Rachael Somes EDU 695 Artifact 4A: Action Research Project - The Possibilities of Readers Theater Intervention to Help

Improve Below Benchmark Reading Levels and Words Per Minute Fluency Scores as Measured by the Daily Reading Assessment NBPTS Standards - Proposition 4 Standard: Teachers Think Systematically about Their Practice and Learn from Experience. Rationale: Thinking systemically and reectively about ones teaching is the foundation of being a great teacher. In order to best teach our students, we must be willing to problem solve and improve the ways in which we address student learning. By taking on this vision, we as teachers are also committing ourselves to constantly becoming better informed and knowledgeable about what changes and experiences will help guide our students to success. Through action research, teachers are placed in the drivers seat in order to conduct and organize change and student improvement. Reection: My experience as a teacher researcher while conducting my action research proved to be one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences that I have experienced in my career as an educator. The Action Research Project was centered around using readers theater interventions in a grade 2 classroom as a means to build student reading levels and uency/word per minute (wpm) scores as measured by the Daily Reading Assessment (DRA). The ndings supported the positive gains that Readers Theater had on students reading uency abilities and in turn increased their condence and enjoyment for reading out loud to others. From this experience, I was able to systematically approach an issue of concern in my own classroom, plan and prepare an intervention that was used and measured in order to learn how best the students in my classroom learn and excel. After gathering and collecting formative and summative data, I was able to analyze and develop an informed plan of action to guide and support my students, in turn systemically practicing and learning from my experiences and continuing to grow, alongside my students, along the way. Lastly, I was able to share this experience and knowledge with my colleagues and fellow coworkers which, I believe, brings the learning full circle.