Literacy Pedagogy to Combat Severe Poverty in Haiti- Yvonne Aja - Alex Lizzappi- Faculty Mentor: Philomena Susan Marinaccio, Ph.D.

1. Literacy Pedagogy to Combat
Severe Poverty in Haiti
- Yvonne Aja - Alex Lizzappi
- Faculty Mentor: Philomena Susan Marinaccio, Ph.D.

2. Struggling to read is the cause of most Haitian students leaving school by 4th grade. FAU and the Miami
based non-profit organization "Ayiti Now Corp" are collaborating to provide a culturally-relevant literacy
intervention to Haitian teachers and Haitian children of poverty. Ladson-Billings (1995) characterized culturally
relevant teachers as attending to students’ academic needs, ensuring that students learn that which is most
meaningful to them, inviting the students to engage the world and others critically, allowing students to
maintain their cultural integrity and valuing their skills and abilities and channeling them in academic ways.
Our research will provide teacher and student training as well as access to children's literature in Haitian
Creole and textbooks in French for a Literature Circle intervention (Daniels, 2010).
When teachers engage their students in quality literature in a culturally relevant environment it allows the
student the opportunity to interpret from more than one perspective and point of view; be purposeful and
reflective; and promotes curiosity, inquiry, and critical thinking.
Methods: Research subjects will consist of 6 teachers and 40 children from 3th grade at the AEMSA School in
St. Marc, Haiti. For a one-week period in August 2013 an FAU professor will provide teacher training in this
literacy approach through online Blackboard recordings. The literature circle training will be presented in a
fast-track course for 3 hours per day for 5 days. The literature circle reading strategy combines reading,
writing, thinking, feeling, talking and taking action by encouraging students to get excited about literature while
developing a community of learners where everyone’s input is important and valued (Long & Gove, 2004).
During training Haitian teachers will be introduced to grade-specific literature selections in Haitian Creole and
French, trained in literature circle participant roles and responsibilities, and learn before-during and after meta-
comprehension strategies.
Researchers will use a formative process to develop a classroom observation instrument for use in Haitian
classrooms to determine the fidelity of implementation of the Literature Circle (Newman, Lim, & Pineda, 2011).
This observation instrument will be used to measure the occurrence of observable teaching practices that are
aligned with the Literature Circle training. Results: This research intervention proposal is being written for
implementation during the 2013-2014 Haitian School year.
ABSTRACT

3. PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
● The purpose of the reading experience will be to increase students’
achievement in reading and to provide learning opportunities that
promote an intrinsic desire for the love of reading.
● Through an increase in student's reading achievement they will be
better equipped to complete their primary schooling and advance to
secondary school.
● A program in which Haitian teachers are trained to provide research-
proven strategies to enhance reading experiences.
● Not only students' reading scores will improve; teachers will also
gain confidence and demonstrated improved skills after professional
development.

4. WHY HAITI NEEDS LITERACY
INTERVENTION
The reality of education in Haiti is too inadequate,
unproductive and inefficient.
- Lack of government investment:
* (20% of education budget serves 70% of the population)
* (Education budget IS 2% of GDP, 2009);
- Poverty ($2/day) & Extreme poverty ($1/day);
- 92% of all primary schools are privatized; Tuition cost;
- Child labour; Over-age children; Reduced attendance;
- Lack of oversight/regulation and licensed schools;
- Illiterate parents or disengaged guardians;
- Unqualified teachers (which results in):
*High rate of student repetition and dropout
*Lack of reading-comprehension teaching strategies;
- Low teacher salaries
*High teacher turnover rate
- Lack of resources: technology, supplies & textbooks;
- Language barrier; French is imposed;
- Antiquated national testing;
- Lack of physical access to schools; Long distance walk;
- Classroom/Students ratios & no individualized attention
Of Haiti's 10 million
person population, a
surprising 6 million
are under the age of
21. Sadly, only about
half of those children
attend school. And of
those children, only
about 30% finish
primary schooling!

5. The majority of the students at AEMSA
have low reading-comprehension
proficiency furthermore reduced when
reading in French. The inability to read
and learn impairs the graduation rates
and leads to permanent dropouts in
primary school. Illiteracy increases the
percentage of students trapped by
poverty.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM AT AEMSA
a community school serving marginalized children of poverty

6. AREA OF FOCUS STATEMENT
The focus of the research is to collect students
academic achievement data pre/post the
literature circle attended by teachers trained on
metacognitive / comprehension strategies.

7. POPULATION SAMPLE
Six teachers will be trained by a FAU professor via
online Blackboard recordings.
Four teachers are female. All teachers are native
Haitians. Their ages range from 28 to 49 years, with
an average age of 37 years.
All teachers have been teaching at AEMSA since
2000 except one since 2010. One teacher has 29
years of school teaching experience.
All the students from AEMSA's 3rd
grade class will be invited to participate
in the literature circle, averaging about
40 students.
Parent/guardian approval is required
through a signed consent and assent
form.
Five to seven groups will be created
consisting of 6 - 8 students.
According to last
year's 3rd grade
demographics, 60%
are female, 91% are
over the age of 8, 53%
are over the age of 12
and 50% are restavek.

8. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
● Are there pre/post intervention differences in the comprehension
achievement of students?
● Are there pre/post intervention differences in the attitude scores of
students?
● Are there pre/post intervention differences in the academic achievement
scores of students?
● Are there pre/post differences for teachers after inservice/training
(awareness workshop) reflections of their own literacy pedagogy?
● Are there pre/post differences for teachers after inservice/training
(awareness workshop) reflections of their students literacy pedagogy?

9. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
● Comprehension Strategies
IRA identified six comprehension
strategies that research suggests are
crucial in developing reading
comprehension:
● Metacognitive Strategies
Metacognition has been described as thinking about thinking. More specific definitions include
references to knowledge and control of factors that affect learning, such as knowledge of self, the
task at hand, and the strategies to be employed (Baker and Brown 1984; Palincsar and Brown 1981)
Metacognition plays an important role in comprehension (Flavell, 1970 , 1974).
Palinscar & Brown identified six metacognitive strategies that help foster comprehension (1984,
1989).
(1) Prediction/Prior Knowledge
(2) Think-Alouds
(3) Text Structure
(4) Visual Representation,
(5) Summarizing,
(6) Questions/questioning (National Reading Panel, 2000)
(1) clarifying the purpose of reading;
(2) activating relevant background knowledge;
(3) allocating attention to the important ideas;
(4) evaluating content for internal consistency and compatibility with prior
knowledge;
(5) self-monitoring to verify comprehension; and
(6) drawing and testing inferences.
Readers skilled in these strategies seek to establish "meaningfulness" in their reading and value careful selection of
strategies and of their comprehension.

10. LITERATURE CIRCLE DEFINITION
● Student should spend most of their time reading texts that they can read and want to read (Allington, 2002;
Ivey & Baker, 2004).
● Literature circles assist the students in responding to literature more critically, while improving fluency and to
creating an environment in which students can use their personal experiences and prior knowledge (Kong &
Fitch, 2003).
● Literature Circles combines reading, writing, thinking, feeling, talking and taking action beyond the obvious
by encouraging students to get excited about literature while developing a community of learners where
everyone’s input is important and valued (Long & Gove, 2004).
● All literature circles share three common elements: diversity, self-choice and student initiative (Daniels,
2002).
● Learn to read by reading (Smith, 1990).
● Daniels (1994) defines literature circles as, small-group, student-directed meetings to share the same book
with peers through discussion of the literature where the topics are chosen by the students and supported by
the teacher. Each group member prepares to take specific responsibilities in the upcoming discussion, and
everyone comes to the group with the notes needed to to help perform that job (pg. 13).
Schlick Noe, K.L. & Johnson, N.J. (1999)

11. LITERATURE CIRCLE DEFINITION
1. Children choose their own reading materials.
2. Small temporary groups are formed, based on book choice.
3. Different groups read different books
4. Groups meet on a regular predictable schedule.
5. Students use written or drawn notes to guide both their reading and discussion.
6. Discussion topics come from the students
7. Group meetings aim to be open, natural conversations. Often the conversations digress to
topics relating to the students or loosely to the books, but should eventually return to the novel.
8. The teacher serves as a facilitator, observer, listener and often a fellow reader, alongside the
students. The teacher is not an instructor.
9. Students are given roles or jobs to complete for each group meeting.
10. The teacher should model how students facilitate each role or job.
11. Evaluation is by teacher observation and student self-evaluation and should also include
extension projects.
12. A spirit of playfulness and fun pervades the room.
13. New groups form around new reading choices.
(Daniels, 1994)
Discussion prompts can be given by the teacher to encourage a direction for the students' responses, such as
"How does the setting affect the characters?"
"What are alternative solutions to the character's conflicts in the text?"
"What connections can you make with regard to the character's situation(s)?"

