Application of Action Research in Teaching Reading to High School Students, Coursework Example

Reading specifically enhances the rational capabilities of a person hence provides one with a better vision about life. This is the primary reason why it is important for students to establish a good sense of proper reading practice hence honing their capability to think and reason out with the matters that they learn from the materials that they are able to read (Brown, 2002). Being able to hone this particular reading capability provides one a good foundation in furthering the understanding that he has around him; allowing him to know more and extend his capacities to explain different matters existing in his environment.

To be able to teach proper reading practice to students, it is important to apply the principles of action research. Action research is the process of learning that involves effective ways of defining one’s capability on understanding problems and giving them the chance to see through things differently (Ferrance, 2000). For students, this capability allows them to expand their understanding and further improve their rational definition of the matters that they see around them. This is the reason why it is assumed that applying the approaches of action research in defining the reading practice of students through teaching is to be presented in this discussion.

When it comes to understanding the different procedures of implementing action research in teaching, it is first important to note that there are different types considered under this approach. One is that of the action science (Nolen, 2000) which is defined to be the study that represents how human beings define their actions especially when dealing with particularly difficult situations. Another is that of the cooperative inquiry which involves the process of researching with people rather than simply “on them”. This means that the participants ought to be included or at most involved with the procedures of research being taken into consideration. The third type of action research is the participatory process of research whereas there is a direct interaction between the researcher and the participants hence allowing the researcher to see through the situations of the participants based on their daily habits and other instances that happen to them daily.

These approaches of research are expected to make definition of what reading should be about. High school students specifically need to know how important proper reading process is in their lives at school and their lives in the actual world of employment. In teaching high school students to utilize proper research to be able to decode the meaning of the materials they read, the teachers are helping them be equipped with the proper option of learning through proper understanding. Expanding one’s knowledge about the concept of the issue being presented in the reading does create a more distinguished aspect of separating facts from opinion hence giving the reader a clear vision of what is being imposed by the authors of the reading materials they are exploring.

Action research does not simply involve the capability and willingness of one to think. It imposes on the need of one to take action based on the situation one faces (Dick, 2006). In reading, one is able to indicate the effectiveness of action research through becoming aware of what is evident in the reading materials they tend to explore and being able to think on how each of the elemental factors they discover from such materials could be applied in their own personal lives as they deal with everyday challenges. It is evident that with action research approach, teachers are also equipped with the capacity to understand how their students think based on the backgrounds they have on the topics being tackled within the reading materials. The notable indication of understanding could be seen through proper application in actual situations; this is how the effective result of action research application could be measured.

In helping the students gain proper motivation to read properly and practice it as a part of their daily activities, teachers need to point out that reading does have a great impact on their lives now and in the future. In line with this, it is important to make sure that the teachers are specifically able to understand what action research is and are best motivated to pursue the said approach of teaching through helping their students see more than what the books could say or define matters beyond the four walls of their classroom. Reading should be observed by students as a tool to widen their understanding of the different issues in life they are involved with and further improve their perception about the elements considered in each form of practical knowledge (Donato, 2003). Reading should be introduced to learners as a form of research that would benefit them throughout their life and not just an activity that must be completed because it is part of the curriculum.

Applying action research in teaching reading to high school students could be done through direct inculcation of the system within the culture of learning that the students receive. This way, reading does not simply become a part of the curriculum, but would become a part of their everyday lifestyle. Helping the students realize the importance of reading is one thing, but motivating them to practice it regularly with the full competence of understanding what they are reading is another matter to consider. This basically means that learners ought to identify with the course of development that they ought to take especially when it comes to relating what they read into their lives. Exploring their environment based on what they read and researching beyond what the materials they read provide them with is expected to have a great impact on how each learner develops his or her own reading culture. High school learning should be constructive thus suggesting that the students ought to be given the capability to understand the practicality of their lessons on their own lives. The motivation of proper reading through the application of action research procedure in teaching could do well to provide that satisfaction to the learners.

References:

Brown, B. L. (2002). Improving teaching practices through action research (Unpublished doctoral dissertation).Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/docview/305517207?accountid=139631.

Dick, B. (2006). Action research literature 2004-2006: Themes and trends. Action Research, 4 (4), 439-458. Retrieved from http://arj.sagepub.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/content/4/4/439.full.pdf+html.

Donato, R. (2003, December). Action research. ERIC Digest. Retrieved from http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/digest_pdfs/0308 donato.pdf.

Ferrance, E. (2000). Action research: Brown University Brown University. Retrieved from http://www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/themes_ed/act_research.pdf.

Nolen, A. L., & Vander Putten, J. (2007, October). Action research in education: Addressing gaps in ethical principles and practices. Educational Researcher, 36 (7), 401-407. http://edr.sagepub.com.proxy1.ncu.