Affirming Parallel Concepts (APC) is a strategy that uses singing and playing singing games to practice reading and math skills
Letter Sound Acquisition
Lincoln Elementary, Minneapolis Public Schools, MN
The kindergartners outscored all 50 elementary schools in the district and made the most growth of any school from fall to winter. This occurred for two consecutive years with two different groups of kindergartners. Before using APC strategies, avg. score was 32 sounds/min.; after using APC strategies, avg. score was 42 sounds/min. APC was the only new strategy implemented.
|
Date
|
District Rank
|
Area
|
Scores (sounds/minute)
|
|
Winter '04
|
3rd
|
Letter sounds
|
32
|
| |
2nd
|
Growth (fall to winter)
|
|
|
Fall '05
|
All three kindergarten teachers applied APC strategies
|
|
|
Winter '06
|
1st
|
Letter sounds
|
42
|
| |
1st
|
Growth
|
|
|
Winter '07
|
1st
|
Letter sounds
|
37
|
| |
1st
|
Growth
|
|
|
Spring '07
|
Lincoln closed due to declining district enrollment
|
|
Pillsbury Elementary, Minneapolis Public Schools, MN
After scoring lower than the top 20 schools, the kindergartners scored third in the district.
|
Date
|
District Rank
|
Area
|
Scores (sounds/min.)
|
|
Winter '06
|
Lower than 20th
|
Letter sounds
|
NA
|
|
Fall '06
|
Two kindergarten teachers applied APC strategies
|
|
|
Winter '07
|
3rd
|
Letter sounds
|
32
|
| |
5th
|
Growth (fall to winter)
|
|
Kenwood Com/PAM Elementary, Minneapolis Public Schools
The kindergartners outscored all 40+ schools. Prior to using APC strategies, avg. score was 28 sounds/min; after using APC strategies, avg. score was 42 sounds/min.
| Date |
District Rank |
Scores (sounds/min.) |
| Winter '06 |
4th (tied) |
32 |
| Winter '07 |
10th |
28 |
| Fall '07 |
One kindergarten teacher applied APC strategies |
|
| Winter '08 |
1st |
42 |
Sight Word Recognition
Excelsior Elementary, Minnetonka Public Schools
One class of kindergartners substantially outscored the teacher's previous year's class.
| Date |
Research Class |
Date |
Control Class |
| Sept '10 |
0 |
Sept '09 |
0 |
| Nov '10 |
Teacher applied APC strategies |
|
No APC |
| Mar '11 |
90% achieved 89% or more |
Mar 10 |
70% achieved 89% or more |
Reading Fluency
Wright Elementary, Des Moines Public Schools, IA (M.A. thesis)
A 4th grade class significantly outscored another in the same school in three months.
| Date |
Research Class
Score (avg. words/min.) |
Control Class
Score (avg. words/min. |
| Aug '09 |
86 |
80.7 |
| Fall '09 |
Teacher applied APC strategies |
No APC |
| Dec '09 |
99.6 |
84.2 |
| Avg. increase |
13.6 |
3.5 |
Mathematics
Wenonah Elementary, Minneapolis Public Schools, MN
A 3rd grade class caught up to and surpassed another on timed multiplication tests.
| Date |
Research Class
Score (avg. correct/200) |
Control Class
Score (avg. correct/200) |
| Fall '05 |
Music teacher applied APC strategies |
No APC |
| Fall '05 |
27 |
32 |
| Spring '06 |
92 |
71 |
Park Avenue Elementary, Des Moines Public Schools, IA
A 5th grade class made dramatic improvement on timed multiplication tests.
| Date |
Process |
Score
(avg. correct out of 30 in 1 min.) |
Improvement |
| Sept '10 |
Pre-test |
8 |
|
| Nov '10 |
Pre-test |
12 |
4 |
| Nov'10 |
Teacher applied APC Strategies |
|
|
| Jan '11 |
Post-test |
22 |
10 |
