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Running head: ART EDUCATION AND KINDERGARTEN LITERACY 1

Art Education and Kindergarten Literacy:

Using Art Education for Art and Literacy in Kindergarten

Kelly M. Tobias-Adduci

A Capstone Presented to the Teachers College Faculty

of Western Governors University

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Science: Curriculum and Instruction

February 16, 2021

Running head: ART EDUCATION AND KINDERGARTEN LITERACY 1

Abstract

Art education and the art curriculum can improve literacy skills when paired together. My

instructional setting sees a struggle for Kindergarten students to attain vital literacy skills. How

do modifications and interventions focused on literacy within my art curriculum impact

Kindergarten students' acquisition of literacy skills within the provided lesson? Thirty three

kindergarten students participated in an action research study that focused on the use of the art

curriculum and art education to improve literacy skills. The study used the art curriculum

focused on the element of art, color, and infused various modifications and interventions that

focused on literacy skills. During the three week study, data was collected through quantitative

means through pre and post-assessment tests in three literacy areas. Data collected shows strong

evidence of literacy skill growth in all areas assessed for each student. Analysis shows

strategies, modifications and interventions were successful and can be implemented in the art

curriculum and art education to aid in literacy skills acquisition for the Kindergarten age group

and beyond.

ART EDUCATION AND KINDERGARTEN LITERACY 2

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Topic and Problem....................................................................................................5

Topic................................................................................................................................................5

Problem Statement........................................................................................................................8

Problem Background and Causes................................................................................................8

Research Questions........................................................................................................................9

Topic and Problem Conclusion....................................................................................................9

Chapter 2 - Review of the Literature.........................................................................................10

Overview of the Literature.........................................................................................................10

Traditional vs. Multimodal.........................................................................................................10

Art used with Purpose and Training.........................................................................................13

Summary......................................................................................................................................17

Chapter 3 - Research Methodology............................................................................................18

Research Design...........................................................................................................................18

Research Questions......................................................................................................................18

Participants..................................................................................................................................18

Data Collection Instruments and Methods................................................................................19

Data Security and Confidentiality..............................................................................................25

Summary......................................................................................................................................26

Chapter 4 - Results......................................................................................................................27

Results Overview.........................................................................................................................27

Data Analysis................................................................................................................................27

Answers to the Research Questions...........................................................................................34

Chapter 5 - Discussion and Conclusion.....................................................................................35

Overview.......................................................................................................................................35

Problem Solutions........................................................................................................................35

Strengths and Weaknesses..........................................................................................................36

Influential Factors.......................................................................................................................37

Further Investigation...................................................................................................................37


References.....................................................................................................................................39

Appendix A...................................................................................................................................42

Primary Color Workbook Page.....................................................................................................43

Secondary Color Workbook Page.................................................................................................46

Mouse Coloring Page....................................................................................................................52

Appendix B...................................................................................................................................53

Appendix C...................................................................................................................................61


Chapter 1 - Topic and Problem

Topic In education, we are continually looking for ways to improve literacy skills in our

students. Literacy has been a dominant topic or force in education that has evolved over the

years. As the foundation for a school's overall goals, one finds it often centered around literacy.

Literacy has been defined as "the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, compute, and

communicate using visual, audible, and digital materials across disciplines and in any context,"

according to the International Literacy Association (Sharp et al., 2016). Literacy contains many

skills or focuses that define a child's learning experience, bigger than just the curriculum.

"Literacy skills are the cornerstones of student learning and achievement. Now more than ever,

educators are expected to produce quantitative data that demonstrates a high level of literacy

success. Simultaneously, teachers are encountering a diverse student population that requires

greater differentiation in instructional strategies" (McKinnon, 2017). The skills, especially early

on, can determine how students will perform throughout their entire learning experience,

affecting other subjects and areas. A strong foundation in these literacy skills is vital. With

literacy and the skills that fall within literacy being such a strong focus and what I might say as

central to the learning experience, many different studies, adaptations, modifications,

approaches, etc., have taken place over the years ever-reaching attempts to aid students in

literacy mastery. The field that I feel will aid in improving literacy skills is art.

Art education has more abilities and strengths than many people realize. Over the

course of my life as a student of the arts, as an artist, and now an educator, I have experienced

the many misconceptions of the arts but know firsthand the arts’ power. Art education has many


aims and can teach many things. Art education can be flexible to your context, take shape in a

way that benefits what students need or what your district feels is important. There are ten

lessons that Eisner feels the arts teach. “1) The arts teach children to make good judgments about

qualitative relationships. Unlike much of the curriculum in which correct answers and rules

prevail, in the arts, it is judgment rather than rules that prevail. 2) The arts teach children that

problems can have more than one solution and that questions can have more than one answer. 3)

The arts celebrate multiple perspectives. One of their large lessons is that there are many ways to

see and interpret the world. 4) The arts teach children that in complex forms of problem-solving

purposes are seldom fixed, but change with circumstance and opportunity. Learning in the arts

requires the ability and a willingness to surrender to the unanticipated possibilities of the work as

it unfolds. 5) The arts make vivid the fact that neither words in their literal form nor numbers

exhaust what we can know. The limits of our language do not define the limits of our cognition.

