2 of 34

Introductions

Ashley Watts – Deeper Learning Coach

Instructional Coach at Robert W. Combs Elementary (2 years)
Taught Middle School and High School Mathematics for 15 years
Love to travel and go jeep trail riding with my husband

Krystal Watts –5^th Grade Math Teacher

5^th/6^th Grade Math Teacher at Robert W. Combs Elementary (19 years)
Love to spend time with my husband and two sons and attend all their football, basketball, and baseball games

3 of 34

The Problem

During my informal observation of two fifth-grade mathematics classes, I noticed that students struggle with understanding various mathematical concepts due to their limited knowledge of mathematical vocabulary.
Despite being exposed to such vocabulary during SAVVAS "Visual Learning" components for each lesson, students still face difficulties in retaining the necessary vocabulary for solving problems, as revealed by daily/weekly formative assessments and summative assessments.

4 of 34

��SAVVAS 5^th Grade Math �“Building Mathematical Literacy” Student Work Samples�

Vocabulary Cards in Interactive Notebook

“Review What You Know” Vocabulary Exercise

Additional Vocabulary Exercise

5 of 34

��SAVVAS 5^th Grade Math�Topic Online Assessments �Fall 2023

6 of 34

Why?

Based on feedback collected from fifth-grade mathematics students during a survey, the SAVVAS mathematics curriculum is considered challenging due to the extensive use of mathematical vocabulary in each lesson, which may be unfamiliar to some students.

Students

Furthermore, a new lesson is introduced every day to keep up with the district's pace, causing frustration for students who haven't fully understood and retained the previous day's vocabulary.

Teacher

7 of 34

5^th Grade Math “Barriers to Learning” Survey Results

8 of 34

��The Tool:�Vocabulary Knowledge Rating

Students will have the chance to…

Activate their previous knowledge and learn new vocabulary before starting a new unit.
Evaluate their understanding at different intervals and determine their current level of comprehension.
Take ownership of their learning and track their progress.

Silver Strong & Associates. (2013). Resource center. toolsforthoughtfulassessment.com. https://toolsforthoughtfulassessment.com/resource-center/

9 of 34

The Purpose & Question

Purpose

Question

How will teaching my students to utilize the Vocabulary Knowledge Rating (VKR) tool affect their ability to know, retain, and apply mathematical vocabulary when problem-solving?

The goal of my study is to see whether utilization of the Vocabulary Knowledge Rating (VKR) tool affects knowledge, retention, and application of mathematical vocabulary when problem-solving.

10 of 34

How will we determine if Vocabulary Knowledge Rating (VKR) is working?

11 of 34

Observations, Evaluations, & Measures

One of the 5th-grade mathematics classes will be the experimental group while the other 5th-grade mathematics class will be the control group.

During class discussions and collaborative activities, I will observe correct student usage of mathematical vocabulary when offering explanations to solve problems.

After weekly formative assessments and end-of-topic summative assessments, I will perform data analysis for the experimental and control groups to determine the effectiveness of the tool.

In addition, results from the i-Ready Diagnostic Assessments will be compared for each group.

At the conclusion of the action research, students who had the opportunity to utilize the VKR tool will be surveyed to further evaluate the effectiveness of the tool .

12 of 34

If it’s true that explicitly teaching vocabulary and allowing students to rate their own understanding yields retention and application of mathematical vocabulary when problem-solving, then I’d expect that using the Knowledge Vocabulary Rating (VKR) tool will increase student achievement. =�

13 of 34

Timeline

Oct. 2023

Jan. 2024 – Mar. 2024

Nov. 2023

April 2024

Analyze the data and determine if the Vocabulary Knowledge Rating (VKR) tool affects the ability of the students to know, retain, and apply mathematical vocabulary when problem-solving.

Selected the Vocabulary Knowledge Rating (VKR) tool to address the problem.

Conduct the study and collect the data.

Identified a problem of practice to investigate.

14 of 34

Collect the Data

Over eight weeks, I utilized the Vocabulary Knowledge Rating (VKR) tool with the experimental group as a strategy to explicitly teach mathematical vocabulary in fifth-grade mathematics.

Here are samples of the Vocabulary Knowledge Rating Organizers utilized for SAVVAS Grade 5 Mathematics Topic 9: Apply Understanding of Division to Divide Fractions, Topic 10: Represent and Interpret Data, and Topic 11: Understand Volume Concepts.

