This action research study describes the impact of ability grouping on fifth-grade students' academic achievement in reading. The theoretical framework that supported this study is embedded in cooperative learning, social learning, social interdependence, and self-efficacy. This study used a mixed methods design to consider the following research…

Reading skills are important for students' academic success. Phonics specifically is a foundational skill which is necessary for reading fluency and overall reading proficiency. Additional support outside of the classroom can be beneficial for those struggling and at-risk. There are various strategies and interventions that can help student's gain…

This study examined the challenges teachers faced in teaching reading comprehension to secondary students within the study school. Reading comprehension is a key skill for academic success, yet many students struggle to understand complex texts in subjects such as history, science, and mathematics. The purpose of this research is to assess how…

This research seeks to determine the possible impact the use of mandated scripted curriculum has on veteran teachers' professional identity. This qualitative study used an interpretivist lens and a narrative methodology. Narrative inquiry (Connelly & Clandinin, 1988) will be used to understand veteran teachers' professional identities as…

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…

Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the Repeated Readings intervention at improving reading fluency and reading comprehension. However, research on the effectiveness of fluency interventions focuses on young children, with limited research on the effects on college-age populations. The primary purpose of the current study was…

This dissertation investigates social annotation use in undergraduate reading and writing courses. It comprises three interrelated studies that examine different aspects of social annotation practices and pedagogical decision-making. The first study focuses on student annotations and analyzes students' knowledge construction practices. The second…

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:…

Novice reading teachers often struggle to provide high-quality reading instruction. The reasons for their difficulties include "transition shock," challenging school contexts, lack of proper preparation, and poor support. One way to improve the quality of novice teachers' reading instruction is through improving their access to high…

This systematic review aims to research, analyze, and synthesize peer-reviewed studies using guided reading or small group reading instruction as an intervention with K-12 students within the last ten years. Guided reading is a differentiated reading approach tailored to a reader's needs and is structured in small groups. The three reading skills…

The reading abilities of students across the nation continue to be a concern. In fact, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that 67% of fourth graders read at or below grade level (National Center for Education Statistics, 2022). This study was predicated on the idea that the reading attitudes and literacy knowledge of…

Educators nationwide are receiving training through Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling® (LETRS®), a program rooted in a structured literacy that encompasses all five essential components of literacy recommended by the National Reading Panel (NRP, 2000): phonemic awareness, phonics skills, fluency, vocabulary, and…

Reading Comprehension is one of the key skills that supports the child's overall learning progress. Belize is a developing country striving towards the development of its educational system. The primary purpose of this research study was to determine the effects of reciprocal teaching with multilingual students in Belizean elementary schools. A…