Literature Template #1

Bib. Information
(APA Formatting):

Harvey, S. (2007). Strategies that work: Teaching comprehension for

understanding and engagement (2nd Ed.). Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

Author(s) Affiliation:

Stephanie Harvey is a classroom teacher and educational researcher focused on

developing effective reading and writing strategies. Anne Goudvis is a
classroom teacher, staff developer, and adjunct professor.

Type of Resource:

Professional book

(Scholarly /Trade/Other)

Summary of essential
information:

Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis present teachers with key reading
comprehension strategies to increase reading comprehension and student
engagement: 1. Monitor understanding, 2. Questioning, 3. Visualizing, 4.
Inferring, 5. Determining importance, 6. Summarizing information, 7.
Synthesizing information. This professional book was written in a format to
help teachers see how the strategies will look in their own classroom. To
achieve this, Harvey and Goudvis heavily rely on concrete examples and
student work samples throughout the book. For each instructional strategy
presented, the authors provide a purpose for the strategy, resources to aid
instruction (mentor texts to provide models and inspiration for students), and
responses designed to engage students as they learn the strategies (student
activities or guidelines for classroom discussions).

Way in which this

source influences the
field related to your
inquiry (ex. Math
teaching/learning
elementary)

The authors are well-known and well-respected researchers in the field of

elementary reading comprehension. This book influences the field of reading
comprehension and how student make sense of what they read. Harvey and
Goudvis emphasize the importance of student making meaning of what they
read for themselves, rather than relying on the teacher to present the
information. As students make meaning for themselves, their comprehension
deepens and they naturally become more engaged.

Potential relevance to
your research topic
and study:

This source is highly relevant to my research topic since it focuses on both

increasing reading comprehension and student engagement. The concrete
examples (particularly the use of sticky notes in student engagement with the
text) will directly influence the various strategies I develop. The authors
emphasize the importance of students writing and talking while they read a text
in order to make sense of what they are reading. The identified reading
comprehension strategies align with the reading comprehension strategies I
teach as part of my schools reading curriculum resource, Literacy by Design. I
expect a natural integration of the ideas.

Literature Template #2
Bib. Information
(APA Formatting):

Boushey, G. & Moser, J. (2009). The caf book: Engaging all students in daily
literacy assessment & instruction. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

Author(s) Affiliation:

Gail Boushey and Joan Mosers , known as The Sisters, are elementary school
teachers and literacy consultants. They are well-known for writing The Daily
Five, a book about structuring literacy time.

Type of Resource:

Professional book

(Scholarly /Trade/Other)

Summary of essential
information:

In this professional book, the authors present a structure for reading class,
including grouping, activities, and assessments. The acronym CAF stands for
Comprehension (C), Accuracy (A), Fluency (F), and Expand vocabulary (E).
The CAF format is part of the authors Daily Five system. In the Daily Five,
students work independently on five different tasks during literacy workshop
time: 1. Reading to self, 2. Reading to someone, 3. Writing, 4. Word work, and
5. Listening to reading. In order to track students strengths and goals, the
authors created the CAF system. Rather than grouping students by reading
levels, students are grouped by needs. For example, if a student is working on
developing fluency, they will work with reading material at their identified
level, but with other students also working on fluency. This format provides
individual goals and support for struggling readers, on-level readers, and above
level readers.

Way in which this

source influences the
field related to your
inquiry (ex. Math
teaching/learning
elementary)

The authors are well-known in the field of reading comprehension. Their

research and ideas influence the field because they are teachers themselves.
They have had experience implementing various reading programs and trying
new ideas over the years. Their first book, The Daily Five, is a highly regarded
book in the field of reading comprehension. The reading support department at
my school is called Reading Caf because of this text and is structured using
the format suggested in this book.

Potential relevance to
your research topic
and study:

This professional book is helpful because it provides meaningful suggestions

for helping students access reading comprehension strategies. I related to the
authors frustrations in implementing reading programs (lack of opportunities
for students to really access the strategies). After reading this book, I was
inspired to provide more authentic learning opportunities to help students
connect to the text and access the strategies I have been teaching them
throughout the year.

Literature Template #3
Bib. Information
(APA Formatting):

Santori, D. (2011). Search for the answers and talk about the story?:
School-based literacy participating structures. Language Arts, 88(3), 198-207.