6) The arts teach students that small differences can have large effects. The arts traffic in

subtleties. 7) The arts teach students to think through and within a material. All art forms employ

some means through which images become real. 8) The arts help children learn to say what

cannot be said. When children are invited to disclose what a work of art helps them feel, they

must reach into their poetic capacities to find the words that will do the job. 9) The arts enable

us to have experience we can have from no other source and through such experience to discover

the range and variety of what we are capable of feeling. 10) The arts' position in the school

curriculum symbolizes to the young what adults believe is important.” (Eisner, 2002). These ten

lessons are vital and intertwine themselves with what literacy is. Imagine starting in

Kindergarten with a strong focus on art and literacy combined. Imagine what a strong

foundation that would be.


Art education has the ability to cross-curriculum and create lasting meaningful learning

take place. Art education or art, in general, has strengths that, if utilized properly, could enhance

a variety of areas in other subjects and focuses within the classroom setting while at the same

time remaining true to the field of art rather than just as a supplement. I make a point to mention

the arts, not just becoming a supplement, which has been a problem I have seen in my life. In

my experience, when art becomes a supplement and loses its place as a vital piece in education,

that is where misconceptions of what art is can take root. Looking to what Eisner said is the tenth

lesson that the arts teach “The arts’ position in the school curriculum symbolizes to the young

what adults believe to be important.” (Eisner, 2002). When we push art to be a supplement or

integrated in a way that devalues art, that is when we begin to lose those vital lessons that the arts

teach. When we lose those lessons that the arts teach, we lose that support to reach those crucial

literacy skills. As an art educator, this lesson is essential to me. This lesson of the arts’ position

is important in showing the value of art education overall. I have heard this from my peers, and

while that is rough to hear, it reinforces my need to be an advocate. Art education is often

misunderstood, and art educators like myself have to continue to be advocates for what we know

is a vital part of education and life. The second way in which this topic is significant to me is

how it will impact the instructional setting in which I work. With art education, regardless of

where I am teaching, I would be advocating. However, the focus on kindergarten and literacy

with this topic is meant to have, what I hope, is a positive effect on my school. When valued as it

should be, art education can have a power like no other in education. For this study, the focus is

on valuing art education for all it can be and improving Kindergarten literacy.


Problem Statement

The problem in my learning environment is that kindergarten students struggle with

grasping literacy skills in my school setting. My instructional setting, the art room, can play an

integral role in improving those skills.

Problem Background and Causes

Kindergarten is the start of school in our society. We often see K-12, Kindergarten to

12th Grade when looking at districts. Many studies have been done, and I feel it is well known

that Pre K is vital for children in this day and age. Students getting a Pre K education is an issue

in my district and a big part of why Kindergarten Literacy is an issue. We have a wide range of

students from various backgrounds, specifically when it comes to socio-economic status. We

have a handful that goes to preschool, but also many that do not. Preschool in many areas can

cost a lot out of pocket. Many cannot afford preschool. Our district does offer preschool, both

AM and PM. However, even with that offering, many of our students have not had a Pre K

education. Our school is a Title 1 school with many of our students on free to reduced lunch. We

also have many students that receive food for the weekend from our backpack club. While we

have some students who receive the support at home that they need, we again have many who do

not receive that support for various reasons. We do see behavioral issues, trauma issues, etc., on

a larger scale within our district. Our district also finds itself in areas of higher drug use and

issues. Rural Ohio has struggled with this over the years, and we continue to see that affecting

our students. All this plays into the issues with literacy skills early on. Kindergarten really lays

the foundation for acquiring literacy skills. Early childhood education is vital to students. What


they can accomplish or attain in those early years can set them up for future successes

academically and in functioning in various ways throughout life.

Research Questions

This leads to a question regarding my art room. How do modifications and interventions

focused on literacy within my art curriculum impact Kindergarten students' acquisition of

literacy skills within the provided lesson?

Topic and Problem Conclusion

A strong foundation in literacy skills during those early stages is key. While we cannot

solve all those issues plaguing our students outside of school, we can do our darndest to use what

we have available to make a difference. This is why when I see the issue of kindergarten literacy

skills within my school, and I know I have art education at my disposal, I need to try something

new.


Chapter 2 - Review of the Literature

Overview of the Literature

Literacy skills are skills that we know as educators to be essential to students, both

academically and in everyday life. When it comes to traditional approaches versus those that tap

into art education, art education proves to be the successor. However, while we know arts-

integration is a plus in the classroom, classrooms tend to struggle with arts-integration. They

struggle for a variety of reasons; implementing with purpose, and proper training being two of

the most glaring issues. Art education has the ability to enhance literacy skills overall when art

education is used with intent, properly, and without losing sight of what art education is.

However, too often, art education is an exciting buzzword that districts and educators want to use

but is misused, used without clear direction, and just put onto teachers that have way too much

going on as it is. To answer to these issues, we need to look to art education and the art educators

themselves.

Traditional vs. Multimodal

Traditional, a word we all know, a word that is comfortable and safe. There is a reason

traditional means or ways have been around for so long; they do work to some extent. However,

these may not be the best methods for attaining literacy skills. We have to question, where is the

best place to begin? As educators know, our students in the classroom don’t all fit one square

peg. We have students from different backgrounds, different support systems, think differently,

have different interests, and so on. With this variety of learners,we then have to question what

could be the best approach to addressing this literacy issue?

As studies have gone on over the years, what has been clear is the need for

differentiation, the need to scaffold in various ways for a wide variety of learners, and so on.


