Action Research Portfolio

Running Head: FINAL PORTFOLIO PROJECT 1
Final Portfolio Project
Ann Lopez
OTL568 – Action Research
Colorado State University – Global Campus
Kesha Williams, Ph.D.
June 7, 2019

FINAL PORTFOLIO PROJECT 2
Data Available to Improve Performance
Classroom/School/District/State Data Available: Related to Your Content and Grade Level
Data Available
(Module 2)
Targets
(Module 2)
Location of Data
(Module 2)
Data Format
(Module 3)
Time-Efficient
Ideas
(Module 3)
MAP (Measures
of Academic
Progress)
Reading –
Spring 2017
From fall to
spring 50% or
more students
from K-4 will be
above 50th
percentile
quartile.
LEARN 10
Charter School
Google shared
drive
Each teacher has
a login to the
NWEA website,
so he/she can
view and print
their class’
result. The
website also
provides various
data
manipulation
options that a
teacher can use.
For example, a
teacher can
choose to group
students that
scored below
average in a
specific reading
skill to assist
with
instructional
planning.
LEARN charter
office also
compiles the
data from each
campus and put
them into an
Excel
spreadsheet. The
data is organized
by campus
which is broken
down further
into grade level.
Instead of
having teachers
logging into
NWEA website
and printing out
the results for
their entire class,
I think it’ll be
more time-
efficient for the
instructional
coach to provide
a one-page
report to each
teacher.
Each grade level
team lead can
provide each
teacher with a
more detailed
report on some
of the areas for
improvement
which can be a
good discussion
point for next
step.
I also think the
charter office
can modify the
spreadsheet in a
way that shows
the result from
the previous
years so staff
can have an

opportunity to
examine any
trend associated
with the scores.
MAP Math –
Spring 2017
From fall to
spring 50% or
more students
from K-4 will be
above 50th
percentile
quartile.
LEARN 10
Charter School
Google shared
drive
Same as above Same as above
Preliminary
PARCC 2017
ELA Results
(Partnership for
Assessment of
Readiness for
College and
Careers) Math
and ELA
50% or more
students will
meet or exceed
standards in
Spring 2018
LEARN 10
Charter School
Google shared
drive
Once the result
is available, the
instructional
coach prints a
report for each
teacher. She also
input the data for
each class into
an Excel
spreadsheet that
is accessible via
the school’s
Google shared
drive.
Since the report
only shows a
student’s
performance
level and an
overall score, I
think it will be
more time
efficient for
teachers to
receive a report
that provides a
breakdown of
how a student
scored in each
section of the
test. For
instance, if the
report shows
more than 50%
of grade 3
students are in
Level 2:
Partially Meet
Expectations
specifically on
the concept of
using context
clues to
determine
meaning of a
new word, 3rd
grade teachers
can then use this
information to

plan
accordingly.
Data Gaps (Module 4)
Data Gap Identified Possible Collection Method(s)
MAP data tracking sheet from fall to spring
for reading and math
A cost-effective way of tracking student’s
MAP data is to use Excel or Google
spreadsheet. This spreadsheet includes a
student’s Rasch Unit (RIT) score, percentile,
RIT growth goal and growth index for both
reading and math. Since all the information is
on one page, teachers can easily track,
analyze or look for a trend. Additionally,
Excel has various functions that allows
teachers to easily manipulate, add or edit data
as they see fit. Excel can also produce graph
based on the information entered which can
enhance a teacher’s data analysis process.
Furthermore, this spreadsheet can be modified
to include progress monitoring data as well.
When teachers have a systematic method of
tracking students’ progress, they have a
higher chance of identifying students’ needs,
can design stronger instructional programs to
help students achieve mastery (Fuchs &
Fuchs, 2002).
Data Collection Method/Tool (Module 4)
In this space, paste the URL to your data collection method/tool (if developed online). If
developed in hard copy form, add as an addendum to this template.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1K1E4j-DMnp_9mqJZWzPY2vLSfyxwyO0d
Conducting Own Data Analysis (Module 5)

