Cycle+2

=Classroom Research/ Rationale: =

My goal as I enter Cycle-Two is to introduce the digital camera as an everyday teaching tool to facilitate literacy learning. Not only will doing so create new learning experiences, but such use will further enhance activities already used in the classroom. Cycle-One created a learning environment that prepared students for an introduction to the digital camera, establishing expectations for future learning.

My first grade “test” class had limited exposure in using digital cameras. Any activities documenting students’ experiences with digital photography found an adult as the primary person taking and sharing pictures with the class. As an example, a picture was taken during a classroom birthday celebration. It was subsequently shared with the students to recall a special memory. Research has shown that in the past, this format was the most common experience in classroom photography (Byrnes and Wasik, 2009).

Cycle-Two is intended to scaffold the students from their past experiences with digital cameras (Cycle-One) to the ultimate objective (Cycle-Three), of having students in control of //both// the camera and the subject of what is being photographed. This is accomplished by having the students “intimately” involved with the picture taking process, while the teacher serves as a guide for the students in determining the subject matter of the picture and its use in a designed activity.

Considerable focus of my research during Cycle-Two involved “charting," in particular, "process charts." I wanted to grasp how digital cameras had been used and, thereafter, could be used to improve functionality. According to Good, (2009) "While it is always wise to provide a literacy model of words, it is still better to pair those words with pictures of the objects that belong in that space."

Some of the many ways charts containing digital pictures that have been used in other classrooms are as follows: to manage students (ex: attendance chart), to manage time (e.g., daily schedule), to manage materials (e.g., labeling the classroom library), and to provide instruction (e.g.,"process charts"). A process chart shows step-by-step directions to achieve a desired outcome. Typically, these are created by the classroom teacher to aide in "self-help" (Good, 2009). Since process charts are known to encourage emergent literacy skills, my focus was primarily upon them.

__My sub-question for Cycle-Two:__ ** "How can digital cameras be used within a classroom environment to support charts, thereby fostering emergent literacy skills?" ** __My actions for Cycle-Two:__ **“How to** ** create and/or revise “classroom” charts to include digital photographs.” **



= Action One: = **//Create a chart using digital pictures to express students thoughts and ideas.//**

Background Information/Research:
As children become engaged in the emergent reading process, it is common for them to seek out picture books that use illustrations or photos to deepen story-context. Before students can decode the print in these picture books, they must first learn to “read” the pictures. This process occurs //before// they notice the print (Good, 2009). My research sought to verify whether that process would also be applicable to classroom charts.

Our “test” class has begun a unit of study (in Writing Workshop) directed towards "persuasive letter writing." As an introduction to this unit, students went on a "school tour" to search for things they would like to correct/change in their school community. Data collected on this school tour would serve as the topic for persuasive letter(s).

The classroom teacher created a chart containing a variety of “we-would-like-to-change” situations that were observed (and photographed) on the tour. (See picture of chart above) It was important to ascertain that students were able to read the text since they would later be asked write a persuasive letter regarding one of their observations.

Process:
To scaffold the process from being teacher-driven to having students using digital cameras independently, the class was divided into three groups. Each group had an adult designated to carry a digital camera. (Previously, each student toted a clipboard and after identifying something to change in their school environment, they drew a picture of their topic). In this action-point, however, when a student made a ‘critical identification,” the group-designated adult was asked to photograph the topic. This process began a transition in camera-control from teacher to adult to student.

Following the school tour, I compiled all of the pictures and produced a slide show for the students to watch. From that “visual,” the class voted for five issues they would like to address during their writing unit. A chart was then made stating each problematic observation and a digital photo was attached to the text, serving as a visual representation.

Reflection:
Important to note is the //fact// that students who were unable to read the text (on the chart) were nevertheless able to decode its intended meaning by using the digital photos as clues. This “recognition” supports the theory Good (2009) identified: “emergent readers first learn to read pictures and then use those pictures to comprehend the printed text.”