Traditional methods do not produce as strong of outcomes for students as multimodal or arts-

integrated methods do. A flashcard versus a multisensory approach had quantitative data. The

data showed that while an educator can use flashcards, as it is a method that has been around for

years, it is the multisensory approach that proved to be the better of the two methods when it

came to the student learning outcomes (Phillips, 2012). The study also showed that the students

were more engaged in the multisensory approach versus the traditional approach and had a

deeper level of learning with the multisensory approach. A study from the Australian Journal of

Teacher Education looked at one student and the effects of multimodal approaches used in the

home and a more traditional classroom approach. Both the use of the multimodal approaches to

literacy and the home’s personal context aided in stronger literacy development and engagement

with the process. The traditional uses lacked engagement and therefore led to the student

struggling (Drewry, 2019). What are multimodal approaches, and why would they appeal to this

student over a traditional method? Multimodal learning has to do with, simply put, multiple

modes of learning; this is traced back to Gardner’s theory on multiple intelligences. While his

theory didn’t have much strength in the science community, educators embraced it in the

realization that students, being so different, learn differently, hence differentiation, and when

activating multiple areas of the brain and body (Woolfolk, 2013). For example, look at learning

the color wheel. Rather than just hearing about the color wheel from an educator, what happens

when you also get to see the color wheel, touch paint and create a color wheel, discuss the color

wheel in the context of imagery within your world? These modes include visual, kinesthetic,

auditory, and so on. Often one sees this variety within the art room. Students are not all the

same. They are different beings that learn in a variety of ways and need those ways to be able to

reach those literacy skills. Not only do they require a multimodal or arts integration approach,


but these must be done with thought, not just thrown around. While a multimodal approach or

arts-integration approach shows that they play a strong part in enhancing literacy skills, they

must be done purposefully or fall flat. Too often, we see these efforts falling flat.

Art in the Classroom is a Struggle

There is a struggle to implement arts integration within the classroom. Teachers

oftentimes are willing, as are the teachers that I work with; however, when it comes time to put

in the time to learn and implement, teachers are nowhere to be found. This is not due to teachers

not wanting things to improve. These struggles are due to teachers wearing so many hats, with so

much to do, and many goals to reach. Changes, while welcome, can be hard to find the time to

learn and implement. Fear is also a factor for teachers, there is a comfort and routine one gets

into, and change can cause stress that teachers already have more than enough. Again and again,

one sees that a researcher or educator feels that the arts can strongly aid in reaching those goals

that we so want to reach regarding students gaining those literacy skills. However, there seems to

be a lack of understanding, a lack of knowledge, and implementing quality arts-integration. A

research project done in New Zealand highlights these concerns of the want for arts education

and an agreement that the arts can do things that only the arts can do. However that follow-

through is not there, the understanding is not there, the consistency even within a building is not

there. “As art educators, we are concerned that the teaching and learning of the arts is remaining

static” that “there remains a relatively minimal implementation of the arts education” (Buck,

2016). One teacher, Sally, was followed within this research project. While Sally was willing to

bring the art in, the actual purposeful and meaningful arts integration was not there. This is a

common thread and one I see in my own building, the lack of knowledge of what arts-integration

is, and what actually goes on in art education. Many factors play into why arts-integration,


multimodal, or other approaches aren’t used but with a desire to use them --fear of reaching test

scores, state requirements, and so on play a huge factor. In a journal article, arts are discussed as

a positive to turnaround schools, specifically called turnaround schools, and highlight the fears

that exist. “There is a significant amount of fear, if we reallocate instruction time or we use

different instructional strategies, what will happen to us if test scores don’t do what we need

them to do? This is a very real barrier for teachers and administrators” (Norville, 2020). Again,

the desire is there, but some roadblocks often squash arts-integration even though we can see that

they improve student outcomes. What does it look like when there is training when there is

purpose in using arts-integration or education?

Art used with Purpose and Training

A study from the Australian Journal of Teacher Education focused on numeracy, a part of

literacy skills. However, the study intends to use “intentional teaching” combined with play-

based learning at the kindergarten level, using drawing, building, and moving, essentially using

the arts, including intention and play. This is a multimodal approach with art used at intentional

times, bridging the unstructured play that kindergarten needs with a more structured or

scaffolded play to enhance learning, pushing forward with the topic at hand. “Intentional

Teaching can integrate and promote meaningful learning” (Chigeza, 2016). What this study

illustrated was that intentionally using these approaches at specific times enhanced a student’s

grasp of numeracy, a literacy skill. However, this intentional teaching with these multimodal

approaches and arts integration just skims the service. What this showed is even with little arts-

integration understanding and purposefully used, student outcomes improved. What can happen

then, if training and deep art-integration are understood? A study done in the Greek Education

system focused on training teachers properly when it came to arts-integration. This immersive


experience used Land Art to enhance teachers or teachers in training to enhance their

interdisciplinary practices. What this study showed was that when the time is put in to train

teachers and allow those teachers to have that experience and learn, that they are then equipped

to bring those skills into the classroom in a meaningful way that would have a great impact on

student learning outcomes (Efthymia, 2012). If a teacher is not confident in the knowledge they

are presenting; learning will not be attained at the desired level. Another area that is somewhat of

a buzzword right now in education is STEM or STEAM. STEM, meaning Science, Tech,

Engineering, and Math, and STEAM Art is the A. With STEM and STEAM ,the arts often find

themselves at work intentionally and unintentionally, meaning unintentionally in STEM and with

purpose and intention in STEAM. With the fast-changing world of technology, many schools,

including my own, have a teacher devoted to STEM or STEAM. You often see these becoming

a part of schools in the push to prepare students for the real world that they will eventually be

adults in. Within these classes, there is a lot of cross-curricular activity that creates a multimodal

experience, and one can say multisensory, often what art does in its curriculum. Multisensory

experiences like in STEM and STEAM improve student outcomes (Taljaard, 2016). Again, we

see that an experience, a learning experience with art elements, whether intentional or not,

improves student outcomes. When one activates a student’s brain in various ways and allows

them to work through a concept or skill in various ways, the outcomes improve. One has to begin

to ask oneself as an art educator, if a district can’t invest or feels they don’t have the time for this

kind of training due to many reasons, what can be done? Teachers are stretched thin;such is the

case in my school, so what if the flip occurs? What if literacy skills are taught intentionally along

with the art curriculum in the art room?


