The attitude inventory gave me lots of great data! Before giving it to my kiddos, we talked about how I wanted them to answer the questions honestly, not how they thought I would want them to answer. Based on the results, overall, I think the kids were really honest- which is great! I had one student circle the happiest Garfield for EVERY question. I am thinking her survey might need to be thrown out...
Here is my data laid out in a chart. I can't get the picture to flip... CRAZY technology! I guess you will just have to turn your head...
From this survey I was able to draw these conclusions:
- Every child (except for the one that answered all of the questions with the happiest Garfield) scored the question that asked how they felt about completing workbook pages and worksheets with the most unhappy Garfield.
- I was very surprised at the variation in how a student might feel about recreational reading and reading at school.
- I would have thought that recreational reading would have been lower for most students than academic reading- mostly because I would have thought they would have been more interested in playing or doing other things. However that was not the case. Several of my students preferred recreational reading.
** From this I can draw the conclusion that by getting read of the traditional center with a worksheet to complete, my students are happier! If they do not like to complete worksheets, finding a way for them to be productive and learn without worksheets is crucial!!**
I got the Garfield Reading Attitude Inventory from:
McKenna, M. C., Kear,
D. J. (1990). Measuring attitude toward reading: A new tool for teachers.
The Reading Teacher,
43 (9), 626-639. 
Every reading education text I have ever read has always stated that the best way for students to become better readers is to have them read. I really like your analysis of your reading inventories. There is always that student that wants to please the teacher and put all happy faces :) Personally, I think giving the survey only twice during your research would be perfectly acceptable. You could really monitor to see how students' opinions change about academic reading based on their Daily 5 experiences. Have you developed a way to make your students accountable or do you do so through your observations?
ReplyDeleteThe Daily Five text really teaches and encourages having the students be self accountable. While this was really hard for me to do at first, I am actually loving it and think it is making MOST of the kids more accountable for thier actions.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning we set up the idea that they are doing this for themselves- "To be a better reader" We actually have a cheer that we do about once a week to remind them. I had several students say this on thier survey I gave.