• Research Portfolio

Att. 1 CRD 624

Effective Literacy Instruction

Research Portfolio

Develop and maintain a portfolio of research-based instructional strategies for teaching reading and writing to elementary students (K-6). The portfolio will have two purposes. The first purpose is to acquaint you with the research-base that influences most of the literacy instruction and materials that are marketed to elementary schools. Such programs are generally accepted on the merits of the advertising expertise that accompanies the claims that are made. Rarely do buyers question or evaluate the research that supports the claims. A close examination of the research often reveals methodologies, samples, and time frames that do not mirror the school setting for which a program has been purchased. On the other hand, knowledge of the research that is touted to support instructional methods and programs will facilitate making informed decisions about methods and materials that meet the needs of your students.

The second purpose of this assignment is to provide you with a research-based resource that will guide you as you design and implement the literacy lessons you will teach for this course and in your own classroom. Schools are flooded with suggestions and ideas that appear to meet the literacy needs of diverse students. In fact, many of us have had the experience of creating a fun activity for teaching a particular set of vocabulary words that was quite successful and well-received at the time. However, the same strategy for a different set of words at a different time did not prove to be as successful. Using educational research to guide instruction allows us to discover what works most of the time in the learning setting. This portfolio will be such a guide.

The portfolio must contain entries from 5 research articles from peer-reviewed sources and other exemplary sources such as national research grants. The entries should cover the following topics:

(1) the efficacy of specific teaching strategies for any of the essential elements of reading instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension) and writing instruction

(2) effective teaching strategies for ELLs

(3) effective teaching strategies for struggling readers

(4) grouping configurations

(5) reading materials and/or assessments for K-6 students.

Each entry must contain the following components:

· Bibliographic Entry (APA format)

· Summary - Summarize the research article in 1 page or less. Include the researchers/organization, sample, method, results, and discussion.

· Evaluation - Evaluate the research in 1/2 to 1 page as it would apply to your teaching setting. Compare the sample and strategy with your students and predict how the strategy would impact your classroom.

· Implications for planning and teaching - Discuss in 1 page how the results of the research have informed you about literacy instruction. In other words, what will you do with the new information you have gained? How will the information change your instructional practices? Who will benefit or suffer harm from the researched strategy and how will you mediate the impact?

Since this assignment will serve as a research-base for your own instruction, at least 2 of the portfolio entries must be reflected in the lesson that is taught during this course. Thus, appropriate instructional strategies/materials in your lesson plans must include explicit references (footnotes, citations, etc.) to at least 2 of the research articles in your portfolio.

The portfolio will be graded according the following scale:

Bibliographic Entries are correct……………………………………………………. 2

Summaries accurately represent the articles………………………………...………. 8

Evaluations are justified and reflect reputable standards ..…………………………..10

Implications for planning and instruction represent evidence-based literacy instruction…………………………………………………….………..……………..20 _______

Total 40