Art Education is the Way

As defined earlier, literacy is defined as “the ability to identify, understand, interpret,

create, compute, and communicate using visual, audible, and digital materials across

disciplines and in any context” according to the International Literacy Association (Sharp,

2016). There is a myriad of skills that fall under literacy, causing one to question what is or

are the best approaches to aid students in acquiring all of those skills. “Art educators have a

unique opportunity to develop and strengthen a cross-curricular foundation in literacy through

art education” (Feret, 2010). Art education time and time again has shown to be vital and a

game-changer in education. When it comes to literacy skills, art can play a vital role in

changing the game. Not only can art education improve student outcomes but also in overall

engagement in the learning process from those students. One must understand that arts-

integration and arts education are two different things, that many don’t understand. Arts-

Integration is “the practice of purposefully connecting concepts and skills from the arts and

other subjects” (Wan, 2020). Arts Education “refers to arts lessons or classes offered

prekindergarten through 12 that are (a) standards based and (b) taught by certified arts

specialist teachers or teaching artists through (c) an explicit or implied sequential arts

curriculum in the (d) subjects of art/visual arts, media arts, music, dance, and drama/theater”

(Wan, 2020). Art educators that can also become specialists in arts-integration, aiding

schools in bringing the arts purposefully into their classroom curriculums. In my experience,

this is an issue within our society; not understanding what art education is and what it can be.

For purposes here, we are looking at what it means in a school, what arts education, in

particular, can do to impact a school and potentially aid with art-integration in the classroom.

Another arts educator began a study based off of this type of discussion. She was with fellow


staff discussing students, specifically English Language Learners, and the staff discussed how

those students were struggling with literacy type skills and engagement, however not the case

for her. In her art room, she had the opposite; there were engagement and understanding of

what was going on in the classroom, understanding what they were learning. She realized

that arts education was doing something that other areas were struggling with. She moved

forward with her study that ultimately showed that arts education, when done purposefully in

conjunction with literacy development for English Language Learners, aided in that

development where they struggled in other areas. (Renish, 2016). Again, I then ask what art

education could do in conjunction with the kindergarten curriculum? When focused on

literacy skills, on that literacy development, art seems to have a power like no other. Another

study explored that connection of literacy skills within the art room revealed other strengths

again within arts education, “the study revealed that literacy instructional methods can assist

art educators in accepting their responsibility ―to develop an appreciation for the arts” (Feret,

2010). One issue addressed here is that there is a lack of understanding of arts-integration or

arts education, specifically within my school and others. What also could happen when

literacy, which is highly valued, becomes a part of arts education in a purposeful and

meaningful way could be improved literacy skills and an improvement in the place the arts

hold within education in my district and others. “Teacher research is a continuous search for

ways to make what is good, better and what is better, best” (Shea, 2014). No matter the study

on literacy, arts-integration, STEAM, etc. what is seen is a constant push to figure out how do

we improve to best serve the students, with a common theme that the arts, whether used in

small doses or as an overarching theme, they improve the outcomes for students.


Summary

Shea and Cole's study continued to show again that literacy, when focused on, in various

ways, creates a strong foundation for those students. When that foundation is strong, as strong as

we can make it, students are set up to succeed as they move through school. How can that

foundation be made stronger than ever; well, when looking at all these studies, and area that

deserves to be focused on is arts education. While arts education can serve many purposes,

Eisner states “many from creative problem solving, self-expression, visual culture, prepping for

the world of work, cognitive development, improving academic performance, arts integration,

etc. the key is looking to the context that you are in to use the arts in the best way possible for

your students. The sources of learning when working in the arts are multiple" (Eisner, 2002).

What Eisner is saying here, when it comes to my setting, is to ask myself how can art education

serve those within my context.

To summarize, to impact kindergarten literacy skills, the art curriculum or art education

needs to be utilized. We see that the arts have a great impact. We see that multimodal teaching,

differentiation, etc., have a greater impact on student learning outcomes than basic traditional

methods. While one can see that art-integration and STEAM can be used to enhance literacy

skills and other skills, there are roadblocks in my setting. Within my setting, the roadblocks are

many. The first being arts-integration, and STEAM are used at times within my setting; however,

they have been used inappropriately or not at all. This is an issue that I hope is resolved later

through training and collaboration. Another issue is the understanding of what art education is

and capable of. I often hear that art is fun, art is a break for students, and I even have heard that I

am not necessarily vital. While this hurts, one possible side effect of this study may be to show

the importance and strengths of art education. Therefore the following lesson is the first step in


finding out how I can make this happen within my instructional setting for my school and

students, specifically looking to address kindergarten literacy skills through art education.

