Action Research

EFFECTS OF SHORT DURATION PRACTICE ON ACT ENGLISH ACHIEVEMENT WITH INNER CITY TENTH GRADE
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Effects of Short Duration Practice on ACT English Achievement with Inner City Tenth Grade
Students
Maggie Sutton
Samford University
EDUC 591
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ABSTRACT
Students in three inner-city tenth grade English classes were instructed to practice sample ACT
English exam items for ten minutes two to three times weekly in an attempt to increase ACT
scores. Pre and post assessment data revealed that short duration practice sporadically throughout
the week was not effective in increasing student scores on a sample ACT test. This research
suggests that longer, more sustained practice is necessary to increase student scores on the ACT
English exam.
Keywords: ACT, assessment, test scores, achievement test, practice test
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LITERATURE REVIEW
This research report investigates the effectiveness of short duration practice sessions on
student achievement on the English portion of the ACT test. Before discussing endorsed methods
for improving ACT scores, it is important to have a strong grasp of the ACT, what it measures,
and how student scores are used.
The ACT is an exam used throughout the United States to measure a students
achievement based on topics learned throughout his or her high school career. Unlike the SAT, an
aptitude test, the ACT measures student achievement on knowledge gained through high school
coursework. It is also used by many schools as a predictor for a students readiness for college or
various careers. The ACT contains four content-related exams (English, Reading, Math, and
Science), with an optional Writing exam. Students are given limited time to complete questions
for each section of the test.
ACT scores were traditionally used as college entrance exams, with students receiving
admission to college or special scholarship allowances with certain scores. However, with the
development of Alabama Plan 2020 by the State Board of Education, the ACT became even
higher stakes. Now, the ACT is considered a Learner Indicator for College and Career
Readiness; this particular indicator measures whether state public schools are reaching certain
target indicators of students being college or career ready (Alabama State Board of Education
Plan 2020). By 2016, state board members hope that Alabama high schools will have at least
38% of students reaching what is known as a benchmark score on the ACT reading and math
sections of the test. In the area of English, that benchmark score is an 18. In February of this
year, Birmingham City ACT PLAN (an official ACT practice exam given to tenth graders) data
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reflected that only 27.95% of students met the standard for the English subtest, falling well short
of the states goal for this year (Kirby 2015).
Because each section of the test is timed and scores are considered high-stakes in
Alabama classrooms, the ACT can be a great source of anxiety for many students. To increase
ACT scores, a variety of test preparation companies and programs offer support for students
wishing to raise their scores on one or all of the ACTs subtests. The following are industrysupported methods for increasing test scores specifically for the English subtest, which contains
75 questions in the categories of usage and mechanics and rhetorical skills.
Content-Related Skills
Test preparation companies first recommend that students familiarize themselves with
content-related skills before attempting to increase their ACT scores. The official ACT website
states, Consider the elements of writing that are included in each underlined portion of the
passage. Students are encouraged to be familiar with such English skills as punctuation;
grammar and usage skills such as subject-verb agreement, pronoun errors, and incorrect use of
idioms; and sentence structure errors including awkwardness and verbosity in word choice
(Hickey 2014). The makers of the ACT specifically indicate that rote memory of specific rules of
grammar is not tested.
Time Management Strategies
The second most cited test-taking strategy includes time management during the subtest.
According to About Education, students have 36 seconds or less to answer each item on the test
if they hope to finish all 75 questions in the allotted 45 minutes. Time management is crucial if
students hope to finish all of the questions without needing to guess towards the end of the
testing period. Students are encouraged not to answer test items in order; instead, test experts
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suggest that students skip difficult questions in favor of answering all of the easy questions
related to a passage first. Then, if time permits, students are encouraged to go back and attempt
to answer the difficult questions.
Practice Tests
Finally, test makers and test experts suggest the use of practice test items to help students
familiarize themselves with the test, its contents, and the stress of answering questions within the
recommended 36 second window. US News and World Report suggests that students will form
a better idea of how well [they] might fare on the test after attempting ACT sample tests or
practice problems, and attempting enough of these sample sets can increase student selfconfidence, which in turn can lead to higher achievement on the actual exam. According to
Marzano, speed and accuracy are the key components of effective practice, so it is crucial that
students practice ACT problems under timed conditions similar to those of the actual test
(Marzano 2001). According to Marzanos research, highly effective practice can yield up to 28
percentile gain for students attempting to raise their scores (Marzano 2001). However, Marzano
does not suggest the optimum duration for practice sessions to lead to the highest results.
Purpose of Study
Teachers are often encouraged to provide opportunities for students to engage in highly
effective, timed practice sets. At George Washington Carver High School, teachers are instructed
to devote ten minutes at the beginning of every 90-minute class block to ACT test preparation.
GW Carvers alternating A-B block schedule ensures that students receive ACT test preparation
for each class only two or three times weekly, depending on the schedule of that particular week.
The purpose of this study is to measure the effectiveness of short, timed practice sets for
students, especially considering the alternating block schedule observed at the school site.
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METHODS
Participants and Setting
