Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Amy White

Abstract

There is a widening reading achievement gap for third grade students in a southern state as indicated by declining reading achievement scores of third-grade students on the state standardized assessment over the last few years. The problem in the local setting is that little is known about how the local school district includes home-based literacy activities as an aid to improve literacy instruction and student achievement. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to explore ways that home-based literacy instruction is currently implemented in the local setting and to capture how parents’ experience this instructional partnership. The conceptual framework that guided the research questions in this study was Epstein’s levels of parent involvement and Vygotsky’s social learning theory. The study included multiple sources of data collected from 25 parent surveys and 11 parent interviews. Data were coded, analyzed and triangulated to generate patterns and themes. Findings included that schools promote the home as a literacy learning environment by addressing resource gaps, creating literacy workshops for parents and supporting collaborative partnerships among schools, parents and associated organizations. Based on those findings, a project in the form of a white paper was developed to present a comprehensive school literacy policy that would provide additional support for parents who engage in home-based literacy instruction to help drive student reading development and learning. This shift in literacy practices can provide potential for positive social change by supporting student reading achievement and closing reading achievement gaps to ensure that students can be successful in achieving literacy.

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