Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Colleen Paeplow

Abstract

Teachers’ ineffectively use research-based reading instructional strategies with minority students in an urban middle school district in the Eastern United States. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore teachers’ perceptions, experiences, and challenges when using research-based reading instructional strategies (RRIS) that include social interaction and scaffolding with minority students. This information is essential because student achievement in reading impacts their overall academic knowledge. The social development theory by Vygotsky served as the conceptual framework for this study. The perceptions, experiences, and challenges teachers face when using RRIS that include social interaction and scaffolding were examined through the primary research questions. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and document reviews of eight language arts middle school teachers of minority students. Coding and thematic analysis were used to assess repeating ideas and themes of teachers’ perceptions, experiences, and challenges. The results indicated that the teachers desired culturally responsive teaching professional development, a diverse curriculum, teacher collaboration, and more time with a reading specialist. The results were used to create a 2-day teacher training project and three follow-up collaborative sessions to support teachers with improving their knowledge and understanding of culturally responsive teaching that align with RRIS. Results and the teacher training project implementation can ensure administrators and language arts teachers understand how to better implement the RRIS with minority students in urban middle schools, creating positive social change.

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