Chapter 3 - Research Methodology

Research Design

The purpose of this study is to focus on producing a change in my own context; I am using

Action Research as my methodological approach. This sticks to Action Research as I am one

individual conducting this study, looking to find a way to strengthen literacy skills within my own

art classroom. I will be following the cycle of Action Research, planning, acting, observing, and

reflecting. Findings presented will be specific to my context, not generalized, hoping to effect

positive change in my school. This research will inform my own teaching practice going forward

when working with Kindergarten students, beginning the cycle all over again.

Research Questions

How do modifications and interventions focused on literacy within my art curriculum

impact Kindergarten students' acquisition of literacy skills within the provided lesson?

Participants

For this study, the participants will be two kindergarten classes that come to my art room

for art. Each class has 18 students that come from various backgrounds. The school is an

elementary Title 1 school within a suburban/rural school district. My school is in an area that

sees a range of socio-economic backgrounds, many on the lower end, creating a range of issues

that need to be addressed and cause an issue with students grasping those literacy skills to be


focused on in the study. There are a few students that have behavioral interventions in place and

some with speech therapy. This will be taken into account and addressed throughout the study.

Another note to be made with this study and the participants is that we are in the middle of the

COVID-19 pandemic. At any time, we may have to switch to remote learning, and this lesson

will translate as I have prepped all materials to go home with students in the case of a shutdown

or quarantine.

Data Collection Instruments and Methods

The research study or instructional unit for this study will take place over the course of

three school weeks or fifteen days. Students currently are on a rotation where they come to

specials; art, music, or gym for three school weeks at a time. This is different from previous

years at my school, as we have had to adjust to COVID-19 protocols. Day one of the study will

be used for pre-assessment and the final day, day 15, as the official post assessment, with

formative assessment going on throughout. The focus for this three-week period will be on the

element of art, color. While color is a large focus for art, it is also part of our district's

Kindergarten curriculum. Color words are a focus in the Kindergarten classroom, and students

are graded on their knowledge and understanding of color words as kindergarteners. There are

various planned modifications and interventions planned throughout this lesson to address

kindergarten literacy skills. Literacy skills focused on with this lesson are sight word recognition,

pronunciation, and visual understanding and recognition of the colors. The specific colors

focused on are Red, Blue, Yellow, Orange, Green, Purple, Black, Brown, White, and Pink.

Various national and state art standards are focused on throughout the 15 day period.


Day 1: Welcome Back to the Art Room – Pre-Assessment

This will be the second time seeing the students for a three-week period. For the first day,

there is a review of classroom expectations. Students are then instructed that they will be using

crayons to draw a picture. Students will be instructed to draw a picture of the outdoors using at

least 5 of their colors and told that they need to try to use the whole piece of paper. I demonstrate

by drawing a simple landscape with various things while engaging the class, asking what else I

might add. Once students are working, I begin the pre-assessment. The pre-assessment is a chart

to check off students that know their colors visually. This will be done by myself individually

checking in with each student as they work, pointing to colors in their picture or to the crayons

they have to see which colors they visually recognize. Each color will be marked off with a

checkmark if they already have mastery of visual recognition or an X mark if they do not have

visual recognition. I will also be using the pre-assessment chart for the pronunciation of color

words. Each color word's pronunciation will be marked the same as the visual recognition,

checkmark for mastery, and an X if they cannot correctly pronounce the word. No interventions

or modifications are made this first day as both groups receive the pre-assessment.

Day 2: Color By Number – Pre-Assessment

On the second day, students are given a color by number to complete. With this

worksheet, I am looking to pre-assess students who can recognize color in sight word form.

Worksheets are to be collected at the end of class to be assessed. A pre-assessment chart of

students who recognize color by sight word will be filled out as well. The same process will be

used as the other pre-assessment charts, a checkmark for mastery, and an X for non-mastery.


This is another day of pre-assessment given to both groups with no interventions or

modifications taking place.

Day 3: Introduction to the Element of Art Color

Modifications begin on Day 3. Sounds play a role in both being able to listen and

pronunciation when it comes to literacy. Students will be introduced to color through a variety of

music videos. This will allow students to hear the color words. One video will focus on the

primary colors. The next modification comes when I will lead the class in pronunciation practice

of the primary color words, RED, YELLOW, and BLUE. We will then have a "seek and find"

game to find the primaries in the classroom. Then students will work on the workbook pages in

the workbook on the primary colors.

Day 4: Writing Our Primary Color Words with Different Media

Day 4 modifications and interventions will focus on a sensory approach and the writing

element to literacy. Today's continuation of the primary colors will be exploring different art

media in those colors by spelling out the color word. We will do the first medium, crayon,

together as a class. Students will then be given markers to try on their own.

Students will then move onto the paint. We do this with each color, RED, YELLOW, and

BLUE. This is done on blank sheets of drawing paper.

Day 5: Paint Play with Prompt

Students are given a day to play and experiment with paint. They are given the prompt to

paint something that makes them happy. Both groups are given time to play with materials, as it


is a vital art standard. I will use formative assessment as the class goes on, questioning color

choices and listening for correct color pronunciation with individual students.

Day 6: Mondrian

Students will be introduced to the artist Mondrian. Students will be asked what colors

they notice that he uses. They are the primary colors. Students will be given a color by number

inspired by Mondrian. This will be used as a formative assessment of the primary color words.

While both groups will learn about this artist, in class 2, the independent variable will continue to

review colors at the beginning of each class with a music video.

