Sample Project Proposal: Second Grade Literacy in a Title I School Project Description In her article Patricia Cunningham (2007) explains that one of the most influential factors on student reading achievement in high poverty schools is the time students spend engaged in reading. Additionally, Michelle J. Kelley and Nicki Clausen-Grace (2009) state that reading engagement can help students overcome setbacks such as low family income and lack educational background. Research shows that for students, specifically low income students, to grow as readers, they must engage in substantial amounts of independent reading. Since many low-income students do not have do not have the resources or supervision needed to engage in substantial, meaningful independent reading at home, many elementary schools like my own have allocated a portion of the school day for independent reading. Many students, however, are not truly engaged during this time. Instead of reading, students pretend to read, switch books frequently, look around the room, or play with their friends (Kelley & Clausen-Grace, 2009). In this project students will self-evaluate their independent reading behaviors using a rubric and open-ended prompts, identify behaviors in need of improvement, and set specific behavior goals for independent reading with the ultimate goals being to increase engagement during independent reading time and to reading behaviors. 2. Outcomes Students will be able to evaluate their own independent reading behaviors using a class-created rubric. Each student will be able to identify an independent reading behavior in need of improvement and set a goal for improving that behavior. Students will engage in more on-task behaviors and fewer off-task behaviors during independent reading time (Observational Behavior Checklist).
Sample Project Proposal: Second Grade Literacy in a Title I School Project Description In her article Patricia Cunningham (2007) explains that one of the most influential factors on student reading achievement in high poverty schools is the time students spend engaged in reading. Additionally, Michelle J. Kelley and Nicki Clausen-Grace (2009) state that reading engagement can help students overcome setbacks such as low family income and lack educational background. Research shows that for students, specifically low income students, to grow as readers, they must engage in substantial amounts of independent reading. Since many low-income students do not have do not have the resources or supervision needed to engage in substantial, meaningful independent reading at home, many elementary schools like my own have allocated a portion of the school day for independent reading. Many students, however, are not truly engaged during this time. Instead of reading, students pretend to read, switch books frequently, look around the room, or play with their friends (Kelley & Clausen-Grace, 2009). In this project students will self-evaluate their independent reading behaviors using a rubric and open-ended prompts, identify behaviors in need of improvement, and set specific behavior goals for independent reading with the ultimate goals being to increase engagement during independent reading time and to reading behaviors. 2. Outcomes Students will be able to evaluate their own independent reading behaviors using a class-created rubric. Each student will be able to identify an independent reading behavior in need of improvement and set a goal for improving that behavior. Students will engage in more on-task behaviors and fewer off-task behaviors during independent reading time (Observational Behavior Checklist).
student_research_guidelines.docx