Historically, in educational research, student learning is frequently represented as quantitative data that demonstrates academic achievement. However, examining student learning by quantitative measures alone means that we do not fully understand the dynamic relationship between the instructional practices of teachers and how students learn. In this study, grounded theory methods were used to explore the relationship between the learning experiences of U.S. upper elementary students with specific learning disabilities and their special education teachers' reading practices. We found a relationship between the way teachers structured interactions within their word study instruction and how students perceived themselves as "readers" as evidenced by their talk. This study demonstrates the potential for teacher educators and researchers to use how students talk of their learning experiences and interactions during instruction, along with performance-based data, as a tool for understanding how teacher instruction affects student learning.