I will continue to use pronunciation tools for the entire unit, like repeating the words'

sounds as I use them with the independent variable group.

Day 7: Create a Mondrian

Students will create a Mondrian inspired artwork using paint and stamping. The process

will be demonstrated by myself, and then students will begin to work.

Day 8: Color Review and Secondary Colors

The same modifications and interventions will take place with secondary colors. Students

will review color through a variety of music videos. I then will lead the class in pronunciation

practice of the secondary color words, ORANGE, GREEN, and PURPLE. We will then have a

"seek and find" game to find the secondaries in the classroom. Then students will work on the

workbook pages in the workbook on the secondary colors.


Day 9: Writing Our Secondary Color Words with Different Media

As with the primary colors, a modification occurs to work on students writing, a literacy

skill. Today's continuation of the secondary colors will be exploring different art media in those

colors by spelling out the color word. We will do the first medium, crayon, together as a class.

Students will then be given markers to try on their own. Students will then move onto the

paint. We do this with each color, ORANGE, GREEN, and PURPLE. This is done on blank

sheets of drawing paper.

Day 10: Color Review and Color Mixing

Today we start with a review of color by watching music videos on color.

We then will move onto a color wheel workbook page. This is done using crayons. As

students are doing this, I will set up paint at each table and converse with students to observe and

facilitate. Next, students will complete a color mixing workbook page, this time with

watercolors. I will demonstrate that before students begin. Any early finishers will be given a

blank paper to experiment on with watercolors.

Day 11: Mouse Paint Artwork Intro

To start class today, I will read the book Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh, a

modification to the curriculum. By adding a book to the lesson, I can focus again on the

awareness of sounds regarding literacy. I can reinforce color words that we have been working

on and again work through the pronunciation of those sounds through demonstration and asking

them to repeat. Following reading the book, students will be given a Color Word Recognition

Color Sheet that will act as a formative assessment and goes along with the book. As students


finish that worksheet, they will be given a mouse coloring page to continue fine motor

development.

Day 12: Demo of Mouse Paint Color Wheel Artwork

Students will paint in 6 squares, each square a different color.

They are only given their primary colors, so they have to mix their secondary colors. I

will demonstrate to the students how this works. Once the demonstration is over, students will

begin working.

Day 13: Tracing the Mouse Shape, Cutting, and Pasting

This is a continuation of the previous day, as this will take students a couple of classes to

complete. As students finish painting, they will trace a mouse shape onto their squares and cut

out the pieces. The pieces will then be glued down to another white drawing paper into the color

wheel's correct order. Again to note, at the beginning of each class, a review reinforces

pronunciation and visual recognition through teacher-led discussion and music video.

Day 14: Paint Exploration and Finish Color Wheels

Students that finish their color wheels will be given their primary colors to explore and

mix and create a painting of their choosing. Students that are not quite finished today will wrap

up, and as they do, they can then move onto paint exploration.


Day 15: Post Assessment Charts, same as pre-assessment charts

With this being the final day that I will see the students for six weeks, I will wrap up any

work for any students that may have been absent or are behind. Students will be given a final

Color Word Coloring Page. This will allow me to assess color word recognition. When finished,

students will be given the drawing prompt to create a picture of a nice day outside using all of

their colors. This would allow me to follow up with each student on visual color recognition and

pronunciation if I could not do so as they complete the color word page. Post-assessment charts

are similar to the pre-assessment charts and are handled the same way.

The research study will use a variety of data using a variety of instruments. There will be

pre-assessments and post-assessments that will be quantified. These pre and post-assessments

will be used to ascertain the success of acquiring literacy skills, specifically those dealing with

color word recognition, visual recognition of the color, and pronunciation. Another note to be

made with this study is that we are in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. At any time, we

may have to switch to remote learning, and this lesson will translate as I have prepped all

materials to go home with students in the case of a shutdown.

Data Security and Confidentiality

The data gathered from this research will be private and confidential. Each child’s

information will be assigned a number. Names will not be used at any point in the report. The

list connecting names to the number will be kept in a locked file. When the study is completed,

and the data have been analyzed, this list will be destroyed. Data collected throughout the

study will also be kept in the locked file for the entire duration.


Summary

This individual action research study will have a duration of three weeks with minimal

risk to the participants. An action research methodological approach is the correct approach

when looking to answer the research question that directly affects my students within my school,

hoping to discover positive impacts to our student body and literacy acquisition goals through art

education.


Chapter 4 - Results

Results Overview

Data was collected using a pre-assessment and post-assessment for each of the three areas

assessed. Data collection for this study is in the form of a test where each student was

questioned one to one by myself. This study shows that students overall showed improvements

in the three areas assessed; Visual Color Recognition, Color Word Pronunciation, and Color

Sight Word Recognition. Many students gained mastery of these three areas overall. Each

student made gains, even when students did not fully attain mastery. Complete mastery of each

area, meaning 100% attainment of those skills, grew substantially from the pre-assessment to the

post-assessment. When looking at mastery, the area of most significant growth is Color Sight

Word Recognition. This area went from 0 students having mastery to 23 of the 33 students

involved in the study, gaining mastery, 69% of the whole group. Color Word Pronunciation

went from 57% mastery to 79%, and Visual Color Recognition went from 72% mastery to 96%

for the entire group. The following analysis will look at the classes as a whole group, separately

and then comparatively.