This study was conducted across one Pre-AP tenth grade classroom and two tenth grade
general education classrooms in a low-performing and high-poverty inner city high school. These
classrooms are designated Classroom 2B, 3B, and 4B respectively. Students that were absent and
unable to take the pre or post assessment were not included in the overall study. The total number
of students participating in the study was 47 students. Classroom 2Bs participants include 17
students, four of which have gifted and talented designation, one has an Individualized Education
Plan (IEP), and one receives accommodations for being an English Language Learner (ELL)
with limited English proficiency. Classroom 3Bs participants include 22 students. Of these, one
has gifted and talented designation, two have IEPs, and six receive ELL accommodations.
Classroom 4Bs participants include eight students. Three of these eight students have IEPs. Two
special education teachers and one ESL teacher worked with all exceptional learners on an asneeded basis, but typically did not observe or work with the class in an inclusive manner. The
three classes met on an alternating (A-B) block schedule, meaning students met twice (Tuesday
and Thursday) or three times (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) weekly for 90-minute periods.
Student desks were arranged in short rows of three or four desks facing the center of the
classroom, with the Promethean Board to one side and the dry erase board to the other. This
arrangement allowed students to see either board by looking to the right or left, rather than
having one board behind the students.
Tenth grade classes were chosen due to the fact that students are required to take the ACT
exam in their eleventh grade year, so this practice is more relevant and useful for them. All three
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classes were studied due to the great diversity of learners within each environment, which
offered insights into different exceptional learners and their particular learning needs.
Dependent Measures
Students were given a 15-question ACT pre-assessment at the beginning of class.
Students were given ten minutes to complete the pre-assessment to simulate the timed nature of
the actual ACT exam. The instructor informed students about the purpose of the study and how
the results would be used. The pre-assessment was given on a GradeCam bubble grid sheet and
results were given to students as a proportion of correct to incorrect items, as well as a grade out
of 100.
For the next two weeks after the pre-assessment, the instructor reviewed approximately
four to seven practice ACT items during every class meeting. Students were given exactly 45
seconds per practice item to help simulate the timed nature of the ACT exam. After students
recorded their responses on paper, the instructor spent approximately six to seven minutes
reviewing the practice items with the class. During these lessons, student engagement was
informally observed but not formally documented.
After two weeks of ACT instruction, the instructor provided students with a similar,
though not identical, post assessment to measure growth. The post assessment contained 15
sample ACT items different from those on the pre-assessment.
Treatment
In this study, the independent variable is the amount of time spent by the instructor
providing relevant practice for ACT exam items. This amount of time was approximately ten
minutes per class period, which occurred either twice or three times weekly during the study.
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The instructor provided detailed explanations of why each answer choice was correct.
The instructor engaged students by cold-calling and requesting volunteers to help read question
and answer choices aloud. Students also helped provide explanations for why they believed
certain answer choices to be correct or incorrect.
Design and Procedures
A case study design was chosen for this particular study, as the instructor was examining
the effectiveness of a policy heavily encouraged by the schools administration, which pushes all
classroom teachers to spend approximately ten minutes out of every class period focusing on
ACT practice and preparation.
The dependent measures were the accuracy of student responses on the ACT post
assessment. Pre-assessment and post assessment test items were retrieved from a Kaplan brand
ACT test preparation booklet. Students were given ten minutes to complete both the preassessment and post assessment.
The instructor used the ten minutes of ACT practice time as a preparatory set or Do
Now activity at the beginning of each class period. Practice problems were displayed on the
Promethean Board using a document viewer on the instructors desk and were visible as soon as
students entered the classroom. As soon as the bell rang marking the beginning of the class
period, the instructor formally acknowledged the beginning of class and provided instructions for
the practice items. The instructor then set a small kitchen timer for three to four minutes
depending on the number of practice items for that day. Students reviewed the practice items in
silence, though occasional talking during the practice period was observed. Some students
needed to move seats during the practice period due to not being able to see the Promethean
Board properly.
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After the practice period time expired, the instructor reviewed the practice items out loud
with the students. The instructor used cold-calling techniques to engage students in the
discussion of the sample questions. Some students did volunteer their answers and the instructor
allowed those students to share their ideas with their classmates as well. The instructor
informally noted student engagement during this time.
Data Analysis
Data was analyzed both informally and formally. Data was analyzed informally by
observing and reviewing the level of engagement during ACT practice time in the classroom.
Data was formally analyzed by comparing pre-assessment and post assessment scores. Both preassessment and post assessment data were used to create pie charts and bar graphs for each
individual class period. Additionally, individual student scores were displayed during bar graphs.
Finally, a comparison bar graph was made between students with an increase in their scores,
students whose scores remained the same, and students whose scores decreased after two weeks
of short duration practice.
RESULTS
Assessment Data
Figure 1 and 2 show Classroom 2Bs pre and post test results. Figure 1 indicates that
prior to short duration practice, five students scored zero to five points; ten students scored six to
