Abstract
This article describes a dual-case study that was conducted to examine the effects of The Tools Approach on kindergarten students’ use of and interest in informational text. Children in one teacher’s kindergarten classroom during two subsequent years participated in a writing intervention which included learning about text features, conducting group research, and conducting individual research. During both cases, data were collected during child, parent, and teacher interviews. The results of this study showed that children participating in The Tools Approach strategy increased their abilities to identify and use text features to gather and disseminate information. Children also demonstrated increased interest in reading and writing informational text as a result of their participation in the study.
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Appendices
Appendix 1: Examining Students’ Use of Informational Reading and Writing Skills
Parent Survey
During the month of March, we are excited to work with your child’s class to explore informational texts. We will be teaching the children about tools of informational texts (headings, captions, etc.…) and working together to research and write an informational class book about an animal (determined by a class vote). Following the class book project, children will be invited to research another favorite animal on their own and to write an individual research report to share with the class.
We would like to involve families in this exciting exploration as we dive into informational texts and discuss children’s special interests. Please visit the class website often to view in-class demonstrations, follow the progress of our class book, and see book lists of excellent informational titles.
As we begin this unit with your children, we are interested in how their attitudes toward informational texts will change as a result of their participation. We invite you to take a few minutes to answer the parent survey below to help us with collecting information about your child’s current interactions with informational books. Thank you!
1. | If you read to your child at home, how many books out of each ten that you read are informational books (true stories)? Please circle your answer below. |
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 | |
2. | What percentage of books in your child’s home library would you say are informational books? Please circle your answer below. |
0 % 1–25 % 26–50 % 51–75 % 76–99 % 100 % | |
3. | If your child visits the library (public library or school library), which type of book does he/she typically choose to check out? Please circle your answer below. |
Fiction (made-up story) Informational (informational book about a topic or factual story) | |
4. | If your child were to select a favorite topic to research (examples: dinosaurs, soccer, Africa) what do you thing that topic would be? |
______________________________ |
Appendix 2: Examining Students’ Use of Informational Reading and Writing Skills
Parent Survey
We have enjoyed working with your child’s class exploring informational reading and writing over the past few weeks. Please take a moment to answer the parent survey below so that we will know how your child’s attitudes toward informational text have changed as a result of participating in this project.
1. | During the month of March, how many books out of each ten that you read were informational books (true stories)? Please circle your answer below. |
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 | |
2. | During the month of March, did you purchase or check out additional informational texts to add to your child’s home library? Please circle your answer below. |
Yes No | |
3. | During the month of March, which type of book did your child typically choose to check out at their public or school library? Please circle your answer below. |
Fiction (made-up story) Informational (informational book about a topic or factual story) | |
4. | Did your child show an increased interest in reading or writing informational books during the month of March? |
Yes No | |
If yes, please explain how your child showed an increased interest | |
________________________________________ | |
________________________________________ | |
________________________________________ | |
5. | Did you gain any new insights about exploring informational reading or writing with your child as a result of participating in this study? |
Yes No | |
If yes, please explain. | |
________________________________________ | |
________________________________________ | |
________________________________________ |
Appendix 3: Teacher Interview
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1.
How do you see children using informational texts in new ways as a result of the intervention?
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2.
Have you noticed children writing informational texts in new ways? Please explain.
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3.
Have you noticed children reading informational texts in new ways? Please explain.
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4.
Would you consider using this strategy in the future to teach informational reading/writing?
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5.
What have you learned from participating in this study?
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Hall, A.H., Matthew Boyer, D. & Beschorner, E.A. Examining Kindergarten Students’ Use of and Interest in Informational Text. Early Childhood Educ J 45, 703–711 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-016-0805-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-016-0805-y