Data Analysis

Overall, 33 out of 36 students participated in the study. Seventeen students achieved full

mastery of all three areas assessed. Overall, the pre-assessments most substantial area was

Visual Color Recognition, next Pronunciation, and last Color Sight Word Recognition. The raw

scores from the pre-assessment and the post-assessment were averaged to find the mean. The

averages were found for each of the areas assessed; Visual Color Recognition, Color Word

Pronunciation, and Color Sight Word Recognition. For the pre-assessment, scores are added


together, divided by the number of participants to find the mean. The mean is rounded to the

nearest tenth. The same process was done with the raw scores from the post-assessments for

each area assessed. Table 1 shows the means found for each area for both pre-assessment and

post-assessment to be able to compare and indicate whether growth occurred or not. The

numbers in Table 1 clearly show growth in all areas and substantial growth in Color Sight Word

Recognition.

Figure 1

Mastery Comparision: Pre vs. Post Curriculum and Instruction

Note: Figure illustrates the number of students that attained 100% mastery of each of the three areas assessed.

Figure shows the total number of students, combing the two Kindergarten classes, totaling 33 students in all.

Visual Color Recognition

Color Word Pronunciation

Color Sight Word Recognition

-2 3 8 13 18 23 28 33

24

19

0

32

26

23

Mastery Post Curriculum & Instruction Mastery Pre Curriculum & Instruction


Table 1

Whole Group Means

Literacy Skill Pre-Assessment Mean Post-Assessment Mean

Visual Color Recognition 9.3 9.9

Color Word Pronunciation 8.7 9.3

Color Sight Word Recognition 0.6 8.9

Figure 2 shows the pre-assessment results for each student in class 1. 16 out of the 18

students participated in the class study. Figure 3 shows the post-assessment for this same class.

When looking at this data, you can see that each student grew in an area where growth was

possible. Student 3, for example, had no color sight word recognition. The student also scored a

40% on both Pronunciation and Visual Color Recognition. This student moved to 30% Color

Sight Word Recognition and 60% in Visual Recognition and Pronunciation in the post-

assessment. Again, one can see the growth with each student. Overall scores for each student in

each area are homogenous with little variability. Raw scores were used to find the mean in each

area assessed for both pre-assessment scores and post-assessment scores. Scores for each area

were added together then divided by the number of participants. After the means are found, we

can compare pre-assessment and post-assessment to see if growth occurs. When comparing the

means for each of the areas assessed, one can see that positive change developed for class 1 in

literacy skill areas. As with the whole group, the most significant growth area exists in the Color

Sight Word Recognition.


Table 2

Class 1 Means


Visual Color Recognition 9.3 9.8

Color Word Pronunciation 8.4 8.9


Figure 2

Pre-Assessment Data: Kindergarten Class 1

Note: Figure shows the pre-assessment scores for Kindergarten Class 1 in the three different areas assessed for

each student. The maximum possible for each area is 10.

Student 1

Student 2

Student 3

Student 4

Student 5

Student 6

Student 7

Student 8

Student 9

Student 10

Student 11

Student 12

Student 13

Student 14

Student 15

Student 16

0123456789

10

Visual Color Recognition Color Word Pronunciation Color Sight Word Recognition


Figure 3

Post-Assessment Data: Kindergarten Class 1

Note: Figure shows the post-assessment scores for Kindergarten Class 1 in the three different areas assessed for


Figure 4-5 shows the pre-assessment, and post-assessment data for each student in class

2. 17 out of 18 students participated in the study. As with class 1, the raw scores from the pre-

assessments and post-assessment are used to find the mean for each area assessed, then those

means compared to see if growth occurred. As with the whole group, and class 1, you can see

from Table 3 that students in class 2 showed positive increases in each area assessed. When you

compare the means from the pre-assessment scores to the post-assessment scores, growth is seen.

Class 2 also saw the largest gain in Color Sight Word Recognition with the mean growing from a

pre-assessment of 0.5 to a post-assessment of 8.8.

Student 1

Student 2

Student 3

Student 4

Student 5

Student 6

Student 7

Student 8

Student 9

Student 10

Student 11

Student 12

Student 13

Student 14

Student 15

Student 16

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10



Table 3

Class 2 Means


Visual Color Recognition 9.3 10

Color Word Pronunciation 9 9.6


When comparing the data of Class 1 to Class 2, Tables 2 and 3 show that both classes

grew in all areas. Class 2 shows a slight difference in growth with Visual Color Recognition and

Color Word Pronunciation. However, the numbers remain homogenous from pre-assessments to

post-assessments. Both Class 1 and Class 2 had the same growth from the pre-assessments

means to the post-assessments means in Color Sight Word Recognition.


Figure 4

Pre-Assessment Data: Kindergarten Class 2

Note: Figure shows the pre-assessment scores for Kindergarten Class 2 in the three different areas assessed for


Figure 5

Post-Assessment Data: Kindergarten Class 2

Student 1

Student 2

Student 3

Student 4

Student 5

Student 6

Student 7

Student 8

Student 9

Student 10

Student 11

Student 12

Student 13

Student 14

Student 15

Student 16

Student 17

0123456789

10


Student 1

Student 2

Student 3

Student 4

Student 5

Student 6

Student 7

Student 8

Student 9

Student 10

Student 11

Student 12

Student 13

Student 14

Student 15

Student 16

Student 17

0123456789

10



Note: Figure shows the post-assessment scores for Kindergarten Class 2 in the three different areas assessed for


Answers to the Research Questions

With this study, there was one research question that I was looking to answer. How do

modifications and interventions focused on literacy within my art curriculum impact

Kindergarten students' acquisition of literacy skills within the provided lesson? By analyzing the

data through finding the means, shown in Tables 1-3, one can see that those modifications and

interventions positively impacted the acquisition of literacy skills. The most significant area of

growth for the whole group and each class was Color Sight Word Recognition. Each student in

both of the Kindergarten classes showed dramatic growth in areas where they needed

development. The modifications and interventions used in the art curriculum helped the students

acquire the literacy skills that were focused on for this study.