ten points; and two students scored 11 to 15 points on the pre assessment. Figure 2 indicates that
after two weeks of short duration practice, five students scored zero to five points; 11 students
scored six to ten points; and one student scored 11 to 15 points. Figure 3 shows each individual
students score. Figure 4 indicates that of the 17 students tested, seven experienced an increase in
their score; one experienced no change and nine experienced a decrease in their score.
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Figure 5 and 6 show the same results for Classroom 3B. Figure 5 indicates that prior to
short duration practice, 11 students scored zero to five points; eight scored six to ten points; and
three scored 11 to 15 points. Figure 6 shows that after two weeks of short duration practice, 13
scored zero to five points; seven scored six to ten points; and two scored 11 to 15 points. Figure
7 shows each students individual scores. Figure 8 indicates that six students experienced an
increase in their score. Four students experienced no change and 12 students scores decreased
after two weeks of short duration practice.
Finally, Figures 9-12 display information about Classroom 4B. Figure 9 contains data for
Classroom 4Bs pre assessment scores. Of the eight students tested, four scored zero to five
points and four scored six to ten points. No students scored in the upper tier of 11 to 15 points on
the pre assessment. Figure 10 shows that after two weeks of short duration practice, six students
scored zero to five points and two scored six to ten points. Once again, no students scored 11 to
15 points. Figure 11 shows students individual scores. Figure 12 indicates that after two weeks
of short duration practice, four students increased their scores and four students experienced a
decrease in score.
DISCUSSION
The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of short, ten-minute practice
sessions at the beginning of class as instructed by school administrators in increasing students
ACT English scores. The instructor analyzed both pre and post assessment scores to determine
the effectiveness of this approach. Of the 47 students participating in the study, only 17, or 36
percent, saw increases to their overall scores after two weeks of ten-minute ACT practice
sessions at the beginning of class. Of the 17, the largest proportion, seven, came from Classroom
2B, which is designated as a Pre-AP class with the largest proportion of gifted and talented
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students. Five, or nearly 11 percent, of the participants experienced their scores remaining the
same. The majority of students, 25, actually saw their scores decrease after the ACT practice
session. This amount is 53 percent of the total students. The class with the largest number of
students with declining scores was Classroom 3B, which has a large percentage of ELL students
and students with IEPs.
This data leads the investigator to conclude that short duration practice at the beginning
of each block is not effective in raising students overall scores, though several limitations of this
study should be noted and possibly addressed in future studies. First, it must be noted that this
research was conducted over a short period of time (two weeks) late in the school year, when
many students miss class for field trips, performances, ceremonies, and other obligations. It is
possible that these end-of-year events provided distractions for the students that prevented them
from displaying their best effort on the post assessment. Further, a longer, more sustained study
might yield more positive results because students would have more time to practice with sample
ACT items.
It is also important to note that many students had to be eliminated from the study due to
absence on the pre or post assessment date. A future study conducted with a larger sample size
might yield different results.
Finally, it is prudent for audiences to consider the role of students guessing and the effect
this might have had on this studys results. The large proportion of students with decreasing
scores might be explained by students haphazardly guessing on questions. This could be
investigated by conducting a survey following the students taking the pre and post assessment to
see which students felt like they guessed on assessment items.
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The results of this study certainly call into question the validity of administrations push
for short duration ACT practice with the current schedule. According to this studys results, ten
minute intervals of ACT practice two or three times weekly are not effective in increasing
student achievement on the English portion of the ACT exam. The investigator recommends this
study be repeated in the future for a longer duration to see if scores may be increased with more
practice time.
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WORKS CITED
Hickey, Ryan. (2014, March 20). High ACT Scores: Need-to-Know Tips and Strategies.
Retrieved from http://www.petersons.com/college-search/act-scores-tips-strategies.aspx
Kirby, Brendan. (2015, February 15). Alabamas Original Test Data was Wrong; Here are Correct
Stats for Every High School. Al.com. Retrieved from
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/02/alabamas_original_test_data_wa.html?
appSession=394504845059104&RecordID=1105&PageID=3&PrevPageID=2&cpipage=
1&CPIsortType=&CPIorderBy=&cbCurrentRecordPosition=4
Marzano, Robert J. (2001). Marzanos (Nine) High-Yield Instructional Strategies [PDF
document]. Retrieved from http://www.palmbeachschools.org/qa/documents/Handout5MarzanoHighYieldStrategies.pdf
OShaughnessy, Lynn. (2011, January 18). 7 Ways to Improve SAT and ACT Scores. Retrieved
from http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-college-solution/2011/01/18/7-waysto-improve-sat-and-act-scores
Roell, Kelly. (n.d.) Correct These 5 Mistakes To Improve Your ACT English Score. Retrieved
from http://testprep.about.com/od/actenglish/tp/Improve_ACT_English_Score.htm
(n.d.) English Test Description. Retrieved from
http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/descriptions/engdescript.html
(n.d.) Alabama State Board of Education Plan 2020 [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from
Alabama State Department of Education website
https://docs.alsde.edu/documents/908/Attachment%201%20Plan%202020.pdf
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Figure 1
Classroom 2B ACT Scores: Pre Assessment
0 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
Figure 2
Classroom 2B ACT Scores: Post Assessment
0 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
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Figure 3
Classroom 2B ACT Scores: Pre and Post Test