Author(s) Affiliation:

Dr. Diane Santori is a professor at West Chester University and a researcher in

the field of student engagement with literature.

Type of Resource:

Professional peer-reviewed article

(Scholarly /Trade/Other)

Summary of essential
information:

Santori explores how students use language to construct meaning from text.
Santori believes students engage in meaningful conversations about text in
teaching environments that allow for dialogic instruction. In dialogic
instruction, students engage in rich conversation among peers driven by the
reflections and questions they generate. In dialogic teaching environments,
Santori believes students will find textual agency. She defines textual agency as
the ability to control the discussion by initiating and changing topics, and the
capacity to exercise interpretive authority. According to Santori, students
should be active participants in literature discussions and their questions and
thoughts should drive discussions around text. When teachers let students
become active participants, students make meaningful understandings of the
text.

Way in which this

source influences the
field related to your
inquiry (ex. Math
teaching/learning
elementary)
Potential relevance to
your research topic
and study:

This relates to the field of reading comprehension because it highlights the

importance of student-controlled discussions of literature. Teachers typically
lead student discussions of text and Santori argues that students make deeper
and more authentic connections to the text when they are in control of the
discussion.
I want to increase student engagement in my leveled reading groups. This
article highlights how to let student guide literature discussions and points to
the comprehension they gain, even when the teacher is not directing the
conversation.

Literature Template #4
Bib. Information
(APA Formatting):

Strong, R., Silver, H.F., & Robinson, A. (1995). Strengthening student

engagement: What do students want. Educational Leadership, 53(1), 8 12.

Author(s) Affiliation:

Strong, Silver, and Robinson are directors of curriculum for Hanson Silver
Strong and Associates, an educational research company in New Jersey.

Type of Resource:

Popular press/professional non peer-reviewed article

(Scholarly /Trade/Other)

Summary of essential
information:

The authors begin the article by using Paul Schlectys definition of student
engagement: 1). Students are attracted to their work, 2). Students persist in
work even when there are challenges and difficulties, and 3). Students take
visible delight in their work. In order to increase student engagement, the
authors identified necessary components using the acronym SCORE. Students
must feel successful in their work (S), their curiosity must be stimulated (C),
students must be able to express original thoughts and creativity (O), and
students must be provided with opportunities to develop peer relationships (R).
The authors maintain that if these four components are present, the students will
display the fifth component of energy and motivation (E). The article includes
several examples to explain how teachers can use SCORE to increase student
engagement in the classroom.

Way in which this

source influences the
field related to your
inquiry (ex. Math
teaching/learning
elementary)
Potential relevance to
your research topic
and study:

This source relates to the field of student engagement because it both defines
student engagement and suggests general methods to increase student
engagement.

With the help of this article, I was able to identify what student engagement
looks like in my classroom. Now that I have determined what I am looking for
in terms of engagement, it will be easier for me to see if the students are
engaged in their reading groups or not. The article also suggested four

important strategies for increasing engagement which will shape the various
reading group models I try in my teacher research project.

Literature Template #5
Bib. Information
(APA Formatting):

Strambler, M.J., & McKown, C. (2013). Promoting student engagement

through evidence-based action research with teachers. Journal of Educational
and Psychological Consultation, 23, 87 114.

Author(s) Affiliation:

Dr. Strambler is an Associate Research Scientist at Yale University School of

Medicine. Dr. McKown is an Associate Professor in Behavioral Sciences at
Rush University Medical Center and Executive Director of the Rush
NeuroBehavioral Center.

Type of Resource:

Scholarly, peer-reviewed article

(Scholarly /Trade/Other)

Summary of essential
information:

In this article, the researchers present findings from a teacher action research
intervention designed to promote academic engagement and achievement
among elementary school students. In the action research group, the researchers
helped teachers promote instructional practices that had evidence for increasing
student engagement. The teachers in the control group (the self-study group)
read the same articles as the teachers in the action research group, but did not
have to engage in action research in their classroom. The study included
eighteen teachers from three elementary schools in a Chicago suburban school
district.
The researchers reached three main conclusions in support of teacher action
research over teacher self-study: 1). Teachers engaged in more group work with
their students, 2). Students were who initially less engaged appeared more
psychologically engaged, and 3). Students with the lowest reading grades
showed improvement.

