Raising Reading Standards Through Targeted Music Tuition Raising Reading Standards Through Targeted Music Tuition

RAISING READING STANDARDS THROUGH TARGETED MUSIC TUITION RAISING READING STANDARDS THROUGH TARGETED MUSIC TUITION SCHOOL Carinya Christian School, Tamworth PROJECT LEADER Debra Batley PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS David Jones, Lauren Ferguson, Aaron McDonald MENTOR Dr. Anita Collins CRITICAL FRIEND Dr. Linda Lorenza 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................1 2 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................3 3 LITERATURE REVIEW...........................................................................8 Introduction................................................................................................8 The Development of Reading Difficulties...........................................12 The Top Down Aspects of Reading Acquisition.................................14 Motivational and Student Success.......................................................24 Moving Forward.......................................................................................26 4 AIMS AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS....................................................27 Methods and Data Collection Approaches........................................28 Participants...............................................................................................30 Ethical Considerations............................................................................32 Research Procedure................................................................................33 Data Analysis............................................................................................34 5 RESULTS AND FINDINGS...................................................................36 PAT Test Results........................................................................................36 PROBE Test Results..................................................................................39 Student Interviews..................................................................................42 Teacher Surveys.......................................................................................51 Observations............................................................................................53 6 VISIT TO FEVERSHAM PRIMARY ACADEMY, UK.................................55 7 DISCUSSION.....................................................................................58 Why the Project was Successful.........................................................60 When the Project Did Not Work for Students.................................64 Highlighting Areas for Improvement...............................................65 Limitations of the Study.......................................................................67 Implications.............................................................................................68 Future Research......................................................................................70 8 CONCLUSION....................................................................................71 9 RESEARCH TO PRACTICE IMPACT......................................................74 10 REFERENCES.....................................................................................76 11 APPENDICES.....................................................................................85 1 “TO LEARN TO READ IS TO LIGHT A FIRE; EVERY SYLLABLE THAT IS SPELLED OUT IS A SPARK.” - Victor Hugo eading is a fundamental life skill which is a primary focus of learning Rin schools. It provides the tool to find meaning from texts and open up a world of knowledge and enjoyment for children. It is apparent that despite traditional methods of intervention, if reading skills have not developed by Year 3 it is likely that children will fall further behind and in some cases will be unable to grasp the skills necessary to read independently. © THE ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT 1 SCHOOLS OF NSW 2019 At Carinya Christian School a significant cohort flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, and baritone of students in Middle School (Years 5-8) were horn. Students participated in one small group classified as low ability readers. In spite of the (2-3 students) tuition and one ensemble lesson use of traditional reading intervention programs, each week. The Control Group did not participate such as MiniLit and Reading Recovery, there was in music tuition. Students were interviewed to very little progress in their reading ability. This examine broader impacts of music tuition on led to an opportunity to examine the impact of the student including motivation, self-efficacy, instrumental music tuition as a form of reading confidence and engagement. intervention in addition to the interventions already being used with these students. Results show that music tuition had a positive impact on the reading experience of low ability readers. Statistical analysis of the PAT reading How students “hear the world” has comprehension results demonstrates a very large a significant impact upon their effect size of d = 1.22, whilst an analysis of PROBE early progress as readers. 2 Reading Comprehension Assessment reveals an effect side of d = .67. There have also been other impacts from the project including improvements How students “hear the world” has a significant in their sense of achievement, engagement in impact upon their early progress as readers. class and the development of social relationships. Furthermore, there is a growing body of research All students have been able to learn a variety of demonstrating a relationship between music pieces of music, with some students even reaching tuition and improved auditory processing, a standard where they could be graded for their phonological processing, neuroplasticity and achievement. Students performed in ensemble executive function. All of these areas have an groups at several school functions, enjoying the interaction in developing pre-reading skills. experience. Enhancing these skills through music tuition may benefit students who have consistently shown a lack of progress in reading. A longitudinal cohort study was used to assess improvements in reading. The cohort of students involved in the music intervention has been compared to a group of similar students who are not involved in the intervention. Students’ reading progress was assessed using standardised tests of reading comprehension. The intervention was designed so that students would learn a musical instrument over an eighteen month period. They could choose from 2 CARINYA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2 Introduction BACKGROUND arinya Christian School is an independent, Christian, CPre-Kindergarten to Year 12 comprehensive school POPULATION: located in Tamworth, North West NSW. It has a student 700 students population of approximately 700 students with an ISCEA score of: 1027 (this is based on 2018 My School data). The student population is approximately 52% female and 48% male, with 6% of students having a language background 52% 48% female male other than English and 12% indigenous students. All year groups in the primary school are double streamed, whilst Years 7-10 are triple streamed. Over 60% of parents within the school community have completed Year 12 or non-English speaking equivalent in their own school education. More than 20% 6% background of parents work in senior management or are qualified professionals, over 20% were other business professionals or in middle management and over 20% work in skilled indigenous trades. Overall the school population is an average 12% population, and the students would not be considered to be ‘disadvantaged’. © THE ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT 3 SCHOOLS OF NSW 2019 The school has two campuses, Tamworth and In Carinya’s own words: Gunnedah. Tamworth uses a three-school structure (Junior, Middle and Senior). Up until Because we reject rivalry and 2019 Gunnedah enrolled students from K-6 competition in the classroom, only. In 2019 the first year 7 students enrolled at students are encouraged to “seek Gunnedah in a move towards a similar structure the reward in the task”. That means to the Tamworth campus. The school is known for students are to look for any “reward” its distinctive approach to Christian Education. in faithfully completing all tasks to All staff are practising Christians, and the value the best of their abilities. In other of every child drives the classroom teaching words, the “reward” for learning at every stage of the school. This framework mathematics is that they now know encourages students to be motivated by the act of more mathematics. The “reward” learning rather than by other extrinsic motivators. for learning to read is that they can Consequently, there are no competitive structures read. In educational terms students used in the classroom, rivalry between students are taught to seek “intrinsic” rather is discouraged, and there are no awards given for than “extrinsic” rewards. learning at any stage of the schooling. (Carinya Christian School, 2019) 4 CARINYA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Collaboration between the Junior, Middle and by specialist music teachers, whilst in the primary Senior schools enables a significant number of school it forms part of the Creative Arts syllabus teachers to work across two schools, and some to and is taught by the generalist K-6 teacher. teach across all three. As a result, teachers tend to have a strong relationship with students, and A group of low achieving students was identified, continuity of learning is a particular strength of

Load more