Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Terri Edwards
Abstract
Some state mandated tests showed that many African American male students are not proficient readers. Teachers need to understand how to implement instructional strategies that will help enhance African American male students to read proficiently. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore elementary school teachers’ perspectives of instructional strategies to enhance reading for African American male students in second through fifth grades. The conceptual framework for this study consisted of Ladson-Billing’s culturally responsive teaching and the theory of social constructivism. The focus of the research questions explored elementary school teachers’ perspectives of instructional strategies they use to improve African American male students’ reading achievement in second through fifth grades. Data were collected by one-on-one semistructured interviews with 11 elementary school teachers, by telephone or through Zoom, to determine teachers’ perspectives of instructional strategies to improve African American male students’ reading achievement. Data analysis included a priori coding, open coding, axial coding, and thematic analysis. Four themes emerged from the data analysis process: (a) building relationships improve African American male students’ reading achievement, (b) increasing student engagement increases reading engagement, (c) developing language skills improves reading abilities, and (d) more funding and resources to support reading achievement. This study may contribute to positive social change by providing elementary school teachers with information to enlighten their decisions about instructional strategies to enhance reading for African American male students.
Recommended Citation
Foreman, Nakita Annette, "Elementary School Teachers' Perspectives of Instructional Strategies to Enhance Reading for African American Male Students" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12351.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12351
