Data Collection
In order to unravel the question of “How do literature circles influence the enjoyment, engagement, and achievement of young readers?” I gave all of my students a survey at the beginning of the year to collect quantitative data while looking for general feelings about reading. I also gave a similar survey to the entire class at the end of the semester as well to see if there has been a change in student attitudes. Appendix 2 is my complete survey, however here is a sample question:
5. Have you ever started reading a book but didn’t finish it because you didn’t like it? What didn’t you like about it?
At the beginning of the year, I used the Gates-MacGinite Reading Tests in order to get an initial reading level for each student. A similar assessment was conducted at the end of the semester to note changes in reading levels. According to the Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence the Gates-MacGinite Reading test is defined as, “A test to measure reading achievement in grades K-12. The GMRT is a timed multiple-choice test administered in groups.” This gave me a starting point as well as the ability to note progress throughout the year.
The third form of data collection that I used was to collect the self-reflection sheets following each literature circle meeting. These sheets were used to determine if students were actively engaged during each group meeting. Since these sheets were a self-reflection, I also kept an ongoing journal of anecdotal notes of my personal observations of group meetings. Appendix 1 is the self-reflection sheet that was given to the students.
The idea of self-reflection can be challenging for an eight year old. In order to help with this process, I took photos of the students while they were meeting with their group. The printed photos were then given to the students and they were asked to write what they may have been discussing or thinking about in that moment. This visual image is often needed in order to help a young student recall their thinking or discussion points.
The use of a video camera was vital to data collection. I videoed pieces of each meeting as well as class discussions after meetings to visually see the students level of excitement and engagement.
5. Have you ever started reading a book but didn’t finish it because you didn’t like it? What didn’t you like about it?
At the beginning of the year, I used the Gates-MacGinite Reading Tests in order to get an initial reading level for each student. A similar assessment was conducted at the end of the semester to note changes in reading levels. According to the Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence the Gates-MacGinite Reading test is defined as, “A test to measure reading achievement in grades K-12. The GMRT is a timed multiple-choice test administered in groups.” This gave me a starting point as well as the ability to note progress throughout the year.
The third form of data collection that I used was to collect the self-reflection sheets following each literature circle meeting. These sheets were used to determine if students were actively engaged during each group meeting. Since these sheets were a self-reflection, I also kept an ongoing journal of anecdotal notes of my personal observations of group meetings. Appendix 1 is the self-reflection sheet that was given to the students.
The idea of self-reflection can be challenging for an eight year old. In order to help with this process, I took photos of the students while they were meeting with their group. The printed photos were then given to the students and they were asked to write what they may have been discussing or thinking about in that moment. This visual image is often needed in order to help a young student recall their thinking or discussion points.
The use of a video camera was vital to data collection. I videoed pieces of each meeting as well as class discussions after meetings to visually see the students level of excitement and engagement.
Data Analysis
The data that I collected from the beginning and end of the semester survey was entered into excel in order to keep track of students using a numeric system. This data was then turned into a visual representation by graphing student responses. Along with the survey data, the students’ Gates-MacGinite Reading scores were noted in the excel document. I looked for trends of students self-concept of their reading ability compared to their actual reading level. After the implementation of literature circles, I conducted a second survey and reading level assessment, then compared these with earlier results and noted changes.
My method for analyzing the self-reflection sheets and student photos was to color code student responses to look for similar language throughout each group and across each meeting. This piece of data was used primarily to collect data showing evidence of engagement so I focused on language addressing this topic. The same color-coding method was used to code my anecdotal notes. Videos of group meeting as well as class discussion were tagged for similar language. These three sources were then used to compare and contrast student views with teacher views of the changes in reading.
My method for analyzing the self-reflection sheets and student photos was to color code student responses to look for similar language throughout each group and across each meeting. This piece of data was used primarily to collect data showing evidence of engagement so I focused on language addressing this topic. The same color-coding method was used to code my anecdotal notes. Videos of group meeting as well as class discussion were tagged for similar language. These three sources were then used to compare and contrast student views with teacher views of the changes in reading.
