S Middle school students are often characterized as disinterested readers (McKenna, Kear, & Ellsworth, 1995), yet studies of adolescent reading typically do not feature students' voices about classroom practices (Alvermann, 1998). This study used students as primary informants about what motivates them to read in their middle school classrooms. We surveyed 1,765 sixth‐grade students in reading/language arts classrooms in 23 diverse schools in the mid‐Atlantic and northeastern United States. Students described how classroom environments motivated their reading through open‐ended responses, short answers, and checklist items. To obtain richer data about positive instructional environments, we conducted follow‐up interviews with 31 students in 3 classrooms in which students reported high engagement with reading. Using qualitative methodology, we conducted a content analysis of the survey responses and compared these findings with the interview data. We identified several overall findings about positive features of instruction. First, students valued independent reading and the teacher reading out loud as part of instructional time. Second, when asked what they liked most about time spent in the class, students focused more on the act of reading itself or personal reasons for reading rather than on social aspects or activities related to reading. Third, when students were asked what motivated them to read at school, they emphasized quality and diversity of reading materials rather than classroom setting or other people. When considering how middle school classrooms measure up, issues emerged about access to reading materials in the classroom and lack of diverse reading materials at school. These findings raise questions about the range of materials used for middle school reading/language arts instruction and the place and purpose of student independent reading. Los estudiantes de escuela media son a menudo caracterizados como lectores desinteresados (McKenna, Kear, & Ellsworth, 1995), sin embargo los estudios sobre lectores adolescentes generalmente no otorgan importancia a la opinión de los estudiantes acerca de las prácticas en el aula (Alvermann, 1998). Este estudio utilizó estudiantes como los informantes principales acerca de qué los motiva a leer en la escuela media. Examinamos a 1,765 estudiantes de sexto grado en clases de lectura y lengua, provenientes de 23 escuelas diversas del este de los Estados Unidos. Los estudiantes describieron cómo los contextos del aula motivaban la lectura a través de respuestas abiertas, respuestas cortas y listas de ítemes. Para obtener datos más ricos acerca de los contextos positivos de enseñanza, realizamos mediante entrevistas el seguimiento de 31 estudiantes en 3 aulas en las cuales se reportó un alto interés por la lectura. Utilizando una metodología cualitativa, realizamos el análisis del contenido de las respuestas del examen y comparamos estos hallazgos con los datos de las entrevistas. Identificamos varios resultados generales acerca de los aspectos positivos d...
S The overarching pedagogical goal of this formative experiment was to facilitate engaged reading and writing in a language arts classroom of seventh‐ and eighth‐grade native Spanish speakers who were assigned to a team composed solely of second‐language learners for the entire school year. Fourteen students participated in the study. An intervention was designed to emphasize (a) self‐selected reading and (b) whole‐class and small‐group teacher‐directed reading and writing on high‐interest topics. Initial assessments of literacy and the use of accessible and culturally diverse reading materials were keys to the instruction. Modifications to the intervention for the whole class are explained and highlighted through the experiences of students. Changes in the instructional environment were noted, and unanticipated effects related to student compliance are described. The results and discussion address the challenges of assessing literacy among second‐language learners and the importance of teacher expertise. El objetivo pedagógico global de este experimento formativo fue facilitar la lectura y la escritura en una clase de lengua de hablantes nativos de español de séptimo y octavo grado que fueron asignados a un grupo compuesto sólo por aprendices de segunda lengua. El trabajo se desarrolló durante todo el año escolar y participaron catorce estudiantes. Se diseñó una intervención para enfatizar: (a) lecturas seleccionadas por los mismos estudiantes y (b) actividades de lectura y escritura de tópicos de gran interés dirigidas por el docente, realizadas con la participación de toda la clase o en pequeños grupos. Las evaluaciones iniciales de alfabetización y el uso de materiales de lectura accesibles y con diversidad cultural fueron las claves de la enseñanza. Las modificaciones a la intervención hechas para toda la clase se explican y resaltan a través de las experiencias de los estudiantes. Se observaron cambios en el contexto de la enseñanza y se describen efectos no anticipados relacionados con la aceptación de los estudiantes. Los resultados y discusión se refieren a los desafíos de evaluar la alfabetización entre aprendices de segunda lengua y la importancia de la capacidad del docente. Das Alles überspannende pädagogische Ziel dieses formativen Experimentes war es, engagiertes Lesen und Schreiben im Sprachunterricht von Spanisch als Muttersprache sprechenden Schülern der siebten und achten Klasse zu erleichtern, die einem Team zugewiesen wurden, dass ausschließlich aus Zweitsprachenanfängern für das gesamte Schuljahr bestand. Vierzehn Schüler nahmen an der Studie teil. Ein Einschreiten war betont darauf ausgelegt (a) selbstausgewähltes Lesen und (b) mit der ganzen Klasse und in kleinen Gruppen vom Lehrer unterwiesenes Lesen und Schreiben über hochinteressante Themen zu fördern. Ausgangseinschätzungen im Schreiben und Lesen und im Gebrauch von zugänglichen und kulturell diversifizierten Lesematerialien dienten als Schlüssel zu den Anweisungen. Modifikationen in der Unterweisung der ganzen Klasse wurden du...
