Natalie

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Here are the slides which I used to present my Action Research at the Mini-Conference last year. Through these slides I will talk you through my learning journey.

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For the last 3 years I had completed annual Action Research Projects. So therefore, one of the first steps was to define what Action Research means to me. I believe that the most important part of Action Research is the process. It is about the teacher’s own personal learning journey not just the end product.

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Teaching a Model class, I had a diverse range of students. It was initially difficult for me to decide on my topic as there were so many aspects of teaching and learning that I was interested in and that would suit the nature of my classroom. I found choosing my topic one of the hardest challenges of my Action Research!

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After much thought, I decided that less is more. Therefore, I focused on three aspects of interest: ICT, Gifted Learners & Reading.

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One of my colleagues regularly teased me about my use of “bling” on my blogs and wikis. He inspired me to create the title “Book Reports with Bling”. What I was wanting for my gifted students was a range of reading activities which were innovative and independent. I wanted to inspire and motivate them to respond to literature without the use of traditional activities such as book reports.

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At this stage of my learning journey I created a blog. In previous years I had recorded my Action Research through endless pages of typed notes. This time I wanted a more informal and useful way to share my learning journey. http://thebrainstormlounge.blogspot.com

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Four students were chosen to participate in my study. Each of the students was tested using the Probe Reading Kit. The result of this test established the baseline data for my Action Research.

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The next step was to survey the children (using an online survey) to find out their opinions on past reading activities.

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The children were then asked what they would like to read about during the year. Once I had a list of topics I began compiling reading material and matching activities.

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Once I had gathered all the appropriate reading resources I had the challenge of trying to organise the activities in a simple, yet effective way. I decided to create a wiki for the children to use. http://bookwormwiki.wikispaces.com

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Many of the new reading activities were highly successful. Please see “The Bookworm Wiki” for examples of the activities.

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At the conclusion of my Action Research Project, I retested the children using the Probe Reading Kit. I was very pleased with the progress the children had made.

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Student voice was an important component throughout my Action Research. I wanted the children to take ownership of their learning and feel that their opinions were valued. Please read the comments the children shared about their reading experiences.

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In conclusion, I really enjoyed this Action Research Project. It was a wonderful learning experience for both my students and their teacher! Please feel free to contact me at George Street Normal School if you have any further questions about my Action Research.