12. FORMATS FOR DISCUSSION
Bonnie Campbell Hill, Katherine L. Schlick Noe, and Nancy J. Johnson

13. INFORMATION FOR THE DISCUSSION
Bonnie Campbell Hill, Katherine L. Schlick Noe, and Nancy J. Johnson

14. INFORMATION FOR THE DISCUSSION
Bonnie Campbell Hill, Katherine L. Schlick Noe, and Nancy J. Johnson

15. ROLES IN LITERATURE CIRCLES
Summarizer
This role involves preparing a brief summary of the reading that was assigned for that day's meeting. The summary
should include the main ideas or events to remember, major characters, symbols or other significant highlights of the
passage. Good summarizers are important to literature circles, as they can help their peers see the overall picture
(DaLie, 2001). Also include important events.
Vocabulary Enricher
Also called the Word Master or Word Wizard, this role is to record important words for that day's reading. Words that
are unusual, unknown, or that stand out in some way are usually chosen by the student. Their page number and
definition is also recorded. Often students do not see this role as particularly stimulating; however, it can be a role
suited to students who are still developing confidence in English classes or textual analysis.
Travel Tracer
This role involves recording where the major shifts in action or location take place in the novel for the reading section.
Keeping track of shifts in place, time, and characters helps students keep track of important shifts in the novel. Artistic
students also are drawn to this role, as artwork can be incorporated into this role as well. The student's role is to
describe each setting in detail, using words or maps that illustrate the action.
Investigator
This role includes investigative work where background information needs to be found on any topic relating to the book.
Historical, geographical, cultural, musical or other information that would help readers connect to the novel is often
researched and shared with the group. The research is informal in nature, providing small bits of information in order
that others can better understand the novel.
Figurative Language Finder
This role includes identification of various types of figurative language, including but not limited to simile, metaphor,
personification, hyperbole, and idiom. This may lead to discussion about the author's craft - why the author chose to
use those particular words or phrases, and whether or not they were effective. This in-context identification can be
more relevant and memorable than isolated instruction by the teacher of these types of tools.

16. Discussion Facilitator
This role involves developing a list of questions that the group might discuss about the section of the novel to be
discussed for that meeting. Questions should be designed to promote lively conversation and insights about the book;
they should be open-ended and should not be "yes/no" questions. A student with this task asks these questions to the
group to prompt discussion; overall, the job is to keep the group talking and on-task. Questions that a student might ask
could be: "What was going through your mind when you read this passage?" or "How did the main character change as
a result of this incident?"
Locator
This role involves locating a few significant passages of text that are thought-provoking, funny, interesting, disturbing, or
powerful. The quotations are copied down with properly cited page numbers. A student with this task can read the
passages out loud him/herself or ask other group members to read as well. Commentary and discussion will be
generated from these passages.
Illustrator
As the term implies, this job entails drawing, sketching, or painting a picture, portrait or scene relating to the appropriate
section of the novel. Collages from magazines, images from the internet, and other media can also be used. The
student with this role then shares the artwork with the group, explaining the passage(s) that relate to the art. Often
students who do not like to write do very well with this role. The pictures usually generate interesting group
conversations.
Connector
This role involves locating several significant passages in the novel and connecting these passages to real life. The
connections might relate to school, friends or family, home, the community, or they might relate to movies, celebrities,
the media etc. Students should also feel free to connect incidents or characters with other books that they have read.
Of all the roles, this role is often the most personal in its focus.
ROLES IN LITERATURE CIRCLES

17. DATA COLLECTION METHODOLOGY
How will the data be collected?
Observations
● On-going teacher observation and active participation in group discussions is critical in
assessing student progress both individually and in whole group. Daniels (1994) notes that most
assessment should be formative, ensuring that students are provided with timely feedback to
learn more effectively. Observations can meet such formative assessment criteria.
Portfolios
● Collections of student products, collected and assembled in a meaningful fashion, provide the
opportunity for reflection, discussion, response to the book, and displaying a student's best work.
Portfolios can take on many forms, ranging from writing, art, video/audiotapes, learning logs,
student journals, personal responses etc. (Daniels, 1994).
How often will data be collected?
● At every scheduled discussion.

18. SELECTION OF LITERATURE
Compelling content -- action, suspense, dialogue, humor, controversy: Most teachers look for books
in which the story blasts off from the first few pages. Books with action and conflict automatically
prompt response. As Janine King said, "If students disagree with what the characters are doing, they'll
talk. If they think the character's making some bad choices, they can get pretty riled up and want to
talk about that, too."
Realistic characters: As readers, we all want characters we can come to know, characters so real that
they could walk down the street with us.
Picture books with strong, colorful illustrations that support the story: Illustrations can be as important
as story content in sparking response, particularly for beginning readers.
* Monson, D. (1995). Choosing books for literature circles

19. PROCEDURES
SETTINGS
Several classrooms at AEMSA
Primary School where the
students reside will serve as the
primary setting for delivering the
reading program.
Teachers will receive their training
via online Blackboard recordings
provided by an FAU professor
over the course of a one-week
period.
READING PROGRAM
The reading program will be implemented in two
phases.
● First, the teachers will be trained on reading
pedagogy for struggling students, with a
significant emphasis on strategies that are
appropriate for low income students.
Furthermore, hands-on practice in writing
lesson plans, creating literacy activities, and
selecting and using appropriate reading
resources will be provided.
● The second phase is the delivery of the
reading program to students. The reading
program will occur once a week for the
entirety of the academic school year.

20. INSTRUMENTS AND RESOURCES
Will use a Teacher Exit Reflection Survey developed and validated by a team of
seven FAU faculty members and doctoral students with expertise in reading
instruction. The survey utilize a retrospective design in order to collect
information about both their growth as well as the students tutored.
Demographic information, tutor changes in confidence, knowledge, and skills,
and student changes in attitude and reading skills will be solicited using
quantitative and qualitative formats.
A state-administered
reading test, will be
utilized in obtaining
both pre- and post-
intervention scores.

21. TIMELINE OF RESEARCH
September 2013 - July 2014 Haitian School Year