Data that Needs Analysis Time-Efficient Data Analysis
Idea(s)
Data Analysis Tool(s)
Fall to spring NWEA MAP
data for both reading and
math
At LEARN 10 Charter
School, students take NWEA
MAP assessment in the fall,
winter and spring for both
reading and math. After the
test, teachers are given access
to the test results by logging
into NWEA website. Once in
the website, teachers can
choose to they type of reports
they wish to run such as
whole class summary,
individual report, by topics
etc. Having teachers print out
the test result is very time
consuming and takes time
away from their
preparation/planning period.
Additionally, since not
everyone is familiar with the
layout or options that NWEA
offers, many teachers,
especially those new to MAP,
have difficulty navigating the
website which leads to a lot
of frustration. What’s more,
since the school only has one
instructional coach, it just
isn’t very practical for her to
have to print out all fall,
winter and spring reports for
15+ teachers in the school.
By using an Excel tracking
sheet, teachers can have a
quick overview of their
students’ progress from fall to
spring. The spreadsheet will
allow teachers to target
students who may not be on
track to meet their RIT
growth goals. Once teachers
have identified the students
that need extra support, they
can explore other reports that
NWEA offers to plan their
A Google or Excel
spreadsheet that contains each
student’s MAP data from fall
to spring in reading and math.
The spreadsheet is saved in
the school’s shared drive, so
it is accessible to all staff.

intervention accordingly.
Teachers can also modify
their instructions to challenge
students who have already
met or exceeded their growth
goals.
Since I am not currently
teaching, the data presented
in the spreadsheet was from
my 2017-2018 first grade
class. I used the data to
identify students who needed
Multi-Tiered Systems of
Support (MTSS). “Having
instructional tiers ensures
proper support for each
student because schools are
able to match more intensive
instruction and resources to
students with more intensive
needs and less intensive
instruction and resources to
students with less intensive
needs” (Harlacher, Sanford &
Walker, n.d.). For example,
based on the fall 2017 data, I
grouped students who were
under the 50th percentile
(Kayla, Gabriella, Francisco,
Monserrat, Tamea, Evolet)
together. Because these were
the students that needed extra
support, my teacher assistant
and I took turn working in
small groups daily to provide
Tier III intervention during
math. For students who were
between 50th to 69th
percentile, I provided Tier II
intervention and met with the
group at least three times a
week. For students who
scored above 70th percentile, I
provided individualized
learning path using
educational software such as

ST Math, so they can work on
specific skills during math.
Visual Representation of Data (Module 5)
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1q0QPE20n12PU3gYYvM_BtiAxt32HOU7Q
Organization’s Vision and Mission (Module 6)
DIRECTIONS: It is important to align all actions taken by a teacher with the organization’s
vision and mission. Add the organization’s vision and mission here and identify it as the
district’s and/or school’s.
Network’s Vision: “As a network of college prep elementary schools, we lay the foundation
for our scholars to succeed in high school and beyond” (LEARN, n.d.).
Network’s Mission Statement: To provide children with the academic foundation and ambition
to earn a college degree.
What Decisions Need to Be Made?
Stage 1: Clarifying Vision and Targets (Module 6)
DIRECTIONS: Based on an analysis of classroom, school, district, or state data, what
decisions need to be made to inform future action?
Provide a data analysis summary, including visual representation here (e.g., chart, graph,
table, etc.):

After my students have taken their fall and winter MAP reading assessment, I wanted to
ensure students were on track to meet their spring RIT goal. According to the scoring norm
reported by NWEA, in mid to end of school year, students in grade 1 should have scored
within the 171 to 180 RIT band for reading. Upon reviewing my class data, I noticed that there
were 5 students who continued to score below 161 range after winter MAP, which was a RIT
band normally identified for kindergarten grade level.
Decisions that need to be made, based on the data above, to inform future action (things to be
shared – handouts, resources, graph, materials, findings, etc.; amount of detail needed/method
for sharing; what you want to accomplish):
I knew NWEA website offers various reports for teachers to plan and group their students
according to the assessment result. Thus, I’ve decided to utilize their “Match RIT to Concepts”
option so I could focus on teaching my students who scored below the 161 RIT band the
suggested concepts. According to NWEA, the concepts suggested for that RIT band include
base words, affixes, inferences, conclusions, predictions, locating information, context clues,
identifying unknown or multiple-meaning words, picture vocabulary, word relationships, text
features, visuals. To ensure all the suggested concepts could be covered before spring
assessment, I had to make use of the daily 45 minutes intervention block effectively.
Since 4 out of the 5 students in that group were English as a Second Language (ESL) learners,
I met with the school’s ESL teacher as well as my bilingual teacher assistant to decide the
concepts each of us would cover when working with the students. After our planning session,
we’ve decided that my teacher assistant would provide the daily 45 minutes intervention using
0
50
100
150
200
250
MAP Reading RIT Scores
Fall 2017 Winter 2018 Fa-Spr RIT Goal

the Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI), Orange System (Fountas & Pinnell, 2019) to cover
concepts such as base words, affixes and picture vocabulary. The ESL teacher, who meet with
the group for 30 minutes a day using the pull-out method (Haynes, 2016) would cover
concepts such as inferences, conclusions, predictions and locating information in a text. When
I meet with the group during guided reading, I would cover the remaining concepts such as
identifying unknown or multiple-meaning words, text features and word relationship.
Specific Process, Program, or Performance Target of Action written as a SMART goal or
insert rating scale:
75% of students will meet their spring RIT goal in MAP Growth reading assessment after
receiving LLI, ESL pull-out service and guided reading support for five days a week.
Consider the Audience (Modules 7 and 8)
DIRECTIONS: Identify the audience(s) that will benefit from the decisions identified above.
Delete all that do not apply.
 Me, My Students, and Their Parents
 Immediate Colleagues
Review of What Others Have Found to Be Effective (Modules 7 and 8)
DIRECTIONS: Conduct a literature review of at least four research-based publications and
interview at least one colleague to determine what others have found to be effective in
addressing the target of action identified above.
Integrated Literature Review:
I chose to conduct my literature review on research-based reading intervention strategies for
primary grades with a focus on English Learners (ELs). I believe small-group instruction
combined with a structured reading intervention program is crucial in helping ELs to
becoming independent readers. Thus, focusing on reading intervention strategies will not only
benefit ELs, classroom teachers can utilize the same reading interventions to support
struggling readers of all backgrounds.
The first source I reviewed included a study that had a very similar student demographic as the
first-grade class I taught last year. This research focuses on the effectiveness of 30 minutes
small group reading instruction to first-grade Spanish-speaking English Learners (ELs) at risk

of reading difficulties. The purpose “…was to examine the impact of an English language
intervention in first grade, developed for Spanish-speaking ELs at risk of reading difficulties
that were receiving bilingual reading instruction as a whole group (i.e., Tier 1)” (Baker, Burns,
Kame’enui, Smolkowski & Baker, 2016). The study included 78 ELs from seven schools
where students were only receiving Spanish instruction, or Spanish and English for whole
group reading instruction in first grade. Then, students were randomly assigned to two groups,
treatment condition or comparison condition. In the treatment condition, students received
instruction based on transition elements aimed to support the transferring of skills from
Spanish to English. In the comparison condition, students received instructions from
commercially available programs that the school or district was using (Baker et al., 2016).
According to the authors, the results suggested that “…a transition intervention and a standard
school-based explicit intervention were equally effective in improving student reading in skills
in English” (Baker et al., 2016). Overall, reading interventions that happened in small groups
and include components such as phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and
reading comprehension have been shown to improved students’ reading competencies (Baker
et al., 2016).
The second literature reviewed also focuses on reading intervention strategies or program for
ELs. In this research, Tam, Heward & Heng (2006) conducted a study to “…evaluate the
effects of an intervention program consisting of vocabulary instruction, error correction, and
fluency building on oral reading rate and comprehension of five English-language learners
who were struggling readers in primary school.” In the study, the authors provided two types
of intervention conditions. In the first intervention condition, an author would provide
meanings of new vocabulary words of a passage they were reading. During students’ initial
reading of the passage, the author would correct any oral reading errors. Then, students were
asked to read the passage as fast as he or she could for three consecutive trials and finally, the
author would ask five literal comprehension questions about the passage. In the second
intervention condition, same procedure were used (same passage to criterion) with the
exception that the same passage “…was used across sessions until the learner reached a
predetermined number of words read correctly per minute” (Tam, Heward & Heng, 2006).
When an author used a new passage, the five learners in the study showed marked
improvements with their oral reading rate. Additionally, during the same passage criterion
session, “…four or five learners reached the predetermined fluency criterion of 100 correct
words per minute” (Tam,Heward & Heng, 2006). Based on the findings from the study, the
authors concluded that struggling readers, ELs or otherwise, would benefit from receiving
explicit and structured reading intervention program that provide learners “…with informed
goals they need to achieve, as well as provided with opportunities to read and experience
success…” (p.91).
The next source focused more on the second-tier (from the three-tier model of intervention) of
reading intervention targeting first and second-grade ELs. Debra et al. (2007) conducted an

