ABSTRACT
This chapter showcases nine easy-to-adapt action research projects related to vocabulary, fluency and motivation. The particular focus of the chapter is on the following:
• action research projects that can be adapted for many classroom settings
• steps that teachers can take to engage in teacher-initiated enquiry
• different data collection and analysis techniques
• additional questions related to focal areas that can guide meaningful action research
• teaching ideas that can be adapted for immediate classroom use to promote reading skills development
Vocabulary, reading fluency and motivation are central to skilled reading and reading skills development. For that reason, they represent good topics for action research. Reflective teachers concerned about their students’ progress in these areas often ask themselves questions such as the following. How well am I facilitating vocabulary learning? Do my students know enough vocabulary to understand classroom materials? Do my students read fast enough? How can I squeeze fluency development activities into an already packed reading curriculum? How can I motivate my reticent readers? What types of reading activities build motivation among students? Despite the value of such queries, they are typically too broad to guide manageable action research projects. Questions that target select aspects of these broad areas, thereby narrowing down the topic, typically prove to be more manageable and fruitful for busy teachers.
