Game Time!

Lindsay Hudson and Michelle Powers

Palm Pointe Educational Research School

How will using academic games for the study of vocabulary impact the reading comprehension scores of the lowest 25% of our fifth grade classes?

Who Was Involved?

This project involved all 44 of our 5th grade students. Data was collected on 10 students who represented the lowest 25% of each class based on their reading comprehension scores from the Reading Pretest Benchmark and the first FAIR assessment.

Why This Project?

District-wide benchmark assessments indicated a need for additional instruction in vocabulary comprehension. We decided to explore ways in which we could increase our 5th graders vocabulary comprehension and their reading comprehension scores. During our research we began to focus on student engagement. We decided to implement the use of academic games to try to increase student performance on the identified benchmarks.

Timeline and Implementation Plan

Data Collection
Reading Benchmark (pretest) And FAIR testing Post tests 3rd quarter Reading Benchmark FAIR testing Student Surveys

Implementation of Academic Games into Word Work (spelling patterns) Implementation of Academic Games into Vocabulary Comprehension

Whole group

Word Work Stations

Whole group

Science Stations Math Stations Word Work Stations

How Was Student Learning Measured?

St. Lucie County Benchmark Tests F.A.I.R. Tests Student Surveys

Reading Benchmark Data

Targeted Students in BOTH classes made gains from Pretest to Posttest
Mrs. Hudsons Targeted Students
80 70

Mrs. Powers Targeted Students

90 80 70 60

60
50

% correct

% correct

40 30 20 10 0

Reading Benchmark Pretest Reading Benchmark Posttest

50

40
30 20 10 0 Powers Powers Powers Powers Powers -A -B -C -D -E

Reading Benchmark - Pretest Reading Benchmark - Posttest

Student A is diagnosed with Dyslexia and is labeled as ESE. Student C was absent during the Reading Benchmark Pretest.

It has been determined that Student C is not making progress in any subject. Student C has been recommended for evaluation for the ESE program by his PST members.

Powers- Maze Graph

70 60 50 60 50

Hudson- Maze Graph

Percentile

40 30 20 10 0 Beginning of Year End of Year

Percentile

40
30 20 10 0 Beginning of Year End of Year

FAIR DATA
60 50

Powers- Reading Comprehension

100 90 80 60 70

Hudson- Reading Comprehension

Percentile

Percentile

40 30 20 10 0 Beginning of Year End of Year

50 40 30 20 10 0

Beginning of Year
End of Year

In Our Students Opinions

How Does Using Academic Games Help You ?
60 50

Student's Preferred Learning Strategy

Students

40 Using Academic Games

30

Zip! Not Much! Kinda/Sort of It was Awesome!

of

Using Rote Memorization

20

10

0 To spell words Determine Understand Understand Understand meaning of reading science math spelling words vocabulary and vocabulary and vocabulary and concepts concepts concepts

Students were given two anonymous surveys. One was used to determine how they valued the use of academic games in the areas of spelling, word meaning, and concepts in reading, math and science. The other was used to determine their preferred learning strategy.

What Did We Learn About Our Students?

According to the students surveys, most students loved using academic games to enhance their understanding of concepts in the subjects of reading and science. In addition, the use of academic games led to increased student engagement in whole group and independent centers.
Multiplication Uno

What Did We Learn About Our Teaching?

Based on our research project, academic games, proved to be a valuable instructional tool. Our assessment data indicated a positive growth in the students learning gains in both vocabulary and reading. The Reading benchmark and the Fair data combined with the strong student engagement level (as indicated by student surveys) supports our conclusion.

Our Conclusion: There is a positive correlation between using academic games and vocabulary comprehension.

Reflections for Future Instruction

The use of academic games was highly beneficial in the students understanding of the concepts taught in reading, math and science. Some games will need to be tweaked to increase its individual instructional value but still appeal to students interests. Academic games do not have to be expensive to be effective. Some of our most effective games were teacher or student made.

So. Who wants to play a game?

Capacity Game

Science Quiz Game Show

Tweaked Taboo