How might involving students in the data collection process improve their letter recognition?

Seminar Title

How might involving students in the data collection process improve their letter recognition?

Using Data Collection Folders to improve letter recognition scores

Kindergarten

Kindergarten

Reading

All Disciplines

Do you need a way to motivate your students to learn? This year I discovered data collection folders. I used them to help motivate my students to learn their letters, sounds, and words. I used this tool as a form of progress monitoring. I am excited to share my research about data collection folders because they have really motivated my students to learn their letters. Data collection folders have endless possibilities, and can be used in all subject areas and grade levels. If you are looking for an opportunity to discuss data collection folders and phonemic awareness at the primary level this session is for you!

The question that guided my action research was: How might involving students in the data collection process improve their letter recognition? I have always had a passion for helping my students learn to read. My favorite part of the year is when the students can take all the stepping stones we have been working on such as letter recognition, sounds, rhyme, and syllables; and begin to read. After experiencing how crucial it is for my students to know their letters and sounds in order to read and confirming it with the research in my review of literature, I decided I needed to motivate them. While I was doing my research on the Best Practices of Literacy I found when assessing literacy, frequent and multiple kinds of assessments are recommended. By doing this teachers get the data they need to guide their instruction. One assessment tool really stood out to me. It was student portfolios and data folders. I liked the idea of the students being involved in monitoring their growth. I decided this was the tool I needed to motivate and to help get my students engaged in learning their letters, sounds, and high frequency words. Through my research I have learned how to use different components of data folders and the best ways to implement them at the kindergarten level. I used data folders to help motivate my students who were struggling with their letter recognition. I had these students graph their letter recognition results each week so they could see their progress. It was so fun to see their excitement each time they saw gains. Every time they were assessed we would visit about their growth and set a goal for the following week. I shared the students graphs with their parents on SeeSaw several times throughout the study. Using the data collection folders to track letter recognition really seemed to motivate my students to learn their letters. I used the data collection graphs with 8 of my students who were struggling at the beginning of the year with their letter recognition. All 8 of my students have made major gains, 6 of the eight now know all of their capital letters.I will discontinue using the graphs with the students who have mastered their letter recognition. However, I will continue to use data collection folders to graph sounds and high frequency words. I also plan on using the graphs again next school year to help motivate my students to learn their letter recognition.