This phenomenological narrative study explored the effective reading strategies that successful Kindergarten and 1st Grade teachers used for economically disadvantaged students. The researcher used face-to-face interviews to glean data from 10 successful Kindergarten and 1st Grade teachers. The study findings lead to the conclusion that despite…

Reading achievement gaps for diverse students in high-poverty schools is a persistent problem nationally (Berliner, 2017; Carter & Welner, 2013; Darling-Hammond, 2010; Milner, 2010a; National Center for Education Statistics, 2009) and at the site of study. To better understand this phenomenon at Aspiring Elementary School, using the…

Reading is one of the primary goals of the early elementary grades. When students start to struggle with this complex skill, educators and parents search for solutions to rectify quickly mounting gaps before a child falls too far behind. In the State of Oklahoma, lawmakers have passed a law requiring mandatory 3rd grade retention for students who…

Supplemental instructional methods are needed to help students achieve grade-level proficiency in reading and literacy in inner-city elementary schools. Teachers employ music concepts and skills during literacy instruction as a motivator for students to acquire proficiency in literacy and reading. Interviews, informal observations and focus group…

This case study sought to explore the perceptions of classroom teachers and an instructional support team regarding the effectiveness of an established reading Response to Intervention model. It compared the perceptions of both groups regarding the model's effectiveness, focusing on its strengths and weaknesses. The similarities and differences…

At 2 primary schools in Western Jamaica, students at the Grade 1 level lacked basic literacy skills of comprehension, letter recognition, letter sounds, and oral communication. The purpose of this qualitative evaluation study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of the Jolly Phonics program implemented to improve students' literacy in Grades…

Formative assessment has been identified as an effective pedagogical practice in the field of education, where teachers and students engage daily in an interactive process to gather evidence of the students' proficiency of a specific learning goal. The evidence collected by the teacher and a student during the formative assessment process allows…

The purpose of this dissertation research was to identify a clear connection between teacher reflection, instructional coaching, and improved secondary reading instruction. During this case study, teachers explain and describe their understanding of the impact that two elements, instructional coaching and video reflection, have on secondary…

In the 2015-2016 school year, Mesa Elementary School's student test scores reflected that 58% of students in the third-through-fifth grades were below English Language Arts State Standards, as measured by the California Assessment of Student Performance. In the primary grades, more than 24% of Transitional Kindergarten, kindergarten, first-grade…

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact a close reading approach had on the reading comprehension levels of twelve English I students. Studies in literacy theory have suggested that students' reading comprehension levels improve with the use of reading strategies. As part of a larger body of research concerning reading instruction for…

Across America, students are entering high school with under grade level reading skills. Because of this, students and teachers are faced with finding alternatives to bring students up to a proficient level before they leave high school. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study research was to discover how teachers and students perceive…

Within a Southwestern school system, deficits in early literacy skills exist as is illustrated by kindergarten students not meeting the requirements on the Phonological Awareness and Phonics Inventory (PAPI). To address this deficit in early literacy skills, the school system instituted the use of the Guided Reading Approach (GR); however, it was…

This research study was designed and conducted to evaluate the regular education teacher's perspective on the effective use of Project Read to adequately instruct spelling mastery at the first grade level. The Project Read curriculum is divided into three major strands including phonics, reading comprehension, and written expression. Project…

This mixed methods study endeavored to examine the close reading knowledge, perceptions, and practices of high school teachers of English/language arts in the United States. Through a quantitative online survey, and two qualitative approaches--one-on-one interviews and reflective instructional logs--data was collected regarding how teachers felt…

Decoding deficits began in the early grades and without remediation created a subgroup of students performing below the expected level of the grade level of achievement. Examining oral reading fluency and phonics instruction provided information to the effectiveness of these reading areas taught individually or in tandem using scripted…