Date of Conferral

2-12-2024

Date of Award

February 2024

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Terri Edwards

Abstract

The majority of U.S fourth graders are not proficient in reading. With lawmakers in some U.S. states enacting “Read by Grade 3” laws, it is important for teachers to be well prepared to teach reading to their students. The purpose of this study was to explore novice kindergarten through second grade (K–2) teachers’ perspectives of their preparedness to teach students to read and their beliefs about what they needed to improve their strategies to teach reading. The conceptual framework was based on self-efficacy theory. The research questions addressed K–2 teachers’ perspectives on their preparedness to teach students to read and what they believed they needed to improve their strategies to teach reading. Data were collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with 11 teachers who taught or previously taught students to read in K–2 within the past 5 years. A six-step thematic analysis was used to analyze interview data. Data analysis yielded four emergent themes: (a) novice teachers lack reading pedagogical knowledge; (b) novice teachers are challenged to teach reading due to a lack of skills in differentiating instruction and classroom management; (c) helpful practices that support novice reading teachers are collaboration, observation, and coaching; and (d) additional resources needed to assist novice reading teachers are more support, professional development, and appropriate resources. The study findings may effect positive social change in the field of education by providing educational leaders with information that they can use when making decisions related to teacher preparation, professional development, and reading instruction in the primary grades.

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