Way in which this

This article directly relates to my inquiry of student engagement. The study

source influences the

field related to your
inquiry (ex. Math
teaching/learning
elementary)
Potential relevance to
your research topic
and study:

focuses on the benefits of teacher action research to increase student

engagement which is what I am doing in my classroom. It is important to read
scholarly articles with empirical data supporting action research as a way to
promote student engagement.
The study is relevant to my research topic and study since I am also conducting
an action research project on student engagement in my classroom. The
findings support my hope that regardless of which reading group model I deem
to be most effective, action research in itself will benefit my students. The
deliberate efforts I am making in my action research project will hopefully
increase my students engagement and reading comprehension.

Literature Template #6
Bib. Information
(APA Formatting):

Lutz, S.L, Guthrie, J.T., & Davis, M.H. (2006). Scaffolding for engagement in
elementary school reading instruction. The Journal of Educational Research,
100(1), 3 20.

Author(s) Affiliation:

The authors are researchers at the University of Maryland Department of

Human Development.

Type of Resource:

Scholarly, peer-reviewed article

(Scholarly /Trade/Other)

Summary of essential
information:

In this article, researchers examine the roles of teacher scaffolding and

complexity of student tasks in student engagement in elementary school reading
instruction. Researchers looked at three Grade 4 classes. Two of the classes
received integrated reading-science instruction and one class received
traditional reading instruction. The study rated students on two dimensions of
engagement: affective, behavioral, cognitive, and social.
The researchers concluded that students in the integrated classes showed more
reading comprehension growth than the students in the traditional class. The
researchers also found that when task complexity was higher, high achieving
students were more engaged. Low achieving students were more engaged when
they were asked to share a question they composed. The researchers also found
that teacher scaffolding was most effective in creating student engagement
when teacher scaffolding was high during whole group instruction and then was

significantly removed as students understand the task requirements.

Way in which this
source influences the
field related to your
inquiry (ex. Math
teaching/learning
elementary)

This article influences various fields in education, including teacher

scaffolding, student engagement, and reading comprehension growth. I am
examining student engagement during reading groups. I also provide varying
levels of scaffolding based on student need and task requirement during my
whole group and small group instruction. This article influences three fields
crucial to my area of inquiry.

Potential relevance to
your research topic
and study:

The article highlights the need for high-challenge tasks to promote

engagement. This helped inspire me to create culminating reading group
assignments for Model One that required the students to use higher-lever
thinking skills (ex. create a brochure about the topic rather than writing
responses to questions). In Model Two, I allowed for more student choice in the
higher-level culminating assignment. During each reading group Ive held this
year, students have created their own questions for each other based on the
reading. This study confirmed that students benefits from composing their own
questions.

Literature Template #7
Bib. Information
(APA Formatting):

Mills, H. & Jennings, L. (2011). Talking the talk: Reclaiming the value and
power of literature circles. The Reading Teacher, 64(8), 590 598.

Author(s) Affiliation:

Mill is a professor at the University of South Carolina and Jennings is an

associate professor at Colorado State University.

Type of Resource:

Professional peer-reviewed article

(Scholarly /Trade/Other)

Summary of essential
information:

Mills and Jennings present the importance of student inquiry in literature circles
and highlight essential components of inquiry. They believe inquiry should: 1).
Be dynamic and dialogic, 2). Include multidisciplinary perspectives, 3). Be
attentive, probing, and thoughtful, 4). Be relational and compassionate 5). Be
agentive and socially responsible, and 6). Include reflection and reflexivity. The
article focuses on the impact reflection and reflexivity can have on the students
and their future literature circles. Teachers should allow students the
opportunity to reflect on how they currently participate and interact in literature
circles. In order to reflect (look back), the authors suggest that students watch
videos of themselves or observe other classes. Once students reflect, they

become reflexive and envision positive changes to themselves. The authors

describe the experiences of two teachers who provided students the chance to
reflect and be reflexive. While being reflective and reflexive led to positive
changes in literature circles, it allows the student to be part of the new vision
for literature circles.
Way in which this
source influences the
field related to your
inquiry (ex. Math
teaching/learning
elementary)
Potential relevance to
your research topic
and study:

The article influences the fields of literature circles and student inquiry. The
article points out that educators often think about the role of student inquiry in
science, but that they should also equate inquiry with literature circles.

