’ future literacy educators – which is a contribution that

goes an extremely long way.

 Allen 15

Reflection on Action Research

I think that action research as a research method is something that should perhaps even be

required in schools. Essentially, we are looking into specific areas that could use improvement,

and developing a plan informed by data to achieve said goals. While yes, it is challenging to

come-up with a plan to tackle a specific challenge we are seeing in our schools, I think that it is

worth it so long as our goal is to constantly be improving our practice. In terms of time

consumption, I have gathered that finding time to do anything when you are a full-time teacher is

not easy. For this, I would say that there should be persons hired by the district who are

responsible for creating these types of action plans and bringing them to the teachers who would

volunteer their practice as the ones to test the plans. I see this as being a win-win situation in that

if gives the benefit of constant improvement in our public schools which we undoubtedly want,

while also presumably taking a load off of our teachers should they take the opportunity to

participate. For instance, if a teacher caught wind of an interesting action research plan regarding

a subject that they teach, they might be able to volunteer their classroom before the beginning of

the semester which would, ideally, mean less rigorous lesson planning for the teacher because

they are following an already-made action research plan. Yes, the teacher would still have lots to

prepare for. However, (if we used my action research plan for example) it would reduce general

anxiety/stress over having to come up with a structure for your semester, because one is being

provided to you for the purposes of research. Of course, there are lots of teachers who have a

routine with the subjects that they teach every year and changing that up would be cumbersome,
 Allen 16

but the opportunity for a win-win situation is nevertheless present given the right teacher in the

right situation.

References

Jordan, Kristin. “Read, Stop, Think! – A Strategy for Active Reading.” MsJordanReads:
Literacy Resources. 2021. msjordanreads.com/2019/03/26/read-stop-think-a-strategy-for-
active-reading/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CRead%2C%20Stop%2C%20Think!,about%2C
%20or%20beyond%20the%20text. Accessed on March 13th, 2021.

Kim, James S., et al. “Improving Reading Comprehension, Science Domain Knowledge, and
Reading Engagement through a First-Grade Content Literacy Intervention.” Journal of
Educational Psychology, vol. 113, no. 1, Jan. 2021, pp. 3–26. EBSCOhost,
doi:10.1037/edu0000465.supp (Supplemental).

Richardson, Jan. The Next Step Forward in Guided Reading. Scholastic Inc. 2016. Pp 259.