The problem in this study was that first- and second-grade teachers are not using relevant and timely data, specifically running records, analysis of oral reading errors, self-correction rates, and word accuracy, as well as the student zone of proximal development (ZPD) in guided reading instruction. The purpose of this qualitative case study was…

The purpose of this multiple-case study with a cross-case analysis was to determine how seven third-grade teachers conceptualized comprehension and its instruction and how those knowledge and beliefs about comprehension instruction were leveraged while planning lessons. Teachers were asked to design two comprehension lesson plans and answer…

My dissertation is structured as follows: introduction, background, methods, findings in the form of a PowerPoint presentation designed for teachers at my school and "Reading Teacher" article, and implications. Introduction: In response to my students underperforming in language arts I developed my research question; How can I use…

Each teacher brings different strengths and beliefs to the classroom through instruction. When teachers implement the same curriculum, pacing guides, training, and support, their instruction still varies, as does student learning. The Action Research study sought to improve the connection between teacher self-efficacy and teacher perceptions in…

Special educators of students with reading disabilities in upper elementary are tasked with remediating large deficits in reading while ensuring attainment of grade-level curriculum. Using a qualitative approach, this study investigated the reading instruction of six teachers in three schools in one district. Through interviews, an investigation…

Prior research has established preservice literacy teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning are often misguided and/or overly-simplistic, yet limited work has examined in what ways their in-the-moment teaching decisions align or misalign with what they believe. This qualitative study used deductive analysis methods to: (1) Identify three…

Reading comprehension instruction in the United States has historically been weak and provided limited support for diverse learners. Though the majority of teachers in the United States use core reading programs to design and teach reading comprehension lessons, virtually nothing is known about how teachers interact with core programs to develop…

The aim of this mixed method action research study was to determine if a relationship exists between motivation and achievement. The participants in this study were elementary gifted students. Students first identified their individual learning styles as either "global" or "analytical." The gifted teacher then planned lessons…

Expectations have been placed upon elementary teachers from the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts to guide students through close readings of informational and literary texts. This content analysis examined online close reading lesson plans to determine common objectives in elementary close reading lessons using literary text…

Teachers' instructional planning is observed as part of their yearly evaluations of standards of competency (FLDOE, n.d.). Teacher pre-service and in-service training instruct teachers in lesson-planning, but the changing makeup of students and legislative amendments leave teachers poorly equipped to design relevant literacy instruction, as…

Many students struggle to understand what they read. The purpose of my study was to determine the relationship between teachers' instruction of three processes believed to help readers to become more engaged (purpose setting, questioning, and predicting), students' use of these engaged reader processes, and students' comprehension development. My…

The problem in an elementary school in Southern Texas was poor reading performance on grade level and progress monitoring tests for students with disabilities (SWDs). SWDs may learn to read proficiently when reading instruction is provided using the support facilitation model (SFM) that features a special educator who helps SWDs in literacy or…

This 5-week case study research used qualitative methods to understand and study the relationship between feedback from course instructors and supervisors, and how it is used in comprehension instructional choices by eight pre-service teachers. The following research questions directed this research: (1) What is the role of feedback in pre-service…

Reading, as a foundational skill for adolescents to have in order to compete in the labor market, has received great attention in the K-12 and postsecondary education research. The T-TIP (The Tier Three Instructional Planning Tool) is designed in alignment with the critical components of reading content and pedagogy for adolescents with reading…

Students enter school with a range of abilities and learning styles. Many of these diverse learners are in need of academic support and assistance from educators in reaching grade-level competency within the academic area of language arts/reading. Differentiation addresses the possibility of assisting each of these students academically. The…