Benefits Of Focused Instruction Time (FIT) In Schools. A Field Based Research (PDF)

Seminar paper from the year 2020 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Other, grade: 5.0, American International College, language: English, abstract: The objective of this work investigation is to support the theory that by utilizing focused intervention time with a target and control group of students, students in fifth grade can achieve higher scores overall (on vocabulary and comprehension assessments) by targeting specific student needs with regards to fluency and comprehension. Focused Instructional Time is a fifty-minute block that occurs for students at the South Shore Charter Public School Tuesday through Friday each week. To address fluency and reading comprehension deficits, this researcher completed targeted interventions to address individual student needs in the form of a Book Club, throughout a twelve-week period.

This topic is important to research because the focused instructional model is a research-based approach to learning. This is an opportunity every day for students to have additional service delivery if their IEP needs require individual and/or small group service delivery, in addition to the push in, co-taught model that SSCPS embodies. This Focused Instructional Time can benefit not only students who have specific plans, but teachers can utilize the time to meet each student's individual needs, including higher achieving students who wish to be challenged and extend upon topics taught in their regular education classrooms.

After meetings with different administrators to understand their perspective on defining "focused instructional time," this researcher also met with teachers to gather their thoughts on the topic, and how they feel it should be utilized day to day. It is imperative that all adults in the school have the same drive and understanding of the expectations for that time with students to be successful. This researcher gathered, at random, ten students in fifth grade to be part of the target group for interventions, thinking that all students can increase their fluency and comprehension, regardless of instructional and independent reading levels.