14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Figure 4
Classroom 2B ACT Scores: Change

10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Increased
No Change
Decreased
17
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Figure 5
0 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
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Figure 6
0 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
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Figure 7

14
12
10
Pre Test
Post Test
6
4
2
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
Figure 8

14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Increased
No Change
Decreased
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Figure 9
0 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
Figure 10
0 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
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Figure 11

10
9
8
7
Pre Test
Post Test
5
4
3
2
1
0
1
Figure 12

4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Increased
No Change
Decreased

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EFFECTS OF SHORT DURATION PRACTICE ON ACT ENGLISH ACHIEVEMENT WITH INNER CITY TENTH GRADE

Keywords: ACT, assessment, test scores, achievement test, practice test

Classroom 2B ACT Scores: Pre Assessment

Classroom 2B ACT Scores: Post Assessment

Classroom 2B ACT Scores: Pre and Post Test

Classroom 2B ACT Scores: Change

Classroom 3B ACT Scores: Pre Assessment

Classroom 3B ACT Scores: Post Assessment

Classroom 3B ACT Scores: Pre and Post Test

Classroom 3B ACT Scores: Change

Classroom 4B ACT Scores: Pre Assessment

Classroom 4B ACT Scores: Post Assessment

Classroom 4B ACT Scores: Pre and Post Test

Classroom 4B ACT Scores: Change

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