experimental/comparison study with 318 first- and second-grade students (170 ELL and 148
English-only) from six elementary schools. Experimental schools, in addition to their primary-
tier reading instruction, would provide learners with second-tier, small group (3-6 students)
experimental interventions by using evidence-based direct instruction reading curricula that
explicitly targeted skills such as phonological/phonemic awareness, letter-sound recognition,
alphabetic decoding, fluency building and comprehension skills (Debra et al., 2007). In
comparison schools, no three-tier reading program were used but in addition to their primary
reading instruction, ELs in these schools received small-group (6-15 students) ESL/balanced
literacy intervention with a focus on word study, group and individual story reading, and
writing activities. The findings from this study showed that ELs in the experimental schools,
who received small-group, secondary-tier, evidence-based intervention displayed significant
improvement in early literacy skills and oral reading within the Dynamic Indicators of Basic
Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) than their peers in comparison schools.
The final source reviewed was about developing ELs’ reading confidence using two
instructional strategies, whole-class repeated reading (WCRR) and repeated reading (RR).
According to Monobe, Bintz & McTeer (2017), “RR is an instructional strategy that increases
students’ oral fluency” and “WCRR is a version of RR that creates a more social learning
environment…in particular, it improves students’ decoding and fluency in reading.” To
implement these strategies, the authors suggested that teachers include texts that are relevant to
students’ life experiences, home cultures, and linguistic backgrounds. Moreover, teachers
should strive to create a classroom environment that can help make ELs “…feel fearless, not
fearful, when learning a second language such as English and feel accepted, not marginalized,
in the classroom” (p.350). Teachers can further develop ELs’ reading confidence and self-
esteem by giving them opportunities to perform publicly in front of other classmates, staff
members, and family members and caregivers (Monobe, Bintz & McTeer, 2017). By using
WCRR systematically, the teacher/author (McTeer) found that her students who came into her
second-grade class with first-grade reading level were assessed up to beginning-third-grade
reading level by the end of the school year.
Overall, I was not surprised with the results of the sources I reviewed, and they confirmed my
observation based on past teaching experiences. In summary, in order to truly support ELs or
any struggling readers, effective reading intervention strategies or programs need to, 1) take
place in a small group setting (Baker et al., 2016), 2) be explicit and structured with specific
targeted skills such as decoding, phonological/phonemic awareness, fluency building
etc.(Debra et al.,2007) and 3) provide learners with ample opportunities to apply their skills in
a safe and positive environment (Monobe, Bintz & McTeer, 2017).
Literature Review References:
References

Baker, D.L., Burns, D., Kame’enui, E. J., Ssmolkowski, K., & Baker, S.K. (2016, November).
Does supplemental instruction support the transition from Spanish to English reading
instruction for first-grade English learners at risk of reading difficulties? Learning
Disability Quarterly, 39(4), 226-239.
Kamps, D., Abbott, M., Greenwood, C., Arreaga-Mayer, C., Wills, H., Longstaff, J.,
Culpepper, M., & Walton, C. (2007, August). Use of evidence-based, small-group
reading instruction for English language learners in elementary grades: Secondary-tier
intervention. Learning Disability Quarterly, 30 (3), 153-168.
Monobe, G., Bintz, W. P., & McTeer, J. S. (2017, November). Developing English learners’
reading confidence with whole-class repeated reading. Reading Teacher, 71(3), 347-
350.
Tam, K. Y., Heward, W. L., & Heng, M. A. (2006, August). A reading instruction intervention
program for English-language learners who are struggling readers. The Journal of
Special Education, 40(2), 79-93.
Colleague Interview Results (bulled list of relevant information to inform your work):
The colleague I interviewed has been teaching for more than 20 years in the primary grades.
Although her expertise lies in curriculum and instruction/special education, she has taught in
many school districts with high population of ELs. The following list contains suggestions and
strategies she found to be useful when supporting her ELs or any struggling readers:
 Group students that may need similar intervention together instead of their reading
ability, so each targeted skill can be covered.
 Always remember to progress monitor and re-arrange the groups regularly so students
that have mastered a skill can move on.
 Repetition and reviewing of past skills are important before starting a new intervention
so students can continue be exposed to what they’ve learned.
 Always leave enough time for students to practice a new skill either by themselves,
with a partner or within a small group.

