Literacy Inquiry Project Shari Wolke

Context I am interning at Holt

Junior High School, home of the Rams.

I am split between two mentor teachers, Wendy Holmes (7th grade) and Kristyn Stierley (8th grade).

Student PopulationI decided to survey not only my focus class, but also the

hour preceding (that Kristyn teaches) and the hour that follows (that I also teach), because I will very soon be taking over all three of the hours that I am in Kristyn’s class.

The “official” demographics of Holt Junior High School, according to usaschoolinfo.com, are 69.9% White, 11% Black, 10.8% Hispanic, 1.9% Asian, 0.5% Indian and 5.9% “two or more ethnicities.” However, my students reported slightly different numbers, the most striking of which was the number of multiracial students reported.

Student Population, continued

Out of the 78 students who reported a race (2 students chose to not report), 69.23% (54 students) claimed to be White 15.34% (12) claimed to be multiracial/mixed

race 8.97% (7) claimed to be Latino/a 5.13% (4 students) claimed to be Black 1.28% (1) claimed to be Asian

The SurveyI administered a survey that I made clear to the

students would not be graded, was totally anonymous and would be helping me in my MSU classes.

Importantly, I have to give credit to the website http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FZSD6H8 for inspiring or directly supplying many of these questions.

The first two survey questions asked students about their grade level and had them self-identify their race. The remainder of the survey questions begin on the next slide.

The Survey 3. How much do you enjoy reading?

Not at all A bit A lot Very very much

4. On average, how many books do you read per month? 0 1-2 3-4 5-6 6 or more

5. What mode do you most often use to read (choose one)? Paperback or hardcover book with pages Ipad, kindle or other e-reader I usually read web pages on the internet I usually read magazines or newspapers.

The Survey 6. I read because (choose as many as you like):

It will help me as a job It teaches me how other people live and feel It helps me understand more of the world It is fun It helps me find out what I want/need to know It is a break from reality I have to It helps me learn more about myself.

7. What activities would you like to do to help yourself and others read more? (check all that apply): Reading groups with friends Writing book reviews Reading for prizes or competition Talking about my favorite reads Helping choose books for the library Helping younger students with their reading Reading with adults

8. Besides homework, what other activities do you do in your free time (check all that apply)? Play videogames on the computer Play videogames on a console Text my friends Spend time on facebook Tweet (use twitter) Play sports on a team Play sports (not on a team) Watch TV Watch movies Other (please specify): _____________

9. I would be more likely to read more if (choose as many as you like): I had more time I enjoy it more I knew what to read Libraries were closer Books were cheaper Someone read aloud to me It was about the things I’m interested in Books had more pictures Stories were shorter My friends read more

10. My favorite genre of fiction is: Adventure Crime Detective Comedy Historical Fiction Horror/ Ghost Poetry Romance/ Relationships Science Fiction War/ Spy Related

11. I use these internet-based sites: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Instagram Youtube Other (please specify):_______

12. Can you understand the following: “How r u? R u going 2 the prty 2nite? C u l8tr!” If so, write the Standard English version below:

13. Do you have a computer in your home? If so, how many? No, we do not have a computer. Yes, we have one computer without internet access Yes, we have one computer with internet access Yes, we have more than one computer in our house, with

at least one computer having interne access.

Survey ResultsWhen asked, “How much do you enjoy

reading?” the graphic representation looked like:

Not at all A bitA lotVery very much

Survey Results The number of books that students

read per month:

0 books1-2 books3-4 books5-6 books6 or more

Survey ResultsThe mode that students most often use

to read:

Paperback orhardcover bookwith pagesipad, kindle orother e-reader

Web pages onthe internet

Magazines ornewspapers

Survey ResultsStudents read because:

It is fun- 39It is a break from reality- 38They have to- 33It helps them understand more of the world- 24It helps them find out what they want/need to knowIt helps them understand how other people live

and feel- 18It will help them get a job- 17It helps them learn more about themselves- 8

Survey ResultsStudents would like to do the following

activities to help themselves and others read more:Reading groups with friends- 42Reading for prizes and competition- 40Helping younger students with their reading- 36Talking about my favorite reads- 22Helping choose books for the library- 20Reading with adults- 11Writing book reviews- 6

Survey ResultsStudents stated that other activities they did in their free

time were: Watch TV- 59 students Text their friends- 55 students Watch movies- 45 students Play sports (on a team)- 39 students Spend time on facebook- 36 students Play videogames on a console (Xbox, etc.)- 27 students Play sports (not on a team)- 25 students Tweet (use twitter)- 15 students Play videogames on a computer- 14 students Hang out with friends (write in)- 7 students Use instagram (write in)- 5 students Eat (write in)- 3 students

Survey ResultsStudents stated that they would be more likely to read if:

They enjoyed it more- 44 studentsThey had more time- 42 studentsBooks were about the things they were interested in- 42They knew what to read- 25Their friends read more- 13Stories were shorter- 10Books were cheaper- 10Books had more pictures- 5Libraries were closer- 5Someone read aloud to me- 4We were not forced to read- 1

Survey Results

Students’ favorite genres:

Adventure

Crime Detective

Comedy

Hisorical Fiction

Horror/ Ghost

Poetry

Romance/RelationshipsScience Fiction

War/ Spy Related

Most popular internet- based sites:Youtube- 87.3% of students Facebook- 70.9% of students Instagram- 67.5% of students Twitter- 30.4% of students Pinterest- 17.7% of studentsVine- 11.4% of students (write in)Kik- 5.1% of students (write in)Google- 3.8% of students (write in)Snap chat- 3.8% of students (write in) Ifunny- 1.3% of students (write in)Twich- 1.3% of students (write in)

Survey Results92.4% of students could translate the text message,

meaning that my students are very literate in texting.40.0% of the students in my classes had one computer with

internet access, and 53.2% of students had more than one computer in their home with internet access. This means that a total of 93.2% of the students in my classes have a computer with internet access available.

Four students (5.06%) stated that they have a computer in their home without internet access, and only one student (1.3%) stated that they do not have a computer in their home.

Next Steps with the Data/ Curriculum Computers in the home and computer literacy- the first required

paper was initially given the option to be typed or handwritten. It is, according to this survey, safe to require them to type it.

Use students literacy with text messaging as a tool for literary analysis (compose text messages between characters, etc.).

Get students reading more- nearly 75% of the students stated that they read between 0-2 books per month.

Students were able to indicate in the survey results what next steps would help them. So, we will start reading groups with their friends, create reading for prizes/competition and we are beginning to think about how we might allow them to help younger students with their reading/ if this is feasible.

Next Steps with the Data/ Curriculum Finally, as students indicated such a strong interest in reading for prizes or

competition, I am going to print out and explain what MENSA for kids is, and encourage them to participate. The 7th-8th grade list is located here: MENSA for kids (

http://mensaforkids.com/school_template.cfm?showPage=school_readeraward.cfm)

We will also develop a “prize jar” system where, if students complete their reading responses, we will enter their name in the jar. Then, once a week we will draw students’ names from the jar and allow them to select prizes (I purchased cheap prizes for this). This will be done during students’ Book Club time, beginning in late October after the MEAP. Students will be able to utilize the time the spend reading these books to earn prizes.

Finally, I am going to try to incorporate students’ out of school literacies in the classroom, emphasizing in particular television, texting, popular movies, sports and facebook. I will also use these as texts, that is, I will utilize students’ literacies as both hooks into the Common Core standards goals as well as texts in and of themselves.