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…

This study measured the effectiveness of sight word practice using flashcards and the growth results were compared based on presentation formats when administered to a group of second grade students. The data were later disaggregated to compare the success rates of each platform among three different subgroups within the test population, based on…

Demonstrating the differential effectiveness of instructional approaches for learners is difficult because learners differ on multiple dimensions. The present study tests a person-centered approach to investigating differential effectiveness, in this case of reading instruction. In N = 517 German third-grade students, latent profile analysis…

As STEM initiatives increase throughout elementary schools, literacy teachers need help finding their role in school-wide implementation. This qualitative case study explored the perceptions and willingness of sixteen literacy teachers to integrate engineering practices with children's texts. Through the lens of Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory,…

The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of a year-long professional development plan designed to support K-3 teachers in two elementary schools in making shifts to align instructional practices with the science of reading. This mixed methods approach incorporated an action research design to answer the following research questions:…

Purpose: This case study sought to investigate the relationship between pre-service teachers' participation in designing and delivering one-on-one literacy intervention lessons to beginning readers and their own evolving self-efficacy in literacy instruction. Design/methodology/approach: The study was embedded within a 4000-level course in the…

Success in social studies is imperative, as civic literacy skills are used by students to become critical consumers of information and support making informed decisions. The problem is that teachers are making instructional shifts to support literacy performance and provide instruction for struggling readers in third and fourth grade to read,…

Background: To better understand the intricate science of reading development, both cognitive and affective factors must be taken into consideration. This developmental study aims to enrich the literature by exploring how reading motivation -- an affective factor -- contributes to reading comprehension in Chinese elementary schoolers, beyond…

This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable measurement tool that will determine the readiness of parents of students starting the first grade of primary school to support their children during the first formal teaching of reading and writing skills. The sample consisted of 524 parents of students starting the first grade in the provinces of…

Over 50% of K-3 students struggle with literacy skills at a southeastern Louisiana school. The issue continues despite teachers attending weekly professional development sessions to improve literacy instruction. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of K-3 teachers regarding their instructional strategies to teach students. The…

The purpose of this study was to determine current kindergarten teacher understandings of early phonics instruction and how teachers are meeting readers' early phonics needs during guided reading instruction. Using Vygotsky's (1979) social constructivist theory and Ehri's (1995) connectionist theory and by focusing on age-appropriate instruction,…

The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of goal setting as a motivator for kindergarten students in learning grade-level sight words. This study was conducted over a 6-week period in two Midwestern kindergarten classrooms. The participants in the experimental group were trained in self-setting goals and participated in…

This article explores the unique contributions of 2nd-grade emergent bilingual (EB) students' talk-turns vs. those of their teacher on students' expressions of comprehension during interactive read-aloud discussions in a pull-out classroom. They engaged in eight video-recorded, interactive read-aloud discussions across four books. This mixed…

A critical aspect of reading fluently is the ability to respond to sight words quickly and accurately. Current interventions for sight word fluency include flashcards and taped words (TW). While effective, these interventions require extensive personnel resources and one-on-one implementation. This study evaluates a group-wide intervention, the…

This study focused on intervention strategies for struggling kindergarten readers in Christian schools and the strategies' perceived effectiveness. This study examined the reading strategies implemented in Christian schools and their perceived strengths and weaknesses. The history of reading instruction in the United States was covered in a…