Date of Conferral

4-18-2024

Date of Award

April 2024

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Derek Schroll

Abstract

The problem addressed through this study is the low reading comprehension levels of fifth-grade students with exceptionalities (SwE) (e.g. dyslexia) in a local school district in Georgia. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore fifth-grade teachers’ perceptions on their successes, challenges, and suggestions when teaching reading to SwE. The conceptual frameworks were the blended learning model and the constructivism model. The methodology of this research study was a basic qualitative design. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with eight fifth-grade teachers in a large school district in Georgia to investigate the reading foundational skills SwE are lacking that contribute to their low reading comprehension levels and recommendations for addressing the problem. The data analysis consisted of thematic coding of teachers’ responses, and open and axial coding was used. The results identified the specifics about fifth-grade teachers’ perceptions on their successes, challenges, and suggestions when teaching reading to SwE. The findings of the data analysis included challenges with reading, students’ prior knowledge and experiences, vocabulary challenges, phonic and phonemic awareness challenges. The findings included strategies to address the challenges: modeling proper reading techniques, supporting reading comprehension challenges, and increased parent communication. Other specific recommendations of the fifth-grade teachers were to increase the practice of vocabulary, sight words, phonics/phonemic awareness, and syllabication frequently with SwE to improve their low reading comprehension skills. School leaders and teachers can use the result to make informed decisions that could impact SwE reading comprehension, which could have potential implications for positive social change.

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