The effects of “play” on language and literacy development.

Write a 17 page “Action Research Paper” on the The effects of “play” on language and literacy development. The research will be done on three of my **special needs students. These students are autistic and range from 9-11 years old. All three students are verbal. Below is the information that must be included in the paper. Data section requires some graphics and charts (data can be simulated)…. I’m also attaching separately an outline I created with PROBLEM STATEMENT, CONTEXT, RESEARCH QUESTIONS & a SUMMARY.. Please use this information to align the paper to this outline information.

Action Research Paper

Your paper should include your own original research. The body of the paper, excluding title page, table of contents, bibliography, and appendices, should be 12-15 pages double-spaced, with 1 inch margins. Please adhere to the following format for the paper:

1. Title page – This includes an informative and descriptive title for your study, your name, date, course number, professor’s name and CRN number.

2. Research Abstract – This is a brief piece of no more than 300 words that summarizes your research study – the problem of focus, the methods used, and the most significant findings. An abstract is important because that is what people often read to decide if the rest is worth reading.

3. Table of Contents – This portion lists all elements of the paper including section headings used in the paper with the appropriate page numbers. (NB – this is a separate page)

4. Focus Questions – These should be clearly stated.

5. Rationale – This portion assists in understanding why this topic is so important, why it’s a problem for you and what exactly it is you want to understand about the situation. This section should establish a connection between your personal concern and the bigger picture, answering the questions: Why does this matter? Sometimes a short anecdote is an effective introduction.

6. Background and Context – This section provides basic facts about the immediate environment (school, class) and student population that is being studied. It also could explain how your study relates to school and district programs and regulations that 7 inform your work with your students. This may be a good place to provide descriptive statistics or vignettes of participants. It is also important to note challenges of the context, resources available, and relevant issues that could affect your role as a researcher. Question, Rationale, and Background/Context should be no longer than four pages.

7. Literature Review – This portion should summarize what you have found to be the trends and gaps in the literature on your topic. It is fine to have further sub-headings if it helps with the organization. No more than four pages.

8. Research Design – This section summarizes the rationale for data collection methods ( and the link to the research questions), the way data were collected and how data was analyzed. If necessary, there should be a section on the intervention employed. Finally, there should be some discussion of how the author addressed issues of trustworthiness and credibility. It is fine to divide this section into further sub headings to help with the organization of this overall piece. No more than four pages.

9. Data – This portion is where you exhibit and summarize the data throughout the implementation process. You may show your findings in a number of ways, including but not limited to: narrative reporting, illustrating evidence (quotes from data sources, tables, diagrams etc.) displaying coded artifacts, and providing numerical or anecdotal data. Your goal is to present data in terms that are representative of your collected data and easy to understand. Data and Analysis sections should not exceed six pages combined.

10. Analysis – In this section, you will provide your interpretation of the data, supported by literature in the discipline and the data itself. Your goal is to provide meaningful explanations for why the data shows what it does, which may include a critical discussion of changes that could have enhanced the vitality and validity of the research. Literature references may be valuable here to justify and explain your interpretation. Data and analysis sections should not exceed six pages combined.

11. Conclusions – This section summarizes what the implications are for you, your students, your teaching or for broader consideration publicly. What does this study contribute to the gaps in the literature you noted earlier, or in what ways did your findings relate to the research of others? Return to your research questions and state what was learned in relation to them. Section should be around 2-3 pages.

12. Reflections on Process and Limitations – This is a place to critique your study, stating biases and limitations of the study or how trustworthiness of the design could have been strengthened. This part should also be reflective – what you have learned about both the substance and process of teacher research. It is quite possibly a place to lay out possible next steps or further questions inspired by the study. Should be three pages or less.

13. References – Only references to literature cited in the paper should appear in APA format on the References page. 8

14. Appendices – Any appendices referred to in the paper should be included here as Appendix A, B, B, etc. At a minimum, include your data collection instruments and consent forms if used.