S “We're supposed to already know how to teach reading”: Teacher change to support struggling readers When Roosevelt Elementary School hired a consultant to supervise community volunteers tutoring first‐grade students, they anticipated improved reading performance and enhanced community relations. A later decision to include teachers as tutors produced unforeseen benefits and challenges for a fledgling program. Focusing on the first three years of Reading Partners, this paper explores the evolving perspectives of six school members who served as tutors (three first‐grade teachers, two Title I teachers, and the school principal) on professional development, classroom language arts instruction, and school‐wide literacy curriculum. This qualitative study was conceived as an examination of a community‐based literacy intervention program through teachers' eyes; however, the focus of the inquiry gradually shifted to teacher development and curriculum reform as school personnel became personally involved as tutors. Participating in an early intervention program encouraged school tutors to reflect upon the individual literacy needs of children in the program and in the regular classroom. Tutoring increased communication and collaboration among participating teachers, administrators, volunteers, parents, and university personnel. One challenge was creating a flexible schedule that accommodated teachers tutoring while providing high quality classroom instruction for other students. Surprisingly, these experienced teachers expressed concerns about their own expertise in adapting a literacy intervention model; they requested ongoing professional support. Finding an appropriate consultant and funding proved difficult each year. Two issues that continue to be debated in the school community are which children should be served and when a child is developmentally ready to benefit from participation in one‐on‐one intervention. “Se supone que ya sabemos cómo enseñar a leer”: Cambios en los docentes para apoyar a los lectores con dificultades CUANDO LA escuela primaria Roosevelt contrató a un consultor para supervisar a los voluntarios para ser tutores de los estudiantes de primer grado, se anticiparon avances en el desempeño en lectura y progresos en las relaciones comunitarias. La decisión posterior de incluir a los docentes como tutores produjo beneficios inesperados y desafíos a un programa recién iniciado. Poniendo el foco en los primeros tres años de Reading Partners (Socios en Lectura), este artículo explora las perspectivas en evolución de seis miembros de la escuela que trabajaron como tutores (tres docentes de primer grado, dos docentes de Title I y el director de la escuela) en desarrollo profesional, enseñanza de la lengua en el aula y currículum general de lectoescritura. Este estudio cualitativo fue concebido como el examen de un programa de alfabetización basado en la comunidad, a través de la mirada de los docentes; sin embargo, el foco de la investigación gradualmente se volvió hacia el desarrollo de los do...
UNIVERSITYThis is a case study of a case study. In order to examine the impact of conducting case-study research on preservice teacher Carrie's professional development, I followed her work with emergent reader Beth. Fieldbased research provided a context for posing meaningful questions and promoted professional reflection for Carrie in two areas: prior beliefs (autobiography, education, professional identity) and contexts for literacy development (child, family, school). Qualitative procedures (prolonged engagement, persistent observation, peer debriefing, examining self-as-instrument, triangulation) emerged as vital sources for focusing research questions and framing reflections. Points that deserve further study include (a) structured discussion uncovered assumptions that written reflection often did not, (b) the role of researcher encouraged Carrie to consider novel ways to negotiate professional relationships, and (c) autobiography proved a factor in case-study selection and research questions. Downloaded from J LR Broaddus THIS IS THE STORY OF CARRIE, a preservice teacher, and her attempts to record and understand the data that she collected about one child's struggle to learn to read and write. In essence, this is a case study of a case study. In order to look closely at how one preservice teacher learned to support the literacy development of one child, I followed Carrie's casestudy work with first grader Beth. I was interested in what the role of researcher offered to Carrie as a preservice teacher preparing to teach reading in the elementary grades. The specifics of guiding a preservice teacher in research design, data collection procedures, data analysis, and sharing results are worth careful consideration. How are worthwhile questions posed? What contexts promote reflection? In particular, what did Carrie learn from extensive work one-on-one with a struggling reader? In addition, how did Carrie's experiences using qualitative research methods (Lincoln & Guba, 1985;Patton, 1990) support her ability to question, reflect, and refine her theoretical and practical knowledge about teaching reading? I first met Carrie when she was enrolled in a required, two-semester literacy methods block course. I was part of a teaching team of three university instructors who conducted classes and supervised field experiences on site at a professional development school. In many ways, Carrie was a strong student, but her performance was typical of the students in the university education program in which she was enrolled. Her academic record was solid, and her experiences at two different universities had exposed her to diverse philosophies of education. In addition, Carrie had extensive background working with children, including varied experiences with students with special needs. Carrie distinguished herself early that first semester by her attention to the details of how to teach reading and writing. I discovered that Carrie was also enrolled in a psychology of reading course that was taught by one of our team instruc...
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