 Provide a lot of positive and specific feedback to increase students’ confidence and
self-esteem
What approach do I believe has the greatest potential for helping me to realize my target
goal?
Stage 2: Articulating Theory (Modules 7 and 8)
DIRECTIONS: To improve performance, a teacher needs to identify and attend to every
independent variable related to the identified target. In this stage you will graphically display
the emerging theory of independent variable.
Add Graphic Reconstruction Here:
The graph below shows the steps that I took to support ELs or struggling readers who scored
below the 50% percentile in their fall, winter and spring NWEA MAP reading assessment.
After reviewing the MAP reading
score, group students that scored
below the 50% percentile together.
Using NWEA MAP’s “Match
Concepts to RIT” option,
determine the skills that need to be
covered.
Plan a meeting with ESL teacher
and teacher assistant to share the
information. Create a plan to split
the skills suggested by NWEA with
a mutually agreeable timeline for
progress monitoring (every 6 weeks)
and scheduled a date for next
meeting to share the data.
Each of us will provide small group
intervention for 30 minutes a day for
five days a week. ESL teacher’s time
may vary due to scheduling, but the
same group of students will be
receiving intervention support from at
least two of us daily.

Reflection
As an educator, I admit I have always been very insecure about the proper usage of data
to drive my instruction. I have attended professional developments, received coaching from
administrators and observed colleagues but I often feel as though I am not fully prepared to plan
my instruction effectively. What data should I collect or how do I know if my students have
mastered a concept are some of the lingering questions I constantly struggle with when I plan my
instructions.
In general, I feel that many educators have not been properly trained in utilizing data to
drive their instructions “After working with teachers at all grade levels and content areas, we’ve
come to understand that the majority of teachers have had little or no formal training in the area
of classroom assessment and evaluation” (Johnson & Lawrence, 2004). Since the
implementation of Federal No Child Left Behind legislation, data or specifically test scores, have
mainly been used to measure school and districts’ performance “While student test scores are
generally accepted as an appropriate proxy for measuring the effectiveness of schools and
districts, it has been argued by many that these data should be used in a more student-centric
fashion to inform and promote targeted instruction sensitive to the needs of children” (Johnson &
Lawrence, 2004). In other words, school leaders should invest more time in developing
workshops and providing ongoing support to help teachers become more proficient in using data.
In addition to getting teachers to be prepared, I also think it is important for teachers to
not get caught up in the mindset of “teaching to the test.” Johnson & Lawrence (2004) suggested
that teachers should, instead, focus on using assessment to evaluate their own instructional
effectiveness or as the authors call it, “test to the teach” (p.29). Once again, this shifting of the
mindset can only be done when teachers are given ample opportunities to participate in

structured workshops or trainings that pinpoint the benefits of using assessment data to improve
instructional practices and student performance (Boudett, Murnane, City & Moody, 2005).
While I have observed many school districts taking the initiative to purchase technology
tools to try and become more data-driven, teachers, just like students, need ongoing support and
practice to develop their data literacy skills. “Monies are being devoted to technology to support
data-driven decision making, while little has been spent on building the human capacity around
data use…” (Mandinach & Jackson, 2016, p.18). To address this issue, Mandinach and Jackson
(2016) noted on the importance of developing a “culture of data-driven” environment using
Easton’s (2009) Cycle of Inquiry process. Using this four-step inquiry process, classroom
teachers and administrators will use data to (1) identify a problem, (2) identify possible solutions,
(3) monitor continuous progress and (4) use research to examine the impact (Easton, 2009. as
cited in Mandinach & Jackson, 2016). Essentially, this inquiry process can serve as a “vehicle for
school improvement” (Easton, 2009. as cited in Mandinach & Jackson, 2016).
After learning more about the importance of being more data-driven, I feel a bit more
comfortable in knowing that there are plenty of sources and research available should I ever need
additional support. My biggest takeaway from this course is that when deciding between an
instructional strategy, approach or framework, I should always do my research using various
venues so that I can gather and study the most relevant data available. We, as educators and/or
school leaders, cannot and should not assume all sources are reliable and can be applicable to the
student populations that we serve.

References
Easton, J. Q. (2009, July). Using data to drive school improvement. Keynote address at
Decisions Begin with Good Data: STATS-DC 2009, Bethesda, MD.
Johnston, D. A., & Lawrence, J. T. (2004). Using DATA to inform instruction.
Leadership, 34(2), 28-29,35. Retrieved from
https://csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-
com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/docview/204316561?accountid=38569
Kathryn, P. B., Murnane, R. J., City, E., & Moody, L. (2005). Teaching educators how to use
student assessment data to improve instruction. Phi Delta Kappan, 86(9), 700-706.
Retrieved from https://csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-
com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/docview/218495488?accountid=38569
Mandinach, E. B. & Jackson, S. S. (2012). The context of data-driven decision making.
In Classroom Insights From Educational Psychology Series: Transforming teaching and
learning through data-driven decision making (pp. 11-22). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin
Press doi: 10.4135/9781506335568.n2

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