Text Features Assessment

While I taught my first 2 mini-units in science, my reading focused on 1 main skill: using text features to read non-fiction.  My assessment results provided an interesting look at what my students learned about text features. 
 
The assessment consisted of 2 parts.  The first part required students to read a non-fiction passage and answer questions that required them to use the text features found in the text.  The second part required students to match the name of a text featurs (ex. title) to its "job".  This provided me with 2 sets of information.  First, could students identify the basic jobs of the text features (recall level) and second, could the students apply that knowledge to reading a passage and answering questions.  Below is a breakdown of my students' scores on the assessment.


Part 1: Answering questions on the text requiring use of the text features.  10 questions, multiple choice.

• 3 students answered fewer than half of the questions correctly
• 3 students answered exactly half of the questions correctly
•  13 students answered more than half of the questions correctly

Part 2: Matching the text feature with its "job". 9 questions, matching.

• 8 students answered fewer than half of the questions correctly
• 11 students answered more than half of the questions correctly

*Note: 1 student put no effort into the matching section and simply wrote the letters on the blanks in reverse alphabetical order.  His answers to the 9 questions were I, H, G, F, E, D, C, B, and A, in that order.  It's hard to say whether he really did not know the jobs of the text features or simply chose not to try.


Overall, the scores weren't terrible, but they weren't as stellar as the science assessment scores either.  Text features are difficult to teach, because there are so many of them that can be used.  In addition, most students I have taught did not have much background with text features, so introducing them all AND expecting them to apply the text features as they read is a tall order.  I am concerned that perhaps I am not spending enough time or effort on the reading aspect of my instruction.  The students are exposed to a variety of texts each day and have several different opportunities to interact with the texts.  During read-alouds, I consistently asked students quesitons about the text features they saw and how they felt the features helped them understand the text better.  Perhaps I did not have enough "focused" time working specifically with text features.  I am trying t correct this as I work through my next unit, but it is a difficult balance to achieve.  I have been greatly surprised over the course of this study to see how flexible my plan has become.  It really is just like what I do in my classroom everyday; I teach the students, see what does/does not work, and "tweak" it to make it more effective.  I am hopeful that I can continue to strengthen my integrated reading and science instruction as I get nearer to the end of this study.