Silver Strong & Associates. (2013). Resource center. toolsforthoughtfulassessment.com. https://toolsforthoughtfulassessment.com/resource-center/

15 of 34

Topic 10: Represent and Interpret Data

Topic 11: Understand Volume Concepts

16 of 34

�Analysis of Weekly Formative Assessments from Topics 9, 10, and 11

�

�	Topic 9 Weekly Formative Assessment Averages (Practice Buddy, Independent Practice, Quick Checks)	Topic 10 Weekly Formative Assessment Averages (Practice Buddy, Independent Practice, Quick Checks)	Topic 11 Weekly Formative Assessment Averages (Practice Buddy, Independent Practice, Quick Checks)
Class 1 (Control)	75%	80%	70%
Class 2 (Experimental)	91%	94%	92%

17 of 34

Sample Formative Assessment Questions

18 of 34

Sample Formative Assessment Questions

19 of 34

Sample Formative Assessment Questions

20 of 34

Sample Formative Assessment Questions

21 of 34

�Analysis of Summative Assessments from Topics 9, 10, and 11�

�	Topic 9 End-of-Topic Summative Online Assessment	Topic 10 End-of-Topic Summative Online Assessment	Topic 11 End-of-Topic Summative Online Assessment
Class 1 (Control)	73%	82%	73%
Class 2 (Experimental)	88%	93%	91%

22 of 34

Sample Summative Assessment Questions

23 of 34

Sample Summative Assessment Questions

24 of 34

Sample Summative Assessment Questions

25 of 34

i-Ready Comparison

�	Winter i-Ready 5th Grade Math Diagnostic 1	Spring i-Ready 5th Grade Math Diagnostic 2
Class 1 (Control)	N: 45%	N: 29%
�	A: 42%	A: 48%
�	P: 13%	P: 23%
�	D: 0%	D: 0%

�	Winter i-Ready 5th Grade Math Diagnostic 1	Spring i-Ready 5th Grade Math Diagnostic 2
Class 2 (Experimental)	N: 32%	N: 19%
�	A: 42%	A: 45%
�	P: 13%	P: 23%
�	D: 13%	D: 13%

26 of 34

VKR Student Survey

VKR Student Survey Class 2 (Experimental)	Yes	No	Unsure
The VKR tool was user-friendly. I understood how to rate myself each time.	15/17	1/17	1/17
The VKR tool assisted me with remembering math vocabulary and application of math vocabulary when solving problems.	13/17	1/17	3/17
The VKR tool contributed to raising my scores on daily assignments, tests, and the i-Ready Diagnostic.	14/17	1/17	2/17
The VKR tool is something I would like to keep using in math class to help me remember math vocabulary when solving problems.	15/17	2/17	0/17

27 of 34

Data Analysis

After an extensive analysis of all the data points, including SAVVAS Topics 9, 10, and 11 formative and summative assessments, i-Ready Winter/Spring Diagnostics, and VKR student survey responses, I concluded that the usage of the Vocabulary Knowledge Rating (VKR) tool contributed to an increase in student achievement in 5th-grade mathematics. �

28 of 34

Data Analysis �(i-Ready Diagnostics)

Class 2 had a significant increase in proficiency and a significant decrease in novice when comparing i-Ready Diagnostic 2 (Spring) to i-Ready Diagnostic 1 (Winter).

Although Class 1 also had an increase in proficiency and a decrease in novice when comparing i-Ready Diagnostic 2 (Spring) to i-Ready Diagnostic 1 (Winter), the percentage of proficient/distinguished for Class 1 (control) was 23% for Diagnostic 2 while the percentage of proficient/distinguished for Class 2 (experimental) was 36%.

29 of 34

VKR Student Survey Analysis

15 out of 17 said the VKR tool was user-friendly

13/17 stated the VKR tool helped them recall important math vocabulary words and application of math vocabulary when solving problems.

When asked if they felt the VKR tool contributed to raising scores on daily assignments, and tests, and the i-Ready Diagnostic, 14/17 responded favorably while one student said “no” and two said they were “unsure.”

15/17 or 88% of Class 2 (experimental) stated that the VKR tool is something they would like to keep using in math class to help them remember math vocabulary when solving problems.

30 of 34

Additional Studies

In the future when conducting additional studies, I would also like to utilize the VKR tool with vocabulary terms associated with the Algebra and Algebraic Thinking domain in 5th-grade mathematics to see if it yields similar results.

In addition, I would also like to expand the study to include grades 3-8 mathematics.

31 of 34

What did I learn?

VKR is simple but powerful for students in terms of the conceptual understanding students gain when evaluating themselves at different intervals throughout units.
My results supported the idea that explicitly teaching vocabulary and allowing students to rate their understanding yields retention and application of mathematical vocabulary when problem-solving. Thus, leading to an increase in student achievement as indicated by various data points.

32 of 34

How will I share?

Grade-Level PLCs

Monthly Departmental PLC

Quarterly District PLCs

New Teacher Academy Meetings

33 of 34

How can I apply?

At the culmination of my action research project, I have come to realize that the Vocabulary Knowledge Rating (VKR) Tool isn’t just applicable to mathematics, but it could also be used for any content area when vocabulary needs to be explicitly taught to master the Kentucky Academic Standards.
I truly believe that the Vocabulary Knowledge Rating (VKR) tool is the missing link I have been looking for throughout my teaching career when it comes to vocabulary and problem-solving in mathematics.

34 of 34

Thank you

Ashley Watts

Instructional Coach, Robert W. Combs Elementary

ashley.watts@perry.kyschools.us