I was fortunate to be able to observe another first grade class that did the same assignment without using a digital camera. Dragan (2008) correctly identifies that, "Until children have had enough drawing experiences and opportunities to put pencil to paper, some kids might say, 'I can't draw.' The camera gives them another way to have success."

Such was exactly what I discovered during this experience. Furthermore, students who were asked to “draw their subject-of-focus” put forth so much time and effort into creating those pictures that the purpose of the lesson was hampered, if not lost altogether. The hand-drawn pictures were not clear enough visual representations of the text. Thus, students were unable to decode the meaning of the chart.

=Action Two: = //**Digital pictures to encourage writing.**// __Class Model:__ __(Sample) Student Writing:__



Research:
"Photo's call out for stories to be told." (Dragan, 2008) Photos invite stories and stories generate language practice. When students use photographs as the focus of their stories (and in this case, letter's) language is practiced in authentic, meaningful, and non-threatening ways (Dragan, 2008).

In the last unit of study, I observed first graders draw visual representation to support their writing. What I noticed is that their pictures, often at best, were poor representations of what the text said. I am not advocating an abdication of student drawing in favor of digital photographs. Rather, I believe students can learn // what // to draw or // what should be included // in their drawing THROUGH the appropriate use of digital photography. Dick Sperisen, a well-regarded art education coordinator, refers to digital pictures as "additional incentives" for drawing and self-expression.

As teachers, we must recognize the importance of presenting information to our students in diverse ways. Such diversification is referred to as differentiating. It promotes alternatives to reach students who may well learn in different ways. Using digital photographs in this context is an example of differentiation.

Process:
As a continuation of this unit of study on writing a persuasive letter, one picture/ situation was selected as the representative "class letter." This letter was collectively authored during shared writing. It served to model the process of letter writing and how to use digital photograph as a writing-prompt.

Accordingly and initially, I needed to model how a digital picture could serve as a writing-prompt. Using the aforementioned photograph selected by the class for its letter, I then modeled how to "read images." (Ewald, 2001) Through "thinking aloud," I demonstrated how to examine the details within the picture and describe what was being seen. Our discussion drew from their previous experiences, what the students can see and know, as expressed by images. The latter, in turn, served as a springboard for writing.

After the subject letter was completed and displayed as a resource for independent writing, we revisited the school tour slide show. Each child selected a preferred picture/ situation to write about independently. A graphic organizer (containing “that” selected picture) was provided for each student. The completed graphic organizer will be used to assist the students as they write their own persuasive letters.

Reflection:
Ewald (2001) suggests when looking for photos for your students to discuss, focus on images that are relevant to their lives. By photographing the student’s (relevant) community, it was easier to introduce the concept of using digital pictures to facilitate writing. The class was familiar and comfortable talking and writing about such an immediate subject. This allowed me to focus upon higher-level thinking skills.

It is further important to note that prior to using photographs as a spring-board for such writing, the selected pictures should be readily subject to a vibrant (verbal) depiction. This was accomplished by displaying a picture; then encouraging an enthusiastic discussion to orally explain what the picture represented… and why someone would like to see that specific environment changed. Research continues to support the premise that a young child’s language can be promoted by a well directed display of a photograph; then, asking: “what is happening in that picture.” (Good, 2009)

“Pictorial-to-verbalization” activities/ techniques will be frequently used in Cycle-Three. These created quite a literacy-stir amongst the students. It was engaging, encouraging and even enterprising. While the students have not yet completed their persuasive letters, it is without any doubt that this methodology and technique will serve as a useful tool for producing a finer finished work-product.

As you can observe herein, Action One transitioned well into Action Two. While the pictures in each were used to serve different purposes, I was able to store each segment on my computer, using them in as many different ways was productive. This represents another significant benefit of using the digital camera.

=Action Three: = **//Strategy bookmarks to assist students with independent reading.//**

Background Information:
In Reading Workshop, the students have been focusing upon strategies that "Brave Readers" utilize to "figure out" unknown words. The teacher had made (and updates) a process chart with the class each day, listing another strategy the students can use. The three strategies are as follows: 1. “Look at the picture and ask, ‘What makes sense there?’" 2. “Look at the initial sound of the word.” 3. “Look at the ending sound of the word.”