The article helped me think about the importance of reflection and reflexivity as
envision new models for literature circles in my classroom. By allowing the
students to share their opinions and ideas on the survey after each model, we
are co-constructing a new vision for literature circles like the article suggests.
The teacher in the article helped his students look for natural openings in the
group discussion. Speaking Into the Silence is a turn-taking strategy in which
students look and listen for natural openings. I think my students would benefit
from instruction on how to become better listeners and speakers. Until this
point, I have encouraged my students to facilitate their own discussions more,
but have not provided adequate guidance about how to do this.

Literature Template #8
Bib. Information
(APA Formatting):

DiTullio, G. (2014). Classroom culture promotes academic resiliency. Phi

Delta Kappan, 96(2), 37 40.

Author(s) Affiliation:

DiTullio is an assistant principal in New York.

Type of Resource:

Professional magazine

(Scholarly /Trade/Other)

Summary of essential
information:

DiTullios article focuses on the role of the classroom culture in promoting

resiliency in children. DiTullio begins by defining resiliency as the ability to
return to original form after facing challenges or obstacles. She argues it is that
it important to help students develop resiliency since they will be more
successful in school and life if they can learn to accept mistakes and learn from
them without getting discouraged. DiTullio believes the classroom environment

can help students develop resiliency. Classroom culture factors that build
resiliency include developing trusting relationships with peers and adults,
building competence and confidence, creating opportunities for risk-taking, and
providing engaging experiences that require students to problem solve. When
facilitating trusting relationships between students, DiTullio notes that students
should learn to be active listeners, productive speakers, and confident leaders.
The author also emphasizes that students thrive when they are challenged, but
feel successful enough to continue. Opportunities for problem solving and
problem-based learning are effective way to engage students and show that its
okay to fail. To help build resilient students, the classroom environment should
allow for students to safely take risks and safely fail.
Way in which this
source influences the
field related to your
inquiry (ex. Math
teaching/learning
elementary)
Potential relevance to
your research topic
and study:

The article influences the fields of resiliency and classroom management.

While these fields may seem disconnected from my topic of engagement in
reading groups, they are very much connected. The article points to the
importance of engagement and how to build strong relationships in classroom
groups, both of which influence my area of inquiry.
I gained deeper understanding on the importance of student engagement and
ideas for helping my students become better listeners and speakers in our
reading groups. DiTullio presented two lesson ideas for listening and speaking.
I plan to use both in my classroom, starting with the active listening lesson. In
partners, students discuss an assigned topic and do everything not to listen. The
class then lists what NOT listening looks, sounds, and feels like. Students
repeat the activity but are required to actively listen to each other. The class
then lists what active listening looks, sounds, and feels like. I look forward to
incorporating this lesson into my Model Two!

Literature Template #9
Bib. Information
(APA Formatting):

Gilson, C.M., Little, C.A., Ruegg, A.N., & Bruce-Davis, M. (2014). An

investigation of elementary teachers use of follow-up questions for students at
different reading levels. Journal of Advanced Academics, 25(2),101 128.

Author(s) Affiliation:

Gilson is an assistant professor in the special education and child development

department at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Little is an
associate professor in education psychology department at the University of
Connecticut. Ruegg is a high school mathematics teacher in Connecticut.

Bruce-Davis is an assistant professor in the College of Education at the

University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Type of Resource:

Scholarly, peer-reviewed article

(Scholarly /Trade/Other)

Summary of essential
information:

Researchers examined the teachers use of follow-up questions about text in this
qualitative study. The authors note that follow-up questions may be used to
push students forward in their abilities to respond to higher-level thinking
questions. Higher-level questions are more open ended and focus on students
expressing their personal opinions and justifying their opinions with evidence
from the text.
Looking at three teachers in urban elementary school settings, the researchers
found that teachers asked students similar questions regardless of reading level.
Common lower-level questions related to story elements and explaining story
elements. Common higher-level questions required students to make inference,
express opinions, and justify their responses. Teachers used both lower-level
and higher-level follow-up questions, but that the higher-level follow-up
questions were more varied. In all three classrooms, the most advanced reader
was asked the highest percentage of higher-level questions.

