Here we go!

The purpose of the action research project will be to investigate the best methods of teaching sight words to at-risk students in my Kindergarten classroom. Students at my school are expected to know 50 sight words by the end of Kindergarten. They need to be able to recall sight words quickly and accurately, but also begin using them in the context of reading and in their writing. I have noticed the struggling students have great difficulty in retaining sight words. Therefore, I will select participants in my Kindergarten classroom because they are receiving Tier III reading instruction and are considered at risk for developing reading difficulties in the future if their needs are not met early in their educational journey.

I want to see if these new methods of sight word instruction have a positive effect on student's basic sight word knowledge when included in a balanced approach to reading. These students are considered at-risk because they are significantly behind in reading and writing as established by the PAST and Phonics Assessment and the MAP test, both given in fall 2012. My research question is: “How do various methods of sight word instruction using a balanced literacy approach affect at-risk students?”

Project Timeline:
January 22-25- Letter of Consent sent home/Letter of Assent given to participants
January 28-Parent Survey sent home
January 29- Phonological Awareness Skills Test and Literacy First Phonics Assessment given
January 30- Student survey given to students
January 31- March 29- Small group instruction including three new methods of explicit sight word instruction/data collection:
Monday-Introduction of sight words for the week
Tuesday- Sight word readers
Wednesday-Sight word readers and activities
Thursday- sight word activities including letter tiles, writing the room using sight words, etc.
Friday- Sight word game and assessment
March 27- Videotape action research presentation at weekly team meeting