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Micaiah Kelley

Student Learning Analysis

Winter 2024

Oakland University

Introduction

Throughout the duration of our 10th grade memoir unit, specifically when introducing the

basics of a memoir, I collected data that reflected the students’ understanding of the content. In

the first section of this paper, you will find the learning goals and state standards that were used

throughout this portion of the 10th grade memoir unit. The second section shows how my

assessment was useful in collecting data to analyze via writings. The third section consists of

how the collected data provided insight into student thinking about the basics of a memoir,

particularly with students mixing up purpose and message. The fourth section highlights how my

instruction was influenced by this mix-up and how focusing on these two terms led to more

students better understanding the basics of memoirs. In the fifth section of this paper, you will

see how the follow-up assessment determined that there was growth in their understanding of

basics parts of a memoir, specifically in understanding purpose and message.

Section 1: Learning Goals and Standards

At the beginning of the memoir unit, the students were introduced to the basic four

components of a memoir: purpose, message, tone, and strategies used. The learning goals for this

portion of the unit were “to determine the author’s purpose in a text”, “to determine a central

idea of a text”, and “to determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text

using tone”. These are derived from the ELA Reading Literature State Standards which state,

“determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses
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rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose” (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.10.6), “determine a

theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text,

including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective

summary of the text” (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.10.2), and “determine the meaning of words and

phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the

cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes

a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone)” (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.10.4).

The learning objective was for the students to determine what the purpose, tone, message, and

strategies used were by the end of each chapter.

Section 2: Substantive Analysis of Student Understanding

The first assessment for this unit was through oral answers to my questions. The students

worked in groups to determine the purpose, message, tone, and strategies used on examples of

posters that I displayed on the board. Every group in both classes showed a good level of

understanding of these concepts and showed they were ready to advance from the posters to the

book itself.

For the first chapter, I performed a Think Aloud and modeled for the students how to find

appropriate places within the chapter to stop and think about what the tone, message, purpose,

and strategies that were used. I then allowed them the opportunity for them to try this by

themselves for the rest of the chapter. For the second chapter though, the students were to turn in

one sticky note from a section of the chapter where they paused and considered the purpose,

strategies that were used, message, and tone from one of the stories within this chapter. Through

the collection of these sticky notes, I could see that, of my 45 sophomores, roughly 80% of the
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students had not understood how to transfer their understanding from the introductory lesson to

the book.

Section 3: Analysis of Assessment Data/Student Feedback

After the sticky note assessment, I saw that there were two patterns. The first pattern

represented students who had regressed in their understanding of message and purpose. These

students submitted sticky notes that provided two messages and no purpose. Their statements

showed they had deviated from the learning path and needed to be redirected before confusion

and mistakes could arise later in the unit. The second group represented students who were

steady in their understanding of message and purpose. These students submitted sticky notes that

provided one message and one purpose. Their statements were at a basic level that showed they

were on the path to continue growing into a deeper analysis of memoirs through these two terms.

The students received feedback individually and as a class. In an individual setting, I

reminded students that purpose and message were meant to mean two different things. I then

took their message statements and asked them, “If this is the message, then what is the author

wanting us to do with it?” I also used this question when I retaught the students what message

and purpose are. I also gave feedback in the form of reminding them of the definitions of the two

terms that I had displayed throughout the introductory lesson. I explained to my students what I

had noticed about the two groups and explained how these two terms were building blocks for

our understanding of terms that would appear later in the unit.

Section 4: Subsequent Instruction Informed by Analysis of Student Thinking

The day following the assessment, I used fables to show my students what message and

purpose looked like in stories. First, I redisplayed the definitions of message and purpose onto

the board. I made sure to put the definitions on separate slides so the students had time to focus
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on one definition at a time. I then made sure to describe the types of questions they should ask

themselves when thinking about these two while reading any sort of materials. In the case of the

memoir they were reading, I explained they should ask themselves, “What is the author wanting

the audience to feel after they read this message?” or “What is the author wanting the audience to

do after reading this message?” I then displayed a fable onto the board. We listened to it together

as a class and decided what the message and purpose were together. After this, I put them into

four different groups, each one focusing on a different fable. They were set with the task of

deciding what the message and purpose of their fables were. After some time, we regrouped as a

class and talked through each groups’ fables and their subsequent messages and purposes.

During this time, I also asked the groups to provide evidence for their messages and purposes.

This helped me follow their thinking to ensure they were truly understanding the differences

between the two terms.

Section 5: Additional Assessment Information Produced to Determine Student Growth

For the second assessment, I had the students read a small section from the book and then

write a small paragraph with the message and purpose from the excerpt, as well as their evidence

that led them to these conclusions. While reading these submissions, I was able to see that a third

group had formed in the data. Now, there was a group of students who understood the difference

between message and purpose, a group of students who did not understand, and then a group of

students who were beginning to show understanding but were still struggling in articulating the

purpose from the text. About 45% of my students were showing a basic to good understanding of

the difference between message and purpose, as well as providing relevant evidence to support

their statements. They were able to demonstrate the difference between the message and purpose

by restating the questions I had told them to ask themselves. As for the new group, around 44%
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of my students showed that they understood the difference between message and purpose, but

still struggled to articulate exactly what the purpose of the excerpt was. They submitted

statements such as, “to raise awareness of…” or “to tell the audience…”. These students were

thinking about the definition I had provided for them but were focusing on what the author was

trying to do through the text instead of what the audience was supposed to do after reading the

text. With a little bit of one-on-one help though, these students were able to see their

misunderstanding and easily correct it. Finally, around 11% of my students did not show any

improvement in their understanding of the two terms. These students either submitted summaries

of the excerpt or two statements about the message instead of only one about the message and

one about the purpose. The data that was collected showed me that teaching a lesson that focused

on these two terms helped the students begin to correct their understanding of message and

purpose. Most of them were able to rejoin the path to continue growing into a deeper analysis of

memoirs through the basic components of a memoir.

Conclusion

The evidence from my assessments shows that it was important for me to take the time to

gather, organize, and analyze the data from my students’ responses. After the first collected

assessment, roughly 80% of my students showed that they could not find the difference between

the purpose and message within the first two chapters of their assigned book. Upon being

reassessed, a total of 89% of my students showed that they were able to understand the difference

between the message and purpose of the text. Around 44% of them struggled to articulate what

the purpose was by the definition I provided them, but they were still on the right track in being

able to reach full understanding soon. The other 45% of this group was able to articulate well

what the purpose was, making sure to restate the questions I had advised them to consider while
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writing their answers. This shows that assessing students, analyzing the data, and adjusting your

lessons with a reassessment greatly benefits your students and the trajectory of their future

understanding.