Program Evaluation
Resources:
http://www.betterevaluation.org/
http://wordworkskingston.com/WordWorks/Research_files/published%20Meta-Analysis.pdf
Program:
The Structured Word Inquiry is a morphological analysis of words, adding to understanding of of English spelling system as well as increasing vocabulary leading to increased reading comprehension. It uses a matrix of prefixes, base and suffixes to investigate the root of the word and build words using word sums.
The following is a reflection of learning in Beth Steven's grade 5 class reflecting on one year of Structured Word Inquiry.
GOAL:
To evaluate Structured Word Inquiry program:
Morphological knowledge has the potential to affect literacy skills in at least three ways, through word recognition, comprehension, and motivation (Bowers, Kirby & Deacon). Will a change in teaching practice show an increase in understanding, motivation and curiosity?
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Purpose of Structured Word Inquiry Program Evaluation:
To evaluate the implementation of scientific words study with grade 4 students. Will we find improved reading skills with students who receive explicit morphological instruction? Through a change in teaching approach including the study of word analysis, students could improve word decoding, increase vocabulary as well as transfer this knowledge to spelling. Recently, our intermediate students have not received instruction with any spelling program and this could open the possibilities with more than memorization, but understanding.
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Those Involved:
The staff at our school are collaborative and excited about inquiry based learning. With Structured Word Inquiry, they can investigate the English language along with the students through teacher-led inquiry and inquiry-led teaching. Exploratory and focused problem solving as well as structured practice of newly learned content using the inquiry approach to examine morphology will be provided in the 3 classrooms of 28 students. Classroom teachers will work alongside the students with the Learning Assistance Teacher being the facilitator. A long term goal would be to create excitement among the staff in order to begin word study at an earlier age and involve the entire school.
Funding is not a factor as the resources are online and a minimal charge to purchase Peter Powers' book Teaching How the Written Word Works: Using Morphological Problem-Solving to Develop Students' Language Skills & Engagement With the Written Word. Future cost for successful programming would be an additional Spelling Toolkit and additional teacher training as the program expands.
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Background Knowledge of students prior to implementation of the program?
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Students will know basic sound/symbol correspondence and phonological awareness as well as computer skills to access resources.
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Resources:
Structured Word Inquiry is largely supported by the online resources and tools:
Wordworkskingston:
http://www.wordworkskingston.com/WordWorks/Structured_Word_Inquiry.html
* this is the foundational website where research is provided as well as a base of information to implement the program. Many links are provided for support including teachers implementing program and ideas and suggestions to increase the effectiveness.
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Real Spelling
*provides an online community to ask questions and share learning of word structure
Real Spellers ToolBox: purchased set of DVDs to explain orthography
Etymonline:
provides word origin and word roots to provide evidence of the relationship between words
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Mini Matrix Maker:
a tool to create a word martix, showing all the affixes to build related words
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Evaluation Questions:
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1. Were the activities planned consistent with the goals to improve word attack skills, increase vocabulary and improve convention of spelling?
2. How much did student improve in their decoding skills of pseudo words?
3. Were students able to use the base of a word to expand their vocabulary when affixes were added?
4. Did spelling improve for words that added affixes?
5. Were students able to create a word sum of an unfamiliar word to find the connection to a familiar word?
6. Did students transfer the study of given words to inquire about words independently with curiosity?
7. Were teacher's given enough support to gain the knowledge of morphological problem-solving to work with students confidently and facilitate inquiry?
8. Did teachers demonstrate a change in understanding of the generative principles of spelling structure leading to eliminating the myth that spelling is random and requires memorization?
9. Did students with learning difficulties experience greater growth with multi-modality teaching and understanding?
10. What factors interfered with the teaching of Structured Word Inquiry?
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