Way in which this

source influences the
field related to your
inquiry (ex. Math
teaching/learning
elementary)
Potential relevance to
your research topic
and study:

The study relates to reading comprehension instruction and the role of the
teacher in supporting students to be higher level thinkers. Much work has been
done of the types of initial questions teachers ask students. In this study, the
researchers investigated the types of follow-up questions teachers ask students
about text.
As part of my research project, I am determining whether it is most engaging
for the students to be asked text-specific questions, general text questions, or
for the students to develop their own questions to ask each other. This article
helped make me aware of the importance of asking all students high-level
follow-up questions during our reading group discussions, regardless of the
initiation question asked.

Literature Template #10

Bib. Information
(APA Formatting):

Fischbaugh, R. (2004). Using book talks to promote high-level questioning

skills. The Reading Teacher, 58(3), 296 299.

Author(s) Affiliation:

Fischbaugh is a teacher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Type of Resource:

Trade article

(Scholarly /Trade/Other)

Summary of essential
information:

The author presents an engaging and high-level questioning activity for reading
groups. The authors goal of the book talk activity was to help students
recognize the quality of the questions they were asking. In the book talk
activity, students presented a book and other students asked questions about it.
The students then evaluated whether questions on the following criteria: Did the
question allow the presenter to expresses ideas and thoughts? Did the question
prompt the presenter to make real-world connections? Did the question relate to
the book? Was the question clear and focused? The students developed the
criteria for evaluating the questions and therefore had more ownership over the
evaluation process. Both the teacher and the students evaluated the questions
asked. Over the course of 12 weeks, the evaluation scores increased pointing to
an improvement in the quality of the questions asked by students.

Way in which this

source influences the
field related to your
inquiry (ex. Math
teaching/learning
elementary)

Teachers and educational researchers emphasize the importance of developing

high-level thinking skills in students. Rather than asking students to memorize
and summarize information, the current trend if to have student synthesize,
create, and evaluate information. In the book talk activity discussed in the
article, students are developing high-level thinking skills by creating complex
questions about text and evaluating the questions.

Potential relevance to
your research topic
and study:

This article was relevant for several reasons. I have found student questioning
to be the most engaging aspect of my reading group format up until this point in
the year. I knew that despite the various models I would try during my teacher
action research project, I wanted this component to remain. This article
confirmed the importance of student asking questions and provided guidelines
to help students evaluate their own questions. It was also a relevant article to
because the author conducted her own action research project. I appreciated
reading about another teachers project and examine how data and conclusions
were presented to readers of the article.

Literature Template #11

Bib. Information
(APA Formatting):

Denig, S.J. (2004). Multiple intelligences and learning styles: Two

complimentary dimensions. Teachers College Record, 106(1), 96 111.

Author(s) Affiliation:

Stephen Denig was a professor and researcher at Niagara University.

Type of Resource:

Scholarly, peer-reviewed article

(Scholarly /Trade/Other)

Summary of essential
information:

In this article, the author compares the theories of multiple intelligences and
learning styles. Denig summarizes the main principles of Howard Gardners
theory of multiple intelligences as well as the established types of intelligences.
He also includes the criteria that must be present for a potential to be identified
as an intelligence. Denig then explains Rita and Kenneth Dunns learning style
model. Learning style is the way in which each person concentrates on,
processes, and remember new academic content. Denig notes that the theory of
multiple intelligences developed by Gardner addresses what is taught, where
Dunns theory of learning styles focused on how it is taught.
Denig suggests teachers rely on both theories to identify how individual
students learn and to improve how all students learn. He notes that each student
has primary and secondary styles of learning, and teachers should therefore
vary teaching styles to accommodate the range of preferred styles of learning in
a given classroom.

Way in which this

source influences the
field related to your
inquiry (ex. Math
teaching/learning
elementary)
Potential relevance to
your research topic
and study:

This article is important to the field of student learning style and educational
psychology. Not only does Denig summarize the two important theories, but he
makes important comparisons. He points out that they are not competing
theories and that teachers can capitalize on principles in both theories.

My first finding is that students are more engaged in reading groups when there
are variations in their learning experiences. This article is a data source to
support the idea that students learn in different ways. It is important to vary
how I teach in order to reach all of my students.