Chapter 5 - Discussion and Conclusion

Overview

Literacy skills are vital, and we must use every tool to help students to attain these skills.

These skills are not just crucial in education but life. As stated before, literacy is "the ability to

identify, understand, interpret, create, compute, and communicate using visual, audible, and

digital materials across disciplines and in any context," according to the International Literacy

Association (Sharp et al., 2016). We know in the education community how vital these skills

are. We also know that the best way to start is at the beginning. A strong foundation in these

skills early on is critical. Pre-K to Kindergarten is the place to start and is an issue that I was

happy to address for my instructional setting. This study has shown art education and the art

curriculum can be used to improve those skills. While all the literacy skills focused on in this

study improved, Color Sight Word Recognition showed growth from an average of 0.6 words

recognized to 8.9. Art education is a tool that must be utilized but adequately. The art room and

the art teacher can help to fill some of these gaps. These gaps we know exist in education and

live in my school.

Problem Solutions

The art curriculum can address kindergarten students’ problem grasping literacy skills in

my school setting. This study clearly showed that the use of art education in improving

Kindergarten literacy skills works. Figures 2-5 clearly show the individual growth of each

student for each area. Tables 1-3 show that the data taken, the raw scores, when averaged, show

that each class separately and as a whole improved in each area of literacy. Every student


benefitted from the modifications and interventions put in place within the art curriculum.

Looking to art education is a way to go when solving this problem within my instructional

setting.

Strengths and Weaknesses

A strength of this project is the easy replication. I have four other Kindergarten classes

that I teach, and this would be easy to implement. The implementation of this study would be

easy for others to try as well. Another aspect of the ease of this replication would be for the

other teachers in my building. Teachers who may want to look to art education for aid in their

classrooms may look to a study like this for information and direction.

A weakness that this study had was the individuality of the learners and the classrooms as

groups. Students are individuals; they have different needs, different ways they learn, and

various struggles that affect how they learn. As teachers, we make changes that students need;

however, a study like this can have findings that become generalized and its procedures. For

example, one student is receiving interventions now for a speech impediment. The student would

struggle with the pronunciation area of this study. That isn’t reflected in the data as to why that

student scored that way.

Classroom groups also have individuality to them. Teachers all teach in different ways,

both in delivery, materials, and at times, the curriculum itself. This difference is a weakness in

that when creating this study, and I used a generalized understanding or knowledge of the

kindergarten curriculum. While the knowledge used was gathered from the school’s

kindergarten teachers, it was generalized, not specific to those teachers whose classes were used.

Students, particularly young students, depend on a routine to help them learn. This routine and


consistency can be vital to gaining knowledge and skills in various areas. Teachers’ routines,

and how they teach specific areas can differ from teacher to teacher, even within the same

building. How I delivered the different areas of literacy could vary from the classroom. This

design may have caused an issue with diverse students, causing a hiccup in their learning.

Influential Factors

The first influential factor to address with this study is the Covid-19 pandemic. Some

students began school at the start of this study. Before this, these students were virtual students

receiving instruction and curriculum from another service, not the educators in our building.

This meant that I had some students that had been in our instructional setting, receiving our

instruction for 80+ days, but then also had students that were a week into school.

Another influential factor is the interventions that get put into place for students that may

need them. For example, some students have speech therapy, and some are on behavior charts,

etc. These interventions, coupled with my study, maybe why the student gained the literacy

skills that the study was focused on rather than the study itself being the reason for the gains in

literacy skills. Therefore I can not state for those students that this study caused them to grasp

the literacy skills.

Further Investigation

In the future, there are some areas to be investigated. This study, like many, often causes

more questions to further one’s research. First, knowing that modifications and interventions for

Kindergarten worked, what would happen if I did the same for the other grade levels that I teach?

I work in a school where I see Kindergarten through 5th grade. One wonders now what can the


art curriculum do for literacy skills in those grade levels. Could modifications and interventions

be put into place to aid the literacy skills in all areas of my art curriculum?

Lastly, I would like to look into how modifications and interventions used in the art

curriculum impact the classroom. While I saw the positive impact on literacy skills in my

classroom, how are they impacting the regular classroom? Are students showing improvement

in the classroom as well?


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Appendix APrimary Color Workbook Page


Primary Color Workbook Page


Mondrian Color by Number

Secondary Color Workbook Page



Color Wheel Workbook Page


Color Mixing Page


Mouse Color Word Recognition Page


Mouse Coloring Page


Appendix B

Pre-Assessment – Visual Color Recognition Chart


Pre-Assessment – Color Word Pronunciation Chart


Pre-Assessment – Color by Number


Pre-Assessment – Color Sight Word Recognition Chart


Post-Assessment – Color Word Coloring Page


Post-Assessment – Visual Color Recognition Chart


Post-Assessment – Color Word Pronunciation Chart


Post-Assessment – Color Sight Word Recognition Chart


Appendix C

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