Research and Rationale:
During independent reading, I noticed that a group of students were struggling to use the strategies listed above. Occasionally, I would observe them “looking back” to the process chart (which was not always on display). Many would skip over the unknown word (ultimately effecting text comprehension.) They also asked for the teacher to tell them the word. According to research, digital photos are more apt to capture student’s interests and are more readily understood. This, in turn, allows the learner to focus on higher-level processes such as identifying problem-solving steps (Byrnes and Wasik, 2009.)

A considered-strength that I have found when using a digital camera is how easy the photographs are to reproduce. Being stored on the computer’s memory, one has the ability to recall, reprint and redesign each to serve further and new purposes. Knowing this, I reasoned that it would not be difficult to vary the chart for alternative purposes or to make copies of the chart’s specific (as opposed to general) content. Accordingly, I adopted a bookmark containing the strategies and pictures that would best suit both the needs of the students and mine.

During independent reading, the students’ focus is exclusively on reading their books. They do not have individualized folders or a place to keep process charts. A bookmark is a useful tool in this regard. My thought for creating such bookmarks was to have each one contain personalized reading strategies, incorporating digital pictures //thereupon// as a “reminder.”

Process:
With the chart as a guide, I took three pictures, each representing a specific strategy that used a digital camera. The pictures were attached to the class chart. However, I wanted to transition one step further by making certain that each child, reading independently, had access to the requisite resource. To accomplish this task, I created "bookmarks." Each bookmark included information from the process chart and had accompanying digital pictures as representations of the strategies. The students were given the bookmarks to use whenever they read independently.

I contracted my research, focusing upon on a small group of students that I had “met with” for Guided Reading several times a week. (My rationale for choosing these students was that they appeared to be significantly dependent on using the process chart created by the classroom teacher.) Thus, they were least likely to use “the strategies” independently. During these meetings, I emphasized using the aforesaid three strategies as an integral part of their independent reading.

I explained that the bookmarks should be used “to keep track of where they were in the story” and also, how to use them as a reference/guide for revealing previously unknown words. When students came upon an unfamiliar word, they were taught to “look at their bookmark” and, starting at the top, read down to the bottom (using the digital pictures to help them decode the text), //thereby applying each strategy.//

Reflection:
It was most satisfying to observe the enforced results of integrating bookmarks within this group of students. As previously mentioned, the group I choose was one that significantly struggled with the three decoding strategies. This group also would have been the least likely to use the three strategies independently. I found that the test-group students were excited to receive a new learning "tool" and progressively used it as a resource to decode unknown words. I watched with delight as those students used bookmarks for their intended purpose. Nevertheless, as the newness of the bookmarks passes, reminders to use them with consistency may be necessary until internalized takes place. Providing the bookmarks for the entire class worked well. It removed the potential for either the test group or the remainder of the students to feel that they were being singled out. The bookmarks provided a reminder that ALL of the first graders were "brave readers."

The digital camera made it easy to create both the process chart and bookmarks. Having the same pictures on the bookmarks and process charts helped students transfer what they were learning as a class-unit to what they can be learning independently.

This experience was an eye-opener for the appropriate use and positive impact that digital photography can have with respect to other currently “in classroom use” process charts. A goodly portion of these latter (in-use) charts contain unfamiliar words. Having visual representations to accompany the text would provide a positive environment for decoding.

In retrospect, I can strongly state that when using digital photography to enhance literacy skills, there are but degrees of positive impact; and, the use of bookmarks for decoding is only curbed by one’s imagination.

Next steps:
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I look forward with much enthusiasm to Cycle-Three where //“how far the digitally equipped first grader(s) can proceed in this form of learning while staying within the boundaries of appropriate literacy skill learning and development”// __will be tried and tested.__ It appears to me that when given guidelines that are “gently reinforced,” students’ abilities to explore the depths of their imagination in using digital cameras and photography is nearly limitless.